Charlotte Clarke Houston

Charlotte Clarke Houston

Dr. Houston, a Consulting Psychologist and Executive Coach, is adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership since 1997. She is certified in the use of several workplace and personality assessment instruments. Dr. Houston is also Regional Testing Psychologist for the NFL and provides comprehensive psychological assessments for players. She is Associate Graduate Faculty in Psychology at Alliant University in San Diego.

Dr. Houston is CEO of a mental health corporation and held past positions as Director of Counseling at U.S. International University, Mental Health Consultant for Neighborhood House Association, Chief Psychologist for Kansas State Rehabilitation Services and Staff Psychologist at the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. In her career she has provided workshops on staff development, communication, teamwork, vision and strategy. She provides development and motivation strategies to build competencies and promote confidence, helping individuals become efficient and influential through critical thinking, strategic insights and effective teamwork.

Dr. Houston has worked with senior level executives and teams across many industries including health services, education, pharmaceuticals, biotech, government, military service, consumer products, technology, finance and law.

She earned a B.A. in Psychology from Birmingham-Southern College; a Ph.D.in Psychology from the University of Alabama. She has a California Psychology License and an Executive Coach Certification. She has five publications in professional journals and is a member of the San Diego Psychological Association, the California Psychology Association and the National Association of Black Psychologists.

We “clicked”

My recollection of 1963 centers around gaining a new friend at a swimming outing in August 1963, and losing her in the church bombing a month later. Sixteenth Street Baptist Church had an all-day youth pool outing at Memorial Recreation Center.  I was invited by my paternal aunts, one the long-time organist for the church (Mary Alice Stollenwerck) and the other a long-time member (Myrtle Lumpkin) and teacher. That day I met Addie Mae Collins and we “clicked,” spending all day chatting in the corner of the swimming pool while most of the other kids swam and ran about. I was excited about the closeness we rapidly formed during the day. A month later I was horrified to learn that she was one of the victims of the bombing that killed her and three other girls that I knew by name and family affiliation at church only.