Noha R. Thalib is a Licensed Professional Counselor with over five years of clinical experience supporting youth and families with moderate to severe mental health needs. She earned her Master’s in Professional Counseling and Education Specialist degree from Seton Hall University and is currently in her second semester of the CACREP-accredited Ph.D. in Counseling program at Montclair State University. Noha works with an agency affiliated with the Professional Counselors of New Jersey (PCNJ), where she also serves as Assistant Clinical Director, supporting clinical operations, supervision, and master’s-level interns. Her clinical and leadership work has involved collaboration with families, schools, child welfare systems, and multidisciplinary teams, serving diverse populations including foster youth, refugees, justice-involved youth, and children with complex needs. Her research interests include multicultural competence in counselor education, immigration narratives and policy accountability, religiosity and spirituality, religious conversion and apostasy, interfaith families, and youth rights in foster care. She is excited to expand her research skills, contribute to meaningful scholarship, and collaborate with colleagues committed to turning their advocacy and causes into impactful research.

Sierra Goldfarb is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Montclair State University. She is passionate about working with individuals to support emotional well-being, grief and loss, and the development of self-esteem in adolescents and young adults. She values empathy, connection, client-centered care, and culturally responsive practice in her developing approach to counseling. As a graduate assistant, she enjoys supporting research that connects knowledge with real client care and deepens her understanding of counseling across diverse populations and real-world contexts. She hopes her time in the lab will help her continue developing her research skills while supporting her personal and professional growth and showing how research can empower counselors to provide compassionate, meaningful care.