Charlene Whitney joined VSSA in the fall of 2011 as the new Director of College Counseling.  She is originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia and has been in Eagle County since 2007.  After graduating college, she took a job with a company called Eckerd Youth Alternatives to work with youth at risk.Out of the 19 wilderness programs throughout the East Coast, she went to work in a small town called Floral City, Florida.When she started her career in 1999, she had no idea that first position would have such a profound impact on her life.For her two year commitment as a Counselor/Teacher she lived with a group of 11 adolescent females in a campsite on 860 acres of land.They lived together in tent like structures built with their own hands.They slept under mosquito nets and cooked meals on open fires.When she completed her two-year commitment she stayed at the program to work in different positions.She gained experience as a supervisor, trainer, and a group treatment coordinator. In 2005, she moved to Vermont and continued to work for the same company but gained experience working with adolescent males and their families as a Family Worker.  In 2007, Charlene became aware of a career opportunity in Colorado as a Social Caseworker for Eagle County.  While working for the county she was able to obtain a Masters degree in Counseling Psychology and Counselor Education from the University of Colorado at Denver with hopes of becoming a School Counselor.  Charlene is thrilled to be a part of VSSA and is excited to jump into the world of college counseling while supporting the social and emotional needs of the students.  While she loves to travel, she can not imagine living anywhere else but Eagle County.