A Message from the New NARACES President

Greetings to all Members of the North Atlantic Region Association for Counselor Education and Supervision:

I am deeply honored to serve as President of the North Atlantic Region Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (NARACES) until June 30^th, 2025. I have been involved with NARACES for several years and am excited to continue as a servant leader of NARACES in this new capacity. Taking a step back, we can appreciate the great strides NARACES is currently making to serve counselor educators, supervisors, and students in the North Atlantic Region of the US. Membership for NARACES is continuing to grow—as of last month, our total number of members is nearly 800. We hope to continue this growth in the upcoming year. I would also like to thank and acknowledge the NARACES membership chair, Dr. Jennifer Vinces-Cua, and her team for their hard work in these membership efforts.

I have recently returned from representing NARACES at the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) annual board in Austin, Texas. The ACES leadership, and Presidents and President-elects from all five ACES regions collaborated to discuss and vote on a number of initiative and topics affecting counselor education today. We will bring these important initiatives to the North Atlantic Region and continue to oppose to threats to our profession. ACES President, Dr. Cassie Storlie, and Executive Director, Dr. Kelly Duncan have been exemplary leaders in the counselor education profession and very helpful supports to NARACES.

The 2024 biennial NARACES Conference will be held from September 26–29, 2024 at the Sheraton Atlantic City Convention Center Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The turnout for proposals and registration thus far have exceeded my expectations, and I cannot begin to express my excitement and gratitude for all of the engaging presentations members of NARACES will be delivering at the conference in a little under three months from now. In addition to presentations from members, the conference will feature an emerging leaders’ program, an ACES Townhall, keynote speaker Dr. Amanda Giordano, job talks, and CSI, NBCC, and CACREP sponsored sessions. The NARACES or ACES conference is always a fulfilling time of the year, serving as an annual meeting of comraderies, learning, and fun. I look forward to engaging with many of you in Atlantic City!

Additionally, we may often forget that Puerto Rico falls within the North Atlantic Region. At the time of writing this, NARACES has just three members out of nearly 800 who reside within Puerto Rico. The counselor education community in Puerto Rico is growing, and I believe engaging these individuals in NARACES and ACES is an important step for expanding the profession. One of my first initiatives will be to start a task force of dedicated individuals to collaborate with individuals in the to increase NARACES membership among individuals in Puerto Rico, begin a long term strategy that will potentially result in hosting the 2028 NARACES Conference in Puerto Rico.

I would also like to acknowledge the challenges we are facing as country. Politically, socially, and environmentally, we are constantly faced with hardships that affect our daily lives. As we navigate these circumstances in an often-divided country, my hope is that NARACES is a united organization, where our members can find universality and solace in one another. As a counseling profession, we are stronger together. Correspondingly, it is paramount we continue to advocate for underrepresented groups, bridge inequality gaps, and build connection between all corners of the state to build a strong and culturally informed counselor education community in the North Atlantic Region.

Looking ahead, I would be remiss if I did not thank outgoing NARACES President for the 2023-2024 fiscal year, Dr. Devona Stalnaker-Shofner for her leadership of NARACES this past year. Finally, I would like to thank the NARACES membership. Without you all, nothing within the North Atlantic Region is possible. I encourage you all to use NARACES and ACES as the powerful professional resources they are. Take advantages of the wonderful opportunities your membership with NARACES provides you with. Please, get involved with NARACES as a leader or volunteer, reach out to our committee leaders with ideas and initiatives, the door is always open for everyone.

I’m looking forward to serving in this journey with you all!

Best,

Matthew L. Nice, Ph.D
NARACES, President 2024-2025