Leadership Team

This topical interest network is lead by a group of volunteers with a shared dream of collaboration and growth.
If you are interested in serving in any of the positions below, please contact couples@aamft.org for more information!

Chairperson

Term: January 2021 - December 2022 (Then to assume the position of Past Chair)

Rafee Al-Mansur, MS, LMFT
Marriage and Family Therapist, Wellness Through Counseling
RafeeMFT@gmail.com

Rafee Al-Mansur received his Masters in Couple and Family Therapy from the University of Maryland and his Bachelors in Sociology from Johns Hopkins University. Rafee is doing his residency in Marriage and Family Therapy in a private practice under the supervision of Salma Abugideiri, LPC LLC. Like most therapists, he has been working across a wide variety of issues. However, most of his clients are either couples or adolescents, and tend to be Muslim due to the lack of Muslim mental health professionals.

Rafee's current research interest focuses on the mate selection and courtship patterns of Muslims living in the United States. He recently conducted a survey through the popular Muslim dating app, Muzmatch, to investigate changing dynamics in how Muslims find romantic partners. Rafee also works as a group facilitator for the Together Program, a six-week couples’ workshop on healthy communication and stress management for financial issues.

Chair Elect

Term: January 2021 - December 2022 (Then to assume the position of Chairperson)

Tina M. Timm, PhD LMFT
Associate Professor, Michigan State University
timmtm@gmail.com

Tina Timm, PhD is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work at Michigan State University where she teaches graduate students specializing in clinical social work and couple and family therapy. Dr. Timm is a Clinical Fellow of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and licensed as both a marriage and family therapist and a clinical social worker. Her research focuses on couples and families with an emphasis on issues related to sexuality. She completed post-graduate training at Masters & Johnson Institute in both sex therapy and sexual trauma. She has been doing clinical work for over 27 years in a wide range of settings and is a frequent presenter on topics related to the integration of sex therapy into clinical practice, affair recovery, trauma informed treatment, and attachment.

Treasurer

Term: January 2021 - December 2023

Erica Mitchell, PhD LMFT
Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Tennessee Knoxville

emitch55@utk.edu

Dr. Mitchell is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. She earned her Ph.D. in Couple and Family Therapy from Michigan State University in 2019. She is a fully licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and sits on the editorial board for the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy. Dr. Mitchell has specialized clinical training in Emotionally Focused Therapy. Her research focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of evidence-based interventions for couples with an emphasis on under-resourced couples and couples experiencing the transition to parenthood. Dr. Mitchell also conducts research on infidelity and affair recovery.

Secretary

Term: January 2020 - December 2022

Nathan Hardy, PhD LMFT
Assistant Professor, Oklahoma State University
nathan.hardy@okstate.edu

Dr. Hardy is an Assistant Professor of the Marriage and Family Therapy Program at Oklahoma State University. He received his MFT degrees at Kansas State University a Bachelor's degree in Marriage, Family, and Human Development at Brigham Young University. He currently serves as an editorial advisor for Family Process and sits on the editorial board for the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy. Dr. Hardy's research focuses on the predictors of long-term healthy marriage, the content and delivery of marriage and relationship education programs, and the processes of change in couple therapy. He has also written and presented about research-informed and integrative-systemic training and practice in MFT.

Director of Membership Engagement

Term: January 2021 - December 2022

Jennifer VanBoxel, MS, LMFT
PhD Student, Michigan State University
jennifervanboxel@gmail.com

Jennifer VanBoxel MMFT is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist currently located in East Lansing Michigan, earning her Doctorate in Human Development and Family Studies Couple and Family Therapy program at Michigan State University. Her clinical and research interests focus on couples who have experienced trauma. She is trained in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) trauma therapy trained and has seven years of clinical experience working with a diverse range of couples, families, and trauma survivors both in the US and abroad.

Director of Education and Research

Term: January 2022 - December 2023

Jordan Schuler, MS, LMFT
PhD Candidate, Oklahoma State University
jorshul@ostatemail.okstate.edu

Jordan Shuler received his masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Oklahoma State University where he completed two internships that included the treatment of individuals, couples, and families experiencing a variety of mental health and relational challenges. Jordan received his bachelor’s degree in Family Studies at Weber State University, and is currently a PhD student and graduate research assistant at OSU. Jordan’s research and outreach experiences include developing and assisting in the production and dissemination of extension education resources on topics of farm stress management, suicide prevention, mindfulness, and developing psychological flexibility. Jordan’s research focuses include adaptive romantic couple functioning and maintenance, pornography’s influence on couple relationships, and in fostering adaptive coparenting dynamics.

Family TEAM Liaison

Term:

VACANT - Email couples@aamft.org if interested in this position.

Past Chairpersons

Christopher K. Belous, PhD LMFT
Associate Professor, Purdue University Northwest
Term as Chair: January 2018 - December 2020
Serving as Past Chair: January 2021 - December 2022