Board of Directors

First Vice President

Melissa Hladek (pronouns: she/her) is an experienced licensed professional clinical counselor supervisor, board-certified art therapist, and certified specialist in perinatal mental health and dialectical behavior therapy who works with children, adolescents, adults, couples, families, and groups. Her specialty interests include girls’ and women’s issues, trauma, wellness and development, and integrating creativity and positive psychology into counseling practice. She uses treatment approaches that are evidenced-based and uniquely tailored to each client.

Melissa earned her bachelor’s degree in fine and performing arts from Youngstown State University, and her master’s degree in counseling and art therapy from Ursuline College. She is currently earning her doctorate degree at Walden University in counselor education and supervision.

Melissa’s clinical work experience includes working with diverse clients in school settings and community mental health settings. Since 2016, she has gained clinical experience in school settings, homeless shelters, and community mental health agencies, seeing individual clients, facilitating women’s groups, and developing adolescent groups. 

Melissa’s approach to counseling is relational, behavioral, and grounded in strengths-based approaches because she believes that growth and healing are the result of connection, acceptance, and willingness. In addition to being a non-judgmental, compassionate listener, she integrates creativity, symbolism and metaphor, humor, psychoeducation, and advocacy into sessions.

Secretary

Heather began her art therapy career in the mental health field in 1994 facilitating and directing group therapy programs for adults with severe mental illnesses and substance use disorders at Ravenwood Heath. She has directed both the Adult Partial Hospitalization and Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement Programs at Ravenwood Health. At Ursuline College, Heather has taught art therapy courses, overseen students in clinical and internship placements, been a thesis reader, and traveled on service-learning trips. She is currently the undergraduate art therapy program director at Mercyhurst University in Erie, PA. She is an art therapy graduate of Bowling Green State University and Vermont College of Norwich University.

Bylaws Chair

External Relations Chair/AATA Alternate Chapter Delegate

Membership Chair

Lauren earned a bachelor of fine arts in Theater Technology and Design from Otterbein University and a master of arts in Counseling and Art Therapy from Ursuline College. She changed careers in 2014, transitioning from Costume and Scenic Design into the field of art therapy. For the past six years, Lauren has worked as a counselor at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in the early childhood mental health department. Lauren is also an art therapist at Ohiohealth’s Dempsey Family Education and Resource Center in Columbus, where she has facilitated group art therapy for the past 4.5 years for people living with neurological conditions. Lauren looks forward to continuing to support advocacy efforts while participating on BATA’s legislative committee, after supporting efforts on the committee for the past 5 years. Lauren looks forward to the opportunity of serving on the BATA Board.