Dr. Melissa Mecadon-Mann completed her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision at Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. Dr. Mecadon-Mann has 15 years of experience working in K-12 education; she earned her M. Ed. in Professional Counseling from the University of West Georgia and worked as a high school counselor in the metro-Atlanta area. Prior to counseling, Dr. Mecadon-Mann studied music education at Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois, and worked as a band, choir, and general music teacher in, both, northern Illinois and Atlanta, GA. She continues to blend her love of music and wellness by writing and publishing educational and social/emotional learning songs for children. Dr. Mecadon-Mann is currently an Assistant Professor of Counselor Education and Western Carolina University (WCU). She is co-faculty advisor the the WCU chapter of Chi Sigma Iota Counseling Honor Society, she serves as media coordinator for the Association for Child and Adolescent Counseling (ACAC) and she was a member of the first-ever cohort of ACAC Emerging Leaders (2022). Dr. Mecadon-Mann is an active member of the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACAC), where she participates as a member of the School Counselor Interest Network Professional Identity workgroup. She is a Certified School Counselor in Georgia, a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Georgia, and a National Certified Counselor (NCC). Dr. Mecadon-Mann’s research interests revolve around K-12 student advocacy and empowerment, cultural and social justice, counselor professional identity development, and trauma-informed practices.​