Chapter Advisor of the Year

Jennifer Kozar received her M.A. in English at Abilene Christian University with a focus on post-colonial studies and her B.A. in English from the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Her research interests include writing, rhetoric, and student-centered learning.

She is Core Faculty in the College of Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Studies and teaches many courses, including ENGL 1010: Writing with Confidence and Purpose and ENGL 2002: Professional Writing.

She also serves as the chapter advisor for Walden's Student Veteran's Association.

Research interests include institutional effectiveness, change management, transfer of learning, influence, sustainability, leadership, organizational behavior, and issues affecting veterans. Dr. Kristensen participates in various positive social change activities including environmental sustainment, kindness, happiness, financial coaching, and veterans affairs.

Julie has served in many roles at Walden for over 12 years.  Her interests include higher education, leadership, mental health in children and teenagers, and emotional intelligence in the workplace.  

She earned a master’s degree in Counseling & Psychotherapy from Adler and Bachelor of Arts from Jamestown College.

Dr. Dardis' field experience includes her time as a school counselor in a title one, inner city school in Fort Worth, Texas for seven years, after having spent the three years prior as a high school science teacher. While working toward her clinical license, she worked at a family clinic in Fort Worth, Texas. She has five years of experience in the clinical setting, with a specialty in children and adolescents, especially play therapy, as well as specialized training in sand-tray therapy. Her passions in the profession include school counseling and group counseling.

Licensed as a school counselor and professional counselor in both Ohio and Texas, Dr. Dardis is fully committed to leadership in the counseling profession. She has served as the Treasurer for North Central Association for Counselor Education & Supervision; the President of Northwest Ohio Counseling Association; President of the Ohio Association of Group Workers; Co-Chair of the Ohio Counseling Association's Professional Identity and Ethics Committee; and on the editorial board for the Journal of Counseling Practice. Further, Dr. Dardis has received a number of awards, including the following: both a Presidential Fellow and Emerging Leader Fellow for the Association of Counselor Education & Supervision; Counselor Educator of the Year from the Ohio School Counselor Association; Counselor Educator Fellow for the American School Counselor Association; and Emerging Scholar from the Association of Specialists in Group Work, Texas School Counselor of the Year, ACA's Ross Trust recipient, CSI fellow; North West Ohio Supervisor of the Year; Bayard Friedman Community Hero Award in recognition of her research in online group counseling and others.

Dr. Jenkins has been working in the social service field for over 28 years. She began working in domestic violence safe houses as a child advocate, life skills trainer, crisis intervention specialist and court advocate. She has been working as a counselor for over eighteen years. She is independently licensed in two states and has a supervisory designation in the state of Ohio. She has been the CEO, Associate Director, and Supervisor for the Family and Child Abuse Prevention Center and The Children’s Advocacy Center. She has over 19 years of experience working with a vast array of clientele in inner city Toledo.

In 2015, she was the President of the Ohio Association for Counselor Education and Supervision. In 2016, she was the President of the Ohio Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling. She has been the President of the Ohio Counseling Association's Political Action Committee, the Ohio Mental Health Counseling Association and the President of SAIGE Ohio. She is currently the Past-President of the national SAIGE. She is the Faculty Co-Advisor for LGBTQ+ PRIDE at Walden. She is the Past-President of the Ohio Network of Children's Advocacy Centers.

Dr. Leggett has taught in higher education since 2004. He has been with Walden University since 2015 after having taught at the University of Alabama for 11 years. He is a licensed professional counselor in the state of Alabama and Louisiana and has over 25 years of experience as a clinician specializing in depression, anxiety and relationship issues. Dr. Leggett's role at Walden University includes mentoring new faculty and doctorate students and serving as co-faculty advisor for the Walden University PRIDE student organization. He is an active member of both the Louisiana and Alabama Counseling Associations where he has held several leadership positions on the executive council and in both state divisions for LGBTQ issues in counseling. Dr. Leggett served a five-year, governor appointed position with the Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling where he served two years as chair. Outside of teaching and clinical work, Dr. Leggett enjoys volunteering his time transporting senior citizens to medical appointments and grocery shopping, preparing and delivering meals to communities in the New Orleans area, and fundraising projects with The National Alliance on Mental Illness of New Orleans. In his spare time, he values spending as much time as possible outdoors, hiking, biking, and kayaking.