Presenters

A native of Statesville, North Carolina, Bridgette Chase received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Accounting from Livingstone College in Salisbury, N.C. Dr. Chase continued her academic pursuits, obtaining a Master of Arts in Counseling with a specialty in Family and Mental Health Counseling from the University of the District of Columbia in 1996. In this same year, Dr. Chase secured her license as a Professional Counselor and was certified in 2001 as an Addiction Counselor. In 2009 Dr. Chase secured her licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the American Counseling Association, and the American Association of Christian Counselors. Dr. Chase completed her doctoral degree majoring in Counseling Psychology at Argosy University.

Dr. Chase is a dedicated counselor, administrator, program developer, and entrepreneur. She has more than twenty years of experience in the clinical discipline, including crisis, substance abuse, family, and individual counseling. For seven years, Ms. Chase worked in the juvenile justice system and residential treatment facilities with dually diagnosed adolescents. She has extensive knowledge and experience with case management and diagnostic/treatment procedures. Diversified in her abilities, she also designs, markets, and directs service programs in the community and church.

Dr. Chase is an active member of the Greater Mt. Calvary Holy Church, pastored by Bishop Alfred A. and Co-Pastor Susie C. Owens where she taught Christian Counseling in the church’s Calvary Bible Institute for five years and served for three as its Director of Counseling Services. During her tenure, she both developed and instituted its first Clinical Christian Counseling Center. Dr. Chase has also developed and instituted numerous workshops for members of the church, staff, and community, including “Clarifying the Need for Forgiveness,” “Managing and Understanding Anger,” “Boundaries,” and “Making Peace with Your Past.”

In 1997, Dr. Chase founded Open Door Ministries, Inc., a non-profit 501C organization and private practice that specialize in faith-based counseling, training, and consulting. Additionally, as the founder & CEO of the School of Professional Counseling, Inc., and a for-profit organization established in 2000, Dr. Chase developed a model Lay Counseling Training Program. This program teaches counseling skills from a Christian perspective to both secular and Christian communities. It currently operates as a one-year, non-degree program offering certification in Lay Counseling. Dr. Chase hopes to mature this program into an accredited two-year associate degree program in Christian Counseling and offer continuing education credits to licensed clinical professionals interested in Christian-based workshops and trainings. In 2008 Chase Consulting LLC was organized to compete for governmental contracts, and to provide consultation to new non-profits and organizations.

In 2020, Dr. Chase founded Chase Counseling and Consulting Services (CCCS) is a community-based organization located in Washington, DC that provides clinical counseling to families, individuals, groups, and faith-based organizations in the metropolitan area. CCCS offers diagnostic assessments, marriage and family therapy, substance-use-disorder counseling (SUD), Christian counseling, and career and transitional counseling and currently serves over 100 clients. Additionally, CCCS provides clinical supervision, clinical training, and continuing education (CE) credits.

Chase Consulting LLC is dedicated to the “Care of Souls: Nurture, Support, Healing and Restoration”. Dr. Chase is committed to serving and advocating for the underserved population in Washington DC and surrounding areas.

In keeping with this theme, Dr. Chase travels doing consultant work, training churches, and birthing lay ministries that focus on counseling both in the community and church. Dr. Chase’s future includes the launch of a behavioral health clinic, residential facility for adolescent, adult females, and homeless Veterans. Dr. Chase is currently working on the outline for her first book, she constantly shares with others how excited she is regarding the word and the work our God has given her.

Kilolo K. Ajanaku, DSPR, MPA, BS Special Education, has multidisciplinary study and practice in psycho-social basic research, public administration, special education, and integrative nutrition. She is the tenth of twelve children born to Rev. Evan and Lillie Walker; was born and reared in Oklahoma. She presently lives in College Park, Maryland, is mother of four adults, and grandmother, great grandmother of four.

Her vision is to end poverty, “racial” hatred, crime and ineffective education in her lifetime. She is an experienced teacher, instructor and group facilitator, having taught Effective Communications, Coping Skills & Anger Management, Conflict Resolution, Self-Esteem, Leadership Skills, Relationship Skills, Nurturing Parenting Training, Writing & GED Study Skills, Foster care, and Life Skills,

Dr. Kilolo has over 40 years working with youth and families in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma and California. Her education background includes the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, in New York, NY, March 2019; The National Leadership Consortium on Developmental Disabilities, University of Delaware, 2008. She has a Master of Public Administration from Baruch College, City University of New York, 1986, and a Bachelor of Science in Special Education/EMR, Oklahoma State University, 1975. She received an Honorary Doctorate in Social Phenomenal Research, 2000, Greater Works Biblical College of Divinity in Atlanta, GA. She is recipient of the National Urban Fellow, 1984-85, and the MacArthur Foundation Mid-Career Fellowship, 1980.

Dr. Kilolo has established several youth programs in Oklahoma City, OK, Philadelphia, PA and Washington, DC Metropolitan. She co-developed the Suicide Prevention Plan for troubled youth in DC, which became a national model for suicide prevention in juvenile institutional facilities. She also co-authored the New Foundation Training Program for college professors and incoming students at Langton University, Oklahoma, 2000-2005.

Dr. M. Nickleson Battle, Jr., BC-TMH, LPC (DC/VA), LCPC (MD) - Managing Director, Clinical Operations of The Bridges Wellness Group, is a licensed counselor and clinical supervisor in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. He is certified by the National Board of Certified Counselors as a Telehealth professional and holds a Doctor of Education in Counseling Psychology from Argosy University and a BS in Psychology and a Master of Science Degree in Psychology with a specialization in Leadership Coaching and Development from Capella University.
Dr. Nick’s approach to psychotherapy and counseling is based on Dr. William Glasser’s Reality Therapy. Reality Therapy focuses on the three R’s realism, responsibility, and right-and-wrong, rather than symptoms of mental disorders. By utilizing Reality Therapy approaches Dr. Nick works with the client to focus on their here-and-now actions to learn to use new skills, behaviors, actions in order to develop their problem-solving skills.

In addition to his work in private practice, he is a member of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., serves on several boards, and works with various non-profits in the Washington metropolitan area.
Dr. Nick’s professional affiliations include both the American Counseling and Psychological Associations, Maryland Counseling and Psychology Associations, and The Black Doctoral Network.

Dr. Latonia Laffittee, NCC, BC-TMH, LPC (DC), LCPC (MD) – is the Managing Director, Operations for The Bridges Wellness Center.  She is a licensed counselor and clinical supervisor in Maryland and the District of Columbia. She is certified as a National Certified Counselor and a Distance Credentialed Counselor. She earned her doctorate from Argosy University in Counseling Education and Supervision. Her research focus includes military/veterans, trauma, and justice-involved populations.

Dr. Laffitte has worked closely with people of various backgrounds, ethnicities, and spiritual beliefs in private practice and in various military/government, and community settings. As a clinician, she believes the client is the expert on their lives; therefore, counseling is designed around the clients’ needs. It is important to meet clients where they are to facilitate the growth or changes, they desire.

Dr. Laffite’s clinical background and training include working with clients who experience PTSD, grief and loss, depression, trauma, sexual and physical abuse, relationship, divorce, anger management, and anxiety. She believes in person-centered counseling where the therapist’s role is to be fully present and authentic. However, she utilizes a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Solution Focus Therapy (SFT) approach. She believes it is important to identify the problem and implement goals to achieve the desired results. She collaborates with clients to create a treatment plan to attain their goals.

Additionally, Dr. Laffitte has presented locally and nationally on military issues, advocacy for marginalized populations, and careers.

Dr. Sophia A. Ogunlana is a native Marylander who is married with two children. She holds a bachelor’s in psychology (with a concentration in Mental Health) and a minor in Religion from High Point University. As a proud alumnus of Capital Bible Seminary, she holds a Masters in Christian Counseling and a Doctorate in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Counselor Education and Supervision from Argosy University. Dr. Ogunlana completed an internship with the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) where she worked with patients with a childhood onset of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (P.A.N.D.A.S.). She has presented locally and nationally (Johns Hopkins University, Bowie State University, NIMH, the Art Institute of Washington, and American Association of Behavioral and Social Sciences) on the following topics: Women and Minorities Issues, and the Role of Father Involvement, Rates of Rheumatic Fever in the Families of Patients with P.A.N.D.A.S./Sydenham’s chorea, Thriving and Surviving a Doctoral Counseling Program, and Transitioning from a Master’s to a Doctoral Counseling Program. As a co-author of the book entitled “Selecting and Surviving a Doctoral Program in Counseling,” she seeks to further research and find resources for counseling students. She holds an LPC and LCPC and has served in the Mental Health field for many years.  Education: Ed.D., Argosy University, Counseling Psychology; M.A., Capital Bible Seminary, Christian Counseling; B.S., High Point University, Psychology.

Dr. Rhonda F. Jeter is currently Professor and Dean of the College of Education at Bowie State University.  Prior to this appointment, she was the Associate Dean for Accreditation and International Programs. Before this appointment, she was chair of the Department of Counseling at Bowie State University for 8 years.  She earned her B.S. degree in Communications at Taylor University. Dr. Jeter taught for three years at the high school level in Philadelphia.  She earned a M.S. in Family Therapy at University of Maryland.  Subsequently she received her Ph.D. in Professional and Scientific Psychology from University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Jeter taught at UMES for ten years in the master’s Program in Counseling. During the 1998-1999 she was a Visiting Professor at George Washington University.  Dr. Jeter does research and has presented nationally on current topics in counseling and education such as leadership, relationships, adult development, and dissertation survival.  Dr. Jeter is LCPC, NCC, and an Approved Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor Supervisor in Maryland.