Suzanne Porter Stokes has been a school counselor since 2016 and currently works at Pecan Park Elementary in Ocean Springs, MS, where she loves working with kindergarten through 3rd grade students on social, emotional, and academic growth. Stokes has a bachelor’s degree in communication and a master’s degree in counselor education, both from Mississippi State University. She also earned an education specialist degree from The University of Alabama in counselor education. 

Stokes is a highly motivated and dedicated school counselor who demonstrates exceptional leadership, fosters collaborative relationships, and is a staunch advocate for both her students and the counseling profession, believing in its potential to drive systemic change. Her leadership skills garnered her recognition as the 2023 Magnolia State School Counselor Association School Counselor of the Year Award, the 2020 Mississippi Counseling Association Member Award for Outstanding Contributor Special Recognition, and the 2016 Outstanding Graduate Student for Department of Education at MSU-Meridian. Her advocacy efforts have ensured that students get the support they need in the right classroom setting. Stokes has also advocated for her role as a school counselor with school and district administration. This year her duties as test administrator have been removed giving her more time to focus on student mental health needs. A believer in giving back to the profession, she has presented at district, state, and regional levels on topics including growth mindset, trauma, and the school counselor’s role in MTSS. 

Stokes is a National Certified Counselor (NCC), National Certified School Counselor (NCSC), and a Provisional Licensed Professional Counselor (P-LPC). She is a member of the American Counseling Association, Mississippi Counseling Association, the Magnolia State School Counselor Association, and Chi Sigma Iota. In her free time, she enjoys working out at the gym, singing, and playing the flute.