Emotional Health & Well-Being

Samantha has served the School as the Director of Academic Resource Services for the past fifteen years. In her role as an educational consultant, she strives to partner with teachers, learning coaches, and families to develop academic plans to support a strong learning foundation. The learning coach team is dedicated to researching instructional interventions, early intervention services, and technology tools designed to help students reach their full potential. Prior to her current role, Samantha taught students with mild learning differences in both elementary and middle school public school settings.

After studying biology and pre-med in college, Josh went to seminary school and pursued a vocation in ministry with the United Methodist Church for sixteen years. In the fall of 2022, however, Josh returned to his roots and joined the Upper School science team. He has since taught biology and chemistry classes along with world religion.

Josh is also the Director of Spiritual Life for the Upper Campus. In addition to the outward-facing design of our chapel experiences, Josh supports values-based character development that enhances academic life, creates moments for understanding, and provides individuals opportunities for deep reflection connected to their personal journey of purpose. He combines his passions for science and spirituality, working with students to both develop their academic skills and grow in their faith and relationships with others.

Get to know more about Elisse soon!

Kelli Bynum, PhD has been the Director of Counseling Services at Mount Vernon for 15 years. She began her career in University Counseling at the University of Southern California and the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Bynum has been a licensed psychologist for 31 years and maintains a small private practice in Atlanta. Dr. Bynum has devoted her career to working with teens, young adults, and families. She currently works in the Upper School. In addition, she has been the faculty mentor for Girl Talk at MV, a mentoring program for middle school girls led by upper school girls since its inception over ten years ago. The group works to instill confidence in young girls and help them develop their unique leadership skills.

James received his Bachelor’s Degree from Mercer University and originally worked in higher education administration. Through this work, he realized the importance of early intervention and strong support for students at the middle and elementary school levels. This led him to pursue his Masters and Education Specialists Degrees in School Counseling from the University of Georgia. Before joining the Mount Vernon community, James worked for three years as a middle school School Counselor in Fulton County Schools.

James enjoys partnering with students, staff, and families to build a comprehensive and developmentally appropriate school counseling program that meets the needs of all students. Parent and family partnerships are vital to the success of counseling work at the middle school level. James works hard to develop strong relationships with students so they feel supported, encouraged, and empowered.

Stephanie works closely with students, teachers, and families to support the whole child. She is committed to encouraging, supporting, and empowering our students to become better learners. By providing a comprehensive and developmental counseling program, she helps students meet their academic, personal, social, and emotional developmental needs.

Stephanie was born and raised in Winter Park, Florida, and attended the University of Georgia for her Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education. After student teaching her senior year, Stephanie realized her passion for helping the individual student and decided to further her education at Auburn University and obtain her Master’s Degree in School Counseling. Following graduation, she made the move to the big city of Atlanta and worked in the Fulton County School District for nine years as an Elementary Counselor. After almost a decade with Fulton County Schools, Stephanie made the transition to The Mount Vernon School and has been the Lower Campus Counselor for six years now.

Margaret’s journey at Mount Vernon began as a teacher on Lower Campus. Now, with over a decade of service in various roles, including classroom teacher, learning coach, and counselor, Margaret serves as the Director of Grade 9 Counseling and Academic Support. Margaret believes ninth grade is a pivotal year for students — a time when the challenges of adolescence meet the increasing demands of high school academics head-on. She works diligently to build relationships with students, helping them to learn and grow socially, emotionally, and academically. Margaret also creates a supportive network to help students navigate the challenges of high school, which often includes encouraging self-advocacy and forging collaborative networks between students, teachers, and parents. Margaret recognizes that academic success is inseparable from social and emotional health and creates space for students to develop the skills necessary for the rigors of high school.

Kourtnay developed an early interest in the profession of counseling. Having a background in the education field for over fifteen years, she established a passion for assisting students in their quest for academic success. In her current position as the Middle School Associate Counselor and IDEA Coordinator at The Mount Vernon School, she meets the academic needs of her students, while rejuvenating the spirit of self-awareness and love for education. She has a personal interest to be an advocate for students, teachers, and administration to receive a holistic style of education. Her personal statement is a paradigm of her dedication to academia: “Building a great educator builds a better student, which builds a better community.”