AMFTRB Board of Directors Electronic Ballot 2012 — Candidate Bio
Alan Swindall | John Danforth | Kent Becker | Joan Winkler
Treasurer
Alan Swindall
Alan Swindall is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist and Approved Supervisor in private practice in Birmingham, Alabama and adjunct instructor in Marriage & Family Therapy and Director of Clinical Training at the Capstone Family Therapy Clinic on the campus of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, AL. An ordained minister, he has served as a pastor, Chaplain at the University of Alabama Hospital in Birmingham, AL, Hospice Chaplain and Associate Director of Pastoral Care and Counseling at the Children’s Hospital of Alabama.
As a practicing MFT for over 20 years, Alabama has served as President of the Board of the Alabama Association for Marriage & Family Therapy and Chair of the Alabama Board of Examiners for Marriage & Family Therapy. In 2007, the Alabama Association for Marriage & Family Therapy bestowed on him the Lifetime Achievement Award for his meritorious service.
In 2011, the Association for Marital & Family Therapy Regulatory Board President, Charles West, appointed Alan to fulfill the unexpired term of the late John Mark Trent as Treasurer of the Board. He was reelected to a full term for that position.
Alan has been married for 37 years to Sandra Herrin. Sandy teaches 3rd grade at the Meadow View Elementary School in Alabaster, Alabama. In addition, she is a freelance writer and artist, applying those interests in her active participation on the Montevallo, Alabama Arts Council. Alan & Sandy are the parents of two grown daughters.
About himself, Alan states, “At an early age I chose to develop a career path in the helping profession. In my own pilgrimage, I have come to appreciate the contribution that the field of marriage & family therapy is contributing toward the health and well-being of our citizens and have chosen to focus my efforts through the art and science of this discipline. The fabric of the tapestry of life is our relationships. Through my own experience and training in religion and marriage & family therapy, I work to motivate my students and clients to learn to kindle the strength of their own resources and to draw upon the vast reservoir of human understanding in their effort to maximize their own human relational experiences.”
John Danforth
John Danforth has been a marriage and family therapist for over 20 years. He has served on the Board of Mental Health Practice (licensing board) in Nebraska since 2004. John also serves on the AAMFT Ethics Committee. John and his wife, Teresa, make their home in Lincoln, Nebraska. They have three adult sons, one who lives in Littleton, Colorado; one who lives in Chicago, Illinois; and one who lives in Lincoln.
Member at Large
Kent Becker
I am an Associate Professor of Counseling at the University of Wyoming where I also serve as program coordinator for doctoral studies. I currently teach graduate courses in couples and family systems theory, advanced clinical practice and doctoral seminars in ethics, leadership, research, and social change. I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). I had the honor of serving as the LMFT representative on Wyoming's Mental Health Professions Licensing Board from 2003-2012. As Wyoming supports a composite board structure that includes multiple disciplines, I worked collaboratively with colleagues and licensees across the professions of couples and family therapy, counseling, social work and addictions.
Joan Winkler
I'm Joan Winkler, serving as the current Member at large for AMFTRB. I've been in private practice as a Marriage and Family Therapist for 20 years and on the Nevada Board of Examiners for 11 years, serving my third term as Vice President. I have volunteered to work with the CEO of United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra for many years. In 2009, I helped plan, design, facilitate and sponsor the Family Financial Security Summit. It received the 2009 Award for Quality of Life (Economic Well-Being indicator) from Truckee Meadows Tomorrow. I again worked with United Way in 2010 to design a facilitators format for a community wide needs assessment to help United Way diversify funds to agencies designated as priorities. I am now working with several non-profits to provide information to Marriage and Family Therapists on best practices dealing with suicide prevention, sexual assault and domestic violence. I will have information at the Annual Meeting on innovative approaches being used to support continuing competency. I would be honored to serve again as Member at Large and help facilitate the collaborative efforts of AMFTRB. I appreciate your consideration.