Our alumni spotlight shares the post-graduation successes of our former students. Learn more about their personal growth and professional experiences. 

Dr. Kamala Glenn-Taylor

VSU MFT Alumni, Kamala Glenn-Taylor, PhD, LMFT is the Director of Clinical Services at Brentwood Hospital in Shreveport, LA. She went on KSLA News to discuss how to take care of yourself after a loss

MICHELLE C. BROOTEN-BROOKS, M.S. LMFT

Michelle C. Brooten Brooks, M.S LMFT, class of 2018. She currently offers online telemental health therapy to adults in the state of Georgia. To learn more about her practice, visit her website. She previously worked in community mental health. Michelle recently published an article titled, "Why Bipolar Disorder Stigma Still Exists". The article explores the stigma surrounding the disorder and integrates systemic concepts with practical texts. The article can be found here.

DR. KATELYN COBURN

coburn-update.jpeg Dr. Katelyn Coburn is an assistant professor in the Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). Katelyn is faculty in the Marriage and Family Therapy program at UNL and is passionate about training students to work in inclusive and culturally attuned ways with diverse populations. Katelyn earned their PhD in Couple and Family Therapy from Kansas State University in May of 2021 and completed their master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at Valdosta State University in July of 2017. Katelyn is a licensed marriage and family therapist in the state of Kansas and an AAMFT approved supervisor. 
Katelyn has a small private practice where they work primarily with LGBTQ+ people and families and assist transgender and nonbinary people in navigating gender affirming transition processes. Katelyn utilizes trauma-informed and intersectional frameworks in their research which focuses on affirmative and inclusive therapy with queer, transgender, and nonbinary people with an attention to systemic oppression and the impact of the gender binary. Katelyn also conducts research focusing on how affirmative religious leaders and faith communities can be resources and support for LGBTQ+ people and their families. Katelyn enjoys publishing and presenting their research regularly at national conferences like the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy and the National Council on Family Relations as well as applying research findings in therapy practice and with community resources. When not working, Katelyn can be found baking desserts, binging the latest Netflix show, daydreaming about traveling, and spending as much time as possible with their partner and two pups. 

Danesha Deloatch

Denesha Deloatch

Danesha is a graduate of the class of 2015. She is the founder, owner, and clinical therapist at Breaking Barriers Therapeutic Services, PLLC. She has been serving residents in Georgia and Washington State virtually since 2020.  She is the clinical chair for the Washington State Association of Marriage and Family therapy as a Member at Large on the state board as well as sit on the United States Navy Diversity and Inclusion team for the NW Region.  

She works with couples and individual clients, as well as working in a suicide response program and a domestic violence program for the military. She has published several articles and is currently on track to complete her Perinatal Mental Health Certification (PMH-C).

Deloatch, D. B. (2021, July 2). The importance of Maternal Mental Health Conversations: Sharing my Truth. Perinatal Support Washington. https://perinatalsupport.org/black-maternal-mental-health-deloatch/. 

 Deloatch, Danesha, and Tri Nguyen. “Systemic Racism and the Asian American Community.” The American of Marriage and Family Therapy, 27 March 2021, aamft.informz.net/admin31/content/tem

And the most recent podcast: https://pod.co/behavioral-health-integration/mental-health-in-the-us-navy-interview-with-danesha-deloatch-lmft

DR. A.J. RAMIREZ 

ajvsu-2020.jpg Dr. A.J. Ramirez, MFT Graduating Class of 2007, has accepted the program coordinator position for VSU’s Women’s and Gender Studies (WGST) at Valdosta State University. She will start Fall 2022. Dr. Ramirez has a distinguished track record teaching innovative WGST courses from her faculty position with the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice.

KHUSHBU PATEL

khusbu patel Khushbu Patel is a doctoral student at Virginia Tech in the Department of Human Development and Family Science, specializing in Marriage and Family Therapy, and pursuing a graduate certificate in Gerontology. Her research focuses on caregiving and intergenerational relationships, specifically in understanding the experiences of grandchildren who are caregiving to grandparents with dementia. Currently, she teaches undergraduate students about Adulthood & Aging, collaborates with the VA on a project about mindfulness and caregiving, and contributes to ongoing manuscripts about grandchildren, grandparents, and caregiving.

 

CHECK OUT OUR OTHER ALUMNI

Justin Muller

Check out this article by two of our alumni, Dr. Racine Henry and Dr. Taimyr Strachan-Louidor