Pati Swanz-Reiners is a Certified School Counselor with a strong track record in both public and private education. Over the past 20 years, she has served students across Florida, Iowa, and South Dakota. Trained in Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS), Pati firmly believes that every student deserves a safe, caring adult in their life. In both 2020 and 2023, she was nominated for the Florida School Counselor of the Year Award. Most recently, she became a Certified Playmaker through the Life is Good Playmaker Project and is currently pursuing licensure as a mental health counselor.

In the summer of 2019, Pati attended a National Math and Science Initiative conference—an experience that completely shifted her career path and the way she connected with students. It sparked a new passion for writing and innovation, leading to several grant awards, including the State Farm Teacher Assist Grant, which was featured on WEAR News 3. For Pati, technology is more than a tool—it’s a catalyst for change. She believes it can transform education and create equal opportunities for all students.

Driven by her passion for STEM and equity, Pati is now nationally recognized as an advocate for technology in education. She serves as a Counselor Consultant for the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT), has presented on Advising for Future Ready Careers: Episode 15, and contributed as a panelist for Building Confidence & Curiosity in Girls Around STEM Careers with Citizen Schools. She was named one of the top four finalists for Reinvented Magazine’s 2020 Educator of the Year Award. Pati has also been invited as a guest lecturer at Florida International University and Northern Vermont University, presenting Tech Tools for School Counselors.

Pati is also deeply committed to supporting families impacted by substance abuse and feels called to stand beside them, bringing awareness and compassion to this growing crisis.