Will Stroble is the American Counseling Association’s newest employee and the first director of ACA’s new Center for Counseling Practice, Policy and Research. The Center’s goal is to produce products and research that will increase public awareness of the counseling field, as well as materials that will result in more professionals being able to practice. He is looking forward to using his decades of experience in the counseling and passion for the profession to advocate for and empower counselors nationwide.

Where did you work before coming to ACA?
Prior to joining ACA, I worked for the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) in Arlington, Va., as a school counselor. I worked with high school students in a virtual environment around the world, including Europe and countries in the Pacific such as Japan, Korea and Australia.

As a counselor, why did you want to work for ACA? What did you think of the organization?
I have always enjoyed working with people who reach out to help others. That’s what we, as counselors, do on a day-to-day basis. When I made the decision to join the ACA staff, I believed that I was making a wise decision because, through my work at ACA, I will be able to effect systemic, positive changes for all people and make changes on a broader scale that will empower people, thereby making this world a better place for everyone, regardless of the barriers and challenges that people face in their daily lives.

What does your position entail?
My position entails developing from the ground up the infrastructure for archiving, disseminating and promoting exemplary counseling practice information and resources for professional counselors, counselor educators, supervisors, students, legislators, the media and other consumers of applied counseling knowledge. My position also allows me to advocate for optimum counselor work and training conditions. My vision for the Center is that it will be seen as both the premier place to obtain information and resources that focus on cutting-edge counseling practices and will serve as the focus of the counseling profession’s advocacy efforts for high-quality workforce conditions.

What future goals do you have regarding your position?
I have many future goals, such as networking with other well-known colleagues in the counseling profession and leading the efforts on behalf of counselors to gather information and data on best practices in the profession, working with public policy staff to advocate for my colleagues and securing grants and funding for cutting-edge research in the counseling profession.

Other thoughts?
I am humbled and honored to have joined the staff at ACA as a counseling leader in the profession. After 33-plus years in the profession, having worked at the local, state, federal and now national levels, I am excited about this challenge and look forward, with great anticipation, to working alongside my professional counseling colleagues in the field. As we collaboratively and collectively work to make this world a better place for all people through our practice, I pledge humbly to accept the charge for the challenges, expectations and confidence that have been placed before — and in — me by ACA’s outstanding and most impressive leadership team, and all ACA members and constituents who have bestowed this sacred trust in me.

Heather Rudow is a staff writer for Counseling Today. Email her at hrudow@counseling.org.
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