Current Winner

Carl A. Whitaker Award

The Carl A. Whitaker Award is given to an MFT who has distinguished themselves by contributing to the field of Marriage and Family Therapy in creative or innovative ways. It is named after Carl Whitaker because he was a pioneer in the marriage and family therapy field. Through his experiential family therapy, he was personally engaged in helping families bring about change and flexibility in the family system.


Anne Totero

Anne C. Totero, LMFT, is a marriage and family therapist, clinical educator, AAMFT Approved Supervisor, author, and mental health advocate. She earned her M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Edgewood University, where she later taught advanced clinical internship courses. Her career has spanned crisis intervention, community mental health, in-home family therapy, and nearly a decade within academic healthcare.

Anne currently serves as a Staff Therapist at The Family Institute at Northwestern University and specializes in adults with ADHD, including work with individuals, couples, families, and groups. Throughout her career, she has also been committed to improving mental healthcare systems, including chairing a Patient and Family Advisory Council, developing a triage process for couples and families, and helping create a system-wide safety triage response.

In 2020, Anne founded Mental Health Provider Appreciation Day, which has received annual proclamations in Wisconsin since 2022 and continues to gain national recognition. She is also the author of Things to Consider, published in 2025. Across her clinical, educational, and advocacy work, Anne is passionate about strengthening relationships, elevating patient voices, and supporting the professionals who care for others.