Charlotte Hamilton

Dr. Charlotte Redden Hamilton, a native of Columbia, South Carolina, currently serves as a Full Professor and Dean of the College of Social Sciences at Saybrook University, an online institution based in Pasadena, California. At Saybrook University, Dr. Hamilton provides strategic leadership in academic operations, faculty development, and long-term planning for the College of Social Sciences. Listed are a few major roles and contributions, including:

1. Serving as Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO) for the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) (Oct 2024-Aug 2025).

2. Acting as Interim Chair for the Business Administration and Leadership and Management programs (2022-Present).

3. Receiving the Full Professor rank in May 2023.

4. Serving as Co-Chair of the President's Council on Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) (2021-2023).

5. Advising the student organization, Black Activism in Action Community Association (BAIACA) (2021-2023).

Before joining Saybrook University, Dr. Hamilton served as the Interim Dean of Academic Affairs and Operations at South University's Columbia campus, where she also held multiple key academic positions. These included the Department Chair of Clinical Mental Health Counseling across nine South University campuses, the Program Director, and the Associate Professor of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. Over her more than eight years in these roles, she oversaw over 175 counseling students and numerous full-time and adjunct faculty members. She played a pivotal role in achieving CACREP accreditation, enhancing student outcomes, and ensuring the high quality of the program.

Dr. Hamilton's leadership at South University extended beyond administration. She revised and modernized counseling curricula, authored new program and clinical handbooks, and developed new courses, as well as a revised program of study. As the inaugural Chairperson of the Council on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, appointed by the Chancellor, she led wide-reaching institutional DEI initiatives. These initiatives included developing faculty training programs, launching a DEI newsletter and climate survey, creating a dedicated DEI webpage and a quick reference guide, and establishing a university-wide calendar to celebrate diverse holidays and observances.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English with minors in African American Studies and Developmental Studies from Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, and a Master of Arts in Higher Education. She went on to earn her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, where she also served as a clinical supervisor, research assistant, and teaching assistant.

A dedicated scholar-practitioner, Dr. Hamilton is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor (LPC/S), Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC), National Certified Counselor (NCC), and Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS). As both an educator and practitioner, Dr. Hamilton has taught counseling courses at several universities and worked across a range of mental health settings, counseling individuals with severe mental illness, children and adolescents, and adults with substance use disorders. Her deep commitment to teaching, mentoring, and service reflects her passion for advancing excellence and equity in the field of counseling education and professional practice.

Dr. Hamilton is the Immediate Past President of the South Carolina Counseling Association (SCCA), where she has been an active member, presenter, and board member for over 20 years. She is also an active member of the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES).