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Chyela Rowe, Ph.D., RDT/BCT
She/Her
Chyela Rowe: PhD, RDT/BCT (she/her), has witnessed a lot of change in the NADTA since becoming an RDT in 2004 through the AT program. She has served as a research committee member since 2018, contributing to the body of knowledge through a critical analysis of race in drama therapy empirical research, a core process delphi study, and researching the use of drama therapy in physician and nurse leader peer-support training. She is an adjunct professor of research at Lesley University, the manager of arts therapies and well-being at CHI Memorial, Chattanooga, TN, and contributes to national well-being strategies at Common Spirit Health. Dr. Rowe’s work includes burnout education for physicians, nurses, and healthcare executives, supervision of creative arts therapy graduate students, and development of acute medical creative arts therapy services. She has also directed award-winning multi-disciplinary community arts advocacy programs that address issues such as the health impacts of racism, and LGBTQ+ teen mental health.
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Abbie Truax, MA, LCAT, RDT
She/They
Abbie Truax, MA, LCAT, RDT is a graduate of Lesley University, and is currently serving as the clinical supervisor of Trinity Place Shelter, where she works with LGBTQIA+ youth who are experiencing housing insecurity. She is currently on the board of directors for the North American Drama Therapy Association (NADTA) as the President-Elect, is a member of the NADTA Cultural Equity Humility and Diversity Committee, and has most notably presented research on creative arts therapy and harm reduction at the 2022 New York State Department of Health Ending the Epidemic Summit and World AIDS Day. She is also a dedicated supervisor to drama therapists and allied professionals, and has experience in nonprofit leadership, strategic planning, and mission-driven development.
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Emily Faith, MA, LPC, RDT
She/Her
Emily P. Faith (she/her), MA, LPC, RDT, is a multidisciplinary artist and licensed drama therapist dedicated to the intersection of mental wellness and the performing arts. With over a decade of experience performing and teaching across the U.S., Emily now calls Dallas, TX home, where she founded a women-focused nonprofit theater and established a private practice. She earned her Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a specialization in Drama Therapy from Lesley University (’21), where her research concentrated on supporting the mental wellness of performing artists. She is actively engaged in the CoActive Therapeutic Theatre Model (CoATT), and aided in the facilitation of the 18-month research study, a collaboration with Lesley University, UMASS Mind, and the National Endowment for the Arts. She previously served the NADTA as Communications Chair, before stepping into her role as Vice President. Emily is a proud board member of the Laughter League, a national nonprofit dedicated to medical clowning, and Arts Mission Oak Cliff, an arts organization in Dallas, TX.
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Lisa Moreno, M.Ed., M.A., LPC, RDT, NCC, IPT-CST
She/Her
Lisa Moreno, M.Ed., M.A., LPC, RDT, NCC, CSC, IPT-CST, is in private practice in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. She collaborates with multiple agencies to promote mental health and artistic expression. Lisa is an advocate for expressive arts, strength-based, and body-centered approaches and is committed to promoting trauma-sensitive, grief-conscious practices, as well as the intentional use of the arts as tools for expression and healing. Lisa has served on the Board of Directors as the Central Region Representative and is now assuming the role of Secretary. She is committed to building upon the work previously undertaken to ensure clear, consistent, and effective communication with the membership. She hopes that this partnership will strengthen collaboration, enhance transparency, and support meaningful engagement among members, thereby advancing the shared mission of the organization.
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Ana Bess Moyer Bell, RDT/BCT
She/Her
Ana Bess is a drama therapist, playwright, and harm reduction activist. She has nearly a decade of experience as the founding Executive Director of the national nonprofit 2nd Act. During her tenure, she built expertise in nonprofit administration, fundraising, program development and scaling, financial management, and strategic planning. She is recognized for integrating creative practices with evidence-based strategies, establishing herself as a sought-after consultant in the nonprofit and public health sectors. Under her leadership, 2nd Act gained national recognition for its innovative public health approaches. Her first play, Four Legs to Stand On, was used by Senator Elizabeth Warren in Congress to advocate for youth treatment legislation and cited by Rhode Island Governor Daniel J. McKee as influencing the signing of the nation’s first Overdose Prevention Site bill. She also developed Act II, a play exploring addiction recovery, commissioned by Trinity Repertory Company and produced as a public health initiative by the Rhode Island Department of Health. Currently, Ana Bess teaches in the Expressive Therapies Graduate Program at Lesley University and serves as a consultant for multiple nonprofits and state agencies, helping organizations develop sustainable strategies for impactful therapeutic programming.
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Ramon Guitart, LPC, RDT
HE/HIM/EL
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Jessica Elwart-Konkel, LCAT, RDT
She/Her
Jess is a Registered Drama Therapist with over a decade of clinical experience and currently serves as Membership Chair for the North American Drama Therapy Association. In this role, she is dedicated to cultivating meaningful connection across the field, expanding access to professional development, and strengthening communication between NADTA and its members. She envisions a membership culture that is engaged, supported, and collaborative—one that reflects the creativity, care, and evolving needs of drama therapy professionals.
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Monica Lopez Gamboa, MA, LCAT, RDT
She/Her
Monica is a Filipino licensed creative arts therapist and registered drama therapist under the North American Drama Therapy Association. Monica received her master’s degree in drama therapy from NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development. She served as the former research assistant of the Theatre and Health Lab and coordinator for the World Alliance of Drama Therapy. Monica is a published researcher, clinician at Montefiore Medical Center, and instructor at The Arts in Health Institute Philippines.
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TBD
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Melissa Killian, RDT
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TBD
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Chabreah Alston, LMHC, LCAT, RDT
She/Her
Chabreah is a Licensed Creative Arts Therapist in NY, Licensed Mental Health Counselor in MA, and Registered Drama Therapist, currently living in Queens, NY on Jameco land. She graduated from Lesley University in 2018 and is currently working in private practice. Chabreah has worked with adults with Multiple Sclerosis, children & adolescents in a partial hospitalization program, adults with dual diagnosis at a psychiatric day treatment program, and in juvenile detention with adolescent boys with criminal charges. Chabreah has also written for the Drama Therapy Reviews 8.1 and 9.1.
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Angelle Cook, Ph.D., RDT/BCT
She/Her
Angelle Cook, Ph.D., RDT-BCT is a visiting professor at Lesley University in the drama therapy department, where she is also the Research Lab Director of the Drama Therapy and Dis/ability Lab. She is an adjunct at New York University in the drama therapy department. Angelle is the Managing Editor for the Drama Therapy Review and the current Research Chair for the NADTA. She runs her own private practice in Virginia where she works with teens and adults at the intersections of dis/ability, chronic illness, and mental illness.
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Cindy Coady, MA, RDT
She/Her
With over 20 years of dedicated work in supporting children and families, Cindy has served in various impactful roles. Her career spans clinical, educational, and leadership positions, each reinforcing her commitment to empowering families. She has worked as a clinician in a trauma clinic and on the reunification team at the Department of Social Services in Boston, MA. As a Director of CPE and a private practice clinician, consultant, and trainer, Cindy has developed expertise in therapeutic intervention and guidance. Additionally, she has taught in the Social Integration Program at CSMB and served as a teacher and practicum coordinator in the Drama Therapy program at Concordia University. Her diverse experience enriches her approach, providing families with compassionate, knowledgeable support tailored to their unique needs.
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Lisa Moreno, M.Ed., M.A., LPC, RDT, NCC, IPT-CST
She/Her
Lisa Moreno is in private practice in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. She is an advocate for expressive arts, strength-based, and body-centered approaches. She seeks to promote trauma-sensitive, grief-conscious techniques, and the intentional use of the arts as tools for expression and healing. Lisa Moreno currently serves as the Central Region Representative.
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Abbie Truax, MA, LCAT, RDT
She/They
Abbie Truax, MA, LCAT, RDT (she/they) is a proud graduate of Lesley University who is currently working in New York City specializing in drama therapy with LGBTQ+ youth, and folks living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. They have been a member of the NADTA’s Cultural Humility Equity and Diversity Committee since the summer of 2020 and has most recently served as the Program Chair for the 2023 NADTA Annual Conference. Previously, Abbie has presented on drama therapy and harm reduction at the 2022 New York State Department of Health Ending the Epidemic Summit and World AIDS Day, to bring awareness to the powerful application of drama therapy in relation to the treatment of HIV/AIDS, substance use, and harm reduction.
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Ryan Lisman, MA, LPCC, RDT
He/Him
Ryan Lisman is proud to be a registered drama therapist and serve as the NADTA Western Region Representative. He received his master's in Drama Therapy at Lesley University in 2018 and has worked in the field since. Ryan is passionate about using Drama Therapy to cultivate healthy identity formation and self-narratives. He has experience working with a wide range of client populations through his experience in private practice and in-patient psychiatric hospitalization settings. Ryan loves Drama Therapy and is deeply grateful to find a modality and community that captures his greatest interests.
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