Dr. Diana Virgil

2024 School Counselor of the Year

Dr. Diana Virgil is a distinguished professional, holding the prestigious title of the 2024 School Counselor of the Year as conferred by the American School Counselor Association. She is recognized as an ASCA-Certified School Counselor, National Board-Certified Counselor, National Certified School Counselor and has held a school counselor certification in the states of Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia.
 
With an academic foundation rooted in Psychology and Biology, Dr. Virgil earned her Bachelor of Science degree, followed by a Master of Education in School Counseling and an Education Specialist in Counseling, all from Mississippi College. Her academic journey culminated in a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision with a Leadership emphasis from the University of the Cumberlands in 2023. Her doctoral dissertation delved into the intricate dynamics of middle school counselors responding to cyberbullying incidents within social media.
 
Dr. Virgil brings a wealth of experience to her role, having served as a school counselor, associate licensed counselor, and adjunct instructor. She has imparted knowledge in several courses, including counseling diverse populations, introduction to school counseling, group counseling, legal and ethical issues, and human growth and development.
 
Her professional journey spans nine years in the field of education and school counseling. Beyond her accomplishments, Dr. Virgil has actively contributed to the counseling community. She has served as the Region Liaison for the Georgia School Counselor Association (GSCA), participated in various committees for GSCA, engaged in focus groups for ASCA, and contributed to groups/committees for the Mississippi School Counseling Association. Her commitment to mentorship, publications in esteemed outlets like the Beacon, ACT’s Leadership Blog, Forbes, and recognition as the 2022 Secondary School Counselor of the Year and later the 2023 Alabama School Counselor of the Year by the Alabama School Counseling Association showcase her dedication to the profession. In addition to her roles and accolades, Dr. Virgil currently serves on the Alabama Board of Directors.
 
Outside of her professional pursuits, Diana finds her passion in providing counseling services to individuals dealing with stress, anxiety, anger, grief, and more. Diana also enjoys photography, travel, and spending time with her husband, daughter, and niece. Diana Virgil stands as a beacon of excellence and leadership in the field of school counseling, and she is grateful for the opportunity to serve as your National 2024 School Counselor of the Year.

KEYNOTE ADDRESS
Authentically You
March 6, 2025 | 8:00am
In this session, Diana Virgil, 2024 School Counselor of the Year, highlights the barriers she experienced in her school counseling career and how she opened doors through collaboration, authenticity and vulnerability. Diana shares how honesty, openness and transparency enable her personal growth and ensure she shows up for her students. Diana’s personal journey offers lessons in identifying and overcoming obstacles and having the courage to be vulnerable.

After attending this session, you will be able to:

• Learn how to identify obstacles in yourself and in your students
• Realize the significance of vulnerability and tackling challenges to promote personal growth
• Understand the impact of collaboration in the school building and community

We are school counselors in the same school district.  After working together on a presentation for a conference, we realized we both have the same capacity to dream big and envision creative lessons!  It is so much fun to work with someone who never puts up a stop sign when a big idea is presented, but instead says, “I love it!  Let’s figure out how to make it happen.”  The only thing that gets in the way of our productivity is how hard we laugh when we’re together!

Laura Rankhorn I received my school counseling degree from The University of North Alabama in Florence, Alabama.  These were some of the most difficult times for me! UNA was a 3 hour commute one way.  I worked all day at an elementary school, and then three times a week I loaded up at 3:00 to drive 3 hours to arrive on time (or if we’re honest, most days not on time) for my 6:00 class.  Did I mention I had a baby during this time?  Yeeeeah, it was tough, but every part of it: the education, the baby, everything was absolutely worth it!
I now have 2 little girls.  Victoria Belle is 4 years old, and Ellie Blair is 2.  My husband, J.C., and I have been married for 14 years.  He is a biology teacher at the high school attached to the elementary school where I work.  Most days we enjoy riding together.

Kim Crumbly
I have worked with each age group during my sixteen years in education.  However, eight years ago I found my niche when I became the school counselor at Parkside Elementary.  Remind me to tell you the story of how I “aced my interview.”

I love to make my lessons magical and memorable for my students.  It is not uncommon for me to be dressed as a character that relates to what I’m teaching that day.  I may be a tree, a candy-land character, Sherlock Holmes, or any other character I can dream up!

I was so excited when my school recently gained international attention for our exceptional culture and climate when Warner Brothers, the Today Show, and the cast of the
Harry Potter movies visited our school!

I earned my master’s degree in school counseling from the University of West Alabama. I have also worked as an advocate and educator for parents of special needs children. I am a mom of two boys, and I just had my first granddaughter!