Jillian Fackenthal, Ed. S.
Jillian Fackenthal is an experienced educational leader and student advocate currently serving as Vice Principal of Academics at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Now in her first year in this role, she brings 14 years of experience in education and a strong background in school counseling and academic leadership. In her current position, she oversees curriculum development and collaborates closely with department chairs to evaluate existing course offerings, develop new academic opportunities for students, and design the school’s master schedule. Her day-to-day work involves analyzing academic data, coordinating with counseling staff, communicating with parents and students, and working alongside the administrative team to strengthen the school’s academic programs.
Fackenthal’s journey into education began while she was studying psychology at the University of Pittsburgh, where she initially considered becoming a clinical psychologist. After discussing career options with an advisor, she discovered the path of school counseling and quickly realized it aligned with her passion for supporting students. Shortly after graduating, she enrolled in the school counseling program at Duquesne University, beginning her graduate studies just one semester later. Over the years, she has served in a variety of counseling and leadership roles, including School Counseling Director and Director of Guidance, and was honored as Florida School Counselor of the Year in 2019 for her contributions to student success and college and career readiness.
She holds a Master of Education in School Counseling from Duquesne University and an Educational Specialist degree in Educational Leadership and Administration from Florida State University. Fackenthal is certified by the state of Florida in both educational leadership and school counseling and is also a Nationally Certified Counselor and Nationally Certified School Counselor. Guided by her Catholic faith and the teachings of the Catholic Church, she approaches her work with a strong sense of purpose and service. Outside of her professional responsibilities, she coaches cheerleading, enjoys long walks in nature, and values spending time with her family and her two-and-a-half-year-old son.
• Nationally Certified Counselor
• Nationally Certified School Counselor
• Florida State Certified in Educational Leadership
• Florida State Certified in School Counseling
• University of Pittsburgh - BS, Psych
• Duquesne University - MEd
• Florida School Counselor of the Year in 2019
What do you attribute your success to?
I would say probably how I was brought up. I had very hardworking parents, and I'm from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In Pittsburgh, a lot of people either started in a trade field and started a small business, or something like that - there's a lot of boots-to-the-ground hard work. It's the culture of Pittsburgh, so I would attribute my success to my parents and their hard work, and then also the culture of Pittsburgh, truly, because I just was brought up to be hardworking.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice is actually probably from my dad. He said that if there's something that I notice that I want to be changed, I should always not be afraid to go and voice my viewpoint and provide my own potential solutions. It might result in me getting a change for the better, it might not, but at least I was able to put out there what I have to offer and what I would want to see be different. So to kind of be confident in my own skill set and not afraid to talk to somebody that is higher than me. Sometimes it can be scary because the answer might be no, and that's okay. You have to be okay with it being no sometimes, or finding a different way to get a yes or a compromise.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
If it's something that you're interested in, don't be discouraged by the barriers that there appear to be, whether it's job opportunities, salary, limited positions, because if you're willing to put the work in and to develop yourself as a young leader in the field, there will be many job opportunities that will present themselves in time.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I would say right now, and I'm sure this is a common answer, but we're still seeing some of the aftermath of COVID and some of the gaps that it presented to students in terms of their social interactions, as well as academic gaps. And then also, students are using technology a lot more readily, so as educators, we actually have to stay educated on new and developing forms of technology. So I would say those are our biggest challenges - still kind of bridging that gap from COVID to now, and making sure we're aware and competent in new forms of technology, such as AI.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I'm a very ethical person, so when I'm stuck in a bind and trying to make a decision, I look at really what do I think is the best ethical decision. I think that's helped me in my personal life, but also in my professional life, especially when I'm working with students. If there's a challenge or an obstacle, I just kind of go back to ethics. I usually use the School Counseling Code of Ethics just because I know it really well. And I'm also - I work at a Catholic school, I'm a Catholic, so I go back to the teachings of the Catholic Church, too, for support.