Meet our executive board
Dr. Rick Carroll
President
Dr. Rick Carroll is an associate professor at Lindsey Wilson College and has been teaching graduate-level courses since 2014. He has been an LPC since 1996 and has providing counselor education for the last 25 years in various capacities. He maintains a small private practice where he conducts counseling services, consultation, psychological evaluations, parenting assessments, and supervision for residents in counseling.
Brittany Krackow, LPC
President-Elect
Brittany Krackow has been a Licensed Profesional Counselor in Virginia since 2022 and has worked in the mental health field since 2014. She owns Counseling & Assessments with Brittany, LLC where she provides counseling services and conducts psychological assessments. She currently serves as an adjunct professor in the psychology department at Emory & Henry College. She specializes in the treatment of complex trauma. Brittany is also a member of the American Counseling Association. Outside of the field, Brittany is passionate about giving back to her community, she has been a member of the Kiwanis Club of Marion, VA since 2015 and is honored to be a part of an organization that gives back to the children of our communities!
Dr. Connie elkins
Treasurer
Connie Elkins, Ph.D., LPC, NCC. Dr. Elkins is an Assistant Professor of Education for the Professional Counseling Program at LMU. She earned her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from Lindsey Wilson College with concentrations in Education, Leadership, Research, and Clinical Studies. Dr. Elkins received her M.S. in Counseling and Human Development with a concentration in School Counseling from Radford University and a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Communications from Old Dominion University. She has been a Licensed School Counselor and Licensed Professional Counselor in Virginia. Her clinical interests include Counselor Supervision, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Experiential Treatment. Her most recent passion is the promotion of effective leadership for counselors through research, presentations, and consultation. Dr. Elkins enjoys hiking, reading, and camping and is dusting off her piano keys in attempts to resurrect her long lost skill of making a joyful noise. She lives with her husband, Kevin, and dogs, Pepper and Junie. She has served Southwest Virginia Counselors Association in many capacities and is currently Treasurer.
Shelby Mitchell, LPC
Secretary
Experience
Shelby Mitchell is the secretary for the Southwest Chapter of VCA. She graduated from King University in 2019 with her bachelor's degree in biology and psychology. Shortly thereafter she began her work in the mental health field servicing folks in crisis through the local community service board. In 2021 Shelby graduated with her master's degree in clinical mental health counseling through Liberty University. Upon becoming a resident in counseling, Shelby worked in the outpatient therapy setting, community setting and as a clinical supervisor. Shelby is currently a Licensed Professional Counselor. She works as clinical supervisor and manages her private practice. Shelby has a passion for providing psychological evaluations and servicing clients who have suffered from grief, trauma and are invested in self-discovery. Shelby is passionate about Appalachia research and incorporating findings from research into advocacy work.
Rick Mitchell, LPC
Member-At-Large
A family-oriented lifelong resident of Southwest Virginia, Rick Mitchell is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Substance Abuse Treatment Practitioner. He is the Owner/Director of Next Steps Services, Inc., and Executive Director of the Bristol Lifestyle Recovery and Mended Women Lifestyle Recovery Programs of Fairview Housing. In more than three decades in human services fields, he has served as a therapist, supervisor, consultant, evaluator, minister, advocate, and trainer / educator in many settings. He has spent most of his life working in multi-organization systems to develop, implement, oversee, and help sustain programs that meet unmet or under met needs on service continuums. He has a passion for the wonderful Appalachian region and is driven by connecting with its people in ways that empower purposeful next steps along their paths.
Sabrina Guinn, LPC
Member-At-Large
Sabrina Guinn, LPC has actively served in various positions in the mental health field since 2014. After finishing her Master’s in Professional Counseling in 2014 at Liberty University, she also continued with a Master’s Degree in Human Services Counseling: Crisis and Trauma in 2015. Her primary role has been in private practice. Upon recognizing a need for mental health services in Bristol, VA, she opened her own private practice, Tula Counseling Center, which has been serving this community since 2021. Sabrina specializes in working with PTSD, dissociation, and narcissistic abuse. Recently, she has found new drive and purpose in providing clinical supervision, and hopes to help train others to provide much needed mental health services to the Bristol area. Outside of working with clients and interns at Tula, Sabrina enjoys spending time with her family (consisting of a host of children, friends, and a few furry loved ones), listening to live music, and consuming information through various media. She looks forward to working with the Southwest Chapter of the VCA, the local mental health community, and the people of the Appalachian community.