10/04/2016

Spencer Niles

Brief Biography: Spencer Niles

email:sgniles@wm.edu

 

Spencer “Skip” Niles is Dean of the School of Education, The College of William & Mary. Previously, he was Distinguished Professor and Department Head at Penn State (where he also developed a CACREP-accredited career counseling program) and Professor at the University of Virginia. Additionally, Niles has directed a career counseling center for adults, worked as a career counselor in higher education, maintained a private practice focusing on career counseling, and served as a career counselor for middle school and high school students. He is the current Past-President of Chi Sigma Iota. He has published more than 130 publications and delivered over 150 presentations focusing on career development theory and practice. He has been a Fulbright Scholar in Finland and taught in over 25 countries. Niles is an Honorary Member of the Japanese Career Development Association, the Italian Association for Educational and Vocational Guidance, the Board of Directors for the International Center for Career Development and Public Policy and a Lifetime Honorary Member of the Ohio Career Development Association.

Involvement in NCDA
Niles has served as a member of the Board for NCDA for over a decade, including serving in the roles of President and Governing Council Representative. He was also a two-term editor of The Career Development Quarterly and the Journal of Counseling & Development. He was a two-term President of the Virginia Career Development Association. He is a current member of the Organizing Committee for the NCDA Credentialing Initiative. Niles has served on multiple NCDA committees since 1989.

Educational background and other pertinent involvement
Niles received his doctorate from Penn State University and has participated in leadership training at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He is the recipient of NCDA’s Eminent Career Award, ACA’s Thomas Sweeney Visionary Leadership and Advocacy Award, ACA’s President’s Award, ACA’s David Brooks Distinguished Mentor Award, the ACA Extended Research Award, and the University of British Columbia Noted Scholar Award. Niles is a Fellow of NCDA and ACA.

Goal Statement:
My goals start with listening to members’ concerns and goals for our association and then focusing on ways to address these as we also strengthen our profession by advocating for important career practitioner credentials, and engaging in the important dialogue influencing federal legislation supporting career services, I have a longstanding commitment to working with our international colleagues in the area of career development and public policy. Although, many countries look to NCDA as they create their own ethical standards, career development facilitator and career counseling competency statements, etc., I think we can strengthen our engagement in the public policy arena. Simultaneously, we must continue providing cutting edge career intervention resources to our members as they inspire careers and empower lives.

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