Counseling Wellness Staff

Sharon E. Smith, MSW, LCSW, ACSW
Director, Counseling, Health, and Wellness Services
Sharon E. Smith is the Director of Counseling, Health, and Wellness Services. She also works with profit and non-profit organizations, as well as works in system thinking, diversity issues, group dynamics, and strategic planning. Sharon graduated from Aquinas College and received her Master’s Degree in Social Work from Grand Valley State University. She is a licensed social worker. Sharon has thirty years of experience in employment and training, human resources, the human services field, higher education, and mental health.

Mary Dempsey, LLMSW
Mary joined the Counseling, Health and Wellness Center in September 2022 after graduating with her Masters in social work from Western Michigan University. After graduating in 2019 with her bachelors in social work, Mary moved to Pittsburgh, PA for a fellowship opportunity. There she advocated for homeless youth as a teen success coach.

During her undergraduate career at WMU, Mary participated in the Bronco Marching Band, was an RA for two years, was a brother of Kappa Kappa Psi, and took part in studying abroad in India. In spring 2019, she was awarded as the Social Work Student of the Year through the NASW Michigan chapter.

Mary is excited to meet and work with students to help them reach their fullest potential.

Courtney Burnett
Before joining the Counseling, Health and Wellness Services team, Courtney studied Business and Communication at Aquinas College. While at AQ she worked as an RA and in the Mail Room and Copy Center, where she got to know the campus inside and out. She also was a participant in the Ireland program in 2015. She graduated from Aquinas College in 2016 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration.

After graduating, Courtney spent 4 years working in media for iHeart Radio and Nexstar Digital. There she worked with the sales department facilitating on air commercial and digital ad schedules, coordinated with on air talent to create advertising, and helped to put on events such as Birthday Bash and Taste of Grand Rapids. After her stint in media, she worked at Bissell as a Customer Service Representative working with retailers to fulfill their product needs. Some of her customers included Walmart and Macys.

Now she is excited to be back on campus with the Counseling, Health and Wellness team as the Office Coordinator! Feel free to stop by the CHWS office and say hello!