I'm writing to let you know that I will be leaving St. Paul's Academy to pursue another career opportunity and my last day at the Academy will be on July 20. It is with a heavy heart that I have made this decision, but I am very excited and energized for my next step. My joy has always been in counseling, so I am taking a position as a Behavioral Health Counselor for the Maricopa Unified School District and will be doing individual and group counseling based out of the middle school and offering support to the high school and elementary schools. On top of that, I will be opening an educational consulting practice under the name of Pinnacle Educational Consulting here in Phoenix- a long time goal and dream of mine since graduate school. My focus will be in the special needs/therapeutic area working with adolescents and young adults and I will be working mostly with wilderness/high adventure programs, residential treatment centers and therapeutic/emotional growth boarding schools. I have been an associate member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) for the past year and feel with my experience and knowledge of programs and therapists that I'm ready to take that next step…or leap if you will!
I will be working with an associate, Dr. Sharon Zygowicz who is a long-time friend and an exceptional psychologist- she will be handling all psycho-educational testing for my practice and will be working with me on placing young adults, which is her specialty. Sharon's experience has been mostly in university and community college settings working both as a faculty member and a clinician. Our plan is to work with both local and out-of-state families and I will be working out of my home office initially.
Effective immediately, Mike Testa, current Director of Residential Living, will be working as our interim Admissions Director for the Academy. If Mike is unavailable, Dennis Moran, Dean of Students will be taking admissions calls. Mike and Dennis have been with the school for many years and have vast experience working with the students and their families. Both are huge role-models for our students and are very personable.
I have had the most wonderful time working with all of you and being a part of your St. Paul's experience. Please know that it is with a tremendous amount of gratitude that I thank you for trusting in me and SPA to not only work with your clients, but become part of your professional network. I feel that in working with you I have learned a lot about what goes into finding the right school/program for a student and believe me, I will take those thoughts you have shared into consideration as I run my practice.
I hope to hear from you- whether it's just to say Hi or to pass along information as to what's going on out there in the field.