Saint Paul – Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced the appointment of Antoinette Backdahl, Marlae Cox-Kolek, Robert Schmillen, and Judy Sherwood, and the reappointment of Freddie Davis-English, Judi Gordon, and Nona Wilson to the Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy.

Backdahl, of Plymouth, is an IT professional and community education instructor. She is actively involved in a number of community projects including the Minnesota Parent Leadership Network and the Hennepin County Children’s Mental Health Advisory Council. Backdahl is appointed as a public member to fulfill a term that expires January 4, 2010 and replaces Kaarin Long on the board.

Cox-Kolek, of Mankato, holds licenses as a professional clinical counselor and an alcohol and drug counselor. She is an adjunct faculty member at Minnesota State University - Mankato where she teaches in the areas of health, drug and alcohol education. Cox-Kolek earned her master of science degree in counseling and bachelor of science degree in sociology from Minnesota State University - Mankato. She is appointed as a licensed alcohol and drug counselor member to fulfill a four-year term that expires January 3, 2011. She replaces Catherine Cullen-Benson on the board.

Schmillen, of Granite Falls, is a licensed alcohol and drug counselor who has been the clinical director of Project Turnabout Chemical Dependency Treatment Center since 1999. He formerly worked for the Minnesota Department of Health as a license examiner for alcohol and drug counselors. Schmillen is appointed as a licensed alcohol and drug counselor member to fulfill a four-year term. He replaces John Meers on the board.

Sherwood, of St. Paul, is a licensed professional counselor and licensed marriage and family therapist working in private practice. She holds a master of business administration degree and bachelor of arts degree in business administration and organization from Metropolitan State University in St. Paul. She also holds a master of arts degree in marriage and family therapy from the Minnesota School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University, in Minneapolis. Sherwood is a member of a number of professional organizations, including the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts. She is appointed as a licensed professional counselor member to fulfill a four-year term that expires January 3, 2011. She replaces Patricia Fogal on the board.

Davis-English, of Plymouth, retired in 2007 as a division director with the Hennepin County Department of Community Corrections. She worked for Hennepin County for 26 years as a juvenile corrections unit supervisor in its Home School, corrections unit supervisor in its Probation and Parole Division, and division manager and superintendent in its Juvenile Detention Division. She is reappointed as a public member to a four-year term that expires January 7, 2013.

Gordon, of St. Paul, is executive director and founder of C.R.E.A.T.E., a non-profit chemical health agency in Minneapolis. She is a both a licensed alcohol and drug counselor and a registered nurse in Minnesota. Gordon previously served on the Minnesota Department of Human Services’ Alcohol and Drug Abuse Citizen’s Advisory Committee. She received an associate degree in nursing from St. Mary’s College in Minneapolis. Gordon is reappointed as a licensed alcohol and drug counselor member to a four-year term that expires January 7, 2013.

Wilson, of St. Cloud, is a licensed professional counselor and associate professor at St. Cloud State University, where she teaches in the counselor education and educational psychology department. She holds doctor of philosophy, master of education, and bachelor of arts degrees in counseling, counselor education and psychology from Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. She is a member of a number of professional organizations including the American Counseling Association and the Association of Counselor Education and Supervision. Wilson is reappointed as a licensed professional counselor member to a four-year term that expires January 7, 2013.

The Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy is responsible for licensing and disciplining licensed professional counselors and licensed alcohol and drug counselors. The board is made up of 13 members appointed by the Governor.