With a B.A. in Religion from Trinity University in his home state of Texas, an M.Div. from Holy Cross School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts, and an Ed.D. in Counselor Education from the University of Northern Colorado, Dr. Nixon’s educational path has taken him to far-flung parts of the country. He began his professional career in the practice of mental health counseling in Phoenix, having been in Flagstaff, Arizona for a year-long clinical internship. Though swearing he was “done with school,” he found himself teaching master’s students in a counselor education program a little more than a year after finishing his terminal degree. Having one foot in the professional practice world and one foot in the academic world over the years has taught him that mentoring students into professional practice was what he liked most about his work, and he lives for those moments when his students have “a-ha” instances of clarity. His intellectual curiosity has found interest in the role of spirituality and religion in emotional well-being; his more recent interests focus on the dynamics of rankism as an impediment to genuineness in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in organizational cultures.

Dr. Nixon joined UNLV PRACTICE in August 2017 in his current role which combines his clinical and counselor training interests into one position. As Assistant Director for Clinical Services and PK-12 Outreach, his primary effort is on the telemental health program in collaboration with Communities in Schools of Northeastern Nevada, where PRACTICE student clinicians provide in-school counseling to students in two rural county school districts over secure video.