2022 - 2023 Candidates
GSCA is pleased to announce the nominees for GSCA Officers and Directors for the 2022-2023 year. Information regarding each nominee follows. GSCA
President-Elect
MYESHA DAVIS, HILLGROVE HIGH SCHOOL
Vision for GSCA
My vision for GSCA continues to be that of cultivating school counseling leaders. It is incumbent upon me to help my peers realize their full leadership potential so that they can be even greater advocates for their students and school community. Our voices are important and need to be heard.
Statement on Goals and Qualifications
I am Myesha Davis and I am running for the position of GSCA President-Elect. I have been a member of ASCA and GSCA since 2012. I currently serve as a Lead RAMP Reviewer for ASCA. For the last four years, I have served GSCA as the Professional Recognition Chair, Secondary Director, and Secretary. This is my 20th year in education and 10th year as a School Counselor having earned my Master of Science in School Counseling degree from Mississippi State University. My dedication to my students, their families, and my school community is the reason why I want to serve GSCA in this capacity. Not only am I a strong leader, but I am just as strong of a team member. The work that we do as School Counselors is thankless to so many, but my intention is always to let my peers know that the work that they do will impact generations to come. Every day I advocate in some capacity for my students and our profession. Allow me the opportunity to expand my advocacy statewide.
If elected, what two goals would you like to accomplish during your term?
During my term, two of my goals would be to:
1. Enhance our online portal of best practice resources for School Counselors on all levels, and
2. Continue to provide professional learning opportunities in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion
Experience
I have served on Executive Boards and Leadership Teams for several years: GSCA (4), CSCA (7), and my local chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (14). Through these positions, I have honed my communication skills, self-awareness, and focus on helping others develop into leaders.
Why should GSCA members vote for you?
President-Elect
JENNIFER DIAZ, GWINNETT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Vision for GSCA
My vision for GSCA is a vibrant, impactful, and FULL membership of Georgia school counselors seen as unequivocal leaders in mental health supports for GA students. All school counselors in the state will comprehend and take advantage of the full benefits and supportive connections gained as GSCA members.
Statement on Goals and Qualifications
Hi! My name is Jennifer and my title recently became Dr. Diaz when I completed my Ph.D. in Counseling and Student Personnel Services at UGA last fall. I am currently running for President of GSCA because of a deep love and appreciation for how this organization has impacted my life and supported my growth as a school counselor. I joined GSCA as a graduate student at Georgia State when I was working on my Master’s degree in 2000 and also joined ASCA soon thereafter. I’ve been a school counselor in Gwinnett County Schools since 2002; 14 years as an elementary school counselor and I am now in my 6th year as a middle school counselor. In 2013, I was awarded the Gwinnett County Elementary Counselor of the Year award. After which, I was designated as the Georgia School Counselor of the Year in 2013. In 2015, I was blown away to have the opportunity to be an invited guest to the Obama White House as a top 5 finalist for ASCA’s American School Counselor of the Year award. Throughout my career, I’ve worked hard to establish and maintain comprehensive counseling programs and have been a part of teams that have been awarded ASCA’s RAMP designation four times (Peachtree Elementary, 2008; White Oak Elementary, 2011 & 2014; Lanier Middle School, 2017).
I have a deep and demonstrated love and commitment for our profession and GSCA. After being pulled into leadership by one of our previous presidents, I’ve been working on the Executive Board and Leadership Team as either the Advocacy Chair or Co-chair since 2014. These positions have led me to other opportunities, including participation as a committee member with the GA Professional Standards Commission, the GA DOE, and the GA Education Climate Coalition. Additionally, I was able to serve as the leader of the GA delegation of the White House’s Reach Higher initiative in Washington, D.C. and Phoenix, Arizona. A Georgia native, I attended Valdosta State University for my undergraduate degree which gives me an appreciation for the needs of our rural regions and the disparity in resources between our rural and urban school districts. With degrees from VSU, GSU and UGA, I have gained perspectives from all over our state and certainly supported the University System of GA over the years!
It is my hope that I will be able to use my experiences as a school counselor and a leader in our field to further the audacious goals that previous GSCA presidents and executive boards have set before us and contribute a few of my own. Thank you for your time and consideration of me as your next president.
If elected, what two goals would you like to accomplish during your term?
I would like to see GA’s 1:450 school counselor ratio fully funded and push for future legislation setting our ratio at or below the national 1:250 recommendation. Additionally, GSCA will succeed in establishing school counselors as mental health professionals in the minds of legislators understanding our role, training, and capacity.
Experience
My education and experiences in school counseling leadership allowed me to observe, learn, and gain inspiration from multiple rock star leaders and mentors that taught the importance of servant leadership. I will approach leadership of GSCA with a genuine humility alongside an authentic ownership of the responsibilities of the role.
Why should GSCA members vote for you?
Treasurer
No Nomination Received
Middle Director
ERIN BUNDRIGE, HENRY COUNTY SCHOOLS
Vision for GSCA
My vision for GSCA is to continue to increase membership, so we can continue to grow our extensive network of support and advocacy for the profession and each other. As well as to continue to provide relevant professional development that will allow our members to grow in their knowledge, skills, and ability, so we can prepare our future generations to lead our global society.
Statement on Goals and Qualifications
My name is Erin Bundrige and I am seeking the position of middle director for GSCA. I’ve been in education for 18. During that time I’ve served as a teacher for 8 years and a counselor for 10 years in the elementary and middle school level. I am a member of GSCA and ASCA for 9 years. I was recently named the 2021 School Counselor of the Year for Henry County Schools. I serve as a committee member of the Counseling Leadership Team for Henry County schools which provides me with the opportunity to impact our 43,000 students. I currently serve as the middle director for GSCA and I’ve had the opportunity to work with many of you to get ideas for improving GSCA and provide resources and important information needed to meet the need of Middle School Counselors. Currently, as the middle director, I am working to make a bank of resources available to all middle school counselors, where you can have access to relevant material that addresses the challenges and needs of the middle-level student. My continued goal as the middle director is to be the voice at the table to work with other GSCA officers to provide ALL 4,000 GA counselors with access to webinars, innovative best practices, and materials so that each of us can impact the students in our building. My vision for GSCA is to continue to increase membership, so we can continue to grow our extensive network of support and advocacy for the profession and each other. As well as to continue to provide relevant professional development that will allow our members to grow in their knowledge, skills, and ability, so we can prepare our future generations to lead our global society. My hope is that each of you will consider me, Erin Bundrige, to be your Middle Director.
Counselor Educator Director
ERIN MASON, GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY
Vision for GSCA
As a professional association GSCA should set the primary vision and goals for school counseling in the state based on feedback from members. This means prioritizing and acting on the relevance of the unique needs of Georgia's students and school counselors in the larger context of the profession overall.
Statement on Goals and Qualifications
My name is Erin Mason, and I am running for the Counselor Educator Director position. I am an Assistant Professor at Georgia State University. Prior to that I have been a counselor educator in Chicago and a school counselor in the metro Atlanta area for 13 years. My commitment to the members of GSCA is deeply rooted in my own long history with GSCA and time as a graduate student, school counselor, and counselor educator in Georgia. I've been afforded a great many privileges through leadership and service opportunities during my career in Georgia, Illinois, with ASCA, and other professional associations. My primary strengths as a leader are in are in getting people together and getting things done. Seeing progress made as a team is always a goal of mine in serving in any leadership position. As education grapples with its uncertain future, school counselors need to defend their role as social justice advocates grounded by antiracism and anti-bias principles with valuable skills in supporting students’ mental health, postsecondary, and academic needs. As Counselor Educator Director I will work with the rest of the leadership team to advance our association’s priorities to best serve the needs of all Georgia’s pK-12 students and school counselors.
Northern Director
No Nomination Received
Southern Director
GABRIELLE BRUNDIDGE, HUBERT MIDDLE SCHOOL
Vision for GSCA
My vision for GSCA is keep moving this organization forward!
Statement on Goals and Qualifications
Hello Fellow School Counselors,
My name is Gabrielle Brundidge, and I am a school counselor in Savannah, Ga. I am from Alpharetta, Ga. I obtain my Bachelor's degree from Auburn University in 2013. In 2014 after working in the mental health field I went on to attend Troy University and obtain my master's in school counseling in 2016. In 2021, I graduated from Valdosta State with my Education Specialist. I have been a school counselor since 2016, I started on this journey in Huntsville City Schools. While in Alabama I was a member of ASCA, but also the Alabama Counseling Association. I served on the executive board for the Alabama Counselor Educators and Supervisors. I moved to Savannah in 2018 to come back to the great state of Georgia. Since, I have been back I have been involved in GSCA by serving as Region 7 Liaison, and the Service Project Co-Chair. I have also presented at GSCA conference, and at the mini conference for my Region. My goal for GSCA is to keep improving this organization any way I can. Also, I would like to get membership up. Every school counselor in the state needs to be apart of GSCA, this can be done by having membership drives, and reaching out to Universities about the importance of joining a professional organization.
Finance Committee (Past President)
No Nomination Received
Finance Committee (General Member)
JENNIFER PERRY, GEORGIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY
Vision for GSCA
My vision for GSCA is simple: to continue to grow in advocacy and support of school counselors and students within the state of Georgia as well as the profession.
Statement on Goals and Qualifications
Hello, I am Jennifer Perry, a former school counselor now counselor educator. I hope to serve as your Finance Committee General Member. I joined GSCA in the early part of 2021 and have been grateful for the amount of information made available to members. As an ASCA member and newcomer (a little over a year of residency) to the state of Georgia, I desire to foster connections with Georgia school counselors and GSCA. Such was sustained me as a school counselor in North Carolina (my home state), where I was an active member of the NCSCA. Service is my advocacy for the profession. I want to be of service to GSCA, its membership, and our students. I believe the role of General Member of the Finance Committee will allow such and I hope to have the opportunity.