OUR FOUNDERS
mEET Dr. Dej
Dr. D’Jalon Jackson Bell, a native of Zachary and Baton Rouge, Louisiana is a Professional School Counselor, Licensed Professional Counselor and Board Certified Counselor. She currently resides in Houston, Texas with her husband and son, while serving as a university Clinician.
D’Jalon earned a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology, with a concentration in Pre-Physical Therapy from Louisiana State University (LSU). During her graduating semester, D’Jalon had the opportunity to relate to the training students assigned to her on a socioemotional level, which catalyzed her decision to pursue a Masters Degree in Clinical Mental Health from LSU.
Upon completing her Masters Degree, Dr. Bell continued her studies at LSU and subsequently earned a Ph.D. in Ed Leadership & Research with a specialization in Higher Education Administration, as well as an Educational Specialist Certificate in School Counseling. Her dissertation is entitled, “From the Valley to the Mountaintop: A Case Study of Resilience and Persistence Among First-Generation African American Males Who Have Achieved Doctoral Success”.
With over 11 years of combined experience in school, career and mental health counseling and educational consulting, Dr. Bell also obtains adjunct instructional experience in student success and counseling and is a published researcher on academic success and career and college readiness as it relates to African American students in P-16. Her research interests include the lived experiences of Black doctoral students, the influence of spirituality along the doctoral journey, and doctoral attrition of traditionally underserved students.
Meet Dr. LaKeitha
Dr. LaKeitha Poole, a native of New Orleans, LA, is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Counselor Educator currently practicing and residing in Baton Rouge, LA.
Dr. Poole earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Florida State University. Upon graduating, she moved to Baton Rouge, LA where she learned the intricacies of working with diverse populations and gained a large amount of experience in working with young adults on transitional life issues. Inspired by her experience, LaKeitha pursued a career in counseling while attending Louisiana State University where she received a Master’s Degree in Community Counseling/Clinical Mental Health. Throughout her graduate studies, LaKeitha served as an intern at LSU Mental Health Services and the Olinde Career Center and worked as a Program Coordinator and Assistant Director in the LSU Office of Multicultural Affairs, focusing on a variety of clinical and cultural issues including: life transitions relationship concerns, anxiety, boundaries, sexual trauma, interpersonal conflicts, career development, self-esteem, ethnic identity and personal growth. She completed her Ph.D. in Counselor Education & Supervision at Regent University.
In 2015, Dr. Poole opened Small Talk Counseling & Consulting, a local private practice which was featured in Ebony Magazine’s 2016 list of Black Mental Health Resources. Likewise, her current role as the Director of Student-Athlete Mental Health for LSU Athletics and as an adjunct instructor in the LSU College of Human Sciences & Education have allowed her to present and lecture on a wide-range of mental health, higher education, and diversity and inclusion topics to a number of community constituents and professional organizations including LSU Women and Gender Studies, the LSU Black Male Leadership Initiative (BMLI), LSU Honors College, the National Conference on Race & Ethnicity in American Higher Education (NCORE), the Association of Black Culture Centers (ABCC), the Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (SACES), the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC), and the Louisiana Counseling Association (LCA). Her research emphases include mental health and wellness techniques among young adults, vulnerability and resilience in domestic minority populations, women’s empowerment, and African American family systems.
In her free time, she enjoys taking trips home to New Orleans to visit family and attend festivals, traveling, reading, and studying interior design.