Staci A. Hayes , PhD

Staci Hayes, Ph.D., LPCC, received her Ph.D. in Counseling Education and Supervision in 2019 from Kent State University, where she taught classes in both Counseling and Human Development and Family Studies. She was honored with being awarded the Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award from the Education Health and Human Services Department in 2019. As a counselor educator at John Carroll University, she has a continued commitment to challenging students and creating enthusiasm and joy for the profession she is passionate about. Dr. Hayes has a personal goal to seek training opportunities and mentorship that diversifies her ability to incorporate an understanding of how social, economic, and political inequities directly impact students and their ability to integrate and experience learning. It is her hope that counseling students gain the confidence to bring who they are as people to whom they are going to be as professionals. Dr. Hayes is a licensed professional clinical counselor and enjoys challenge and variety in her clinical work. Her clinical experience includes working with children, adolescents, families, careers, college students, severe and persistent mental illness, and forensic populations. She has also worked across 4 school districts as a school-based consultant. Dr. Hayes is an active member of local and national counseling organizations. As a member of ACA, she enjoys ACES and is on the Awards and Emerging Leaders committees for AHC. Her research interests include accurately identifying and measuring the concept of empathy in the Metaverse. Dr. Hayes seeks to investigate this concept and provide actionable and practical applications for counseling, counselor education, supervision, curriculum, programming, and gatekeeping. Most recently, she has assembled a research team of students and colleagues to investigate and explore mental health and wellness in the Metaverse. She plans on starting a non-profit focused on this area and continuing education and academic conversation in this realm. Dr. Hayes loves playing outside with her children and dogs. She also enjoys kayaking, watching movies, and visiting new places with her husband.