Dr. Catherine Roland

1947 - 2021

Dr. Catherine Roland, age 74, of Metairie, LA, passed away peacefully on November 5, 2021 at Tulane University Medical Hospital. Dr. Roland was born in Huntington, New York, on March 18, 1947, to Dominic and Judith (Arleo) Buffalino. Catherine spent her early years on Long Island, NY, and after graduating high school, she attended Marshall University, Huntington, WV, where she earned a Bachelor's degree in English and Education. She was a high school English teacher and school counselor for two years in Cincinnati before completing her master's degree and a doctorate in Counseling and Counselor Education, respectively, from the University of Cincinnati. Dr. Roland was a Past-President of the American Counseling Association (2016-2017) and a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). She had been a private practitioner and clinical supervisor, either part or full time, for 30 years. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Dr. Roland was involved in the NO AIDS Task Force in New Orleans. Dr. Roland served as a volunteer HIV testing counselor, NO AIDS Task Force Board member, and founded New Orleans Women Against Aids (NOWAA). NOWAA was founded as a women's effort to raise money to fund people living with AIDS and ARC in the Greater New Orleans Metro area. With Dr. Roland's efforts, NOWAA planned and executed numerous fundraising activities within the community, raising thousands of dollars for PWAs and PWARCS. As a Counselor Educator for over 25 years, her career included service as Professor and Chair of the Counseling program at The Chicago School for Professional Psychology, in Washington DC; Professor and Department Chair, Montclair State University in New Jersey, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, and at the University of New Orleans. Her Student Affairs positions have been at Temple University in Philadelphia, Manhattanville College in New York, and St. Mary's Dominican College in New Orleans. Dr. Roland had been nationally active for over 30 years with the American Counseling Association, including President of ACA; President of the Association for Adult Development and Aging (AADA); ACA Governing Council Representative for three terms. Dr. Roland had been editor of ADULTSPAN Journal, the national peer-reviewed journal of the Association for Adult Development and Aging, for 12 years, and most recently served on multiple national scholarly journal review boards, as well as the Publications Committee of the American Counseling Association. Dr. Roland had been the recipient of many awards, including the prestigious Fellow Award of the American Counseling Association (2018); Outstanding Alumna from the University of Cincinnati (2018); the 2016 AADA Presidential Mentor Award and AADA Distinguished Service to the Profession Award; 2014 ACES and SACES Locke-Paisley Awards for Outstanding Mentoring; 2013 Presidential Professional Leadership Award from the American College Counseling Association (ACCA). Catherine Roland returned to New Orleans in 2017 to private practice. Dr. Roland's clinical specialties include counseling young to midlife adults in trauma, older adults, couples and families, and counseling diverse populations. At the time of her death, Dr. Roland was an active board member of both CrescentCare and SAGE New Orleans – NOAGE. She was also an active board member of the Metairie Towers Condominium Association. Catherine Roland is survived by her chosen family, Ada Christine Franz, John Patrick McKinney (Christopher Fagot), Brenda Baker, and Jane Rheineck (Anne MacArthur). She is also survived by her cousin, Roseanne Sheehan. Catherine also leaves behind many dear friends who have been touched by her generosity, kindness, and love. A private service will be held with a celebration of her life planned in the spring. Those wishing to honor her memory are encouraged to make donations to either CrescentCare or SAGE New Orleans – NOAGE.