Director, Fellows and Scholars

Dr. Jordan Shannon is an assistant professor of counseling at Seattle University. He previously served as a faculty member and program director at Seattle Pacific University. His research interests center on racial identity development and experiences of racism in counseling, help-seeking behaviors and counseling utilization among diverse populations, mental health stigma and deterrents of counseling, and multicultural training in counselor education. His research has been published in peer reviewed outlets such as the Journal of Counseling & Development (JCD), Journal of Multicultural Counseling & Development, and Race, Ethnicity and Education. Alongside his scholarship he engages in multiple professional service roles. He currently sits on the editorial board for the Journal of Counselor Leadership and Advocacy and the JCD, and he served as chapter faculty advisor for his local chapter of Chi Sigma Iota – International Counseling Honors Society.

Ranada Atkins, a Kalamazoo native and first-generation college student, received the Kalamazoo Promise Scholarship in 2011. Before transferring to Western Michigan University in 2020 to finish her Bachelor of Science with a behavior psychology concentration, she earned an associate degree from Kalamazoo Valley Community College. She is presently enrolled in Western Michigan University's master's program in counseling psychology. Ranada has ten years of experience in the field of mental health at the Battle Creek VA Medical Center and is currently a DBT case manager. Her research focuses on racial disparities in the development of professional identities in Black students as well as education to Black and Brown communities in the mental health provided to urban advancement.

Ranada Atkins is currently participating as a graduate research assistant in a cross-university study with George Mason University and Western Michigan University. The IRB approved study led by Dr. Ngadjui and Dr. Steen is entitled "Assimilation, Acculturation, Integration: A Q-Methodology Study of Racially Minoritized Faculty Understanding of Professional Identity Development in Counselor Education". Ranada Atkins co-presented about this research study at the 2023 Association for Counselor Education and Supervision National Conference in Denver, CO and the 2023 European Branch of the American Counseling Association Conference in Leiden, Netherlands.

Cat Baeza is currently a Clinical Mental Health Counseling graduate student at Western Michigan University. She is working towards a clinical addictions specialization certificate through WMU’S Specialty Program in Alcohol and Drug abuse, as addictions and trauma care are some of her therapeutic interests. She is incredibly passionate about advocacy and social justice as both things directly impact the community members she works with. She strives to add her voice and support towards a more diverse and equitable society, where all are welcome to be present as their most authentic selves.

Cat Baeza is currently participating as a graduate research assistant in a cross-university study with George Mason University and Western Michigan University. The IRB approved study led by Dr. Ngadjui and Dr. Steen is entitled "Assimilation, Acculturation, Integration: A Q-Methodology Study of Racially Minoritized Faculty Understanding of Professional Identity Development in Counselor Education". Cat Baeza co-presented about this research study at the 2023 Association for Counselor Education and Supervision National Conference in Denver, CO and the 2023 European Branch of the American Counseling Association Conference in Leiden, Netherlands.

Canaan is at George Mason University working towards a Ph.D. in Education with concentrations in Educational Psychology and research methods in sports psychology. His prior educational experiences include earning a Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology from George Mason, and earning a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.

Professionally, Canaan Served as an Assistant Wrestling Coach at George Mason University for two seasons. Before coaching at George Mason, Canaan was the Assistant Director of Mentoring for the Beat The Streets Philadelphia. While serving in that role Canaan co-founded the Trenton Youth Wrestling Program which provides wrestling, tutoring, and mentoring to under-privileged youth.

Canaan's research focuses on critical race theory and self-regulation from the social cognitive theoretical perspective. A lot of what sparks Canaan’s research interest are questions regarding cultivating self-regulatory skills in academic settings and sports context. Implications from his research help students, athletes, educators, and coaches cultivate equitable environments and self-regulatory mindsets.

Brianna G. Hurley is a graduate of George Mason University’s Counseling and Development program, with a concentration in Community Agency Counseling and is a Resident in Counseling working towards LPC licensure in Virginia.

Brianna’s clinical interests include work with adolescents and young adults who are simply working to discover their ever-evolving identities and determining where they fit in, and/or struggle with varying mental health concerns, including anxiety, ADHD, emotion regulation, adjustment concerns, and career counseling needs. These clinical interests particularly inform Brianna’s research interests, which include the implications of mainstream dynamics within school systems for Black youth (cradle to prison pipeline, influence of group counseling on academic achievement, restorative justice in peer-to-peer conflict resolution, etc.).

Brianna has utilized Relational-Cultural Theory, Trauma-Informed therapy, and Mindfulness in her research on the implications of group counseling on the mental health and coping of activists. She is currently working to study the impact of group counseling in public schools for Black and Latinx youth.

Brianna is the recipient of the following awards: The Pete Warren Fellowship (Virginia Counselors' Association, 2021); Outstanding Student Award (George Mason University’s Community Agency Program, 2021).

Zikun Li is a PhD candidate at the College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Sport Management from Beijing Sport University (China) and a Master's degree in Sport Management from the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor). Currently, Zikun is pursuing an interdisciplinary doctoral program with a specialization in Sport for Development and Peace (SDP).

Zikun Li is currently participating as a graduate research assistant in a cross-university study with George Mason University and Western Michigan University. The IRB approved study led by Dr. Ngadjui and Dr. Steen is entitled "Assimilation, Acculturation, Integration: A Q-Methodology Study of Racially Minoritized Faculty Understanding of Professional Identity Development in Counselor Education". Zikun Li co-presented about this research study at the 2023 Association for Counselor Education and Supervision National Conference in Denver, CO and the 2023 European Branch of the American Counseling Association Conference in Leiden, Netherlands.

Zikun's research interests primarily focus on the sociological and psychological aspects of sports, approaching them as an intervention strategy. She is currently investigating topics such as the globalization of sports, the Olympic Games, and the intersections between sports, immigration, and refugees.

Ammal Mahmood is a Muslim Pakistani-American and a first-generation college graduate pursuing her M.Ed. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and licensure at George Mason University. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, also from George Mason University.

Ammal is contributing to the field of counselor education through a collaborative, cross-university research study between George Mason University and Western Michigan University. This IRB-approved Q-methodology study, led by Dr. Ngadjui and Dr. Steen, is titled “Assimilation, Acculturation, Integration: A Q-Methodology Study of Racially Minoritized Faculty Understanding of Professional Identity Development in Counselor Education.” Ammal co-presented this research at the 2023 Association for Counselor Education and Supervision National Conference in Denver, Colorado; the 2023 European Branch of the American Counseling Association Conference in Leiden, Netherlands; and the 2024 AIRE National Conference in Fairfax, Virginia.

Additionally, Ammal has published a chapter titled School Counselor Identity, Consultation, Collaboration, and Supervision in the book Advancing Equity-Focused School Counseling for All Students: Confronting Disproportionality across PreK-23 Schools, edited by Dr. Steen, Shekila Melchior, and Amber Brenae Sansbury-Scott.

Ammal’s academic and professional experiences have cultivated a passion for fostering educational equity, supporting mental health, and creating inclusive and brave spaces where individuals can thrive. She is deeply committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion and advocating for underrepresented and racially minoritized groups in educational and professional settings.

Malik Merritte is a first year graduate student of George Mason University’s Counseling and Development program, with a concentration in masters in clinical mental health. He is originally from Richmond, Virginia and before joining George Mason, he received his Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science from Old Dominion University. At GMU. Malik is currently assisting the athletic department in a project in helping athletes transition from athletics to life after college. With a huge passion in sports, he strives to have an impact and break the stigma with Mental health and Sports.

Malik Merritte is currently participating as a graduate research assistant in a cross-university study with George Mason University and Western Michigan University. The IRB approved study led by Dr. Ngadjui and Dr. Steen is entitled "Assimilation, Acculturation, Integration: A Q-Methodology Study of Racially Minoritized Faculty Understanding of Professional Identity Development in Counselor Education". Malik Merritte co-presented about this research study at the 2023 Association for Counselor Education and Supervision National Conference in Denver, CO and the 2023 European Branch of the American Counseling Association Conference in Leiden, Netherlands.

Anna Nungester is a second-year doctoral student in Counseling Psychology at Western Michigan University. She is originally from southern Indiana and is excited to be join the research team with Dr. Ngadjui and Dr. Steen. Her current research topic is intergenerational trauma within the Jewish population.

Anna Nungester is currently participating as a graduate research assistant in a cross-university study with George Mason University and Western Michigan University. The IRB approved study led by Dr. Ngadjui and Dr. Steen is entitled "Assimilation, Acculturation, Integration: A Q-Methodology Study of Racially Minoritized Faculty Understanding of Professional Identity Development in Counselor Education". Anna Nungester co-presented about this research study at the 2023 Association for Counselor Education and Supervision National Conference in Denver, CO and the 2023 European Branch of the American Counseling Association Conference in Leiden, Netherlands.

Kemmel holds a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s degree in counseling psychology. He is currently attending Western Michigan University (WMU) for his doctoral degree in Counselor Education and Supervision. At WMU, Kemmel is the program coordinator for the Lewis Walker Institute- Youth Juvenile Justice Program and was previously the community mentorship program coordinator within the Multicultural Affairs for Students Department. He is actively involved in working with adolescents from minority backgrounds and promoting more inclusion within the mental health field.

Kemmel Palmer is currently participating as a graduate research assistant in a cross-university study with George Mason University and Western Michigan University. The IRB approved study led by Dr. Ngadjui and Dr. Steen is entitled "Assimilation, Acculturation, Integration: A Q-Methodology Study of Racially Minoritized Faculty Understanding of Professional Identity Development in Counselor Education". Kemmel Palmer co-presented about this research study at the 2023 Association for Counselor Education and Supervision National Conference in Denver, CO and the 2023 European Branch of the American Counseling Association Conference in Leiden, Netherlands.