Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy

Dr. Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy believes in the revolutionary power of education and school counseling. An American Counseling Association (ACA) Fellow with 30 years of experience as a former kindergarten teacher, elementary school counselor, family therapist, and most recently, university professor and administrator, she has a wealth of knowledge, expertise, and wisdom.

Dr. Holcomb-McCoy is the Dean of the School of Education and a Distinguished Professor at American University (AU). She is also the author of the best-selling book School Counseling to Close Opportunity Gaps: A Social Justice Framework for Success (2nd Edition) (Corwin Press) and the edited book, Antiracist Counseling in Schools and Communities (ACA Publications).

In her seven years as Dean, Dr. Holcomb-McCoy founded AU’s Summer Institute on Education, Equity, and Justice, the AU Teacher Pipeline Project, a partnership with the DC Public Schools, and the Advancing Early Education Collaborative, a partnership with Trinity Washington University, Martha’s Table, and Urban Institute. She is also actively working to develop an antiracist curriculum for counselors and teachers-in-training.

Dr. Holcomb-McCoy’s passion for school counseling, mental health, and wellness starts at home. As a proud mother of two adult children, she knows firsthand the importance of systemic change to help students reach their full potential.

A proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Dr. Holcomb-McCoy holds her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

She lives in Potomac, Maryland with her husband and labradoodle, Niko.