Derek J. Parker Ph.D., LPC, NCC, ACS
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Hello, my name is Derek Parker and I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Pennsylvania, and have held this license since 2016. I received my master’s degree (MA) in Professional Counseling and my Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Counselor Education and Supervision from Liberty University. I am currently an Assistant Professor at Liberty University, where I have served for over four years and I teach in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) program. Additionally, I work as an outpatient counselor, where I counsel individuals and couples. Prior to my time as a professor, I spent about a decade working with children, adolescents, and their families before transitioning to the field of addiction. I have served as a clinician, clinical supervisor, and director within several organizations. Throughout my entire career I have served in rural Pennsylvania. I am very passionate for working with clients in rural and underserved communities. This has also increased my desire to advocate and promote this community as well as the counseling community.
ASSOCIATION EXPERIENCE
Throughout my career, servant leadership has been a very important part of my professional identity as a counselor. I joined AMHCA in 2023 as I prepared to present at my first AMHCA conference in New Orleans. This was an amazing experience getting to know other AMHCA members, leaders, and professional staff. Since this event, I have had a strong desire to serve in this organization. Since joining, I have been involved in the Membership and Conference Planning committees. While my involvement with AMHCA may be short, I do bring with me over a decade of service in other counseling organizations. I have been a very active member of the Pennsylvania Counseling Association (PCA) for over a decade. I served as chair of the Budget and Finance Committee for three years after dedicating six years as the PCA Treasurer. I also held elected roles in PCA divisions, such as the Past-President of the Pennsylvania Association of Child and Adolescent Counselors (PACAC), and Past-President of the Pennsylvania Association of Counselor Education and Supervision (PACES). In addition to the Budget and Finance Committee, I continue to serve as a reviewer for the Journal of the Pennsylvania Counseling Association (JPCA), and a former Conference Co-Chair for Logistics for three PCA annual conferences. Outside of that Association, I currently serve as Chapter Faculty Advisor of the CSI Rho Eta Nu Alpha Rho Chapter at Liberty University. I am currently the Communications Chair of the North Atlantic Region Association of Counselor Education and Supervision (NARACES). Additionally, I am currently the Treasurer of the North Atlantic Region of the American Counseling Association (NAR). My continuous desire to give back to this profession along with my numerous experiences within professional organizations have uniquely equipped me to serve as Director-at-Large of the American Mental Health Counselor Association.
GOALS
As Director-at-Large, I am excited for the opportunity to continue to meet AMHCA members and continue to serve this organization. This position will allow me to continue to be very active in meeting AMHCA membership and serving as a liaison and advocate for the organization. As Director-at-Large, I will work with both members and committees to serve as a liaison and ensuring this voice is communicated to the board of directors. I will also passionately continue to serve AMHCA and ensure that our mission and objectives continue to be advanced and the organization continue to grow. I thank you for your consideration.
CANDIDATE VIDEO
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