I earned a Master of Education in Counseling & Guidance from Texas State University and transitioned from teaching to school counseling. For 23 years, I served students at both the elementary and secondary levels. During the last decade of my career, I worked with high school students, providing comprehensive support for their academic, career, and personal goals. I helped them navigate challenges, develop coping mechanisms, and make informed decisions about their future. I was nominated as Elementary Counselor of the Year and awarded District Counselor of the Year.
Upon retiring from public education, I completed the Summer Training Institute with the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) and became an associate member with IECA. I am also a member of the Texas Association for College Admission Counseling (TACAC), an organization that supports and advances the work of counseling and enrollment professionals as they help all students realize their full educational potential, with particular emphasis on the transition to postsecondary education.
Using my knowledge of ApplyTexas, Common App, FAFSA, and SAT/ACT preparation, along with my counseling skills, I have helped over 1,000 students enroll in junior colleges, technical schools, service academies, and universities in Texas, across the nation, and abroad.
I grew up in a small town east of San Antonio. I was a dedicated student, attending a local private school through 8th grade before enrolling at the public high school, where I participated in several organizations and traveled to student conferences before graduating. It was a natural move for me to choose a career in education, and I spent nearly 30 years helping students achieve their academic and personal goals.
As a first-generation college student, I graduated from the University of Incarnate Word with a Bachelor of Arts in Education, specializing in Reading and Special Education. For the first six years of my career, I was a special education teacher, focusing on students with learning disabilities and teaching them the academic content, study techniques, learning strategies, and critical thinking skills necessary for success in the classroom and beyond. During my second year of teaching, I was named Teacher of the Year at my campus and was nominated again during my fourth year.
