DOMINIQUA M. GRIFFIN, Ph.D., LGPC, NCC
Alexandria, VA 22304 | Email: dmgriffin1031@gmail.com | Cell: 646-267-1246
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EDUCATION
Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision/ Dual-Title in Comparative & International Education, Pennsylvania State University, 2019
M.Ed. in Counseling and Guidance (School Counseling), Howard University, 2013
B.A. in Sociology with a Minor in African American Studies, University at Buffalo, 2011
Licensure and Certifications: DC Licensed Graduate Professional Counselor (LGPC) ID# LGPC200002970; National Certified Counselor (NCC) ID# 337402; Virginia Notary Public ID# 00372737; Graduate Online Teaching Certificate
SELECT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES
Principal Consultant & Counselor May 2025–Present
NS Walker Global – Washington, DC
∙ Advises senior public-sector officials and C-suite leaders on behavioral health, community safety, and public health policy strategy, including the NYC Health Commissioner and the Vice President of Government Affairs at a global biotech company.
∙ Leads policy and program landscape analyses examining legislation, funding, agency initiatives, and communications strategies related to community safety, gun violence prevention, and mental health.
∙ Supports executive-level decision-making by fostering cross-sector stakeholder partnerships, including national associations, federal, state, and local policymakers, and internal leadership teams.
∙ Develops strategic insights and recommendations to inform agency priorities, interagency coordination and strategy, and policy positioning across public health and life sciences based on research and best practices.
∙ Provides counseling services to K-12 children and adults, mainly using CBT and other techniques.
Policy Advisor to the Secretary May 2024–January 2025
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Biden-Harris Political Appointee) – Washington, DC
∙ Managed a fast-paced policy portfolio that consisted of SAMHSA, Medicaid (CMS), Office of Global Affairs, behavioral health, gun violence prevention, and other crosscutting policy areas such as tribal issues, justice-involved individuals, homelessness, and health-related social needs in support of the Department’s goals.
∙ Strategically analyzed policy documents and provided assessments of policy issues critical to the Department.
∙ Worked closely with the Secretary’s senior counselor, who oversees the policy portfolio and ensures timely, organized, and accurate processes across the team.
∙ Communicated effectively across the agency’s operating divisions and with the Administration, ensuring a positive work environment while navigating pressing deadlines and emergencies, while being politically savvy.
∙ Managed and created talking points for the Secretary and kept the policy team abreast of all rollouts and updates.
∙ Built and coordinated internal coalitions on behavioral health workforce and gun violence prevention.
∙ Participated in or represented HHS in stakeholder meetings to engage partners in discussions around research areas pertinent to informing policy, advancing the priorities of the Administration, and sharing federal resources.
Founder & CEO of Black Women PhDs, LLC May 2017–August 2024
www.blackwomenphds.com – New York, NY
∙ Established an executive leadership team, launched a global ambassadors program comprised of 35 ambassadors in nine clusters, provided a scholarship to a doctoral student, and continues to provide networking opportunities.
∙ Featured over 1,600 doctors and future doctors on social media with a following of 35K on Instagram, 20K on Facebook and 10K on Twitter.
∙ Invited keynote at Clarkson University and at Facebook Research (now Meta).
Health Scientist August 2022–May 2024
National Institutes of Health- National Cancer Institute – Rockville, MD
∙ Fostered and developed partnerships and coalitions with HBCUs, MSIs, and other scientific organizations to increase diversity amongst fellowship applicants while focusing on Agency goals to bring about strategic change.
∙ Leveraged existing partnerships to expand the impact and breadth of the recruitment strategies and career development opportunities for current and potential fellows while developing collaborative opportunities.
∙ Advised the NCI Black Cancer Researchers and developed creative opportunities to foster community amongst trainees and staff, develop opportunities for exposure, mentorship, and career exploration.
∙ Provided career counseling for fellows to aid in career exploration in policy and academia.
∙ Developed organizational policies and practices in response to changes in funding levels and legislative changes regarding programs for fellows and partnerships with various institutions.
∙ Assisted with the development of the coordination center for LMIC government, university, and community partners, while coordinating biweekly meetings to advance this initiative.
∙ Responsible for hosting seminars, workshops, and orientation sessions to support the NIH Fellows.
Health and Education Legislative Fellow (AAAS/AERA) August 2021–August 2022
Office of U.S. Senator Christopher A. Coons – Washington, DC
∙ Staffed the Senator at meetings, in-state and in DC, providing memos, briefings, talking points, and logistics for the legislative portfolio consisting of higher education, K-12 education, educator burnout, global mental health, HBCUs, civics education, national service, and international education.
∙ Led meetings with constituents, C-suite leaders, national associations, and stakeholders to develop policies and explore resources in the education portfolio to ensure the local universities and school districts felt supported.
∙ Collaborated in a bipartisan and bicameral capacity to draft and co-sponsor legislation, provided support and talking points for a hearing on HBCU bomb threats in the Senate Judiciary Committee, and hosted caucus events for Congressional members.
∙ Monitored federal health and education appropriations and executed congressional sign-on actions, ensuring timely participation in policy letters aligned with legislative priorities.
Tenure-Track Assistant Professor & Program Coordinator August 2018–August 2021
California State University, Fresno – Fresno, CA
∙ Coordinated and managed the master’s in School Counseling and credentialing programs for over 70 students and advised 30 students every semester.
∙ Research which resulted in three articles, a book chapter, a report, 14 presentations, and 15 invited scholarly talks.
∙ Designed curriculum and taught core counseling courses, supervised clinical sessions and managed crises.
∙ Managed program evaluations and aligned the program with national and state accreditation standards and policies.
∙ Fostered partnerships with school districts and increased opportunities for graduate students in the community.
∙ Strengthened the School Counseling Ambassadors Program by expanding student leadership and visibility.
∙ Consulted with the Barbados Ministry of Education & the Barbados Association of Guidance Counsellors on school counseling practices, policies, and school-family-community partnerships.
Counselor & Research Assistant August 2014–July 2018
Pennsylvania State University – State College, PA and Barbados, West Indies
∙ Conducted qualitative and quantitative research, which resulted in two book chapters, and 11 presentations.
∙ Provided counseling to high school and college students in State College, PA, and Barbados.
∙ Supported the district office that oversaw the school counseling program and policies across the district.
∙ Supervised three Master’s students and taught nine classes, including lectures, seminars, and supervision.
Co-Director of Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP)
Pennsylvania State University – State College, PA May 2017–August 2017
∙ Co-directed and executed a structured summer research program for a cohort of 22 undergraduate scholars from underrepresented groups in STEM, through the Office of Graduate Educational Equity Programs.
∙ Designed and implemented professional development programming, including graduate school preparation, research skill-building seminars, and a culminating research symposium.
∙ Supervised and mentored undergraduate scholars on academic development, research engagement, and graduate school pathways, supporting persistence and advancement in STEM fields.
∙ Coordinated cross-functional collaboration with faculty mentors, multicultural directors, and university administrators, ensuring program alignment and scholar support.
∙ Strengthened diplomatic leadership and stakeholder management skills by navigating diverse institutional interests and maintaining collaborative working relationships.
CARRERA Mental Health Specialist (School Counselor) August 2013–June 2014
Maya Angelou Learning Campus (High School and Middle School) – Washington, DC
∙ Provided individual and group counseling for middle school and high school students, while focusing on an approach that centered on treating trauma from adverse childhood experiences, such as community violence. The groups focused on transitioning to ninth grade and developing interpersonal skills to strengthen relationships.
∙ Taught weekly guidance lessons on developing key skills to handle socio-emotional, academic, and career readiness challenges impacting students and families.
∙ Met with students and families regularly to review academic and SEL progress as evidenced by the student performance data in classes and amongst peers.
SELECT AWARDS & SERVICE
Black Health Connect 40 Under 40 Honoree; American Educational Research Association FSCP SIG 2021 Outstanding Dissertation of the Year Award; American Association for Blacks in Higher Education Honorable Mention Dissertation Award; Bunton Waller Graduate Scholar and Assistantship (fully funded Ph.D.); PSU Africana Research Dissertation Grant; Dr. Preston Service Award; HUSOE Student Ambassador; Daniel Acker Scholar (fully funded undergraduate tuition); Ronald E. McNair Scholar; Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
Griffin, D. M., & Bryan, J. (2024). Factors affecting the development and practice of school counseling in Barbados International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling.
Bernal-Arevalo, K., Pereyra, S., Griffin, D. M., & Sharma, G. (2021). “They’re in the shadows”: School counselors share the lived experiences of Latino/a undocumented students. Journal of College Access.
Griffin, D. M., & Bryan, J. (2021). School counseling in Barbados: An ethnographic study of the roles, practices, challenges, and demands. Handbook on Caribbean Education.
Griffin, D. M., & Bryan, J. (2021). The roles, practices, challenges and demands of school counselors in Barbados. International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling.
Bryan, J., Henry, L., Daniels, A., Edwin, M., & Griffin, D. M., (2021). Infusing an antiracist framework into school-family-community partnerships. Antiracist Counseling in Schools and Communities through the American Counseling Association.
Jones, A. R., Pitt, J. S., González, J. C., De Walt, P. S., Griffin, D. M., Castillo, Y., & Lor, D. (2021). A report on Fresno Unified School District’s stakeholder experiences with student resource officers. Fresno State, Fresno, CA.
Juarez, S., Becton, A., Griffin, D. M. (2020). Teachers and self-care: Preventing burnout, compassion fatigue and secondary traumatic stress. ASCD Express.
Bryan, J., Griffin, D., Kim, J., Griffin, D. M., & Young, A. (2019). School counselor leadership in school-family-community partnerships: A synthesis of the literature and recommendations. The Wiley Handbook of Family, School, and Community Relationships in Education.
SELECT SCHOLARLY TALKS, PANELS, VIDEO RECORDINGS & MEDIA APPEARANCES
Guest Lecture (2025). “Rooted and Rising: A Story About Pivoting, Partnerships, and Policy”. (Rutgers University)
Interviewee (2024). Penn State Ram Report Newsletter, “Alumni Spotlight” (Chi Sigma Iota Newsletter p. 33)
Keynote Speaker (2024). “Honoring Authenticity and Community While Navigating a Career in Policy”. (UPenn)
Panelist (2023). “NCI Presents: Beyond the Research, Moving Toward a Diverse STEM Workforce” (STEM Noire)
Interviewee (2021). Medium, “Doctors’ Orders: Advice from Black Women PhDs” (medium.com)
Panelist (2021). “Thinking While Black: Experiences in Academia”. (California State University, Fresno)
Keynote Speaker (2021). “Women’s History Month- In Conversation with BWPhDs”. (Clarkson University)
Guest Speaker (2021). “Amplified: Black Women PhDs Fireside Chat”. (Facebook Research x BWPhDs partners)
Webinar (2020). “Thriving In Spite Of: Racialized Trauma, Mentoring & Counseling”. (The Ensenamos en el Valle Central: Anti-Racism Webinar Series)
Webinar (2020). “Student Mental Health: Thriving Beyond a Pandemic”. (CA Council for Exceptional Children)
Presenter (2019). CBC Morning Barbados News, “Transitioning to School Abroad” (Barbados, W.I.)
Interviewee (2018). XO Necole, “5 PhD Students Reveal How They Combat Imposter Syndrome” (xonecole.com)
Ivey, A., & Griffin, D. M. (2017). Attending skills. [Video/DVD] Alexander Street Press.