On any given day, Annarella Valdivia may be found assessing and counseling referred students, meeting with parents, conducting mental health risk assessments, attending meetings, visiting classrooms, and providing crisis intervention services.

Valdivia is a School Psychologist, and a new addition to HHS’s Child Study Team, having been hired last year just two days before Halloween. The CST works with the Special Education Department to provide services to students experiencing school related difficulties.

“When I was younger, I wanted to grow up to be a ballerina and an artist,” Valdivia said. “I was preparing my art portfolio while in high school. I was also a dancer. Then, I fractured my lumbar. At that point, I decided to focus my studies on psychology.”

After receiving her bachelor’s from Fairleigh Dickinson University, Valdivia pursued her master’s degree in General Theoretical Psychology, and is now in the process of obtaining a doctorate in School Clinical Child Psychology.

Valdivia has worked with students of all ages and economic backgrounds. Last February, the same day her daughter turned two, she moved to Hillsborough from North Jersey for the great schools.

In addition to psychology, Valdivia, fluent in Spanish, has always been interested in foreign languages. She came to the US from communist Cuba on the Mariel Boat when she was just six years old.

“Deciding to come the the US is the best decision my parents have ever made,” Valdivia said.

Also a fan of investigation discovery shows, such as CSI, Valdivia hopes to one day transition to forensic psychology. But for now, she will continue to do what she loves at HHS.

“My favorite part of the field is being able to make a difference and being able to help another individual achieve his or her goals,” Valdivia said. “I love to see students succeed.”