Spartan Well-Being Staff

Associate Director, Spartan Well-Being

Shahnaz Khawaja, M.A., NCC, BCC, LCMHC, LCAS (she,her,hers)

Shahnaz has a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Wake Forest University. She has over 20 years’ experience in clinical mental health, addictions counseling, higher education leadership and well-being and resilience. Shahnaz is also an active community leader and has served on the board of the American Red Cross High Point/Thomasville Chapter; as a Human Relations Commissioner for the city of High Point NC; Freelance writer for the Greensboro News & Record; member readership Committee for the High Point Enterprise Daily; and member of the Davidson Diversity Council and currently serves on the leadership boards of several non-profit organizations that provide mental health and community building services internationally.

In her free time, she continues to provide mental health training and education; crisis, addiction and trauma counseling services; and leadership development overseas. She has served in a professional leadership capacity with the American Counseling Association in several divisions as the Public Relations Committee Chair for the Association of Humanistic Counseling and with the International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors as their Webinar Committee Chair.

Shahnaz was born in Uganda, East Africa, and has traveled extensively all over the world. Before entering the field of mental health, Shahnaz was an international model and actress with several appearances in television and commercials and as a brand representative for prominent labels such as Bisou Bisou, Zara’s, Armani Exchange and H&M. She moved to the United States in 1998 and has been a local of New Orleans- Louisiana, and High Point- and the Research Triangle Park in North Carolina. She currently resides in Snow Camp, NC. When not doing any of the above, she maintains a private counseling/consulting practice. Shahnaz enjoys skydiving, nature, writing, painting and yoga and spending time with her daughter Ambar Khawaja who is attending Maastricht University in the Netherlands.

Well-Being Specialist, Spartan Well-Being

Amber Esters, M.A (she,her,hers)

Amber Esters is a community educator with nearly 10 years of experience in the field of health education and promotion. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Public Health Education from North Carolina Central University, her Master’s of Arts in Women’s and Gender Studies from the University of Carolina at Greensboro, and is currently working on her Master’s of Social Work from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Her academic background furthered her passion for health education, research efforts, and mental health advocacy for racial, gender, and sexual minorities, specifically Black queer femme identified people.

Amber has worked as a sexual health educator, resource advocate for those living with HIV and AIDS, a housing case manager for LGBTQ+ young adults facing housing stability, and currently, working in the field of higher education. Amber plans to continue to dedicate her time and efforts to provide education and resources to those who occupy marginalized identities. Her aspirations will always include uplifting and mobilizing vulnerable communities through education, research, and advocacy work.