Kelly Emelianchik-Key

Dr. Elizabeth Villares Sacks is Department Chair and Professor of School Counseling in the Department of Counselor Education at Florida Atlantic University. She has worked as a counselor educator, teacher, school counselor, and guidance director at the secondary level. Her area of specialization includes counseling children and adolescents, integrating technology in school counseling programs to improve data-driven practices, and collaborating with school counselors to develop action research, outcome research, and program evaluation projects. Dr. Villares Sacks is also interested in implementing school counselor-led evidence-based programs that lead to improvements in student achievement.

Research Interests:

• Counseling children and adolescents
• Implementing school counseling action and outcome research
• Evidence-based programs that enhance student achievement
• Impact of positive psychology on academic performance and social-emotional wellness

Selected Works and Achievements

• Emelianchik-Key, K., Labarta, A. C., DeDonno, M. & Gill, C. (2025). Long-term effects of the Unified Treatment Model for Eating Disorders and Comorbidity on BIPOC clients in residential treatment. Counseling Outcome Research and Evaluation. 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/21501378.2025.2542155
• Muzacz, A., Emelianchik-Key, K., Labarta, A., Crews, C, & Lutherland, G. (2024). A Scoping Review of Sizeism in Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles: Where is Counseling? Journal of Counselor Leadership and Advocacy. 11(2), 124-137. http://doi.org/10.1080/2326716X.2024.2342823
• Emelianchik-Key, K., Glass, B., & Labarta, A. C. (2023). Teen Dating Violence: Examining Counseling Students' Responses to Gendered Vignettes. The Professional Counselor, 13(2), 98-112. http:// doi.org/10.15241/kek.13.2.98
• Labarta, A. & Emelianchik-Key, K. (2022) Exploring the Relationships Between Transdiagnostic Factors and Eating Disorder Symptomology in a Clinical Sample of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Questioning, Queer, Asexual, and Pansexual Clients, Journal of LGBTQ Issues in Counseling, 16:4, 325-342, DOI: 10.1080/26924951.2022.2057391
• Emelianchik-Key, K., & Colvin, K. F. (2021). The Teen Screen for Dating Violence: An Item Response Theory Analysis. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. 36(17–18), NP10012–NP10034. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260519863723
• Villares, E., Bowers, H., Mariani, M, & Peluso, P. (2023). Wellness Advocates for Educators and Students. $5,989,554.10. U.S. Department of Education Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grant. Principal Investigator.
• Florida School Counselor Association, School Counselor Advocate: School, Community, Family Award, 2025
• Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, President’s Award, 2022
• Journal for Specialists in Group Work, Al Dye Award for Outstanding Article, 2021
• Association for Assessment in Research and Counseling, Outstanding Outcome Research Article of the Year 2017, 2011