Cesp Karissa McLaughlin

Karissa McLaughlin, CESP, is a Counseling Intern at Midwestern Connecticut Council of Alcoholism since January 2023 and has served as Career Development Program Manager and Employment Specialist at Ability Beyond since August 2020. In these roles, Karissa manages a caseload of clients with severe mental health diagnoses, facilitating their transition into competitive employment and consistently meeting placement goals. Prior experiences at the University of Connecticut Dining Services included managing over 100 student employees in various leadership roles, where Karissa developed skills in training, conflict resolution, and operations management. Karissa is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Fairfield University, complementing a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Connecticut.