Andrea Menchaca, District SEL Coordinator – My name is Andrea Menchaca! I am the Social Emotional Learning Coordinator with the UT Charter School and UT Elementary. I received my bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Colorado at Boulder and my master’s in Social Work from Texas State University. I have been a social worker in the Austin community for 13 years, the last 10 of which have been in K-12th grade educational settings. I also teach social work courses at Texas State. I love school and I love being a social worker in schools! My areas of focus include school social work, trauma-informed services, and child welfare. In my spare time, I love spending time with my family and running outdoors!
Chelsea Derouen, Clinical Social Work Intern – Chelsea is a third-year MSSW graduate student at the UT Austin Steve Hicks School of Social Work. She has extensive experience working with children and families. She currently serves as the Single Moms Ministry leader for a local nonprofit in Round Rock. Prior to this, she interned for the Teen Parent Program through Round Rock ISD, worked as a hotline advocate for Hope Alliance, and served as an ambassador for the Family Care Program at Texas Baptist Children’s Home. Chelsea was born and raised in Austin, TX. She graduated with her bachelor’s degree from UT Austin in Communication Sciences and Disorders and is a lifetime Longhorns fan. Hook ‘em! In her free time, Chelsea enjoys hanging out with her family, friends, and spending time outdoors.
Luke Kertcher, SEL Program Specialist Intern – Luke is a second year MSSW student on the Administration and Policy Practice track at the UT Austin Steve Hicks School of Social Work. Luke has experience as a certified middle school teacher in Texas, ELAR curriculum specialist, and multilingual services trainer in Aldine ISD in Houston. He previously interned at Crockett Early College High School in Austin ISD with Communities in Schools of Central Texas, primarily supporting graduating students transitioning to adulthood and Spanish-speaking migrant students on campus. Luke is originally from Cleveland, Ohio and loves going to family-owned coffee shops and cafes, visiting with friends, and listening to R&B. He has a BA in International Relations with a minor in Asian American Studies from the University of Pennsylvania.
Mariel Kronitz, Clinical Social Work Intern – Mariel is a second year MSSW student at UT Austin. She is passionate about working with children within their community, through school-based and home-based social work practice. Mariel has worked as a family support worker, helped to implement social-emotional learning groups in an elementary school, and facilitated support groups for children and teens exposed to domestic violence. Through a strengths-based and child-centered approach, she loves to bring in art and play therapy, as well as nature-based therapies. Originally from Boston, Mariel loves hiking, reading, and aerial arts.
Libbey Sanford, Clinical Social Work Intern – Libbey Sanford, LCDCi, served as Executive Director of Austin Recovery, which consists of University High School and Keystone Peer Group, from July 2022 to July 2023. Before the Executive Director role, Libbey served as the Program Director of University High School, the first recovery high school in Central Texas. Libbey finds passion in working with students and families, developing programming to help with skills building, marketing and outreach efforts, and strategic planning for the organization. Libbey received her Bachelor of Psychology from The University of Texas at San Antonio and her Addiction Counseling Certification from Austin Community College. She is currently a candidate for her Master of Science in Social Work from The University of Texas at Austin. Libbey is a person in long-term recovery from drugs and alcohol and celebrated ten years this past October. Libbey has a passion for reading, biking, swimming, and playing with her two dogs.
