2026-2027 Maryland Counseling Association Emerging Leaders PrograM

The MCA Emerging Leaders Program was designed to provide graduate counseling students, new professionals, and experienced professionals with cultivating experiences that support leadership skill and competency development, and diverse opportunities to actively participate in MCA Executive Board meetings, serve on a committee, task force, and/or engage in projects of interest, receive mentorship, build professional networks, and gain exposure to the responsibilities associated with fulfilling elected leadership positions. 

Emerging Leaders for 2026-2027

  Deja Moses, LCPC

My name is Deja Moses, and I am a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and doctoral student in Counselor Education and Supervision who is passionate about helping people reconnect with themselves and live more intentionally and authentically. I work with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, relationship challenges, identity concerns, and boundaries.

My approach to therapy is grounded in a developmental and humanistic perspective, meaning I believe people are constantly growing, evolving, and learning more about themselves through their experiences. I strive to create a space where clients feel seen, heard, supported, and safe enough to explore the parts of themselves they may have had to suppress in order to survive. Therapy with me is collaborative, reflective, and rooted in genuine connection.

Beyond clinical work, I am deeply passionate about research that centers culture, identity, and healing. My research interests include hip hop therapy, clinical supervision, the Strong Black Woman schema, and creating culturally inclusive interventions and therapeutic techniques that reflect the lived experiences of marginalized communities. I believe counseling should feel relevant, affirming, and accessible to the people we serve, not disconnected from their reality.

I view therapy as more than just coping with life’s challenges. It is an opportunity to gain deeper self-awareness, process difficult experiences, and create a life that feels aligned with who you are becoming. While our experiences can shape us, they do not have to define us or determine the rest of our story. Healing is a process, growth is intentional, and change is possible.

After all, lemons do not become lemonade without intention.

  Aditi Bhanushali, LGPC

Aditi Bhanushali is a Licensed Graduate Professional Counselor and Mental Health Therapist at Empowering Minds Resource Center in Baltimore, where she provides trauma-informed therapy to youth ages 5–21 through the Baltimore City DSS Wellness Program. She holds a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Syracuse University.

Originally from Mumbai, India, Aditi brings a deeply multicultural perspective to her work. Her clinical interests center on culturally responsive, trauma-informed care for youth, immigrant communities, and BIPOC populations. She is a NAMI In Our Own Voice certified presenter with Metro Baltimore and is passionate about reducing mental health stigma in underserved communities.

Her research explores sociocultural systems, immigrant and refugee identities, collective healing, and community resilience. Looking ahead, she aspires to influence behavioral health policy and systems-level change to reshape how health care reaches underserved communities at scale. She is honored to serve as an Emerging Leader through MAMCD and MCSJ.

  LaDonna Thomas, Graduate Student

LaDonna Thomas is a graduate counseling student at Capella University pursuing a degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She is passionate about trauma-informed care, personal growth, and supporting individuals through meaningful life transitions and emotional healing. LaDonna's Professional interests include neuroplasticity, EMDR, trauma response, substance use treatment, and the integration of holistic and evidence-based approaches within counseling practice. 

In addition to her academic pursuits, LaDonna is actively involved in community engagement through agricultural outreach and local farmers market initiatives that support connection, wellness, and small business development. She is committed to lifelong learning, ethical leadership, and advocating for compassionate, client-centered care within the counseling profession. 

As a participant in the MCA Leadership Program, LaDonna looks forward to continued professional growth, collaboration with fellow counseling professionals, and opportunities to further develop her leadership within the mental health field. 

Shauna Moore Reynolds, Ed.D., LCPCs, LPC, NCC, ACS

Shauna Moore Reynolds holds a Master of Arts in Behavioral Sciences from the University of Houston and a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Counselor Education and Supervision from Texas Southern University. Her research and presentation interests encompass Intimate Partner Violence, the mental health of first responders, trauma and crisis intervention, the intersection of spirituality and mental health, and promoting mental health awareness within communities of color.

Dr. Moore Reynolds is an active member of several professional organizations, including the American Counseling Association, the Maryland Counseling Association, the National Association of Black Counselors, the Association of Counselor Educators and Supervisors, and Chi Sigma Iota. She is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor-Supervisor in Maryland and a Licensed Professional Counselor in Washington, D.C., holding the designation of National Certified Counselor from the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). Additionally, she is an Approved Clinical Supervisor.

In recognition of her contributions to the field, Dr. Moore Reynolds received the Maryland Counseling Association Outstanding Mental Health Professional Award in 2018 and the Outstanding Educator Award from the Department of Education at Texas Southern University in 2020. She also dedicates her time as a volunteer with the Pro Bono Project of Baltimore, where she provides clinical supervision to master's-level interns participating in the program.  Dr. Moore Reynolds is also the creator of the current Maryland Counseling Association logo.