Dr. Seneka Gainer is an Assistant Professor and Clinical Director in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Jacksonville University. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), and National Certified Counselor (NCC). With nearly 20 years of experience in clinical practice, supervision, and counselor education, her work centers on counselor development, empathy, and ethical leadership. She serves as Clinical Strategist at Inner Peak AI, where she helps design clinically informed, developmentally appropriate mental health tools. Dr. Gainer co-leads the NBCC AI Regulatory Research Team and presents nationally on the ethical integration of artificial intelligence in counselor education. She has authored and co-authored publications on trauma-informed practice and counselor development. A past Governing Council member of ACA and former NECA president, Dr. Gainer’s teaching, research, and scholarship explores empathy as a teachable practice, systems-informed counselor education, and the ethical use of emerging technologies in counselor training.