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

Clark
County School District(asc) School Name Counselor Email Address Phone #
Clark Vancouver Hudsons Bay High School Rhonda Nester Rhonda.Nester@dshs.wa.gov (564) 219-2462
Clark Vancouver Gate Work Study Program Bonnie Hillman Bonnie.Hillman@dshs.wa.gov (564) 888-1015
Clark Vancouver Vancouver School of Arts and Academics Rhonda Nester Rhonda.Nester@dshs.wa.gov (564) 219-2462
Clark Vancouver Vancouver Flex Academy (Lewis and Clark High School) Rhonda Nester Rhonda.Nester@dshs.wa.gov (564) 219-2462
Clark Vancouver Washington School for the Deaf Don Redford Don.Redford@dshs.wa.gov (253) 549-5939
Clark Vancouver Open Doors Vancouver (Lieser Campus) Rhonda Nester Rhonda.Nester@dshs.wa.gov (564) 219-2462
Clark Vancouver Columbia River High School Rhonda Nester Rhonda.Nester@dshs.wa.gov (564) 219- 2462
Clark Vancouver Vancouver Virtual Learning Academy (Lieser Campus) Rhonda Nester Rhonda.Nester@dshs.wa.gov (564) 219-2462
Clark Vancouver Washington School for the Blind Rhonda Nester Rhonda.Nester@dshs.wa.gov (564) 219-2462

Pierce
County School District(asc) School Name Counselor Email Address Phone #
Pierce University Place Curtis Bridge Program Haley Gross haley.gross@dshs.wa.gov (253) 298-2661
Pierce University Place Curtis Senior High Haley Gross haley.gross@dshs.wa.gov (253) 298-2661
Pierce Tacoma Stadium High School Amy Diederich amy.diederich@dshs.wa.gov (564) 599-1823
Pierce Tacoma Pearl Street Center Haley Gross haley.gross@dshs.wa.gov (253) 298-2661
Pierce Tacoma Lincoln Haley Gross haley.gross@dshs.wa.gov (253) 298-2661
Pierce Tacoma Tacoma School of the Arts Haley Gross haley.gross@dshs.wa.gov (253) 298-2661
Pierce Tacoma TCC Fresh Start Haley Gross haley.gross@dshs.wa.gov (253) 298-2661
Pierce Tacoma Community Based Transition Program Haley Gross haley.gross@dshs.wa.gov (253) 298-2661
Pierce Tacoma Wilson Haley Gross haley.gross@dshs.wa.gov (253) 298-2661
Pierce Tacoma Tree Farm Haley Gross haley.gross@dshs.wa.gov (253) 298-2661
Pierce Tacoma Oakland Alternative High School Haley Gross haley.gross@dshs.wa.gov (253) 298-2661
Pierce Tacoma Foss Haley Gross haley.gross@dshs.wa.gov (253) 298-2661
Pierce Tacoma iDEA Haley Gross haley.gross@dshs.wa.gov (253) 298-2661
Pierce Tacoma Mt Tahoma Don Redford don.redford@dshs.wa.gov (253) 292-3552 (VP)
Pierce Tacoma Metro Parks Program Haley Gross haley.gross@dshs.wa.gov (253) 298-2661
Pierce Sumner Sumner Senior High Roseanne Morales roseanne.morales@dshs.wa.gov (360) 870-1309
Pierce Sumner New Bonney Lake HS Roseanne Morales roseanne.morales@dshs.wa.gov (360) 870-1309

Thurston
County School District(asc) School Name Counselor Email Address Phone #
Thurston Tumwater Cascadia High School Theresa Matteson Theresa.Matteson@dshs.wa.gov (360) 995-3356
Thurston Tumwater LINCS Theresa Matteson Theresa.Matteson@dshs.wa.gov (360) 995-3356
Thurston Tumwater Black Hills High School Theresa Matteson Theresa.Matteson@dshs.wa.gov (360) 995-3356
Thurston Tumwater A G West Black Hills High School Theresa Matteson Theresa.Matteson@dshs.wa.gov (360) 995-3356
Thurston Tumwater Tumwater High School Cheryl L Reith cheryl.reith@dshs.wa.gov (360) 972-4923
Thurston Tumwater New Market Skills Center Theresa Matteson Theresa.Matteson@dshs.wa.gov (360) 995-3356
Thurston Tenino Tenino High School Jack Horab Jack.Horab@dshs.wa.gov (360) 742-1858

King
County School District(asc) School Name Counselor Email Address Phone #
King Tukwila Foster Senior High School Julia Demchenko julia.demchenko@dshs.wa.gov (206) 375-1012
King Tahoma Tahoma High School Kirsten VanderHoeven kirsten.vanderhoeven@dshs.wa.gov (360) 506-1790
King Tahoma Maple Valley High School Joanne Ogg joanne.ogg@dshs.wa.gov (253) 372-5935
King Summit Summit Sierra Nicholas Michiels and Kimberly Kammeraad nicholas.michiels@dshs.wa.gov and kimberly.kammeraad@dshs.wa.gov (206) 472-0299 and (206) 659-2327

Klickitat
County School District(asc) School Name Counselor Email Address Phone #
Klickitat Trout Lake Trout Lake High School Gilbert Garza gilbert.garza@dshs.wa.gov (509) 780-7794

Cowlitz
County School District(asc) School Name Counselor Email Address Phone #
Cowlitz Toutle Lake Toutle Lake High School Joshua Ipock joshua.ipock@dshs.wa.gov (360) 916-1471

Walla Walla
County School District(asc) School Name Counselor Email Address Phone #
Walla Walla Touchet Touchet High School Jessica Rusch jessica.rusch@dshs.wa.gov (509) 780-7803

Yakima
County School District(asc) School Name Counselor Email Address Phone #
Yakima Toppenish Eagle Alternative Gilbert Garza gilbert.garza@dshs.wa.gov (509) 780-7794
Yakima Toppenish Toppenish High School Gilbert Garza gilbert.garza@dshs.wa.gov (509) 780-7794
Yakima Toppenish Yakama Tribal Gilbert Garza gilbert.garza@dshs.wa.gov (509) 780-7794
Yakima Sunnyside Sunnyside High School Rosa Estrella rosa.estrella@dshs.wa.gov (509) 201-2028

Okanogan
County School District(asc) School Name Counselor Email Address Phone #
Okanogan Tonasket Tonasket High School Carolina Perky maria.perky@dshs.wa.gov (509) 859-6027

Lewis
County School District(asc) School Name Counselor Email Address Phone #
Lewis Toledo Toledo High School Justin Rinta justin.rinta@dshs.wa.gov (360) 506-1744

Kittitas
County School District(asc) School Name Counselor Email Address Phone #
Kittitas Thorp Thorp High School Clara Betancourt Clara.betancourt@dshs.wa.gov (509) 780-7521

Whitman
County School District(asc) School Name Counselor Email Address Phone #
Whitman Tekoa Tekoa High School Cameron Walsworth cameron.walsworth@dshs.wa.gov (509) 514-1518

Grays Harbor
County School District(asc) School Name Counselor Email Address Phone #
Grays Harbor Taholah Taholah High School Justin Rinta justin.rinta@dshs.wa.gov (360) 506-1744

Snohomish
County School District(asc) School Name Counselor Email Address Phone #
Snohomish Sultan Sultan Senior High School Jacqueline Wilkins jacqueline.wilkins@dshs.wa.gov (425)-319-4460

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)