NCIMHA’s Endorsement journey began with a pilot Infant Mental Health Endorsement Leadership Cohort in 2021 and an Early Childhood Mental Health Endorsement Leadership Cohort in 2022 that included:
Smokie Brawley, ECMH-E®
Diane Britz, LCSW, IMH-E®
Jes Fyall Cardenas, Ph.D, IECMH-E®
Gabriel Guyton, MA, MS Ed., IMH-E®
Sharon Little, Ed. D, IMH-E®
Sharon Loza, PhD, IMH-E®
Rowena Mudiappa, LCSW, IMH-E®
Susanne Walker Wilson, LCSW, LCAS-A, ITFS, IMH-E®
Tomeika Watson, LCSW, IMH-E®
Jodi Whiteman, MA, CEIM, IMH-E®
Tykara Young, LCSWA, ECMHE®
Learn more about some of these professionals, their experience applying for Endorsement and their hopes for our workforce here in North Carolina!
North Carolina Registry of Endorsed Professionals
| Name | Category of Endorsement® |
| Angela Austin, LCSW | Infant Family Specialist |
| Elizabeth Acker, M. Ed. | Infant Family Specialist |
| Jennifer Anderson, M. Ed. | Infant Family Specialist |
| Smokie Brawley | Early Childhood Family Reflective Supervisor |
| Diane Britz, LCSW | Infant Mental Health Mentor Clinical |
| Courtnie Coughlin | Infant Family Specialist |
| Marilyn Ferrall, M. Ed. | Infant Family Reflective Supervisor |
| Jes Fyall Cardenas, Ph.D | Infant Mental Health Mentor Research/Faculty & Early Childhood Family Associate |
| Miranda Delehoy | Infant Family Specialist |
| Gabriel Guyton, MA, MS Ed | Infant Family Reflective Supervisor |
| Priscilla Hayes, M. Ed | Infant Family Associate |
| Sarah Kiehn, M. Ed | Infant Family Associate |
| Lovette Kirks | Infant Family Associate |
| Sharon Little, Ed. D | Infant Family Specialist |
| Sharon Loza, Ph.D. | Infant Mental Health Mentor Policy |
| Christina Y Malu, LCSW, LCAS-A | Infant Family Specialist |
| Rowena Mudiappa, LCSW | Infant Mental Health Mentor Clinical |
| Ashley Nelson, LCSW | Infant Family Specialist |
| Sara Palmer, MS | Infant Family Associate |
| Ashley Parks, MA | Infant Family Specialist |
| Angie Phipps, MS, ITFS | Infant Family Associate |
| Portia Pope, Med, MPA, PMP, ITFS | Infant Family Associate |
| Whitney Rea | Infant Family Specialist |
| Kelsey Smith, LMSW | Infant Family Specialist |
| Nickey Reato-Stamey | Infant Family Reflective Supervisor |
| Autumn Snyder | Infant Family Reflective Supervisor |
| Kristina Trujillo Stephens, M. Ed | Infant Family Associate |
| Susanne Walker Wilson, LCSW, LCAS-A, ITFS | Infant Mental Health Mentor Clinical |
| Tomeika Watson, LCSW | Infant Family Specialist |
| Jodi Whiteman, MA, CEIM | Infant Mental Health Mentor Policy |
| Laura Wilson Trogdon, BS | Infant Family Associate |
| Asata Virgo, MAS-IFP | Infant Mental Health Specialist |
| Tykara Young, LCSWA | Early Childhood Family Specialist |
Endorsement involves a standardized process to determine that a professional has accumulated specialized knowledge and skill in the infant and early childhood field. An applicant’s experiences are documented by the submission of an application that details competency-based training, specialized work experiences, reflective supervision/consultation (RSC) experiences and/or an exam. Endorsed professionals also sign a Code of Ethics. See more about Endorsement requirements here. Maintaining Endorsement also requires annual renewal that includes additional training and, for some, continued engagement in reflective supervision/consultation (RSC). See more about annual renewal requirements here.
The Endorsement credential is not a professional license or a certificate. NCIMHA Endorsement cannot guarantee the quality of service of any endorsed professional. NCIMHA Endorsement does not include a process by which complaints or concerns regarding ethics can be filed.
Endorsees are also required to re-commit to upholding the Code of Ethics annually. Beginning in January of 2023, this commitment includes signing an attestation that the endorsee has not been sanctioned by a licensing board. If NCIMHA becomes aware of possible ethics violations by an endorsed professional, complainants are encouraged to, when applicable, contact the individual’s professional licensing board. The NCIMHA Endorsement does not offer monitoring for ethics violations, however if NCIMHA learns that an endorsed professional has been sanctioned by a licensing board, the individual’s name is moved to the Inactive Endorsement Registry. Those professionals will follow the policy for reactivation to the Active Endorsement Registry once the licensing board’s sanctions have been lifted.