Questions:

1. What made you become a counselor?
2. If you could pick any career other than this one what would you pick?
3. What is your strongest asset?
4. What is something about you that students would be surprised to know?
5. Do you have any secret talents?
6. Do you have any hobbies that you love?
7. Where did you grow up?
8. What’s one place you really want to visit?
9. What does a typical weekend look like for you?
10. Do you have any pets, and if so what is their breed?

Bettina Pope

1. My work with National Achievers Society and working with the TRIO Upward Bound Program at NC State as the College Adviser made me want to be a counselor full time. I like helping students reach their goals post high school
2.  Journalist
3. I think I’m a pretty good listener
4. I was the center of my dorm’s flag football team in college.
5. I sing. My largest solo performance was for a crowd of approximately 15,000 people.
6. My #1 hobby is sleeping! LOL Followed by shopping, reading, traveling, pickleball, and singing.
7.  I grew up in a very small town in Eastern NC named Rich Square! 🙂
8. The continent of Africa 
9. Work with the NC State Upward Bound program, shopping, nap time, church, and pickleball.
10. I have the world’s most personality-filled Yorkie!! Twelve pounds of WHEW!!! LOL

Amy Burger

1.  I am the Guidance Tech, also known as an Administrative Assistant. I enjoy getting to know all the students and working in the Student Service’s office.
2. Shell collector on a tropical beach.
3. Being organized.
4. I was a pre-school teacher for 7 years.
5. If I told you it wouldn’t be a secret 😊
6. Reading, cooking and travel.
7. New Jersey
8. Scotland
9. Spending time with my husband, family & friends, volunteering and traveling.
10. I have a rescue dog named Hazel. She is a 50 lb Staffordshire/Lab mix.

Jodi Deskus

1. I’ve known since I was in high school that I wanted to be a Social Worker, being able to help support and remove barriers for people, to connect them with resources and to ensure they are heard and believed. 
2. Lottery Winner 
3. Doing hard work with a sense of humor
4. I am a Grandmother of a three year old boy and he calls me Jojo
5. Cake Decorating, I’ve made wedding cakes 
6. Hiking, Kayaking and Traveling
7. Northport, a town on Long Island in New York
8. Ireland
9. Yoga, friends, nature, sunsets and time with loved ones
10. I don’t have any pets

 Alicia Stoeckel

1. I always had a passion to work with and help kids. It was in my first year of college, taking my gen eds, that I took a psychology class and a counseling class that it clicked that I wanted to be a school counselor helping students in all aspect of life. Besides the pay… This is my dream job! 
2. A sports psychologist. I would love to travel with a professional sports team and provide counseling for the players. This would combine my passion for counseling and sports!
3. My efficiency and ability to connect with others quickly. 
4. I love watching most sports(no UFC for me) and enjoy watching Sports Center every morning. 
5. Juggling being a working mom with two girls, a dog and a husband. 
6. Exercising. I exercise 5 days a week for my mental and physical health. I love it!
7. Binghamton, NY.
8. I have many places on my bucket list because I love traveling but my top would have to be Greece.
9. As a mom of two young girls, our weekends are filled with trips to the park, coffee shops, and exploring new places as a family.
10. I have one dog who is a border collie named Zander.

Carin Duncan

1. My high school counselor did not believe that I had what it takes to make it in college, which made me want to be a counselor that empowers and encourages my students.  I was also a classroom teacher, and my students would come to be me with a range of problems, some of which I was not qualified to help with, so being a school counselor seemed like a fulfilling change.
2. I sometimes wondered if I would like to be a nurse, but I honestly can’t think of anything else I would want to do.
3. I think I do well staying calm under-pressure, and being intentional and planning ahead.
4. I was a quad player (drums) in high school
5. Does playing piano count?
6. I like anything that is crafty – painting, quilting, jewelry making, etc.
7. On the Eastern Shore of Maryland
8. I really want to travel cross country and visit states and sites around the US and Canada.  I also really want to travel back to Europe and visit places I haven’t been.
9. I have three kids, so we are often doing activities with them, or working on projects around the house.
10. We have the sweetest dog named Buster, who is a mixed breed, but looks a lot like a Pit mixed with Rottweiler/Akita?

Rachel Nawaz

1. I am the school’s Intervention Coordinator. I identify students who are struggling to pass classes needed for promotion/graduation and work with teachers to better support those students.
2. Honestly, I started in Education almost 18 years ago as an English Teacher. I stayed in the classroom for 14 years and loved it! So, if I was going to do any other job, I would go back to teaching English.
3. Being able to build significant relationships with the people around me.
4. Maybe that I am addicted to getting tattoos. I am currently planning my 15th one.
5. No secret talents that I can think of at the moment.
6. I love to make candles and gift them to people.
7. I grew up in Dearborn Heights, Michigan.
8. I am Hungarian, Italian, and Irish. I hope to visit Hungary, Italy, and Ireland one day.
9. It is wild how quickly things change. If you had asked me this a little over 6 months ago, I would’ve had a completely different answer. I became a mom at the end of April, so my typical weekend looks like loving every second of quality time with my baby and husband.
10. I have a lab mix named Gemma!

Lisette Pike

1. I spoke with my School Counselor a lot in high school I felt that they were perceived to only be for scheduling, and I wanted to change that perspective and help others
2. Graphic Designer or IT
3. Team player, I love to help others be successful.
4. I worked at Disney World, I have Twin 3 year olds, I hate when people call our position “Guidance Counselors”
5. My talents are even a secret from me 🙂
6. Crafting if I have time to do it
7. Central New Jersey
8. Greece
9. Hanging with my family, laundry and Sunday dinner with our best friends
10. Two dogs Benny and Jet (like the Elton John song). Benny is a hound mix and Jet is a dachshund mix.