2026 School Counseling Summit

The 2026 School Counseling
Summit - Preparing Every Student for What Comes Next: Equipping Students with Future Ready Skills for College, Career, & Life

Summit Webinar Feb. 2nd + Summit Interviews on Feb. 4th

The 2026 School Counseling Summit is a free virtual event bringing together experts and practitioners to share practical, high-impact strategies that help students build the skills, confidence, and mindset they need for life after graduation. From college and career readiness to purpose-driven planning, this summit is designed to support school counselors as they guide students toward a successful future—no travel required.

The Summit will provide:

Future-Ready Skill Building: Learn how to support students in developing the academic, career, and life skills they need beyond school.
Practical Counseling Strategies: Explore low-burden, high-impact tools that can be implemented across grade levels and settings.
Student-Centered Planning: Gain new approaches to help students identify their goals and take ownership of their next steps.
Collaboration & Systems Support: Discover how school counselors can lead and partner in building future-focused systems of support.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Summit being held?
The 2026 School Counseling Summit, is a free, virtual event. Each day of the summit we’ll send you interviews with school counseling experts.
How do the videos get released?
In the morning at 5am you will receive an email with a link to a page that will have all of the videos for that day.
Are the videos available all week?
Yes! The videos for the 2026 School Counseling Summit will be available the entire week of the summit for you to watch at your convenience.

Dr. Heidi A. Truax (True-Axe, she/her/hers) is the Executive Director of the Office of School Counseling and Postsecondary Advising (OSCPA) with Chicago Public Schools.

Dr. Paul C. Harris is an Tenured Associate Professor in the Counseling and Special Education Department in the School of Education at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Kelli Smith, Ed.D., is an experienced educational leader with over 30 years in K-12 education. She earned a Doctorate in Executive Leadership for Educational Equity from the University of Colorado Denver, focusing her research on how Professional Learning Communities influence teacher collective efficacy.

Dr. Sarah Kirk is the Owner and CEO of Yoga 4 Classrooms and a National Board Certified Counselor. Sarah provides training and consultation on a variety of topics, including trauma-informed practices, tiered supports for students, and positive behavioral supports.

Joshua Nelson is a 2023 ASCA National School Counselor of the Year Finalist, 2022 Florida School Counselor of the Year, 2021 School Counselor of the Year for Duval County Public Schools, and in 2020 received the distinguished National RAMP Award.

Kiley Luckett is a dedicated social worker and mental health advocate with a proven track record in supporting students' well-being.

Jason Thompson has been a school counselor in several Saint Louis school districts for twenty-two years. He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, and a Master’s degree in counseling from Saint Louis University.

We're kicking off the 2024 School Counseling Summit with an inaugural webinar, uniquely designed to empower school counselors in catalyzing systemic change while championing the diverse needs of students. Join us for an enlightening session where distinguished experts will share insights and offer effective strategies to guide you in fostering a holistic approach to serving not only the whole child but also the entire school and community. Don't miss this unparalleled opportunity to be inspired, equipped, and connected for a purpose-driven school counseling experience.

Dr. Loretta Whitson is the founder and executive director of the California Association of School Counselors (CASC), the second-largest state association representing school counselors in the nation.

Dr. Loretta Whitson is the founder and executive director of the California Association of School Counselors (CASC), the second-largest state association representing school counselors in the nation. She is known as a visionary leader and a prominent figure in the field of education in California and has left an indelible mark on the landscape of school counseling. She has tirelessly championed the cause of school counselors, forging critical connections with legislators and key decision-makers to ensure that their voices are heard, and their contributions recognized. One of her most significant achievements was in the year 2000 when she led the effort to establish CASC, which a few years later became the ASCA nationally chartered school counseling association for California. This historic milestone solidified California's place within the field of school counseling and paved the way for further advancements in the profession.

Laura Ross is the lead counselor at Five Forks Middle School in Lawrenceville, Georgia where her focus is connecting with students to connect them to their education. She has been a school counselor for almost 16 years.

Laura Ross is the lead counselor at Five Forks Middle School in Lawrenceville, Georgia where her focus is connecting with students to connect them to their education. She has been a school counselor for almost 16 years. Laura was an elementary school counselor for 8 years and is in her 8th year as a middle school counselor. She has presented at district, state, and national levels on creating school-wide teacher-student connections, integrating academics into counseling lessons, using technology and data in school counseling, creating counseling lessons with a social justice and equity lens, and more. Laura’s school counseling blog about creating connections with students at www.theconnectingcounselor.com, will be back from hiatus in 2022 along with a brand new YouTube channel. Laura was the 2020 American School Counselor Association (ASCA) School Counselor of the Year. She serves on the Georgia School Counselor Association (GSCA) Executive Board as President-Elect and is a leader in her school district, Gwinnett County Public Schools, collaborating on committees with focuses on middle school counselor professional development, civic engagement, social-emotional learning, teen lures curriculum, student discipline, and equity. She is also a Counselors for Computing consultant and Girl Talk DEI Committee member.

Phil Echols, former teacher, school counselor, and administrator, serves as a Diversity Specialist for WakeMed Health and Hospitals in North Carolina and a Global Consultant for Public, Private, and International Schools.

Phil Echols, former teacher, school counselor, and administrator, serves as a Diversity Specialist for WakeMed Health and Hospitals in North Carolina and a Global Consultant for Public, Private, and International Schools. His expertise includes effective collaboration, coaching, diversity, and inclusion for large systems. As a former North Carolina School Counselor Association Board member, he has over two decades of experience in education, public speaking, facilitation, and international training and development. Dr. Echols has presented sessions on creating positive and productive professional cultures for ASCD, Learning Forward, and the Near East South Asia Council of Overseas Schools, specifically in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, and Bangkok. Dr. Echols believes diversity enriches the community, and all have the capacity to learn and grow. His work is anchored in his mission to inspire and support individuals and groups in doing and being their best.

What: Join us for the School Counseling Summit Kick-Off: Cultivating Future-Ready Skills in Every Student, an inspiring opening event designed for school counselors, educators, and administrators. Explore actionable strategies to empower students with the critical skills they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world. Discover innovative approaches, expert insights, and practical tools to foster adaptability, resilience, and career readiness. Start the summit with fresh ideas and renewed motivation to cultivate future-ready learners in every classroom.

When: Monday, February 2nd @ 9 am PST/11 am CST

Kat has passionately served as a student and educator advocate for over 20 years in the roles of coach, student council advisor, school counselor at the secondary level and financial aid counselor/coordinator of student employment and adjunct professor at the post-secondary level. Through Kat’s leadership, her school counseling department received both state and national recognition, including ASCA RAMP recognition in 2020. Kat has facilitated professional development with various state and national associations, along with individual schools and districts. Kat exudes a commitment to community, having served on numerous local, state and national associations, boards and committees. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, a Masters in Education in Student Affairs and School Counseling from Northern Arizona University. Kat was named the ASCA 2016 National School Counselor of the Year and Northern Arizona University’s President’s Alumni Awardee in 2021.

Cory Notestine spent the last 14 years working in rural and urban school settings across North Carolina and Colorado as a school counselor and district leader. Over the past 7 years he's led successful district-wide curriculum adoption and implementation; redesigned and integrated MTSS teaming, protocols, and service delivery; and created a behavioral matrix that was student-centered and restorative in nature. He is passionate about thoughtful and timely change management, the intersection of politics and education, and how to identify high-leverage action items to increase successful implementation.

Frequently Asked Questions

More coming soon...