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Meet Sascha, Mental Health Associate (MHA) at Rivermont Roanoke Southwest. With a strong commitment to compassion and teamwork, Sascha supports students and staff throughout the day, helping create a positive, encouraging environment where students feel seen, supported, and motivated to keep growing. 

What is your favorite thing about working at Roanoke SW?  
In the short time I have spent working here, I can honestly say that I love it. Every day is a new learning experience for me in all aspects: getting to know the students, the staff, and new ways to work in a forever evolving field. But to be specific, I love the camaraderie amongst everyone for the common goal in bettering our students’ lives.  

What is something that sets Roanoke SW apart or makes the school special? 

Roanoke SW is special, in my opinion, because of the compassion that is shown daily for the students that attend. The mentoring, counseling, and reward systems they have in place for students are beautiful. Sometimes students need to know that things may not be perfect for them, but if they work hard and stay consistent, they can flourish.  

What does a “day in the life” look like for your role? 

A day in the life in my role as an MHA is a lot of support. Supporting the teacher, additional MHAs, our counselors, principals, and most important of all, the students. From helping to lesson plan, assisting the students with their work, assessing students' behaviors and being flexible when needed. 

Can you talk a little bit about your career trajectory and what led you to where you are now? 

I have always loved working with children. I started out volunteering at the local Boys and Girls Club as a Teen Counselor during summers. I loved doing that so much that in my senior year of high school I took a paid position working for them year-round. Of course, as I got older and better opportunities started to open up, I moved on. I cried on my last day because I loved the kids and was going to miss them terribly. I went on to work for Quest Diagnostics lab for about 12 years, and I was content with that until I realized it was not fulfilling my heart. I moved to Raleigh, North Carolina and I got a job in applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy working with children with autism one-on-one in a center setting. I absolutely loved it and haven't turned back since. I moved back to Roanoke for my family and dove right back into ABA, which led me here to Rivermont. I am also now enrolled at Purdue Global in their bachelor's program in Psychology, specifically geared toward ABA. My goal is to use that degree to become a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst. I finally found my ‘end all, be all’ and my heart is full. 

How does Rivermont support your professional growth and learning? 

Rivermont has supported my professional growth by giving me the tools and resources to not only know how to support students on the spectrum but also how to support students’ mental health. The umbrella for mental health is very large and affects everyone differently. I look forward to the consistent knowledge I will gain in this position. 

What makes you proud to be part of the Roanoke Southwest team? 

I'm overly proud to be a part of the Southwest team because we really are team-oriented; good people striving to do a great job for our students together. The interactive events, potlucks, reward systems, and committees have all shown me that above and beyond is the way to go. We are all striving to make a difference and give the students the tools to thrive. 

What is a fun fact about you?  

A fun fact about me is that I absolutely love to cook and that I love all things creative. I'm a 'dare to be different' kind of girl! 😊