Heather Barto completed her Ph.D. in counselor education at Virginia Tech. She completed her master's degree in school counseling and an advanced certificate in counseling at-risk youth at Johns Hopkins University. She has worked as a school counselor in traditional and alternative school settings in both Virginia and Maryland concentrating on her work with at-risk middle school students. She has also worked as a licensed professional counselor in a community mental health clinic providing individual and group counseling for children, adolescents and adults.