Find a School Transition Counselor

Transition Services are a team effort that provides support and guidance to students with disabilities as they prepare to move from high school to the work place. Each student’s transition team includes the student, parents, school staff, and VR Counselors.
Transition teams assist students to identify career interests and learn what skills and training are needed to prepare for careers in those fields of interest.

The list is broken out by county name. You may use the drop down school name search below or the write-in field if you know the exact name of the school district to find the DVR Transition Liaison for every school in Washington. You may also contact DVR through your teacher, school counselor, or the nearest DVR office.

Must be an exact match

Island
County School District School Name Counselor(asc) Email Address Phone #
Island Oak Harbor Midway High School Karen Christian Karen.Christian@dshs.wa.gov (564) 900-0407
Island Oak Harbor Oak Harbor Virtual Academy Karen Christian Karen.Christian@dshs.wa.gov (564) 900-0407
Island Oak Harbor HomeConnection Karen Christian Karen.Christian@dshs.wa.gov (564) 900-0407
Island Oak Harbor Oak Harbor Exceptional Academy Karen Christian Karen.Christian@dshs.wa.gov (564) 900-0407
Island Coupeville Coupeville High School Karen Christian Karen.Christian@dshs.wa.gov (564) 900-0407
Island Oak Harbor Oak Harbor High School Karen Christian Karen.Christian@dshs.wa.gov (564) 900-0407
Island South Whidbey South Whidbey High School Karen Christian Karen.Christian@dshs.wa.gov (564) 900-0407

King
County School District School Name Counselor(asc) Email Address Phone #
King Tahoma Tahoma High School Kirsten VanderHoeven kirsten.vanderhoeven@dshs.wa.gov (360) 506-1790
King Enumclaw Enumclaw High School Kirsten VanderHoeven kirsten.vanderhoeven@dshs.wa.gov (360) 506-1790
King Seattle Nova High School Kimberly DeTalvo kimberly.detalvo2@dshs.wa.gov (206) 715-8848
King Seattle Academy for Precision Learning Kimberly DeTalvo kimberly.detalvo2@dshs.wa.gov (206) 715-8848
King Seattle Middle College High School Kimberly DeTalvo kimberly.detalvo2@dshs.wa.gov (206) 715-8848
King Seattle Roosevelt High School Kimberly DeTalvo kimberly.detalvo2@dshs.wa.gov (206) 715-8848
King Seattle Nathan Hale High School Kimberly DeTalvo kimberly.detalvo2@dshs.wa.gov (206) 715-8848
King Seattle Interagency Schools Kimberly DeTalvo kimberly.detalvo2@dshs.wa.gov (206) 715-8848
King Seattle Ballard High School Gabi Kasior gabriela.kasior@dshs.wa.gov (206) 379-4597
King Private School Bishop Blanchett Gabi Kasior gabriela.kasior@dshs.wa.gov (206) 379-4597
King Seattle Swedish Hospital Ballard BRIDGES Gabi Kasior gabriela.kasior@dshs.wa.gov (206) 379-4597

Pierce
County School District School Name Counselor(asc) Email Address Phone #
Pierce Tacoma Public Schools Tacoma Online (TOL) Deidre Puffer Deidre.Puffer@dshs.wa.gov (253) 325-3774
Pierce Peninsula Henderson Bay Alt High School Deidre Puffer Deidre.Puffer@dshs.wa.gov (253) 325-3774
Pierce Peninsula Community Based Transition Program (Non-School-to-Work) Deidre Puffer Deidre.Puffer@dshs.wa.gov (253) 325-3774
Pierce Peninsula Peninsula High School Deidre Puffer Deidre.Puffer@dshs.wa.gov (253) 325-3774
Pierce Tacoma H.S. Lincoln Deidre Puffer Deidre.Puffer@dshs.wa.gov (253) 325-3774
Pierce Peninsula Gig Harbor High Deidre Puffer Deidre.Puffer@dshs.wa.gov (253) 325-3774

Douglas
County School District School Name Counselor(asc) Email Address Phone #
Douglas Bridgeport Bridgeport High School Laura Hamilton laura.hamilton@dshs.wa.gov (509) 960-0855
Douglas Bridgeport Aurora High School Laura Hamilton laura.hamilton@dshs.wa.gov (509) 960-0855

Whatcom
County School District School Name Counselor(asc) Email Address Phone #
Whatcom Lummi Nation Lummi High School Amanda Gates-Portillo amanda.gates-portillo@dshs.wa.gov (360) 988-1425

Mason
County School District School Name Counselor(asc) Email Address Phone #
Mason North Mason James A. Taylor High School Chad Wisehart chad.wisehart@dshs.wa.gov (360) 688-0762
Mason Mary M Knight Mary M Knight School Chad Wisehart chad.wisehart@dshs.wa.gov (360) 688-0762
Mason Shelton CHOICE School Chad Wisehart chad.wisehart@dshs.wa.gov (360) 688-0762
Mason North Mason North Mason High School Chad Wisehart chad.wisehart@dshs.wa.gov (360) 688-0762
Mason Shelton Shelton High School Chad Wisehart chad.wisehart@dshs.wa.gov (360) 688-0762

Stevens
County School District School Name Counselor(asc) Email Address Phone #
Stevens Chewelah Jenkins Senior High Judy Bales judy.bales@dshs.wa.gov (509) 960-1305
Stevens Wellpinit Wellpinit Elem/High School Judy Bales judy.bales@dshs.wa.gov (509) 960-1305
Stevens Mary Walker Mary Walker Alternative High School Judy Bales judy.bales@dshs.wa.gov (509) 960-1305
Stevens Mary Walker Mary Walker High School Judy Bales judy.bales@dshs.wa.gov (509) 960-1305
Stevens Columbia (Stevens) Columbia High School Judy Bales judy.bales@dshs.wa.gov (509) 960-1305
Stevens Northport Northport High School Judy Bales judy.bales@dshs.wa.gov (509) 960-1305
Stevens Chewelah Chewelah Alternative Judy Bales judy.bales@dshs.wa.gov (509) 960-1305
Stevens Colville Colville Senior High School Judy Bales judy.bales@dshs.wa.gov (509) 960-1305
Stevens Kettle Falls Kettle Falls High School Judy Bales judy.bales@dshs.wa.gov (509) 960-1305

Pend Oreille
County School District School Name Counselor(asc) Email Address Phone #
Pend Oreille Selkirk Selkirk Jr Sr High Judy Bales judy.bales@dshs.wa.gov (509) 960-1305
Pend Oreille Cusick Cusick Jr Sr High School Judy Bales judy.bales@dshs.wa.gov (509) 960-1305

Spokane
County School District School Name Counselor(asc) Email Address Phone #
Spokane Spokane Newport Judy Bales Judy.Bales@dshs.wa.gov (509) 590-4963
Spokane Central Valley Mica Peak High School Angela Merritt angela.merritt@dshs.wa.gov (509) 435-3489
Spokane Freeman Freeman High School Angela Merritt angela.merritt@dshs.wa.gov (509) 435-3489

Ferry
County School District School Name Counselor(asc) Email Address Phone #
Ferry Inchelium Inchelium High School Judy Bales judy.bales@dshs.wa.gov (509) 960-1305
Ferry Inchelium Inchelium Alternative School Judy Bales judy.bales@dshs.wa.gov (509) 960-1305
Ferry Republic Republic Jr Sr High School Judy Bales judy.bales@dshs.wa.gov (509) 960-1305
Ferry Curlew Curlew High School Judy Bales judy.bales@dshs.wa.gov (509) 960-1305

How does Transition work?

While the student is in high school, he or she works with family, school staff, and a counselor from the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) to develop a plan for transitioning from high school to work. A broad array of individualized services are available to help students achieve their employment goals. After the student finishes school, DVR services focus on:

  • Gaining work skills needed to achieve an employment goal.
  • Job match, job placement, and follow-up.

Once employed, individuals may receive additional services, if needed, to keep a job. No person, because of race, color, national origin, creed, religion, sex, age or disability shall be discriminated against in employment, services, or any aspect of the program’s activities.

Begin the School to Work Transition video below and learn more about what transition services look like.

For more information, call our statewide toll free number: 1-800-637-5627 (V/TTY)