Wyoming Counseling Association
a branch of the American Counseling Association
PROUDLY SUPPORTING WYOMING COUNSELORS
Award Categories
Teresa Wallace Lifetime Professional Service Award
This award is in memory of Teresa Wallace, LPC, LMFT (1960-2019) who worked with youth, special populations, and college students for 32 years, retiring as director of counseling at Casper College. She is best known for her work with resilience and positivity. She was the editor of WCA’s newsletter for many years and received the association’s Outstanding Service Award twice.
Qualifications:
This award recognizes individuals with more than 20 years of service to the counseling profession and who hold significant leadership roles in the profession, local community, and state
Human Rights Award
The Human Rights Award was established in 1986 by Dr. Dave Capuzzi, a former president of the American Association for Counseling and Development (AACD), now the American Counseling Association, and former faculty member in the University of Wyoming’s Counselor Education Department.
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This award recognizes individuals or organizations whose leadership, advocacy, service, or professional contributions have advanced human rights, dignity, equity, and access to opportunity for people and communities throughout Wyoming. It honors efforts to address barriers, promote inclusion, amplify the needs and experiences of underserved or marginalized populations, and ensure that all people are treated with dignity and respect.
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The award reflects the counseling profession’s commitment to advocating for the well-being of individuals and communities and recognizes that counselors and community partners can play an important role in creating positive and lasting social change.
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Qualifications: Nominees may be counselors, educators, students, advocates, community leaders, public servants, organizations, or other individuals or groups whose work has made an outstanding contribution to human rights in Wyoming. Contributions may include advocacy, education, direct service, policy or systems-level work, community engagement, increasing access to services or opportunities, or efforts to reduce discrimination and inequity.
Recipients should demonstrate a meaningful commitment to protecting human dignity, promoting fairness and inclusion, and improving the lives and well-being of people and communities across Wyoming.
Richard Means Service Award
This award is presented in honor of Richard “Dick” Means, whose career reflected a longstanding commitment to counseling and the development and well-being of Wyoming youth. Dick helped establish K–12 guidance and counseling programs in two state school systems and later served Casper College as a counselor and Director of Testing Services for 30 years, from 1966 to 1996.
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The award recognizes Dick’s belief in the essential role that counseling and other human services play in supporting the growth and development of children and adolescents.
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Qualifications:
The nominee must demonstrate exceptional service and a sustained commitment to supporting the growth, development, and well-being of Wyoming youth. Nominees may include school counselors, educators, mental health professionals, student support professionals, administrators, or other individuals whose work directly benefits children and adolescents in elementary, middle, or junior high school settings.
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Recipients should demonstrate meaningful contributions through direct service, leadership, advocacy, program development, or other efforts that strengthen counseling and student support services. Particular consideration may be given to individuals whose work reflects Richard “Dick” Means’ longstanding commitment to counseling, education, professional service, and the development of Wyoming’s youth.
Garth Shanklin Exemplary Practices Award
This award recognizes agencies and programs that best exemplify the mission of WCA. By annually giving this award to an agency or program, WCA seeks to acknowledge the rendering of services or development of techniques and practices that have strengthened, expanded, enhanced, improved, and/or otherwise had demonstrable benefits in promoting the Mental Health Professions and Mental Health services in Wyoming.
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Qualifications:​
Provide a narrative description of the program or agency that describes how this program or agency has contributed to the rendering of services or development of techniques and practices that have strengthened, expanded, enhanced, improved, and/or otherwise had demonstrable benefits in promoting the Mental Health professions in Wyoming. This narrative should not exceed 2 typed pages.
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Letters from sponsors, which provide evidence of support for the nomination may also be submitted, but are not required. A sponsor letter should not exceed 2 typed pages.
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Outstanding Service Award
This award has been continuously presented since its inception in 1961 and recognizes individuals whose leadership, service, advocacy, or professional contributions have had a meaningful and lasting impact on the Wyoming Counseling Association, the counseling profession, and the people of Wyoming.​​
The award recognizes that advancing mental health and well-being extends beyond the counseling profession itself. Meaningful progress is strengthened by leaders, advocates, educators, community partners, and public servants who elevate the importance of mental health, support access to quality services, strengthen the behavioral health workforce, and contribute to healthier and more resilient communities across Wyoming.
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Qualifications:
The nominee may be a counselor, student, educator, community leader, public servant, or other individual whose leadership or service demonstrates a significant commitment to advancing counseling, mental health, access to services, or the mission and values of the Wyoming Counseling Association. Membership in WCA is not required.
J.R. MacNeel Award
The Dr. J.R. MacNeel Award has been presented in memory of Dr. J.R. MacNeel since 1966. Dr. MacNeel served as the first Department Head of Counselor Education at the University of Wyoming and helped establish a strong foundation for the counseling profession in Wyoming.
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Qualifications:
Today, the award continues Dr. MacNeel’s legacy by recognizing an individual whose professional service demonstrates an exceptional commitment to counseling, student well-being, and the development of supportive educational environments in Wyoming.​
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F.L. Sievers Human Service Award
This award is presented in memory of Frank L. Sievers who continually provided leadership for professional organizations supporting and developing counselor education.
Qualifications: The nominee must have made a significant contribution to the field of human services. The nominee does not have to be a member of WCA or any other counseling organization.
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Bob Porter Service Award
This award is presented in memory of Robert Carroll Porter, who served Wyoming students as a teacher, coach, and secondary school counselor from 1946 to 1982. The award honors his lifelong commitment to the youth of Wyoming, as well as his dedicated leadership within the Wyoming Counseling Association and other professional organizations.
Qualifications: The recipient serves Wyoming youth in an elementary, middle, junior high, or high school setting and demonstrate a strong commitment to supporting the academic, social, emotional, and personal development of students.