Leah Jenkins

Dr. Jenkins earned her doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of South Carolina in 2008. She has been a contributing faculty member at Walden University since 2010 and was appointed as core faculty in August 2025. Dr. Jenkins remains active in the field as a counselor educator and holds licenses to practice professional school counseling and clinical mental health counseling in North Carolina. Her professional background includes roles as an EAP telehealth counselor, mental health counselor, Vice President of Clinical Services for psychiatric residential treatment centers for children and adolescents, and as a professional school counselor.

Courses Taught

COUN 6720 - Diagnosis and Assessment

COUN 6101 - Foundations in Counseling

COUN 6215 - Lifespan Development

COUN 6250 - Group Process and Dynamics

Education

PhD, University of South Carolina

Post-master's Certificate, University of North Carolina - Greensboro

MA, University of North Carolina-Pembroke

BS, Pembroke State University

Public Service

Wrightsville United Methodist Church, Participant - Wrightsville Beach

Awards / Honors

Outstanding Doctoral Student, Department of Educational Studies, University of South Carolina/College of Education, 2008

Publications

Gibson, D. M., Dollarhide, C. T., Jenkins, L. (2010). Nontenured assistant professors as American Counseling Association division presidents: The new look of leadership in counseling. Journal of Counseling and Development

Presentations

Jenkins, L. (2025). Conquering the Big Bad Wolf: Addressing imposter syndrome with Counselors-in-Training. Association for Counselor Education and Supervision Conference

Jenkins, L. K. (2020). Building capacity in rural North Carolina communities using the principles of implementation science. UNC

Jenkins, L. (2023). Cultural humility: Moving discourse beyond multicultural competence. . Elevance Health

Jenkins, L. (2023). The initial session: Navigating psychological safety with clients in a virtual setting.. Elevance Health

Jenkins, L. (2009). What's race got to do with it? Examining the racial identity of White school counselors. North Caroloina School Counselor Association

Jenkins, L., Gibson, D. M. (2008). The call for awareness: Examining racial attitudes of White counselors-in-training through fiction. Southern Association of Counselor Education and Supervision

Jenkins, L., Oh, I. (2008). Integrating the ASCA National Model into school counselor training programs. Southern Association of Counselor Education and Supervision

Jenkins, L. (2012). Gatekeepers of the field: Providing constructive feedbackt o school counselors and counselors-in-training during supervision. North Carolina School Counselor Association

Jenkins, L., Gibson, D. M. (2009). Exploring the racial identity attitudes of counselors-in-training throught fiction.

Jenkins, L., Wilson, T. A. (2011). Disorders of childhood and adolescence. North Carolina School Counselor Association

Jenkins, L., Richardson, R. (2015). Addressing the needs of children and adolescents diagnosed with mental disorders and intellectual disabilities. NC Tide