Gerard Lawson

Gerard Lawson is a Professor in the Counselor Education and Supervision program at Virginia Tech's School of Education, where he currently serves as Interim Director (2023-2025). He brings extensive leadership experience as the 66th President of the American Counseling Association (2017-2018), past-president of the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, and past-president of the Virginia Counselors Association. Appointed to Governor Northam's administration in 2021, he serves on the Board of Counseling in the Office of the Secretariat of the Commonwealth.

• Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision, College of William and Mary (2002)
• MA, Longwood University (1996)

Dr. Lawson's research focuses on critical issues in counseling and education, with particular emphasis on counselor wellness, crisis response and resilience, clinical supervision, and the school-to-prison pipeline. His work explores trauma recovery for women survivors of intimate partner violence, school climate factors affecting non-binary students, and Medicare's mental health coverage gaps. He has developed significant expertise in disaster mental health response, having coordinated counseling efforts after the Virginia Tech shootings in 2007 and authored Virginia Tech's Disaster Behavioral Health Plan.

His publication record reveals a clear trajectory from foundational work on counselor wellness and supervision to increasingly policy-focused research addressing systemic issues in education and mental healthcare access. Recent publications demonstrate growing emphasis on social justice issues including the school-to-prison pipeline, non-binary student experiences, and Medicare coverage gaps affecting older adults.

• 66th President of the American Counseling Association (2017-2018)
• Past-president of the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision
• Past-president of the Virginia Counselors Association
• Appointed Member, Virginia Board of Counseling (2021-2027)

Dr. Lawson serves as Principal Investigator on $1.6 million in grants from the National Institute of Justice exploring influences on the School to Prison Pipeline. His advising extends beyond formal students to national policy work, including chairing the ACA Taskforce on Crisis Response Planning. He has trained counselors across the country on keeping students in classrooms rather than courtrooms and provides debriefing services for mental health professionals responding to disasters. His professional activities include editorial work for the Journal of LGBTQ Issues in Counseling and consultation with the Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime.

As a disaster mental health volunteer with the American Red Cross since 2001, Dr. Lawson has supported numerous national, state, and local disasters. He developed and delivered trauma-informed workshops through partnerships with organizations like the Roanoke Recovery Coalition and Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. His leadership extends to the White Allies for Transformational Leadership initiative and various university committees focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion.