(MURRAY, Ky.) — A Murray State University professor has been recognized with the most prestigious award in Kentucky’s counseling profession.
Dr. Rebecca Pender-Baum, an associate professor in counseling, received the Dr. Bill Braden Award from the Kentucky Counseling Association (KCA) — an honor given to individuals who have made the greatest contributions to guidance and counseling across the Commonwealth through professional leadership, service and advocacy.
“I was truly speechless when I learned that not only did someone deem me qualified and deserving of this award, but also that the KCA Executive Board awarded it to me,” Pender-Baum said.
The award is named for Bill Braden, a longtime KCA executive director who previously worked as a school counselor and with the Kentucky Department of Education. Braden was widely known for mentoring students and professionals in the field and for his leadership within the American Counseling Association nationally. Under his guidance, KCA became one of the most respected state branches in the country.
For Pender-Baum, the award carries personal significance. She first encountered Braden at a leadership conference in 2012, shortly after arriving in Kentucky.
“I remember thinking, ‘Wow, this person has been so influential in this field — what an honor to be in his presence,'” she said. “To be given an award in his name touched my heart in a very deep way.”
Pender-Baum’s record of service spans state, national and international levels. She has served as president of both the Kentucky Association for Specialists in Group Work and the Kentucky Counseling Association, and since 2021 has chaired the KCA Advocacy Committee, organizing an annual “Day on the Hill” to advance mental health initiatives at the state capitol. She has also served as chair of the Southern Region of the American Counseling Association, sat on the ACA Ethics Committee, and served as president of the International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors.
Most recently, she was elected president of the Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, a role she will assume in July 2026.
Candidates for the Dr. Bill Braden Award are nominated by supervisors, peers or colleagues and selected by the KCA awards committee. Pender-Baum said knowing a colleague put her name forward made the honor all the more meaningful.
“It is touching to know that someone thought highly enough of me and my work within the Commonwealth to promote professional counseling, social justice and advocacy,” she said. “Professional leadership and mentorship is one of my professional roles that I find most valuable and rewarding — and this is one of the most rewarding accolades I have received.”
Photo: Dr. Rebecca Pender-Baum (left) and Dr. Tara Tucker (right). Pender-Baum, an associate professor in counseling, has received the Dr. Bill Braden Award, the highest honor presented by the Kentucky Counseling Association (KCA).
