Education

  • Ph.D. 2026 – Virginia Commonwealth University, Education-Counselor Education and Supervision
  • Graduate Certificate 2020 – Virginia Commonwealth University, Educational Leadership
  • M.Ed. 2016 – Virginia Commonwealth University, School Counseling
  • B.S. 2011 – University of Virginia, Commerce

Areas of Expertise

School Counselor Well-Being; Professional Identity & Career Development; Organizational Supports for School Counselors; School-Based Youth Protective Factors

Background

Emily Kitching is an Assistant Professor in the School Counseling program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She spent seven years serving as an elementary school counselor and developed a deep appreciation for the pivotal ways school counselors support students, families, educators, and school communities. Those experiences continue to shape her perspective as a teacher and scholar, grounding her work in the realities of the profession and inspiring her to conduct research that directly informs and strengthens professional practice. She is committed to preparing future school counselors who are reflective, collaborative, and equipped to meet the evolving needs of their students and school communities.

Research

Emily Kitching’s research examines how intersecting individual and organizational factors shape school counselors’ professional experiences and their capacity to support students. Her scholarship focuses on school counselor well-being, professional identity development, and the workplace conditions that foster sustainable, effective practice. By identifying the specific environments that allow school counselors to thrive, she aims to generate actionable evidence that informs policy, professional practice, and organizational decision-making, ultimately promoting positive outcomes for both educators and the youth they support.