What ACA's New Board and Advisory Council Mean for Your Counseling Practice

Who actually speaks for my specialty when the American Counseling Association sets policy? On July 1, 2026, the ACA answered that question by seating its inaugural Advisory Council¹, replacing its 32-member Governing Council with a leaner 15-member Board of Directors and a 25-member advisory body.

The restructuring embeds division and regional representatives, from addiction and trauma to career and marriage and family, directly into strategic decisions, along with a student voice. The profession gains a governance model where frontline specialty expertise now shapes advocacy, continuing education, and licensure policy for over 62,000 members.

Why the ACA Overhauled Its Governance in 2026

The tension between broad representation and operational agility drove the ACA to overhaul its governance in 2026. For years, a 32-member Governing Council steered the association, but its size often slowed critical decisions.

The Limitations of a Large Governing Council

The previous Governing Council, with 32 members, was designed to represent every facet of the profession. In practice, that breadth made it difficult to respond quickly to licensing threats, legislative shifts, or emerging practice trends. A 2023 performance assessment rated the structure only average,³ and internal feedback consistently pointed to inefficiencies. Meetings were long, consensus was hard-won, and the association risked falling behind its more nimble counterparts in advocacy and policy work.

Member Feedback and the Push for Change

Members repeatedly signaled a need for governance that could adapt faster. Surveys and town halls highlighted a desire for leadership pipelines, clearer accountability, and a system that valued competency over sheer representation. ACA leadership, in turn, framed the restructure as a move toward sustainability. “The new governance structure is intended to prepare the association for a more sustainable future,” the organization stated,² emphasizing efficiency, adaptability, and stronger pathways for member leaders.

A Leaner Board with Advisory Depth

Approved by membership in June 2023 and refined through bylaw amendments in June 2025,¹ the new model replaces the Governing Council with a 15-member Board of Directors elected at large on competency. To preserve stakeholder input, a 25-seat Advisory Council, pulling from 20 divisions, four regions, and one student representative, was created. This split keeps day-to-day decision-making nimble while ensuring diverse voices still shape strategy. The design also carves out clearer roles: the board governs, the council advises, and both collaborate on major initiatives.

The New Board of Directors: Structure, Elections, and Staggered Terms

Fifteen seats form the newly configured ACA Board of Directors, a deliberate reduction aimed at sharpening decision-making and accountability. The board now comprises four officer positions, president, president-elect, past-president, and a secretary/treasurer, alongside eleven at-large directors³, all seated on July 1, 2026.²

Composition and Officer Roles

The officers guide the association's strategic direction, with the president serving a one-year term that bridges leadership cycles. The president-elect prepares during that year to assume the presidency, while the past-president provides continuity. The secretary/treasurer, elected separately, manages fiscal oversight and records.

At-Large Directors: Broad Representation with Defined Terms

At-large directors are elected by the full membership instead of representing specific divisions or regions. This approach ensures each director considers the entire landscape of the profession. Their terms are staggered to avoid complete turnover: three directors were elected to one-year terms, four to two-year terms, and four to three-year terms.³ This staggering means roughly one-third of the board is up for election each cycle, preserving institutional knowledge while allowing fresh perspectives.

The 2026 Election Timeline

The ACA Board of Directors election process began with nominations opening on October 27, 2025, and closing on December 1, 2025. Candidates needed active ACA membership in good standing for at least five years and had to pass a background check.³ The Nominating Committee announced the slate on April 6, 2026. Online voting ran from April 14 through May 8, 2026, with results declared on May 18, 2026. Newly elected members took office on July 1, marking the start of their respective term lengths.

Why Staggered Terms Matter

Staggered terms prevent abrupt governance gaps. When three directors finish a one-year term, four others remain with two years of experience, and another four carry three-year mandates. This design ensures that no single election cycle replaces a majority of the board, allowing the association to maintain momentum on long-term initiatives like the new Advisory Council.

Meet the Inaugural 2026-2027 Advisory Council

The inaugural 2026-2027 Advisory Council is not merely a symbolic body. It is a deliberate structural intervention designed to embed frontline expertise directly into the American Counseling Association’s strategic decision cycle. As the American Counseling Association announced on July 1, 2026, the council assembles 25 members: one representative from each of the ACA’s 20 divisions, four regional representatives, and a single student voice. This configuration gives every major counseling specialty a seat at the table where national priorities are debated.

• Divisional seats: The 20 division representatives ensure that voices from niche practice areas such as the Association for Addiction and Justice-Involved Counseling or the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision are heard during high-level discussions.
• Regional seats: Four members represent the Midwest (Rebecca L. Christiansen), North Atlantic (Elizabeth Boyer Fier), Southern (BJ Broadan Barksdale), and Western (Amanda C. DeDiego) regions, balancing national policy with local realities.
• Student seat: Jackeline Bicas serves as the student representative, guaranteeing that issues affecting counselor education, supervision, and entry-to-practice remain on the agenda.

Advisory, Not Authoritative

The council’s charter is explicit: it provides “advice, counsel, expertise, and insight” to the ACA Governing Council, President, and CEO. Its recommendations are non-binding, and it cannot set policy, pass budgets, or commit the association to any course of action.¹ This advisory-only structure respects the elected board’s legal and fiduciary responsibilities while allowing the council to function as an independent source of specialized knowledge. In practice, the council will review strategic initiatives, offer feedback on emerging challenges, and propose content or policy directions based on what they see in their respective corners of the profession.

Setting the Early Direction

Because this is the council’s inaugural year, its precise slate of agenda items has not been publicly detailed. However, the ACA has indicated that the council will tackle issues of concern, threats, and opportunities that cut across disciplines. Likely early topics include how proposed legislation could affect licensure portability, ethical guidelines for telehealth, and diversity and inclusion efforts within the counseling field. The council’s work will unfold alongside the revised governance bylaws passed earlier in 2026, ensuring that the advisory process matures into a permanent, sustainable conduit for member input.

How Regional and Division Representation Actually Works

As counseling specialties grow more distinct, the need for precise professional representation has never been clearer. The American Counseling Association’s new Advisory Council, seated July 1, 2026, gives every division and region a direct line to the Board of Directors, ensuring that niche practices and geographic concerns shape the association’s priorities.¹

The 20 Divisions: A Seat for Every Specialty

Each division elects a representative to the Advisory Council, bringing expertise from a specific counseling domain. The full roster includes:

• Association for Adult Development and Aging (AADA): Adult development and aging counseling.
• Association for Assessment and Research in Counseling (AARC): Assessment, measurement, and counseling research.
• Association for Child and Adolescent Counseling (ACAC): Child and adolescent counseling.
• Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES): Counselor education and supervision.
• Association for Creativity in Counseling (ACC): Creativity-based counseling approaches.
• Association for Humanistic Counseling (AHC): Humanistic counseling.
• Association for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues in Counseling (ALGBTIC): LGBTQ+ counseling issues.
• Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD): Multicultural counseling and development.
• Association for Specialists in Group Work (ASGW): Group work and group counseling.
• Counselors for Social Justice (CSJ): Social justice counseling.
• International Association of Addictions and Offender Counselors (IAAOC): Addictions and offender counseling.
• Military and Government Counseling Association (MGCA): Military and government counseling.
• National Career Development Association (NCDA): Career development counseling.
• National Employment Counseling Association (NECA): Employment counseling.
• Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling (ASERVIC): Spiritual, ethical, and religious values in counseling.
• American Rehabilitation Counseling Association (ARCA): Rehabilitation counseling.
• American School Counselor Association (ASCA): school counseling career.²

Specialized counselors find immediate alignment: addiction professionals through IAAOC, school counselors through ASCA, and those focused on marriage and family dynamics through ACAC or AADA, ensuring every niche has a voice.

Four Regions, One National Voice

Regional representatives channel local legislative, licensure, and workforce shortages to the national level. The 2026, 2027 Council includes:

• Midwest Region (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wisconsin) is represented by Rebecca L. Christiansen.
• North Atlantic Region (Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, and Europe) is represented by Elizabeth Boyer Fier.
• Southern Region (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Latin America) is represented by BJ Broadan Barksdale.
• Western Region (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington State, Wyoming, and the Philippines) is represented by Amanda C. DeDiego.

A student representative, Jackeline Bicas, ensures the next generation’s perspective is included.³

From Representation to Strategic Action

The Council feeds strategic priorities by gathering division and regional insights on emerging threats, policy shifts, and content needs. Representatives meet regularly with the Board, offering recommendations on continuing education, advocacy campaigns, and ethical guidelines. This structure guarantees that decisions affecting clinical practice, licensure, and professional development are grounded in the diverse realities of the counseling workforce.¹

Frequently Asked Questions About ACA's New Governance

ACA's governance transformation raises practical questions for members and students. Here are straightforward answers based on official ACA resources and announcements.

What the Restructuring Means for Practicing Counselors and Specialists

Following the ACA's new governance model, a 25-member Advisory Council now sits alongside a streamlined 15-member Board of Directors, giving clinical specialists from 20 divisions (addiction, trauma, career, marriage and family, and more) a formal seat at the table for the first time. This shift moves decision-making closer to the counselors who navigate counseling licensure, continuing education, and advocacy every day.

Licensure Portability and the Interstate Counseling Compact

The ACA has long labeled the Interstate Counseling Compact a landmark initiative¹, and the new governance structure stands to accelerate its adoption. With each division’s representative directly advising the board, specialized concerns, such as portability for military counselors or rural mental health providers, can now shape the association’s legislative priorities. Advocacy for licensure portability, already a pillar of the ACA’s 119th Congress agenda¹, is more likely to reflect the nuanced reality of multistate practice when addiction, career, and school counselors have a direct pipeline to the board.

Continuing Education Provider Standards

The ACA is one of the largest approved continuing education providers for counselors², and its standards often influence state licensing boards. The advisory council introduces a structured way for divisions to raise emerging training needs, from trauma-informed care updates to culturally responsive practices. Because the council is tasked with recommending policy and content development, CE provider standards could become more responsive and specialized. A representative from the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, for example, might advocate that what counts as supervision hours be aligned with new licensure requirements.

Advocacy Driven by Member Priorities

Previously, advocacy agendas often emanated from a large, centralized governing body. The council makes it far easier for member-driven issues, such as workforce development (including meeting the demand for therapists), diversity in the counseling pipeline, and maternal mental health training¹, to reach the board. A division delegate can present real-time threats, such as state legislation limiting scope of practice, and the board can pivot quickly. This direct influence means practicing counselors can expect advocacy that mirrors their daily challenges rather than top-down directives.

Opportunities for Students and New Professionals

For counseling students, the desire to influence the profession often bumps up against the reality of how associations have historically been structured, but the ACA’s new governance model intentionally builds a bridge for emerging professionals.

The Student Representative Role

The centerpiece of student involvement is the voting student representative on the Advisory Council. Elected directly by ACA’s student membership, the representative serves a single, non-renewable two-year term and must be enrolled in a CACREP-accredited or equivalent program.¹ The inaugural representative, Jackeline Bicas, took her seat on July 1, 2026,⁴ bringing direct student perspective to discussions on policy, content development, and strategic threats and opportunities facing the counseling field.

How to Step Into Leadership

Students who want to move from member to leader can follow a clear path:

• Join ACA as a student member: This is the baseline requirement for any elected or appointed position.
• Choose relevant divisions: With 20 specialty divisions, from addiction and justice-involved counseling to career and clinical mental health, students can align with the groups that match their practice interests and gain visibility among division leaders.
• Attend conferences: The ACA annual conference and division-specific events are prime opportunities to network with board members, Advisory Council representatives, and fellow students.
• Monitor nomination cycles: The student representative call typically opens in the fall (the 2026 cycle saw a nomination window from late October through early December) with terms beginning the following July.² Board and division representative elections have staggered three-year terms, renewable once,¹ and prefer candidates with prior leadership experience in ACA branches, regions, or divisions.³
• Volunteer early: Serving on a division committee or regional branch committee gives students the leadership track record that selection bodies look for when nominations open.

Building Mentorship and Early Career Connections

Outside of formal elections, many divisions support emerging professionals through informal mentorship networks and targeted programming. While specific offerings vary, the governance shift makes divisions the primary bridge between membership and leadership, meaning that students who engage with their chosen division are more likely to find mentors, contribute to continuing education decisions, and shape the advocacy agenda that affects their future licensure and practice. This hands-on involvement is the fastest route from the classroom to having a real say in the profession’s direction.

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