Jessica Koltz, M.Ed.

Field: Psychology
Areas of Focus: Public Schools, School Counseling, Social Emotional Learning

Expertise

• Social Emotional Learning and Mindfulness Based Interventions
• Social Emotional Academic Development
• School Counselor Education
• School Counseling: Elementary School Counseling and Middle School Counseling
• Counselor Supervision
• Adventure Based Counseling

Bio

Jessie is the Director of the Professional School Counseling master's (MEd) program at Utah State University in Logan, UT. She is a Nationally Certified Counselor, Nationally Certified School Counselor, licensed school counselor, licensed Associate Clinical Mental Health Counselor, and SOTF Affiliate Provider.

Jessie is the director of research for Social Emotional Academic Development (SEAD) at Mindful SEAD, a 501(c)3, she is the president and CEO of Mindful Health Initiative, a 501(c)3 that integrates mindfulness based interventions while engaging in adventure based counseling, and currently serves as the legislative liaison for the Utah School Counselor Association (USCA).

Jessie has previously been employed as a licensed school counselor in VA, NV, and CA, and as a CPC Intern in NV and actively practices as an ACMHC at the Family Institute of Northern Utah. Jessie’s research interests include mindful social emotional academic development and learning, supporting at-risk and minority youth populations with adventure-based counseling and involvement in sports with a focus on mental health support, technology-based interventions and access for youth education and learning, and stigma as a barrier to change for at-risk, minority, and student-athlete youth populations.

Jessie loves the outdoors and has supported adventure-based counseling experiences with Mindful Health Initiative since 2018. She earned her PhD from the University of Nevada, Reno in Counselor Education and Supervision in 2021, graduated from Penn State with an M.Ed. in Counselor Education and Supervision in 2013, and earned her undergraduate degree from SUNY Buffalo in Psychology and Early Childhood Education in 2011 while competing as a D1 swimmer. Jessie is a co-author of the Mindful Social Emotional Learning (MSEL) Coaching Handbook. Her dissertation was entitled Supporting Perceived Academic Stress: An Online-Delivered Counseling Intervention for Middle School Students.