Judy Shepard, Adolfo Bermeo to Keynote 2009 ACA Conference

Judy and Dennis Shepard lived the nightmare of a hate crime. Their son, Matthew, died following a brutal attack determined by authorities to be a hate crime. Judy Shepard keeps Matthew's spirit alive in the poignant messages she has been delivering about her personal experience to audiences for more than a decade. As a keynote speaker at the ACA Conference in Charlotte, NC March 19-23, 2009, she will share here message about what professional counselors can do to help make our communities and our schools safer for everyone, regardless of their race, sex, religion, or sexual orientation.

Developing a climate of access, equity, and excellence in education for all students is the topic of keynote speaker C. Adolfo Bermeo, PhD, Senior Scholar for The Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education. Dr. Bermeo works with both state and national organizations committed to increasing access to higher education for historically underrepresented first-generation and low-income students. In the K-12 arena, he has worked closely with the Los Angeles Achievement Council to provide counselors and other school officials with strategies for achieving a climate conducive to success.

Dr. Bermeo, Ms. Shepard, and a host of other experts from all counseling settings and professional specialty areas will present their current work, insightful case studies and practical techniques at the ACA Conference & Exposition, as event co-sponsored by the North Carolina Counseling Association.