MURIEL BOWSER
MAYOR
October 26, 2023
The Honorable Phil Mendelson
Chairman
Council of the District of Columbia
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 504
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Chairman Mendelson:
In accordance with section 2 of the Confirmation Act of 1978, effective March 3, 1979 (D.C. Law
2-142; D.C. Official Code § 1- 523.01), and pursuant to section 217 of the District of Columbia
Health Occupations Revisions Act of 1985, effective March 10, 2004 (D.C. Law 15-88; D.C.
Official Code § 3-1202.17), I am pleased to nominate the following person:
Ms. Sheila Holt
Jefferson Street NE
Washington, DC 20011
(Ward 5)
for reappointment as a marriage and family therapist licensed in the District member of the Board
of Marriage and Family Therapy, for a term to end February 5 , 2026.
Enclosed you will find biographical information detailing the experience of the above-mentioned
nominee, together with a proposed resolution to assist the Council during the confirmation
process.
I would appreciate the Council’s earliest consideration of this nomination for confirmation. Please
do not hesitate to contact me, or Steven Walker, Director, Mayor’s Office of Talent and
Appointments, should the Council require additional information.
Sincerely,
Muriel Bowser
Mayor
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at the request of the Mayor
A PROPOSED RESOLUTION
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
14 To confirm the reappointment of Ms. Sheila Holt to the Board of Marriage and Family Therapy.
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16 RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
17 resolution may be cited as the "Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Sheila Holt Confirmation
18 Resolution of 2023".
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20 Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia confirms the reappointment of:
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22 Ms. Sheila Holt
23 Jefferson Street NE
24 Washington, DC 20011
25 (Ward 5)
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27 as a marriage and family therapist licensed in the District member of the Board of Marriage and
28 Family Therapy, pursuant to section 217 of the District of Columbia Health Occupations
29 Revisions Act of 1985, effective March 10, 2004 (D. C. Law 15-88; D.C. Official Code§ 3-
30 1202.17), for a term to end February 5, 2026.
31 Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia shall transmit a copy of this resolution,
32 upon its adoption, to the nominee and to the Office of the Mayor.
33 Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately. SheilaA.Holt
Education
MasterofScienceinOrganizationalLeadership-NYACKCollege-Coursework2006
M.A.Counseling-MinorSchoolCounseling-Gerontology-UniversityofD.C.-1986
B.A.SocialWorkandRehabilitation-UniversityofD.C.-1981
TrinityUniversity(PostGraduatecoursework-SpecialEd.Admin,/Supervision)
InternationalBaccalaureateProgram-D.C.PublicSchoolsJune,2007
NationalBoardCertifiedTeachers-Candidate-D.C.PublicSchools,September,2006
UniversityoftheDistrictofColumbiaDoctorateProgram/GamblingUniversity-Courses
Licenses—WashingtonDCHealthProfessionalBoard
MarriageandFamilyTherapist-LMFT
ProfessionalCounselor-LPC
AssociateSocialWork(undergraduate)-LASW
DCMHCA-Diplomate,AmericanMentalHealthCounselorsAss.
RPT-RegisteredPlayTherapist-AmericanPlayTherapyAss.
Boards
SelectiveServiceBoard-DCNationalGuard-WashingtonDC
UDCPsychology-CounselingDepartment~CurrentAdvisoryMember-PastAdvisoryBoard
Chairperson
DCMentalHealthCounselorsAssociation-PastPresident-CurrentPlanningCommitteeMember
DCCA-DCCounselingAssociation-PastPresident
DCSchoolCounselorsAssociation-Past-PresidentandTrustee
EducationCouncilTrinityUniversityofWashingtonDC
DCBoardofMarriageandFamilyTherapy-Chairperson(Oct.2012-Current)
Certifications
‘COVID-19ContactTracingTraining-JohnHopkinsUniversity
AmericanMentalHealthCounselorsAssociationDiplomatSpeciali
BoardCertifiedCoach-pendingrenewal
SchoolCounselor
PupilPersonalWorker
ProgramSpecialist
Attendance Counselor
Adult Education
Adoption Specialist-pending renewal
QPR Suicide Prevention Gateway Instructor-pending renewal
Training
Initial Board Member Training-Selective Service Board-DC National Guard Washington DC-
9/3/13.
Distance Credentialed Counselor-DCC
Senior Ambassador-DCOA Ambassador Program-July 2015
QPR Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Instructor-Howard University
Microsoft Office Suite Technology-Howard University-Wash. D. C.
Computer Forensics-UDC-Community College of the District of Columbia
Office Track-Byte Back Community Computer Training Center-Wash. D.C.
Training Resources, Inc.-Certified Addiction Counselor-Coursework
Chesapeake Beach Professional Play Therapy Training Institute-150 hrs. 1997
Professional Organization Affiliations
Association for Play Therapy-Member
DC Mental Health Counselors Association- Past President-Current Committee Member
DC Public Schools Counselors Association-Past president
DC Counseling Association-Past president
Phi Delta Kappan International American University Chapter -Historian-current
Honors-Recognitions
Nathaniel E. Hill Outstanding School Counselor-School Counselor Programs-DC Public Schools
Special Project-Miner School Project-The Mental Health Quarterly 1999
Professional Experience
University of the District of Columbia-Visiting Clinical Instructor in Counseling 9-10-2917 to
5-18-2018. Provide counselor development to graduate students and theory/skills support in a
classroom/field support in a training format.
University of the District of Columbia-Clinical Coordinator 9-10-2017 to 5-18, 2018.
Coordinator served as a liaison between the Mental Health, School, and Rehabilitation
Counseling Programs and clinical sites. Coordinated and provided administrative guidance of
practicum and internship experiences for identified student counseling candidates. .
Trinity University Washington D.C. - Adjunct Instructor- School Counseling Program.
Fall 2012-13; Spring 2014, Summers 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. Provide counselor
development to graduate students and theory/skills support in a classroom/field support in a
training format.
University of the District of Columbia, Washington, D. C. -Adjunct Instructor. Provide
counselor development to graduate students and theory/skills support in a classroom/field
support in a training format.
Private Practice Counseling/Mental Health Counseling work with individuals, couples,
families and groups to help address and treat mental and emotional disorders and to promote
mental health. June 2011- present.
Board of Education-Washington, D. C.-Professional School Counselor-Fall 1985-Fall 2010
• Developed, organized, coordinated, and directed guidance programs that provided
continuous process of assistance to students through the identification of needs in the
areas of academic, career, and personal/social development.
• Developed and coordinated broad components of guidance service:
orientation/articulation, developmental approached, appraisal, adjunctive procedures,
administrative, evaluation/research and follow-up services) to ensure assistance.
• Utilized an interdisciplinary approach, and applied an individualized/group approach to
student potential and goals based on counseling theories.
• Demonstrated team leadership skills as well as the ability to contribute as a vital team
member.
• Demonstrated sound knowledge of district service agencies.
• Demonstrated proficiency in making administrative and procedural decisions and
judgments.
• Developed and implemented programs/activities that addressed cultural differences and
student needs.
• Coordinated pilot project-DCPS School Based Mental Health Project in collaboration
with the DC Department of Mental Health.
• Served as a field-site coordinator for local college/university interns and externs in the
areas of counseling, psychology, and social work.
• Recruited volunteers for varied programs and activities.
• Served on Superintendent’s Citywide D.C. Public School Interagency Youth Task force
on Grief, Loss and Healing (911, Mercury Exposed-Ballou SHS, Anthrax Exposed-
Brentwood Post Office-Washington, D C., etc).
William Wendt Center for Grief, Loss, and Healing-Washington, D. C.
Counselor/Trainer 2001
• Anthrax Exposed- Brentwood Post Office-Washington, D C.-Provided individual
counseling for
Victims exposed to Anthrax.
• Volunteer Trainer-Provided training for new volunteer grief counselors.
Howard University Violence Prevention Program-Washington, D. C.
Psycho-Social Educational Group Leader-March-June, 1995.
• Conducted psycho-social educational group session for Washington, D. C. urban youth
presenting emotional problems. Referred by Citywide D. C. Public School staffs.
Board of Education-Washington, D. C.-DCPS-Attendance Counselor-April-June, 1985
• Program development: developed, organized, coordinated, and directed an attendance
program to address student truancy and risk factors. Provided guidance and counseling
services.
Teen Mothers-Sasha Bruce Program, Washington, D.C.-Relief Counselor 1985-1990
• Provided guidance and counseling services to individuals and small groups, as well as life
skills and parenting training to District of Columbia teenage girls identified as wards of
the city.
Executive Office of the Mayor – Mayor’s Office of Talent and Appointments
John A. Wilson Building | 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 600 | Washington, DC 20004
Sheila Holt
Sheila A. Holt, LPC, LMFT, LASW, DCMHCA, is a licensed counselor,
marriage and family therapist, associate social worker in private practice,
and the chairperson of the District of Columbia Board of Marriage and
Family Therapy.
Ms. Holt has over 30 years of experience as a professional counselor and
currently focuses on marriage and family counseling and therapy. She is
trained in play therapy, suicide-prevention, and adoption, as well as
Allied and Behavioral Health Continuing Education.
She is a Senior Ambassador with the D.C. Office on Aging, as well as an adjunct professor at
Trinity Washington University and the University of the District of Columbia. Ms. Holt played an
integral role as the Professional School Counselor in the Pilot Project on Enhanced Mental Health
Assistance at Miner Elementary School and the University of the District of Columbia School
Counseling quest for CACREP accreditation.
Ms. Holt served as a DCPS professional school counselor for over 24 years. She has served as
president for the DC School Counselors Association, DC Counseling Association, and the DC
Mental Health Counselors Association.
A Ward 5 resident, Ms. Holt received a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and Rehabilitation and a
Master of Arts in Counseling from the University of the District of Columbia.
GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Executive Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser
Office of the General Counsel to the Mayor
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The John A. Wilson Building • 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW • Suite 300 • Washington, D.C. 20004 • Office (202) 724 -7681
To: Tommy Wells, Steve Walker
From: Betsy Cavendish
Date: July 17, 2023
Subject: Legal sufficiency review of Resolutions nominating Tiffany Ferriss and Sheila
Holt to the Board of Marriage and Family Therapy
This is to Certify that this office has reviewed the above- referenced resolutions and
found them to be legally unobjectionable. If you have any questions in this regard, please do not
hesitate to call Vanessa Careiro, Deputy General Counsel, Executive Office of the Mayor, at 202-724-1303, or me at 202- 724-7681.
______________________________
Elizabeth Cavendish