ACA Awards Recognize Achievement and Excellence in Professional Counseling

Each year, the American Counseling Association (ACA) recognizes excellence in research, career and humanitarian achievement among counseling professionals and students with its awards and honors program. This year’s awards will be presented at the ACA’s 2023 Conference & Expo in Toronto, Canada, held March 30–April 1.  

Meet Our 2023 Award Winners:

Best Practices in Research Award
Recognizes best practices research projects conducted by a practicing counselor, faculty member and student.

Practitioner Award	Faculty Award	Student Award
Ching Yi Kuo	Jaimie Stickl Haugen	Greg Peterson

Counselor Educator Advocacy Award	Extended Research Award	Professional Development Award	Research Award
Matt Fullen	Jeff Moe, PhD	Kristine Ramsay-Seaner	Seungbin Oh

Arthur A. Hitchcock Distinguished Professional Service Award	Carl D. Perkins Government Relations Award	Courtland C. Lee Multicultural Excellence Scholarship Award	David K. Brooks, Jr. Distinguished Mentor Award
Kathy Ybañez-Llorente	Elizabeth Burgin / Isabel C. Farrell	Mónica Rodríguez Delgado	Kaprea F. Johnson

Dr. Judy Lewis Counselors for Social Justice Award	Garry R. Walz Trailblazer Award	Gilbert and Kathleen Wrenn Award for a Humanitarian and Caring Person Award	Glen E. Hubele National Graduate Student Award
Nathaniel Ivers	Ryan F. Reese	Keiko Sano	Jennifer Niles

Kitty Cole Human Rights Award	Ralph F. Berdie Memorial Award	Robert H. Rencken Emerging Professional Leader Award	S. Kent Butler Transformative Impact Award
David Olges	Daisy Zhaoxuan Zhou	Rachel Jacoby	James L. Moore, III

Samuel T. Gladding Unsung Heroes Award	Thomas Hohenshil National Publication Award	Thomas J. Sweeney Award for Visionary Leadership and Advocacy
Tracy Sandor	Sylvia Nassar	Joshua Watson

Graduate Student Ethics Awards
These awards recognize exceptional, demonstrable understanding of the ACA Code of Ethics—the foundation of ethical professional counseling practice—in both doctoral and master’s student categories.

Future School Counselors Essay Competition

This competition recognizes graduate counseling students with exceptional insight and understanding about the school counseling profession and the work of professional school counselors who interact with elementary, middle school or high school students.

Tomorrow’s Counselors Essay Competition

This competition recognizes graduate counseling students with exceptional insight and understanding about the counseling profession and the work of professional counselors in mental health, private practice, community agency, agency, organization or related counseling settings.

The American Counseling Association is a not-for-profit, professional and educational organization that is dedicated to the growth and enhancement of the counseling profession. Founded in 1952, ACA represents nearly 60,000 members and is the world's largest association exclusively representing professional counselors in various practice settings.