Whitney Peña
School Counselor at Family Life Academy Charter Schools- Claim this Profile
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Spanish Native or bilingual proficiency
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English Native or bilingual proficiency
Topline Score
Bio
Credentials
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Foundations of Project Management
CourseraJul, 2023- Nov, 2024 -
School Counselor Provisional Certificate
NYS Education DepartmentJun, 2020- Nov, 2024
Experience
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Family Life Academy Charter Schools
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United States
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Primary and Secondary Education
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1 - 100 Employee
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School Counselor
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Nov 2021 - Present
• Providing information, guidance, and general test preparation to students and families for the admission process • Scheduling and facilitating individual and group counseling sessions with mandated and non-mandated students • Assisting with indirect and direct sessions with school counselors and teachers to better assist students with their social-emotional learning • Placing, editing and updating student information on PowerSchool and Special Education Student Information System (SESIS) • Contacting parents for verbal and hand-written consent for mandated school counseling sessions • Sending reminders for parent-teacher conferences, counseling, individualized education program (IEP) meetings • Teaching small groups and designing appropriate lesson plans/workshops/exercises to suit the size and learning needs of the group • Meeting with teachers about IEPs and special needs of students in 5-8th grade • Attending and facilitating weekly staff and team meetings • Finding and using grounding techniques and activities for mandated and non-mandated counseling students that deal with anger management and anxiety and creating positive coping mechanisms for students to use at school and home Show less
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Talkiatry
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United States
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Mental Health Care
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200 - 300 Employee
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Patient Care Coordinator
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Sep 2021 - Oct 2021
• Supporting clinicians via Microsoft Teams Chat to schedule patient follow-up appointments, reaching out to patients for their tele-health visits, sending referral information to patients and sending adherence and discharge letters • Ensuring that providers have optimized schedules for best use of their time • Answering incoming phone calls to screen patients, answer questions, or schedule appointments • Make outbound phone calls to patients, pharmacies or insurance companies • Register new patients in our electronic health records system (e-Clinical Works) • Monitoring and completing tickets in our support ticket system, Zendesk, to inform patients of insurance benefits, respond to patient inquires, troubleshoot minor technological issues or escalate them to our helpdesk • Understanding the everyday general medical practice workflow Show less
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Sanctuary for Families
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United States
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Non-profit Organization Management
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100 - 200 Employee
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AfterCare Case Manager
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Mar 2018 - Sep 2021
• Assessing the immediate needs of gender-based violence and domestic violence survivors in order to adequately assist their needs • Making appropriate referrals, including shelter and/ or emergency transfers, medical treatments, and additional case management or individual counselor needs • Translating for clients, whether it is important documents or interactions with other service providers • Referring clients to other appropriate legal and social services both within and outside of Sanctuary • Maintaining accurate case records and documents of all services provided within Salesforce, Sanctuary’s service tracking system • Maintaining strict confidentiality with all of the clients’ identities, records and personal information • Managing crisis situations professionally and adequately, by abiding to the agency’s policies and procedures related to emergencies and crisis Show less
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New Visions Charter High School for The Humanities
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United States
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1 - 100 Employee
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School Counseling Intern
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Sep 2019 - May 2020
• Scheduled individual and group counseling sessions with mandated and non-mandated students • Assisted with indirect and direct sessions with school counselors and teachers to better assist students with their social-emotional learning • Assisted with placing, editing and updating student information on PowerSchool and Automate the Schools (ATS) • Contacted parents for verbal consent on mandated school counseling sessions and send reminders of parent-teacher conferences, counseling, individualized education program (IEP) meetings and change of school schedule, such as regents week • Assisted and planned financial aid and scholarship workshops and trainings for staff, students and parents in both English and Spanish • Advocated and researched community service events for students that wanted more exposure to programs and organizations in the area • Organized college research for mandated counseling students • Collaborated with school counselors to create counseling groups for students with shared interests (ig. shared classes, television shows, outdoor activities, books, games) • Sought ground techniques and activities for mandated counseling students that dealt with anger management and anxiety and created positive coping mechanisms for students to use at school and home • Created a safe and judge free space for students to communicate effectivity by creating rapport, group cohesion and reminding students of the confidentiality in each session • Contributed and participated in staff meetings that dealt with attendance, school policies and methods to improve the overall experience of students and staff at New Visions Charter High School for the Humanities I Show less
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New World High School
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United States
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1 - 100 Employee
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School Counseling Intern
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Jan 2019 - Jun 2019
• Created and assisted with Spanish and English counseling groups for newly migrated students from all over the country • Assisted the Dean with student and parent mediation meetings • Provided translation services for staff and parents • Created activities to promote group cohesion and rapport with counseling students • Attended attendance and school meetings with staff, parents and stake holders • Created and assisted with Spanish and English counseling groups for newly migrated students from all over the country • Assisted the Dean with student and parent mediation meetings • Provided translation services for staff and parents • Created activities to promote group cohesion and rapport with counseling students • Attended attendance and school meetings with staff, parents and stake holders
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Bronxwood Preparatory Academy
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United States
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1 - 100 Employee
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School Counseling Intern
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Jan 2019 - Jun 2019
• Shadowed counseling sessions with school counselor • Organized and scheduled individual and group counseling sessions with mandated and non-mandated students • Assisted with creating group and individual social- emotional learning counseling lessons for mandated and non-mandated students • Contacted parents to provide reminders of meetings and school events • Provided translation services in Spanish for parents and staff • Shadowed counseling sessions with school counselor • Organized and scheduled individual and group counseling sessions with mandated and non-mandated students • Assisted with creating group and individual social- emotional learning counseling lessons for mandated and non-mandated students • Contacted parents to provide reminders of meetings and school events • Provided translation services in Spanish for parents and staff
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Mount Sinai St. Luke's
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United States
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Hospitals and Health Care
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700 & Above Employee
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Family Health Assistant
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Jun 2017 - Mar 2018
• Assisted Social Workers with completing administrative forms such as release for medical information and attendance records of clients • Performed intakes and psychosocial assessments for high risk patients • Provided individual and family education and counseling • Assisted and participated with home and school visits throughout the week • Inputted session notes of the week on ACS log • Set up, coordinated and participated in family and weekly staff meetings • Assisted Social Workers with completing administrative forms such as release for medical information and attendance records of clients • Performed intakes and psychosocial assessments for high risk patients • Provided individual and family education and counseling • Assisted and participated with home and school visits throughout the week • Inputted session notes of the week on ACS log • Set up, coordinated and participated in family and weekly staff meetings
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Western Queens Consultation Center
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United States
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Mental Health Care
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1 - 100 Employee
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Administrative Staff/Biller
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Jul 2016 - Jun 2017
• Assisted with administrative work and organized paperwork for direct and indirect staff while ensuring a strict confidentiality of financial and medical records • Prepared documentation for billing, diagnosis forms, medical records, and session notes for therapists and counselors • Provided translation services for clients and staff • Worked directly with insurance companies and healthcare providers in order to process claims • Assisted with staff and company meetings to ensure the agency’s policies and quotas were being met • Served as a liaison between the program and various partner organizations Show less
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Banana Republic
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United States
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Retail
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700 & Above Employee
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Brand Ambassador
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Oct 2013 - Jul 2016
Providing excellent customer service to customers that come into the store by providing to their every need, assisting customers on floor and fitting room and assisting with stock and store maintenance. Providing excellent customer service to customers that come into the store by providing to their every need, assisting customers on floor and fitting room and assisting with stock and store maintenance.
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Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center
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United States
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Non-profit Organizations
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1 - 100 Employee
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Intern
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Sep 2015 - May 2016
Managing caseloads of both High School Equivalent and Career Readiness students, while taking part of conducting intake assessments and enrollment. Managing caseloads of both High School Equivalent and Career Readiness students, while taking part of conducting intake assessments and enrollment.
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Forever 21
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United States
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Retail Apparel and Fashion
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700 & Above Employee
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Cashier
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Apr 2013 - Sep 2013
Handling cash and credit transactions, assisting customers on floor to provide best shopping experience and providing great customer service. Handling cash and credit transactions, assisting customers on floor to provide best shopping experience and providing great customer service.
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Education
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2017 - 2020
Fordham University
Master of Education - MEd, Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services -
2021 - 2022
University at Buffalo
Mental Health Counseling/Counselor -
2012 - 2016
City University of New York-Herbert H. Lehman College
Bachelor of Arts - BA, Social Work -
2008 - 2012
High School for Environmental Studies
High School Diploma
Community
