Leadership
TAHC FY2024 Leadership
President – Pedro (PJ) Blanco PHD, LPC-S, RPT-S, CHST
Hello, my name is PJ Blanco and I am excited to be President of TAHC. I have been a member of TAHC for since 2008, and have served on the board of this organization in the roles of Treasurer and Board Member at Large. As President of TAHC, I see my role as an opportunity to continue the mission statement of the organization in promoting positive human growth and development through counseling, education, and advocacy. As a counselor and counselor educator I value the innate potential of all my clients and strive to provide an environment where each person is inherently accepted. This is infused in my teaching of future counselors and in my desire to aid the profession. My hope is to continue to promote the principles and ideals of humanism, and to help serve the division in empowering members to continue to make a difference in all they do.
President Elect – Dr. Ryan Foster, PhD, LPC-S, CHST
Ryan D. Foster, PhD, LPC-S, CHST, is associate professor of counseling at Tarleton State University in Fort Worth and founder of the Humanistic Sandtray Therapy Institute. He has been a practicing psychotherapist since 2007 and a counselor educator since 2010. Dr. Foster is an active researcher in the areas of humanistic sandtray therapy, transpersonal experiences, and contemporary issues in counselor education and supervision. He has co-authored a treatment manual on humanistic sandtray therapy (HST), a model of expressive arts counseling, and is engaged in multiple treatment outcome studies with children and adults.
Past-President – Liesl Hecht, PhD, LPC, NCC
Greetings, I am Dr. Liesl Hecht and I am serving as past-president of TAHC for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. I have had a passion for learning about human development and humanistic therapies since the beginning of my journey in higher education. I have my Bachelor Science in Human Development and Family Sciences from the University of Texas at Austin. I received my MS in counseling and PhD in counselor education from Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi, a CACREP accredited university. I am a licensed professional counselor in the state of Texas and a nationally certified counselor. I am the clinical mental health counseling program chair and an assistant professor at Grand Canyon University. I appreciate the opportunity to work as a humanistic focused educator in an online learning environment. I enjoy serving in various leadership and service roles, as well as publishing and presenting on current research.
Director – Rachelle Morales, PhD, LPC
Dr. Rachelle Morales received both her MS in counseling and PhD in counselor education at Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi, where she is currently an adjunct professor. Dr. Morales has also served in a variety of clinical settings as a licensed professional counselor in Texas since 2016. She currently works in a private practice setting in San Antonio after working in a foster care setting for unaccompanied minors and a residential treatment center for troubled youth. Dr. Morales' specializes in trauma informed care for PTSD and dissociation. She is EMDR Certified, TF-CBT Certified, and an EMDRIA approved Consultant-in-Training. Dr. Morales's passions lie in working with the Hispanic population; she has dedicated her teaching and research to Latine studies and bilingual counseling. Dr. Morales is looking forward to continuing her leadership with TAHC. She is currently serving her final term as Director of TAHC after serving as Membership chair for the Gulf Coast Counseling Association for 3 years.
Senator – Kate Rodriguez, PhD, LPC-S
Dr. Kate Rodriguez earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from George Washington University, then returned to Texas to earn a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Counseling and doctoral degree in Counselor Education and Supervision from Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi. Dr. Rodriguez is a Forensic Mental Health Evaluator and Traumatologist, a Licensed Professional Counselor - Supervisor (LPC-S) and adjunct professor at Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi. With a decade of clinical, forensic, and academic experience, Dr. Kate Rodriguez provides testimony as an Expert Witness in critical cases including child abuse, domestic violence, immigration cases, and capital murder prosecutions. Dr. Kate Rodriguez founded her private practice and built her business into a group practice, Youvolve Healing Center, offering individual, couple, family, and group counseling services.
Treasurer - Beck A. Munsey Ph.D., NCC, LPC-S
Beck is a counselor, supervisor, Associate Professor. As a counselor, Dr. Munsey has a private practice in the Fort Worth, TX area primarily working with Transgender and Gender Non-conforming adults. In addition, he also works with other members of the LGBTGEQIAP+ community and mental health disorders regardless of identity. As a supervisor, he has a few LPC-Associates on his case load. He works with them to help develop their skills and earn their hours towards their full license as an LPC. In Dr. Munsey’s role as Associate Professor at Tarleton State University in the Counseling Department, he supports the counseling program, and helps students develop skills and an understanding of what it means to be a mental health professional. He continues to lead advocacy efforts with TCA for the LGBTGEQIAP+ population. Dr. Munsey has done numerous presentations for Mental Health Professionals and School Counselors on ways counselors can provide affirming therapeutic practices for LGBTGEQIAP+ clients and students.
As a transgender man, his hope is for others to see how living authentically, as their true self, is healing and can lead to success not only professional, but also personally. Dr. Munsey can be found enjoying life by spending time with family and friends. You may even see him on the Trinity Trail riding his bike enjoying the outdoors or at his CrossFit gym with friends working out. Also, he loves food and can be seen trying local restaurants in the area, including finding new coffee spots.
Secretary – Julia Dell’Aquila-Linares, Ph.D., NCC
Dr. Julia Dell’Aquila-Linares is a Nationally Accredited Counselor, and Counselor Educator who has worked in the field of mental health counseling for over 8 years where she has served in a variety of clinical settings. Dr. Dell’Aquila-Linares’ passion and clinical experience is rooted in supporting children and adolescents in emotion regulation, coping skills, and self-expression to increase overall adjustment and development. Dr. Dell’Aquila-Linares has served the counseling field through active membership and leadership roles in several local, state, and national level organizations. In 2019, Dr. Dell’Aquila-Linares was the recipient of the Association of Assessment and Research in Counseling Emerging Leader award.
Dr. Dell’Aquila-Linares’s research agenda and passion includes a focus on practical community engagement and integrated primary and behavioral healthcare to increase optimal outcomes for client mental health and wellbeing. Additionally, her research interests have centered around coping strategies in overcoming negative peer influence, gender bias and optimal individual and team functioning with adolescents and high performance first year student athletes. She regularly presents on a variety of adjustment, and life transition focused topics specific to child and adolescent development. Dr. Dell’Aquila was born and raised in Toronto, Canada and now lives in South Texas with her husband, son, two dogs (Max and Copper), and their cat (Goldie). As a former collegiate student athlete, she continues her love for soccer as a player and coach within her local community as well as spending time with her family, being outdoors, and traveling.
Board Member at Large – Ryan Holliman Ph.D., LPC-S, RPT-S
Dr. Holliman is a registered play therapist and his research has focused on the quantitative efficacy of Child Centered Play Therapy. Specifically, he has conducted studies which investigated the impact of school-based play therapy on the academic achievement of early elementary school students. Dr. Holliman also has experience developing psychometric instruments and has developed the first instrument specifically designed for use in play therapy the Child Interpersonal Relationships and Attitudes Assessment. In addition to his research on the efficacy of Child Centered Play Therapy, Dr. Holliman has also conducted research into the training and supervision of play therapists.
Technology Chair – Isabel Santos, M.A., NCC, LPC-Associate Supervised by Charlotte Jackson, M.A., LPC-S
Isabel Santos is a doctoral candidate in Counselor Education and Supervision at Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi. She earned her bachelor’s in psychology from Texas A&M University in College Station and her master’s in clinical mental health counseling at Sam Houston State University. Isabel currently sees clients and helps supervise master’s students as part of the Community Outreach Collaborative at TAMUCC. She is passionate about working with Spanish Speaking clients and advocating for the needs of historically minoritized groups. Isabel aims to integrate a humanistic approach in her counseling practice, supervision, teaching, and leadership approaches. She is looking forward to continuing to grow and develop as part of TAHC this year! 
Emerging Leader - Joely Diaczenko, MS, NCC, LPC-Associate supervised by Leslee O’Neal, MS, LPC-S
Joely is an individual, couple, and family counselor at a nonprofit based out of South Texas that serves diverse populations by providing counseling services. She is also a doctoral student at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi where she is furthering her education in counseling education and supervision with hopes to one day serve as adjunct faculty and clinical supervisor. Joely has sincere passion for counseling and the counseling field. She seeks to incorporate a humanistic approach into her professional and personal encounters, valuing the unique experiences of people and desiring to serve them through a relationship based in positive regard and support. In her position as emerging leader, Joely hopes to join TAHC’s mission to further the incorporation of a humanistic approach in counselor education and counselor development so that clients served are empowered towards healing.