Mrs. Marian Faison: School-to-Work Coordinator

This is Mrs. Faison’s third year serving as School-To-Work Transition Coordinator for the Tech Center. She is certified in Marketing Education and gained her preliminary school-to-work experience in the classroom teaching Cooperative Education at Kellam High School. Prior to beginning her career in public education, Mrs. Faison worked for private companies in both professional sales and marketing positions. As School-To-Work Transition Coordinator Mrs. Faison oversees the Internship Program, which is available to all qualified seniors in their final semester at the Tech Center. In Addition Mrs. Faison teaches practical job-search & interviewing skills while guiding students in their employment searches, and uses her business contacts to find individual students a “good fit” for employment. Mrs. Faison also facilitates all industry certification testing and is proud to offer professional-level industry certification exams to Tech Center students. Mrs. Faison feels there is no better way to help students build self-confidence and worth than to give them the tools needed to start a career and take care of themselves; “I believe in the dignity of work”.

email Ms. Faison

Mrs. Gail Maund: Career Resource Coordinator

Gail Maund came to the Tech Center in 1994 and has previously been a high school English teacher and a media specialist. At the Tech Center, her primary role as the career resource coordinator includes the implementation of student portfolios and teaching Virginia’s Workplace Readiness Skills. She holds a B.A. in English, a Masters in Secondary Education and an advanced certificate in Library Science.

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Mr. Randy Sowala: Guidance Counselor

Guidance Counselor, Mr. Randy Sowala, has been with at the Tech Center for 9 years. Earning his Masters degree in education and completing various courses in social work, he started out as an psychiatric social worker for adolescents and spent 12 years in that field. When Mr. Sowala joined the Virginia Beach Public School system, he worked as a counselor at Ocean Lakes for 3 years, and at Kellam for 2 years. "Students working in a 'hands-on' curriculum sets the Tech Center apart from every other school in Virginia Beach" says Mr. Sowala. He believes the Tech Center provides a setting that coincides with work in the classroom and work in the real world.

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Ms. Heidi Van Riper: Computer Resource Specialist

This is Ms. Van Riper's second year as the Computer Resource Specialist at the Tech Center. She is certified in English Education and holds a Master's degree in Education and Instructional Technology. Before coming to the Tech Center, Ms. Van Riper was the Computer Resource Specialist at Brandon Middle School and an English teacher at Virginia Beach Middle School. She is responsible for helping teachers integrate technology into their curriculum, guiding students in the appropriate use of technology, managing the technology in the building, and training the staff in any new technologies that are available.

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Ms. Michele Lunde, RN: School Nurse

Mrs. Lunde has been with the Tech Center for five years.  She earned her Bachelor's degree in Nursing and began her career as a hospital nurse at NYU Medical Center before moving to Norfolk General.  She most recently worked at Children’s Hospital of The King's Daughters for 7 years as a pediatric nurse.  At the Tech Center, her role as school nurse has been most rewarding.  Her main functions include assessing individual student health needs and providing intervention, providing health counseling, administering prescribed medications, implementing first aid, and initiating emergency procedures for students and staff. She enjoys working in a school setting and working with students who love coming to the Tech Center.

email Ms. Lunde