Program Faculty and Staff

George Mugoya, Ph.D., MPH, CRC     Associate Professor
Dr. Mugoya is an Associate Professor of Rehabilitation Counseling and Program Coordinator of the Counselor Education Program at University of Alabama. Trained in Rehabilitation Counseling and Public Health, Dr. Mugoya has a strong foundation in mental, behavioral, and emotional health across the lifespan. In addition to teaching within the Rehabilitation Counseling Program, Dr. Mugoya has extensive experience leading and conducting both quantitative and qualitative studies. He currently has over $8 Million grant funded projects as a PI, Co-PI or Co-Investigator and over 30 peer reviewed publications. His areas of academic, research, and clinical interest include improvement of the quality of life for individuals with chronic illness and severe disabilities; including those with Substance Abuse Disorders, HIV/AIDS, Severe Disabilities and Mental Health Issues. Dr. Mugoya is the Director of Employment and Community Relations on the RSA-RLTT project. He is responsible for coordinating community-based networking that leads to employment of RSA Scholars.
Junfei Lu, Ph.D., CRC     Associate Professor 
Dr. Lu obtained his Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Counselor Education Program from the University of Iowa in 2014.  He currently serves as the Project Director and Director of Field Experience and Student Evaluation in the RSA-RLTT and will be in charge of the coordination and evaluation of RSA scholars’ practicum and internship. Dr. Lu has coordinated and supervised student practicum and internship in Rehabilitation Counseling for over five years and is currently the UA CACREP liaison, being responsible for student evaluation. His research agenda and publications focus on wellness, mindfulness, spirituality, counselor cultural competence, professional identity, and attitudes toward people with disabilities. 
Dr. Emily Lund, Ph.D., CRC     Assistant Professor
Emily M. Lund, PhD, CRC, is an Assistant Professor of Counselor Education and serves Principal Investigator for the grant. Her primary research interests include interpersonal violence and trauma in people with disabilities; suicide and non-suicidal self-injury in people with disabilities; the experiences of graduate students with disabilities; and LGBTQ+ issues, particularly as they intersect with disability. Dr. Lund has published over 85 peer-reviewed publications, numerous book chapters, and two books on these and similar topics using a framework that emphases positive disability identity development, intersectionality, and disability-related and intersectional cultural competence. 
Teresa Ann Grenawalt, Ph.D., CRC    Assistant Professor
Dr. Grenawalt earned her doctorate in Rehabilitation Counselor Education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a MS in Rehabilitation Counseling from San Diego State University. Dr. Grenawalt is the Former Project Director and Current Project Co-Director of the Rehabilitation Long-Term Training grant in the Rehabilitation Counseling program. She has extensive experience in working with people with disabilities and chronic illnesses, military veterans, families, and persons experiencing homelessness. She specializes in cognitive disabilities, including acquired brain injuries, intellectual disability, and autism. Her primary research applies behavioral activation theory to promote well-being, quality of life, health and functioning, and participation in employment and other life situations. She studies these constructs among cancer survivors, disabled veterans, and other individuals with chronic illness and disability. Her secondary research interests include demand-side and evidence-based practices in vocational rehabilitation; specialized instruction in rehabilitation counselor education; and the interaction of disability and other minoritized identities.
Professional headshot of Sylvia Hollins smiling outside on campus in front of buildings
Sylvia Hollins, M.Ed., NCC, ALC - Graduate Research Assistant
Sylvia Hollins will earn her Doctorate in the Counselor Education and Supervision program at The University of Alabama in the Spring of 2023. She earned her MA in School Counseling from the same department in 2012 and has served in the counseling profession in both schools and community settings for the past decade.  Sylvia currently serves as the Project Assistant for the RLTT Grant.  She specializes in school counseling, advocacy, educational equity, youth mental health, and creating equitable access to opportunities for students and individuals with minoritized identities.  
Smiling Picture of Shanice Carter Standing Outside on Campus
Shanice Carter, Ph.D., NCC 
Dr. Carter earned her doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Alabama and a MA in Clinical Mental Counseling from Clark Atlanta University. Dr. Carter served as the former Project Assistant for the RLTT Grant. She specializes in racial based trauma, minority mental health stigmas and disparities, counselor wellness and Black student experiences in higher education. 
Darlene Capps-Hicks  Office Assistant II 
Darlene Capps-Hicks is the Office Associate II in the Counselor Education department at The University of Alabama. She joined the department August 2018. Ms. Hicks assists with the Administrative foundations of the department and serves as the Administrative Coordinator for the RLTT Grant. You may reach her at 205-348-8363 or dcapps@ua.edu.