International Accreditation of Counseling Services

Osburn and Corbett to Lead IACS

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 17:38:45 GMT

Monica Z. Osburn becomes new President of Board of Directors; Christoher Corbett is named new Vice President

Alexandria, Virginia, October 12, 2025 International Accreditation of Counseling Services (IACS) announced that Monica Z. Osburn, Ph.D., was installed as the new President of Board of Directors at their recent meeting. Dr. Osburn is the Executive Director of the Counseling Center at North Carolina State University. She previously served as the Vice President of the IACS Board as well as an Annual Review Officer. She assumed leadership from Immediate-Past President Mark Perez-Lopez, Ph.D., of University of North Carolina, Wilmington’s Counseling Center.

“Monica has been a valuable member of the IACS board serving in multiple leadership roles,” said Annie Patterson, IACS executive director. “I’m looking forward to working with her as President, bringing her ideas to fruition to advocate for student mental health. I’m also very grateful for Mark’s leadership as President and VP the past two years – providing me with guidance and planning for the larger board.”

Christopher Corbett, Ph.D., Director of the Counseling and Psychological Services at the University of Kansas, was named the new IACS Vice President. As VP, Dr. Corbett will lead the accreditation process and support the President, Board and staff with strategic vision. He has been an active board member and IACS volunteer for many years.

“Chris has been a big supporter of IACS, even prior to becoming a director at an IACS-accredited center. His passion for helping college counseling centers be the best they can be is infectious,” said IACS’ Patterson. “His contributions as a board member have helped IACS move forward and we couldn’t be happier to have him as our new VP.”

To learn more, please visit International Accreditation of Counseling Services .

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IACS is committed to advancing quality in student mental health care on higher academic campuses worldwide. Accreditation from IACS confirms the highest standards are being met, validates professional excellence, and distinguishes standout counseling centers. The nonprofit encourages and works with all centers seeking to cultivate exceptional quality through accreditation. IACS is the only international organization focused solely on accrediting professional counseling centers on higher academic campuses. The nonprofit has set the standards for quality in student mental health care since 1949.

IACS Names New President and VP (2024)

Sat, 12 Oct 2024 18:07:01 GMT

Mark Perez-Lopez appointed as new President of the IACS Board of Directors; Monica Osburn incoming VP

Alexandria, Virginia, October 12, 2024 — International Accreditation of Counseling Services (IACS) announced that Mark Perez-Lopez, Ph.D., was installed as the new President of the IACS Board of Directors. Dr. Perez-Lopez is the Director of the Counseling Center at University North Carolina Wilmington. He assumed leadership from Immediate-Past President Bill Burns, Ph.D., of North Dakota State University.

“We thank Bill for his leadership during my initial time at IACS; his years as Vice President and most recently as President ,” said Annie Patterson, IACS executive director. “It was instrumental as we’ve worked towards a “New IACS” that can better serve our community. Going into my third year of continued improvement, we’re excited to have Mark at our helm. His enthusiasm and dedication will make our work of advocating for student mental health even better.”

Monica Osburn, Ph.D., Director of the University Counseling Center at North Carolina State University, has been named the new IACS Vice President.

“Monica has been a valuable voice on the IACS Board of directors and we couldn’t be happier with her new role as Vice President,” said IACS’ Patterson. “Her contributions have helped IACS in so many ways, everything from process improvements to our business model, to her professional expertise on how to best serve higher education mental health.”

To learn more, please visit International Accreditation of Counseling Services .

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IACS Updates Accreditation Standards

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 18:40:00 GMT

Staff-to-student ratio and Student Workers standards clarified.

The IACS Accreditation Standards have been updated to better align with today’s higher education mental health counseling center needs. In particular, the standards related to the staff/student ratio and the use of student workers have been adjusted, providing clarifying language and taking currrent operational trends into account. There are minor edits to other standards. The updated standards are available here .

Questions may be directed to Annie Patterson , IACS Executive Director, ann@iacsinc.org or 703-823-9840.

IACS New President (2023)

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 12:44:00 GMT

International Accreditation of Counseling Services (IACS) appoints William Burns as new President of the Board

Alexandria, Virginia — International Accreditation of Counseling Services (IACS) announced that on October 25, 2023, William “Bill” Burns, Ph.D., took over as President of the IACS Board of Directors. Dr. Burns is the Director of the Counseling Center at North Dakota State University. He assumed leadership from Immediate-Past President Paul Galvinhill, Ph.D., of College of the Holy Cross.

“It is with great confidence and respect that I hand off IACS leadership to Bill Burns,” said Paul Galvinhill. “Bill’s competence, integrity, and professionalism mean that IACS is in good hands.”

Both Dr. Galvinhill and Dr. Burns extended their terms in 2022 as President and Vice President of the Board, respectively, to provide continuity as IACS went through organizational changes with the first new executive director in 39 years.

“We are extremely grateful for Paul’s strong leadership during a time of significant transition for us,” said Annie Patterson, IACS executive director. “His graciousness to extend his term was instrumental in implementing our new protocols, modernizing the organization, and shepherding IACS into a new era so that we are better able to support college and university counseling centers.”

This is Dr. Burns’ second time as IACS President. He previously served on the IACS Board beginning in 2007, eventually becoming President in 2012. He then rejoined the board in 2021 as Vice President. Dr. Mark Perez-Lopez, UNC Wilmington, has been named the new Vice President of IACS.

“Bill brings great insight to IACS. His guidance as Vice President this past year has been invaluable to me as the new executive director. His historical knowledge has already informed how we can improve our operations and will continue to do so,” said IACS’ Patterson.

To learn more, please visit International Accreditation of Counseling Services .

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New Single All-in-One Annual Fee

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 14:10:00 GMT

Beginning in 2023, we have switched to a single annual fee that encompasses all fees related to IACS accreditation, to ease the burden of budgeting multiple invoices in different years (annual fee, re-evaluation fee, site visit fee). This allows for a single amount to be budgeted every year, instead of needing to know when/what year(s) to budget for the additional fees beyond the annual fee. See our Fees page for details.

One-time change to re-accreditation process (pandemic adjustment)

Fri, 10 Feb 2023 16:59:00 GMT

IACS has implemented a one-time change to the current re-accreditation cycle, which requires a full evaluation and site visit. Due to the pandemic, site visits FOR THE CURRENT CYCLE ONLY have been postponed. This will add extra years to the normal 8-year accreditation and only affects the current cycle. Once the next full re-evaluation and site visit are completed, centers will revert to the regular 8-year cycle. Centers will submit additional Annual Reports for the additional years.

If you are an IACS-accredited counseling center currently in the re-accreditation process and have not received updated information regarding your site visit, please contact Annie Patterson , IACS Executive Director.

Nancy Roncketti Lifetime Achievement Award

Tue, 01 Nov 2022 16:04:00 GMT

During the 2022 AUCCCD Conference, Nancy Roncketti was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award for her nearly four decades of service to IACS.

Congratulations, Nancy!

2022 AUCCCD, Philadelphia, PA

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 12:00:00 GMT

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to chat with us at the 2022 AUCCD Conference. It was great to mingle during the Wine & Cheese Reception and for the new Executive Director, Annie Patterson, to meet so many new people. We look forward to seeing you in 2023!

IACS welcomes new Executive Director

Tue, 03 May 2022 00:03:00 GMT

After four decades of steadfast service to IACS, current director Nancy Roncketti will embark on a much-deserved retirement. She will hand over the reins to our new executive director, Ann Patterson on May 2. Ann was selected by the IACS board of directors after completing an in-depth search and selection process. We are excited by the new perspective and expertise she will bring to the table.

Ann comes to us with 30+ years of leadership experience, including 19 years in nonprofit management. She is well-practiced in small staff environments and adept at fulfilling the variety of roles often needed in nonprofits. She skillfully manages the big picture, but is also willing to go deep into the weeds when needed.

“I manage from a philosophy that to be successful, a team works together,” says Ann . “That means that everyone, including upper management, pitches in where necessary to get the job done.”

Ann began her career as a visual information specialist for the federal government, but soon broadened her skillset to include all aspects of marketing and communications. She worked as a marketing specialist at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, then as an alliance marketing and business development manager at Ernst & Young Technologies.

In 2002, Ann joined BITS/Financial Services Roundtable, further expanding her expertise to include managing operations, member recruitment and retention, communications, media relations, events and critical liaisons with C-suite executives at some of the largest U.S. financial institutions. Promoted to vice president, Ann played an integral role in safeguarding banking protections for consumers, particularly vulnerable adults.

“Working for a small nonprofit means wearing multiple hats. This gave me a tremendous opportunity to learn and manage every aspect of the organization,” Ann explains, adding , “I also found the work to be very rewarding.”

Inspired to stay in the nonprofit arena, Ann took an executive director position with Medical Identity Fraud Alliance, where she oversaw all facets of the organization, including short- and long-term strategic visioning and execution. In her most recent position as food program director for ALIVE! Inc., she successfully dealt with the unique challenge of the pandemic’s impact on their food assistance program for low-income and unhoused communities. She expertly pivoted the organization to “crisis mode,” expanding staff, volunteers and programming to scale tenfold, meeting the significantly increased demand.

With her diverse management expertise, effective relationship skills, strategic visioning and innovative leadership success, we are confident Ann will be an outstanding asset to IACS. And she is eager to move forward.

“I’m excited to play a role in the IACS legacy of leadership in student mental health care. Working with centers that provide this life-changing support to students is especially meaningful to me as a parent who has seen first-hand the benefit and positive impact. I look forward to strengthening relationships with accredited centers and expanding outreach to higher academic institutions in the U.S. and around the world.”

Nancy Roncketti retires after a lifetime of service

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 00:56:00 GMT

Nancy joined us on April 8, 1983 and made IACS her lifelong career. She started out as a part-time administrative assistant, but her responsibilities grew quickly. In October 1986, she was promoted to executive director.

At the time, IACS was operating as an affiliate of the American Counseling Association. Nancy played a lead role in negotiating its separation from ACA and setting up IACS as an independent organization in 1993. Through the years, she has worked with the board to meet challenges, respond to needs, and anticipate changes in the field. She has helped IACS implement advances, broaden outreach and most recently, complete a brand update and refresh. Nancy has also been instrumental in maintaining relationships with accredited centers and key associations, such as AUCCCD.

“When I first came to IACS, little did I know I’d be here for the next 39 years, but I truly loved working for this organization,” shares Nancy. “It’s been an honor and a pleasure to work with so many distinguished and genuinely dedicated individuals who truly care deeply about the mental health of our college students. I wish all of you and the IACS organization continuing success.”

For 39 years, Nancy has been a stalwart advocate for IACS, supporting our mission to lead the way in quality student mental health care. We appreciate her years of loyal commitment and wish her a fun-filled and relaxing retirement!

IACS implements new Board structure

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 18:43:00 GMT

… to improve efficiency, reduce redundancy, and more accurately reflect our current mission.

The Board of Directors and Board of Accreditation have merged into one group that will now function as the sole Board of IACS . Other substantive changes include:

These well-thought-out changes will allow us to remain nimble in a rapidly changing landscape.

To learn more, please review the IACS Bylaws .