ELECTION RESULTS

PRESIDENT-ELECT

ASHLEY WRIGHT 

REGION 6 | Conroe isd | Elementary COUNSELOR

Director of communications & TECHNOLOGY [2021- 2025]

Ashley Wright was born and raised in Houston, TX, and has been an educator for over 15 years. In 2018, she became a certified school counselor and Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). Her journey began as an elementary teacher, where she witnessed firsthand how students struggled with challenges at home, school, and with their peers. Motivated to make a greater impact, she transitioned into school counseling to provide broader social-emotional support and equip students with the tools to build resilience and foster stronger relationships.

Serving on the LSSSCA Board for the past three years has been an incredible opportunity for Ashley to define what it truly means to be a school counselor leader and to serve countless school counselors across the state. Along the way, she has been fortunate to be recognized as a 2022 American School Counselor of the Year Finalist and the 2021 Texas School Counselor of the Year.

Ashley is passionate about helping school counselors anchor their work in both purpose and passion, while helping stakeholders recognize the profound impact school counselors have on student success. As President-Elect, she is committed to leading with vision, fostering collaboration, and advocating for innovation that empowers both students and counselors to thrive.

DIRECTOR OF Communications & Technology

JOHN BURNETT

rEGION 4 | FORT BEND ISD | LEAD counselor

John Burnett has been an educator working in public schools for 14 years. He received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Memphis, Masters in School Counseling from Cambridge College, and Ed.S. in administration from Freed Hardeman. John has served as an Elementary and Middle School Counselor, Spanish Teacher, and Assistant Principal. Currently, John is a Middle School Lead Counselor serving the students and the community in Houston TX. John was a semifinalist for School Counselor of the Year in 2022 with LSSSCA.

He was also featured on NBC’s The Today Show and Dr. Phil’s Merit Street Media.

John is also a Content Creator on YouTube and Founder of CounselingwithMrB LLC. Through CounselingwithMrB, he provides engaging and culturally relevant resources, professional development, and training to educators across the globe. John’s personal goal is to continue to make a positive impact in the community and the world.

Counselor Educator Vice President

Kimest Sanders

rEGION 10 |  IRVING ISD | Guidance and Counseling Coordinator and AVID DDL

Kimest Sanders has had the privilege of being an educator for 33 years, with 25 of those years dedicated to serving as a Professional School Counselor. She currently holds the position of Guidance and Counseling Coordinator and AVID District Director Leader at Irving ISD in Irving, Texas. In this role, she finds great fulfillment in supporting counselors every day in their work.

Before transitioning into her current position, Kimest served as an Elementary School Counselor, where she worked closely with students, parents, and teachers. Her favorite aspect of being a school counselor was the opportunity to work directly with students, addressing their needs through classroom guidance, small group sessions, or individual counseling.

Kimest is passionate about integrating technology into counseling programs and continuously seeks new ways to assist counselors in improving their practices through tech tools. Prior to her work as a school counselor, she taught Deaf Education and American Sign Language as a foreign language. This experience helped her develop strong communication skills and a deep appreciation for diverse learning needs.

She also enjoys connecting with and learning from other school counselors, a practice that has greatly enriched her professional growth. Kimest holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas Tech University and a Master of Science degree from Texas A&M University-Commerce.