Contact Information

R. Renee’ Evans

School Counseling Program
Human Development & Psychological
Counseling Department (HPC)
Edwin Duncan Hall
Boone, North Carolina 28608
828-262-2055
Evansrr@appstate.edu

Education

Ph.D in Counseling
Mental Health and Rehabilitation: May 2006
University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Master of Arts in Community Counseling: May 1999
Appalachian State University

Bachelor of Science in Psychology: May, 1997
Appalachian State University

Certificates & Licenses

National Certified Counselor (NCC)

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

North Carolina Licensed School Counselor (NCLSC)

Teaching Experience

Assistant Professor Appalachian State University, Boone,
North Carolina Present
Tenured track position; Supervise School Counseling Internship Students: Course reviews the various experiences encountered by school counselors-in-training as well as various legal and ethical considerations when working with students; Students encouraged to examine the way in which they can most effectively reach students from diverse backgrounds; Students challenged to look at their role in the schools and to identify ways in which they may impact system changes that will strive towards the academic success of all students

Supervise Graduate Life & Career Planning Instructors: Allows for an opportunity for graduate instructors, who teach the undergraduate Life and Career Planning course, to gain practical experience that challenges them as educators at the postsecondary level

Teach Psychological &Educational Testing: Course introduces students to testing and assessment in the counseling field; Students learn about various types of assessments and how they are used throughout various disciplines in the field of counseling

Clinical Instructor, Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina 2005-2006
Taught graduate Life and Career Planning: Course covered career theories, students’ career development process, and is intended to assist students’ preparation for career portion of National Counselor Exam
Taught Addictive Process: Course for undergraduate and graduate students; Covered the various types of drugs and their physical, psychological, and emotional effects as well as covers the societal issues around drug and alcohol use, misuse and abuse

Adjunct Instructor, Gardner Webb University, Boiling Springs, North Carolina 2002-2004
Taught Drugs, Alcohol, and Society: Course and program geared for non-traditional undergraduate students; Discussed societal issues around drug use, misuse, and abuse

Instructor, Gaston College, Gastonia, North Carolina 2001-2003
Taught Personal Money Management: Course covered basic money management skills such as budgeting, balancing bank accounts, calculating salaries, and buying a home

Developed curriculum for Career Readiness Program: Developed curriculum to work with displaced workers and WorkFirst clients as part of county agency and community college partnership efforts; Covered self-sufficiency skills, self-awareness skills, interests and dislikes, job search skills, interview skills, and resume writing skills

Career Readiness: Course offered to displaced workers; Covered the process of grief and loss; Taught job search skills; interview skills, resume writing skills, personal money management, etc.

Taught English: course covered basic English and writing skills

Instructor, Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina 1998-1999
Taught Life and Career Planning course to undergraduate students as a graduate student; Requested to continue teaching course as professional development opportunity; Introduced the concept of career development to students; Challenged students to gain self-awareness of areas of strength and goals in an effort to make satisfactory career decisions

Professional Development Training

National School Counselor Trainer
Write training modules that address professional development needs for employees in the business sector
Provide consultation and professional development trainings to school systems and other organizations
Provided employee assistance trainings for major corporations
Developed training curriculum for Housing/Residence Life staff
Implemented training utilizing the Wellness Model and diversity themes along with other Resident Directors for staff
Developed training models for county-wide implementation
Provided life skills and effective study skills training sessions to high school students
Provided effective mentoring strategies to prospective mentors for university mentoring program
Provided outreach services to various university organizations and classes
Provided various training sessions to university organizations to help members work more effectively as a team
Assisted with the coordination and program development of new alternative program for at-risk youth
Organized professional development training for school counselors in school district
Restructured peer mentoring program; Coordinated training sessions and developed training manuals
Provided psychoeducational training for clients’ families

Research

School Counselor Roles
Perceptions of School Counselors’ Roles
Play & Filial Therapy with African American Children and Families
Employee Assistance Programs
Systemic/Organizational Change

Dissertation: Development of an Instrument to Measure Perceptions of School Superintendents, Principals, and School Counselors Regarding School Counselors’ Roles

Thesis: Perceptions of African-American and Caucasian Students about Recruitment and Retention of African-American Students in the Reich College of Education at Appalachian State University

Professional Experience

Employee Assistance Programs
 EAP Consultant: for company that provides national and international employee assistance services for employees
 Assist with the development of training modules for client companies
 Provided individual and family counseling to adults, children, and adolescents
 Conducted professional development training based on company needs
 Developed community resource manual for company
School Counseling
 Consultant: Consulted with Director of Student Support Services and school counselors regarding school counseling programs
 Transition Counselor: For new alternative program focused towards adjudicated high school students
 Provided individual counseling for students
 Provided group counseling along with psychoeducational therapist from local mental health department
 Collaborated with students’ home-schools to ensure that their credits counted from the alternative program
 Collaborated with home-school regarding special accommodations, 504 plans, IEP plans, and medical considerations needed to know when working with students
 School Counselor: Provided individual counseling for students
 Provided group counseling sessions based on students’ needs
 Worked closely with school social worker to ensure student and family needs were being met
 Assisted with special programming to recognize students’ positive and successful academic achievement
 Trained staff and administrators on various topic areas regarding students’ needs
 Worked with administrators and staff to ensure that testing requirements were being fulfilled during annual testing season

Counseling/Consultation:
 Provide individual and group counseling to students as school counselor
 Provide individual and group counseling in clinical setting
 Served as liaison between school system and alternative program focused towards adjudicated high school students
 Consulted with students, teachers, parents, administrators
 Worked with students to effectively deal with everyday problem-situations
 Supervised community/school based mentoring program
 Provided individual and group therapy for university counseling center
 Implemented one-on-one treatment to designated mental health clients in the community for a Res-Care company
 Focused on clients’ development of appropriate social skills, anger management and conflict resolution
 Provided direct service to emotionally disturbed children, utilizing various treatment interventions
 Provided direct service, prepared treatment plans, and progress notes for severely and persistently mentally ill adults in a psychosocial rehabilitation setting

Additional Training/Instructional:
 Provide in-service staff development for school-based staff, Counselors and other personnel countywide
 Developed training models for county-wide implementation
 Provided Career Readiness and Professional Development sessions for county agency and local college partnership
 Instructor for local university; Teach Drugs/Alcohol Education Course
 Provided employability training
 Taught Personal Money Management/Life Skills course for local college
 Provided life skills and effective study skills training sessions to high school students
 Taught an undergraduate Life and Career Planning course for undergraduates at a university
 Provided psycho educational training for clients’ families
 Provided informative and educational sessions about effective study skills and notetaking skills to undergraduate students
 Directed instruction in community living for a mental health center
 Taught Job Skills Information Session for severely and persistently mentally ill adults
 Provided effective mentoring strategies to prospective mentors for university mentoring program
 Provided outreach services to various organizations and classes
 Provided various training sessions to organizations to help members work more effectively as a team

Program Development:
 Assisted with the coordination and program development of new alternative program for at-risk high school students
 Oversaw and ensure new alternative program is in compliance with federal and state laws for academic component of program
 Organized professional development training for school counselors in Gaston and surrounding counties
 Coordinated school counseling program for approximately 400 students, staff and administrators
 Alterative Counselor/ALC Coordinator: Organized and implemented new grassroots alternative learning program with a “school-within-a-school” concept for a high school of approximately 1200 students
 Developed and organized curriculum materials for new alternative program
 Supervised a number of university-level students fulfilling practicum/internship hours while working in alternative setting
 Responsible for maintaining $15,000 budget for alternative programming
 Planned and coordinated campus-wide programs for university students
 Restructured peer mentoring program; Coordinated training sessions and developed training manuals

Presentations and Professional Experience

Appalachian State University
• Presenter, Career Symposium, April, 2001
• Presenter, “Steps to Practicing Self-Care”, Department of Housing and Residence Life, July, 1999
• Presenter, “Breathing Under Water: The Use of Spirituality by Women to Cope with Oppression”, University Poster Session, February, 1999
• Presenter, “Breathing Under Water: The Use of Spirituality by Women to Cope with Oppression”, Appalachian Humanities, November, 1998
• Panel Member, “Being at ASU”, Peer Mentor Program, September, 1998
• Speaker, “Staying Motivated While in College”, Walk for Awareness, September, 1996
Gaston County Schools
• Presenter, “Educating All Children”, NC Closing the Achievement Gap Conference, April, 2004
• Presenter, “Accounting for Your Time as a School Counselor”, January, 2003
• Presenter, “Steps to Practicing Effective Self-Care”, Forest Heights Elementary, April, 2002
• Presenter, “School Social Workers and School Counselors Working Together”, September, 2001
• Presenter, “Effective Listening Skills”, Forest Heights Elementary Parent Involvement Training, February, 2001
• Presenter, “Steps to Practicing Self-Care”, February, 2001
North Carolina Counseling Association Annual Convention
• Presenter, Employee Assistance Programs in Higher Education: Meeting the Mental Health Needs
of University Faculty and Staff , February, 2006
• Panel Member, “Collaborations across Spiritual Perspectives in Counseling”, February, 2001
• Presenter, “Breathing Under Water: The Use of Spirituality by Women to Cope with Oppression, February, 1999
• Presenter, “Masking: Impact of Cultural Insensitivity on Counseling”, March, 1998
North Carolina School Counselors’ Association Annual Convention
• Presenter, “Perceptions of School Counselors’ Roles, November, 2006
• Presenter, “Understanding School Counseling Research Part II: A Practical Approach, November, 2004
• Presenter, “Working Effectively with At-risk Youth
• Presenter, “Understanding School Counseling Research to Advocate for Student Success, November, 2003
• Presenter, “School Social Workers and School Counselors Working Together”, November, 2001
North Carolina School Social Workers’ Conference
• Presenter, “School Social Workers and School Counselors Working Together”, November, 2003
Women's Leadership Conference
• Presenter, “Being a Woman Leader on Campus”, March, 1996
• Presenter, “Discovering the Leader in You”, March, 1994
Other Presentations
• Watauga High School, Presenter, “Steps to Practicing Self-Care”, November, 1999
• Lumberton Junior High School, Speaker, “Motivation”, February, 1997
• Cove Creek Elementary School, Fourth Grade Class, Presented Workshop, “Being an Effective Leader”, October, 1995

Organizations

North Carolina School Counselors’ Association Board of Directors, President-Elect
North Carolina Counselors’ Association, Member
International Employee Assistance Professionals’ Association, Member
North Carolina Employee Assistance Professionals’ Association, Member

Employers

 Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina, Assistant Professor, 2005-Present
 McLaughlin Young Employee Services, Charlotte, North Carolina, Consultant 2005-Present
 Belmont Abbey College, Belmont, North Carolina, Resident Director, 2003-2005
 Gaston County Schools, Gastonia, North Carolina, School Counselor, 2000-2004
 Gardner Webb University, Boiling Springs, North Carolina, Adjunct, 2002-2004
 US Department of Education, Washington, DC, Grant Reviewer, 2002-Present, Contractual
 Gaston College, Gastonia, North Carolina, Instructor, 2001-2003
 Watauga County Schools, Boone, North Carolina, Alternative Educator/School Counselor, 1999-2000
 CNC/Access, Boone, North Carolina, High Risk Intervention Technician, 1998-2000
 Counseling and Psychological Services Center, Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina, Counselor/Internship, 1998-1999
 Human Development and Psychological Counseling Department, Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina, Instructor, 1998-1999
 Home Care Management, Boone, North Carolina, High Risk Intervention Technician, 1998
 Center for Student Involvement and Leadership, Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina, Graduate Assistant for Multicultural Student Development, 1997-1998
 Housing and Residence Life Departments, Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina, Resident Assistant,
1994-1997