LaTonya M. Summers, PhD, LMHC, LCMHC-S, is an award-winning assistant professor of clinical mental health counseling at Jacksonville University. There, she brings over 26 years of clinical mental health and addictions counseling experience and conducts research on multicultural issues in counseling and supervision. She has examined the impact of power, race, and gender on cross-racial interactions; natural hair bias and upward mobility in the workplace; clinical mental health needs of Black clients; and culturally specific professional development. Her work is featured in scholarly journals and at international and national professional conferences. Summers founded the national annual Black Mental Health Symposium, a conference aimed to equip mental health professionals with culturally-specific skills to improve mental wellness in Black communities. She is the publisher of Black Mental Health Today Magazine. Dr. Summers has been featured in O Magazine on the subject of authenticity in the workplace; and conducted a TEDx Talk entitled Know Pain, Know Gain https://youtu.be/9b6pnlmR0-I.

Lotes Nelson, PhD, LCMHC, ACS, NCC, is a Clinical Faculty at Southern New Hampshire University's Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program. Dr. Nelson is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor in North Carolina, a Board Approved Clinical Supervisor, and a National Certified Counselor. She is also an award recipient of the prestigious National Board for Certified Counselor Doctoral Minority Fellowship. Dr. Nelson serves as a member of the Association for Creativity in Counseling Board of Directors and a previous member of the Florida Counseling Association and the Licensed Professional Counselors Association of North Carolina Board of Directors along with her many leadership roles in the mental health field and community-at-large. Notably, Dr. Nelson received The Samuel T. Gladding Inspiration and Motivation Award to recognize her inclusive practice through humility, collaboration, creativity, and expression through growth-fostering connections and cooperation.

Dr. Nelson is vehement about the topic of multiculturalism as a first-generation immigrant herself. Her work has been focused on creating space for the minorities, marginalized, and oppressed groups to be heard and belong. She has worked in various capacities dealing with diversity in people for over 25 years in both the corporate sector and mental health counseling discipline as a counselor, counselor educator, and supervisor. Her avid interest in diversity in people and counseling has been displayed in her research, scholarly writing, curriculum development, and academic work. Dr. Nelson was appointed and served as the Chair of the Anti-Racist Pedagogy Task Force of the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) and served as a member of the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) Ethics Task Force.

Dr. Nelson enjoys spending quality time with her family.