Vanessa Benitez

She is a dedicated bilingual school counselor, children's book author, and educator with over a decade of experience supporting the social-emotional development and academic success of students in New York City. Currently serving as a Bilingual Spanish Professional School Counselor with the NYC Department of Education, she provides individual and group counseling services to elementary school students, offers professional development training for staff on social-emotional issues, and collaborates with parents and special education teams to create behavioral interventions. She is also the author of The Adventures of Puffy Cat and the Lost Name, a children's book that inspires young readers. In addition, she has served as a USMLE Clinical Skills Trainer at Kaplan for over 17 years, training foreign medical students in communications and spoken English proficiency for the USMLE, teaching basic medical examination skills, and providing empathy and cultural sensitivity training. She has also worked as a Career Counselor at CUNY-Hostos Community College. She holds a Master's degree in Counselor Education and School Counseling from Hunter College and a Bachelor's degree in Public Relations from LIU Post. She is recognized as a compassionate, versatile, and culturally responsive professional who is deeply committed to empowering children, students, and professionals through education, counseling, and storytelling.