CURRICULUM VITAE September 2015

EDUCATION: UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA, Orlando, FL

Ph.D., Sociology (2015 first year)

ROLLINS COLLEGE, Winter Park, Florida

M.A., Mental Health Counseling (CACREP)

B.A. in Psychology

Concentration in Writing

VALENCIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE, Orlando, Florida

Associate of Arts,

Concentration in Humanities

CONTINUING EDUCATION UNITS:

Board 491 Florida Laws and Rules – VCC

Medical Errors Prevention in Health Care – VCC

Certified Teacher of Meditation – Transformation Meditation

Introduction to the Baker Act – USF

HIV/AIDS – VCC

National Academic Advising Association Conferences (2010-11)

50 CEUs – NBCC Certified provider CE-Classes (2011-2012)

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Certification (2013)

EXPERIENCE: UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA, Orlando, Florida

Coordinator II, Undergraduate Academic Support Services

College of Sciences

May 2008 - present

Instructor of College’s new SLS3930 New Transfer Student

Seminar course, which is a transfer success course specific to the

College of Sciences that places focus on emotional intelligence and

career options in the sciences or STEM-related fields. Provide

career and academic advising services to Biology and Psychology

undergraduate students of various populations, and offer referrals

to on-campus resources based on individual needs. Create and

implement retention outreach including workshops for students on

academic probation as well as the COS Explore program that

utilizes mental health counseling interns to assist at risk students

explore values, interest, personality, and skills. Provide

transitional guidance to readmission and transfer students in efforts

to help ease transition shock while offering guidance tailored to the

students’ academic career and performance. Mock Interviewer for

the UCF Office of Pre-Health and Pre-Law Advising, interviewing

Dena M. Ford, MA, NCC, LMHC

Dena Ford Curriculum Vitae – Page 2

students who have been selected for admission interviews with

professional medical-related programs.

Provide clinical supervision to Mental Health Counselor

Interns, and oversee COS Career Exploration Program cohort

of Biology (STEM) majors who are not meeting Biology GPA

requirements.

Coordinate all COS Transfer Student Orientations, including

outreach to transfer students prior to attending the new student

orientation. Present COS and University policies overview to

50-100 students at each Transfer Student Orientation.

Review COS Readmission applications, interview potential

readmission students, and provide feedback based on the initial

assessment as the Coordinator of the COS Readmission

Review Committee.

Academic advising liaison to the Biology and Psychology

departments as well as those students with a Biology or

Psychology declared major.

DEVEREUX COUNSELING CENTER, Winter Park, Florida

Mental Health Counselor

Jan. 2007-May 2008

Provide mental health/crisis intervention counseling in the OCPS

district for the elementary, middle, and high school population.

Perform intake interviews with family members and clients to

assess individual and family therapeutic needs. Create and

implement individual treatment plans for an active caseload of 24

clients and present to attending psychiatrist and treatment plan

team.

Therapeutic experience includes social skills training, anger

management, anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, autistic

spectrum disorder, and mental retardation.

Developed professional relationships with 3 schools in the

Orange County District, including consultation with faculty

and administration to assess client needs and therapeutic

progress.

Developed and coordinated summer therapeutic camp with

school administration, parents, and participating therapists.

Assess, diagnose, and create integrated treatment plans with

each client, which includes treatment progress summaries and

treatment plan updates, and present the integrated treatment

plans to attending psychiatrist and Treatment Team.

Review medical files and consult with clients’ physicians to

create and implement treatment plans.

Dena Ford Curriculum Vitae – Page 3

ROLLINS COLLEGE, Winter Park, Florida 1998-Jan. 2007

TRiO Talent Search Program Counselor (2003 – Jan. 2007)

Served as program counselor and educator for up to 160 middle,

high school, and dual enrollment students attending eleven Osceola

County schools. Provided academic counseling and advising in the

area of post-secondary education. Developed and facilitated

various individual and group sessions on career interest

inventories, time management and study skills, financial aid

research, and college transitioning preparation. Built ongoing

partnerships with district and school administrators, teachers,

parents and students.

Developed curriculum for graduating seniors on all aspects of

college transitioning. Sessions included life management

skills, self-advocacy, student success, campus resources and

general academic advising.

Encourage students to identify and set both educational and

personal goals. Provided coaching on monthly basis.

Facilitate college and career exploration through individual and

group sessions. Administered career/major exploration

inventories.

Meet periodically with school board, District Counselor, and

school administrators to report student success statistics.

Maintain daily confidential counseling notes for each student in

a program specific database.

Information Technology (1998-2003)

In executive assistant role managed daily business operations of

Information Technology Department.

Advised students on specific technology services and needs.

Facilitated new student technology orientation.

Served as liaison between Chief Information Officer and the

campus community.

Managed and facilitated training for hourly staff and staff of

forty student assistants, including work study.

Hired student assistant staff of 40.

Maintained multiple departmental budgets through Banner.

PACE BRANTLEY HALL SCHOOL, Longwood, FL

Mental Health Counselor Intern 2005-2006

Provided weekly mental health counseling and transitional services

to students with learning disabilities at private K-12 school.

Implemented and facilitated informative post-secondary

workshop for parents of juniors and seniors.

Dena Ford Curriculum Vitae – Page 4

Implemented a Transitioning Program and served on the

Transitioning Committee.

Facilitated psycho educational groups with high school

students focusing on student success.

Administered Holland Code related career inventories with

seniors.

Counseled troubled teens one-on-one and in group sessions.

Provided crisis intervention.

AWARDS/

PRESENTATIONS:

NACADA Certificate of Merit – Outstanding Advising: 2013

UCF Excellence in Academic Advising Award: 2012

NACADA National Conference Concurrent Presentation: 2011

Understanding Transfer Transitions: Identity Milestones

NACADA Content Review Panel Member: 2011

Transfer Student Monograph 2nd Edition

NACADA Region 4 Conference Concurrent Presentation: 2011

Understanding Transfer Transitions: Bridging the Gap

NACADA National Conference Poster Presentation: 2010

Understanding Transfer Transitions: Bridging the Gap

Certificate of Appreciation 2006

Osceola County District Administration

MEMBERSHIPS/

CREDENTIALS:

Career Development Facilitator 2014

Southern Sociological Society member 2014

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Certification 2013

Licensed Mental Health Counselor 2009

Partners in Policymaking Grant Recipient & Graduate

Florida Development Disabilities Council 2008

National Certified Counselor 2006

Osceola District Guidance Advisory Committee 2006-2008

Duties: Provide feedback on student services, student

success, and student development opportunities. Advocate

for students and counselors. Present annual updates to

Osceola County School Board.

RESEARCH: ROLLINS COLLEGE, Winter Park, FL

Independent Study, 1999

Course: COM 315 – Topics: Intercultural Communication Norms

Duties: Conducted intense research and surveys on business

communication norms in Asia, compiled results, and authored a

chapter for a reference book, which was considered for

Dena Ford Curriculum Vitae – Page 5

publication. Supervised by faculty at Rollins College Dept. of

Communication

Independent Study, 2001

Course: PSY IND 498 – Anxiety Disorders Research Project

Duties: Conducted intense research through on-line databases such

as APA and PsycINFO on criteria for DSM anxiety disorders and

current findings on treatment methods. These research findings

were compiled into a thesis paper that introduces the importance of

awareness and current methods of treatment in APA.

Supervised by faculty in Rollins College Dept. of Psychology

Vietnamese Culture in Central FL, 2003

Course: CPY 538 - Psychosocial Multicultural Theories and Issues

Duties: Conducted intense research through interviews in the

Vietnamese community with regards to cultural norms, and present

findings to colleagues. The purpose of this research project was to

determine how I could be an effective ally for the Vietnamese

community of Central Florida. Through several concentrated

interviews I have been able to establish trust within the Vietnamese

Association of Central Florida, and many closely bound

friendships. Supervised by faculty at Rollins College Dept. of

Counseling, Graduate Studies

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA, Orlando, FL

Transfer Shock, 2010-2012

NACADA Presentations: Understanding Transfer Transitions

Abstract: To engage transfer students early and provide early

opportunities to gain adequate institutional support, advisors must

have a clear understanding of how identity is shaped and reshaped

at the transfer institution. It is essential to offer positive support

during this process to help students successfully navigate through

the phases of Transfer Shock. Students will enter three types of

transitioning stages referred to here as the Three Rings of Fire.

However, to effectively intervene during these stages, advisors first

have to be cognizant of factors that lead transfer students toward

destructive academic patterns, referred to in this presentation as the

Wave Concept. Advisors can establish best practices using

appreciative advising techniques that remind students of their

strengths while considering their limitations to help students

maintain strength through the transition.

This presentation was selected by the NACADA Advising Transfer

Student Commission to be one of their sponsored sessions at the

2011 NACADA National Conference in Denver.

Dena Ford Curriculum Vitae – Page 6

An expansion of this presentation was also presented at the 2014

NACADA National Conference in Salt Lake City.

Academic Identity of the Pre-Medical Student 2015

Conducting qualitative research that focuses on undergraduate

students who declare Biology as a pre-professional major with less

than 6 credit hours academic exposure in the natural sciences. The

focus in this research is placed on the origination of the “Pre-Med”

identity and the strength it holds when students have little natural

sciences exposure. Supervised by faculty at UCF Dept. of

Sociology