Meet Your Counselors
Counselor A - CR
Seth Geffner
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Seth Geffner is from Southern California and a proud supporter of the LA Kings and LA Dodgers (we don’t hold it against him). He graduated from the University of Arizona in 1996 and then attended graduate schools at the University of Michigan and Sonoma State University where he earned his Master’s in Counseling. Seth is married to a special education elementary school teacher in Santa Rosa City Schools and they have two children. Their son and daughter attend SRHS. Seth has been a School Counselor at SRHS since 2003.
Counselor Cu-Ga
Marlene Nemoede
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Marlene Nemoede was raised in Madrid, Spain. She relocated to Sonoma County where she earned her Bilingual Teaching Credential from Sonoma State University. She then moved to San Francisco, where she earned a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology with a PPS Credential from the University of San Francisco. Now, she’s back in Sonoma County and has been working for Santa Rosa City Schools for more than 20 years.
Counselor Ge-I
Alaina Mitchell
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Alaina is from Ohio, and has lived in California for the past ten years. She is raising her daughter here (which makes her official, she thinks). She graduated from Ohio University with a degree in Psychology. After traveling abroad and exploring various career opportunities including working with children with developmental disabilities and in education, she pursued a Master's Degree in School Counseling at Sonoma State University. She is proud to have accomplished this as a single mother. After working as a School Counselor at K-8 Wright Charter School for two years, Alaina decided to become a high school counselor and is enjoying supporting SRHS Panthers. She appreciates the energy, humor, and complexities of adolescence and hopes to inspire others to have compassion for themselves, do their best, and stand up for what they believe in!
Counselor J-Na
Ellie (Maria) Orozco
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Ellie Orozco was born in Jalisco, Mexico. She moved to California at five years old and was raised in the Central Valley in a farm town called Tulare. She attended University of California Merced and earned a double major BA in Anthropology and Sociology graduating in 2019. During 2020, she attended California State University Bakersfield where she earned her Master's of Science in Educational Counseling and PPS credential. This is her first year at Santa Rosa High School and she enjoys helping students find a passion in learning and academics.
Counselor Ne-Sc
Adam Derum
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Adam was born and raised in Santa Rosa and is a graduate of the Class of 2000 at Elsie Allen High School. Immediately after high school, Adam served for four years in the United States Marine Corps. During that time Adam visited 12 countries and circumnavigated the globe twice! After the Marines, Adam earned his BA in Sociology, a teaching credential in Social Studies, and as his MA in Counseling, all from Sonoma State. When not supporting his students at SRHS, you can find Adam on the golf course, watching the SF Giants/49ers, adventuring with his dog Bochy, or playing video games with his cat Maxwell on his lap. Adam is passionate about post-high school planning and helping students realize their potential path, whether it be college or vocational success.
Counselor Se - Z
Kris Bertsch
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Kris Bertsch is from the San Joaquin Valley (Modesto). Kris grew up a “farm girl” and still loves the smell and feel of freshly tilled dirt. Kris graduated from UC Santa Barbara in 1989 with a BA in History and a BA in Black Studies as well as a Coaching Credential. Once she moved to Sonoma County she then earned her Master’s Degree in Counseling from Sonoma State in 1994. Her children have ALL graduated from SRHS and were "Panthers from the Start." This experience assists her in working with not only students but SRHS parents, as well. Kris was a college athlete and two of her daughters were/are college student athletes. She has a lot of knowledge and experience working with student athletes and the NCAA eligibility system. Kris began her counseling career at Piner High school in 1993. Kris has worked at SRHS, off and on, since 1995.
Counselor College and Career Center
Tracy Batchelder
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Tracy is originally from Santa Barbara, CA and has lived in Sonoma County since 2005. She has a B.A. in Political Science from UC Berkeley, a master’s degree in Environmental Management from Duke University, and recently graduated with her Master’s in School Counseling from Sonoma State University. She spent several years working in environmental conservation on the east coast and in Costa Rica and also lived in Mexico for five years while raising a family. She has three children, one of which graduated from SRHS in 2016. She enjoys working with high school students and helping them to define and pursue their educational and career paths.
School-Based Therapist
Urjita Parekh
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Urjita Parekh (Jita) joined the SRHS Counseling Team three years ago as a full-time school-based therapist (SBT). Her office is located across from the counseling office. She meets with students by referral from their School Counselor. Jita's role at SRHS is to assist those students who may benefit from more intensive social and emotional counseling interventions by providing short term individual and group therapy, as well as making referrals for students and families to community resources. Jita earned her Bachelor’s of Arts degree from Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa, and her Master of Arts in Counseling from Sonoma State University. For the past several years, she has been working in higher education at Oregon State University as well as at Sonoma State.
PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY SERVICES……………………………………………………………. 576-8181
3322 Chanate Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95404
If you or someone you know is in an immediate life threatening crisis, please call 911 immediately.