Meet the Counseling Team

Lio Francisco A-DEP ext. 6124 [email protected] (Eu falo português)	Hometown: Santa Clara, CA Your Alma Mater: Mission College, Fire Science. Transferred to San Jose State, BA Communication Studies with a minor in Health Science, M.Ed. Counseling and Student Personnel, PPS. What is the best part of your job: I love meeting the students and listening to their aspirations. If they don't know where they want to go, I enjoy brainstorming ideas to help them start thinking about life after Westmont. High school is important, but it passes quickly and I want to make sure you take advantage of every opportunity while you are here. Tips for success at Westmont: Be on time, be courteous, and be kind. Trying for a sports team, join a club, and make new friends. We love seeing you succeed and want to be a part of your dreams but everything starts with you. Make the effort and get to know your teachers. If you don't have an adult friend on campus, I can be your friend. Tell us something about you: I worked in higher education (Stanford, CSU Monterey Bay and Mission College) for the last 16 years and before that I worked in construction as a laborer, drywaller and as an electrician. I am the son of immigrants and I only speak Portuguese until I reached the 1st grade. Spending time with my family is important to me and we enjoy playing all sports. I also make time for getting lost in nature, standup paddleboarding, and listening to some good music or comedy. In the summers I travel to the Azores islands to visit my extended family, brush up on my Portuguese and to spearfish.
Wilton Marin-Cruz DEQ-HUY [email protected] (Se habla Español)	Hometown: San Jose, CA Your Alma Mater: San Francisco State University- BA Psychology, Minor: Latino Studies. University of San Francisco- MA Counseling Psychology, PPS What is the best part of your job: I love connecting with students and families and supporting them as they explore what they want to do in life. As a counselor, I don't just help them with their needs here in high school but also with their aspirations after graduating. Every student has a different pathway and it's important they have support and are able to ask questions. When I was in high school, I didn't feel I had that support, so I want to ensure I am there for the students I serve. Tips for success at Westmont: Connect with peers, teachers, staff, and create an experience that is meaningful to you while you're here at Westmont. Westmont has so much to offer, but it is up to the student to get involved and create an experience they enjoy. Tell us something about you: Traveling is a big part of my life. I enjoy visiting new countries and exploring different cultures. I have been to 10 different countries so far and hope to explore more. In my free time I like to workout, watch crime documentaries, visit amusement parks, and attend music events. Corridos y banda are my favorite!
Carolina Pizano HWA-MEN ext. 6106 [email protected] (Se habla Español)	Hometown: Madera, CA Your Alma Mater: San Jose State, BA Social Science Teacher Preparation, Minor: Mexican American Studies, MA in Education & Counseling and Student Personnel, PPS. What is the best part of your job: I love working with all students and watching them succeed. Having worked in education for 15 years, every year and student brings a new experience. Learning of my students success and obstacles and supporting them throughout is what makes counseling such a rewarding career. Tips for success at Westmont: The best advice I could give to students is to ask for help. Reach out to your teachers and counselor and ask for help the moment you feel that you are falling behind or need to check for understanding. Another piece of advice would be to get out of your comfort zone! Seeing all the sports, clubs, etc. that Westmont has to offer can help build a rounded individual. Tell us something about you: I love to travel, I played soccer for 20 years and love everything sports related!
Kim Basl Meo-SAL ext. 6125 [email protected]	Hometown: San Jose, CA Your Alma Mater: Bachelor of Science in Psychology (William Jessup University); Master of Arts in Education of School Counseling with a Pupil Personnel Services Credential (Concordia University Irvine). What is the best part of your job: I get to help you along your journey in High School. High school is difficult with all of the changes and obstacles that come our way, and I want to support you during these challenging or uplifting years. Let's celebrate your journey together and reach for success towards your future goals! Tips for success at Westmont: Stop by my office and ask those questions you have. I want to help you find an answer to get you back on track towards your success. Tell us something about you: I was born in Salem, Oregon and moved to California when I was 2 years old. I have grown up in the Bay Area my whole life and have loved the amount of diversity and culture that it has shared with me. I come from a Salvadorian and Serbo-Croation background, so family, friends, and food are a huge part of my life. I also love going to Disneyland every year; it literally is the happiest place on earth to me. When I'm at home I am usually cooking, gardening, walking my dog, catching up on my favorite shows, or playing video games on my XboxOne or my Nintendo Switch. My favorite games are from the Halo series-xbox1, and Zelda BOTW-Nswitch (and I'm actually pretty good at them).
Miriam Wesson SAM-Z ext. 6121 [email protected] (Se habla Español)	Hometown: Downey, CA Your Alma Mater: San Jose State, M.Ed, PPS. What is the best part of your job: I love helping the students prepare for their post- secondary life. The best part of my job is guiding them through their four years in choosing classes and pathways for success at graduation. I enjoy meeting with the students and having them share with me their interests and good news. This is the best age group because they are planning their future and I get to be a part of that! Tips for success at Westmont: Become a part of the school community. Play a sport, join a club, become a volunteer in the community. Get to know your teachers, communicate with them and keep yourself updated by always checking Canvas for homework, grades or important announcements. Take advantage of Study Hall and tutoring in Homework Center. Be proactive! Tell us something about you: I taught Spanish for 21 years before making the move to school counseling. My two hobbies are hiking and reading.
Cristian Moreno [email protected] (Se habla Español) Dual Enrollment & Emergent Multilingual	Hometown: San Jose, CA Your Alma Mater: San Jose State: BA- Sociology Minor- Mexican American Studies; University of Southern California: M.Ed School Counseling, PPS What is the best part of your job: I enjoy working with students and families; I believe that every student has the ability to succeed and supporting them as they navigate throughout high school is key. As a counselor, my goal is for the student to have options on where they can continue their education and/or post graduation options. Tips for success at Westmont: Ask questions, advocate for yourself, connect with your teachers, counselor, or another staff member. Enjoy your time at Westmont by making friends, volunteer in your community, join a club or play a sport! Tell us something about you: I enjoy watching sports, hiking, visiting new places, and spending time with my family and friends!