Facilitating Social Justice, Service Delivery, and Advocacy Through Multicultural Counseling Competencies

Dr. Keith B. Wilson is a Professor in the Department of Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education at the University of Kentucky. He is the Program Chair and Director of Graduate Studies in the Counselor Education Program. He served as administrator and faculty member at The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) for 15 years and Dean of the College of Education and Human Services at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. While at Penn State University, he was also the owner and director of counseling, consultation, and psychotherapy services (CCPS) at State College, PA. He received his B.A., M.Ed., and Ph.D. degrees from Wilberforce University, Kent State University, and The Ohio State University, respectively. As a professor, he routinely teaches undergraduate, master's, and doctoral-level students. Dr. Wilson has over 100 scholarly publications (e.g., journal articles, books, book chapters) and an estimated 175 local, state, national and international presentations. His research interests are primarily centered around two areas: (1) Cross-cultural/multicultural issues among persons with disabilities and (2) privilege based on phenotype (e.g., skin color, gender) in the United States. His current research is looking at improving multicultural counseling competencies by using more application approaches to cross-cultural training in education and human and allied health services. Committed to the ideals of research, teaching, and service, he has been honored with several service, research and lifetime achievement awards including the Virgie Winston-Smith Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by the National Association of Multicultural Rehabilitation Concerns and the James F. Garrett Distinguished Career in Rehabilitation Research Award, presented by the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association. He is also a Fellow in both the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the National Association of Muliticultrh Rehabilitation Concerns (NAMRC), to name a few.

Si-Yi (Jessica) Chao, Ph.D., CRC is an assistant professor in Counselor Education program at University of Kentucky. She has worked for 10 years as a licensed physical therapist and has provided physical therapy, rehabilitation counseling, and case management for people with neurological impairments, people with acute and chronic pain conditions, people with cancer, people living with HIV/ AIDS, and people with working injuries. She was also a leader who supervised new employees and conducted internship training programs. She received her bachelor’s degree of physical therapy at China Medical University, the master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling at Changhua University of Education in Taiwan, and the doctoral degree in the Rehabilitation Counseling and Administration program in the Rehabilitation Institute at Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC). Dr. Chao has served and integrated the resources for those requiring intensive care, inpatient services, and outpatient services in the hospital using a “holistic person” model related to medical, psychological, vocational, academic, and social aspects. She constructed a community-based rehabilitation program funded by Taiwan’s government. Program services included evaluation, treatment plan development, education and health promotion, psychological adaptation, coping strategies, advocacy, and resource integration for the customers and the community. Additionally, she provided outreach to nursing houses, community organizations, and schools for physical and mental health promotion. Dr. Chao’s research interests include career development for school-age students, community-based rehabilitation application, quality of life and wellness promotion, supervisor education training, multicultural competences of human service professionals, and intersectional identity development. She has published eight peer-reviewed articles, three edited books, one translated book, and seven book chapters. Dr. Chao has been honored Dorothy Dykema Endowed Scholarship and National Association of Rehabilitation Leadership Award presented by Rehabilitation Institute at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

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