Diane Judith Horton Finch

Visiting Assistant Professor
School Counseling Program

Education
Ph.D. in Pastoral Counseling: Loyola University Maryland
C.A.S.E. Johns Hopkins University
M.Ed. Boston University
B.S. Framingham State University

Biography
A seasoned educator, Diane’s experiences include teaching and counseling at every educational level including a Headstart Program in Massachusetts and Boston University’s overseas program in Naples, Italy. As the former Coordinator of  Guidance and Counseling Program for Anne Arundel County Public Schools, Diane planned and implemented professional development for 236 school counselors, Pre-K through Grade 12, prepared annual guidance program budgets, co-chaired the Superintendent’s Task Force on Student Achievement, coordinated the school system’s partnership with the College Board, and received $500,000 in grants from the U.S. Department of Education and the Maryland State Department of Education for safe schools, violence prevention, and character education. As a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Diane has treated clients with alcohol and drug addictions and patients with severe mental illness as well as providing ProBono counseling services through the Maryland ProBono Counseling Project. In addition, Diane served as the Senior Research Associate for an American Heart Association Study on Anxiety Burden among patients with Implantable Cardioverter Defrillator at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.      

Awards and Grants
$2 million grant received from the U.S. Department of Education and the Center of Disease Control for the evaluation of Second Step, a social skills program for elementary school-age populations in Anne Arundel County Public Schools in collaboration with Gary Gottfredson, Ph.D., College of Education, University of Maryland College Park

Research Interests
Post-deployment adjustment of warriors of Afghanistan & Iraq
Increasing resiliency through education and counseling interventions among inner-city, materially poor, school-aged populations
Developing a counselor education model for training school counselors to work with inner city school-aged populations
Training practicing school counselors for delivering educational and career services to returning warriors of Afghanistan and Iraq

Recent Publications
--Articles and Chapters
Submitted journal article to Military Medicine (under review) based on dissertation study: An Empirical Model for Predicting the Adjustment of 21st Century War Veterans

--Dissertation
Personality, Social Support, Spirituality, Religiosity, and Religious Crisis in Predicting Hope and Sense of Coherence Among Afghanistan and Iraq War Veterans

Professional Activities/Society Memberships
American Counseling Association
American Association of School Counselors
American Association of Pastoral Counselors
Maryland Association of Counseling and Development (President, 2005-2006)
Maryland Association of Counselor Educators and Supervisors (past President)
Anne Arundel County Workforce Investment Board Youth Council (County Executive
Appointee, 2000-2005)
Anne Arundel County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council (past Advisory Board Member)
College Board’s Guidance and Admission Assembly (former Delegate)
Naval Officers Wives (Washington, D.C.) (past President)
Navy Judge Advocate General (NJAG) Wives (Washington, D.C) (past President)
Joint Chiefs of Staff Wives Committee (past NJAG representative)