Ann grew up primarily in Greensboro, NC, going to Grimsley HS and UNCG. Ann spent 25 years on staff with Young Life, a ministry to adolescents. Ann spent 20 years living in Houston, TX, where she began ministry to one of the lowest-income communities in Houston. Not long after her arrival to Houston in 1998, she began to see a need to serve teen moms in the community and began one of the first groups of what is today YoungLives, which has now grown world-wide. 

In 2012, Ann was confronted by the deep hurt and struggle that surrounded her and chose to go back to school to get a master's in professional counseling. She knew that the reality is that every person struggles and needs a safe place to navigate that, which can be hard when there is pressure to have it all together. She especially has a heart for people in ministry who may have been put on a pedestal with no freedom to fall and wants to pour into these folks who pour into others.  

In 2017, Ann retired from Young Life and moved back to NC to pursue a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision. She graduated with her PhD from Liberty University in the spring of 2021. Ann began her teaching career in the graduate school of counseling at George Fox University in Portland, OR. She now lives in Lynchburg, VA where she teaches at her alma mater, LU. She continues to be involved with Young Life, working with the training department on a national level and serving on the national board for YL in Costa Rica as well as the local committee for YL Central VA. 

When counseling, Ann works from a neuro-experiential framework, understanding that our brains develop through experience and therefore, every brain is unique. Ann believes how our brains operate (and how we behave) is congruent with this development. The good news is that we can always rewire our brains! Our brains are designed to heal in the same way our bodies are. Ann is a certified Brainspotting (BSP) consultant, and uses BSP regularly in her practice, which is a focused mindfulness treatment primarily used with trauma but effective with almost any disorder. To learn more about BSP and the intricacies of the brain, please visit www.brainspotting.com. In addition to BSP, Ann utilizes Internal Family Systems (IFS), Gestalt techniques, solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT), and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Ann also uses BSP with athletes for performance enhancement. 

Ann specializes in trauma and is a certified trauma professional and a national certified counselor. She also holds certifications in traumatic stress and neuroscience. Ann is passionate about multiculturalism and enjoys working with adolescents, young adults, married couples, and older adults, including individuals and families impacted by disability. 

Ann currently holds an associate license in NC, and works under the supervision of Ralph Fox, PhD, LCMHCS.