With the retirement of three employees, filling a vacated instructor’s position, and the need for a school nurse, the Washington County Career Center administration was busy this past summer making transitions from within and hiring new employees before the new school year. Alicia Miller transitioned from Adult Technical Training as the Assessment Outreach and IT Training Manager to a part-time position as Assistant to the Treasurer. The Career Center welcomes four new employees: Phyllis Boyd, Cosmetology Instructor; Melissa Morris, Intervention Specialist; Jennifer Smicker, Health & Wellness Specialist; and Chelsea Warren, English Instructor.
Phyllis Boyd graduated from Caldwell High School and Buffalo Career Center’s Cosmetology program. She became a licensed cosmetologist in 1979. From there, she worked in a local salon in Caldwell. In 1980, she earned her manager’s license and in 1984, she began working as a licensed teaching instructor. Working at Mid-East Career and Technology Center from 1984-1996 has helped Boyd to transition into the teaching position here at the Washington County Career Center. Before coming to the Career Center, she ran her own salon, Alternatives, building her clientele up from scratch.
In 2004, Boyd took the test to obtain a CDL and began working at Caldwell Exempted Schools as a full-time bus driver, where she remained for 13 years. In 2017, she became the Career Center – Adult Technical Training cosmetology instructor.
Phyllis resides in Caldwell with her husband, Alfred, who is a corrections officer for Noble County Corrections. They have one son, Clint (Amber). In her spare time, Boyd is an artist and her and the family trail rides horses all over.
Melissa Morris graduated in 1986 from Ohio University with a Bachelor’s in Special Education and in 1994 from Marietta College with a Master’s in Education. Morris comes to the Career Center with 23 years of experience working for the Warren Local School District as an Intervention Specialist. She has extensive knowledge in and with student engagement, mathematics, Language Arts, data driven instruction, IEP writing, best practices, rigorous instruction, parent communication, scheduling, and working with students on the autism spectrum. Morris offers an array of skills in student achievement, standardized assessment preparations, unpacking standards, crisis intervention, implementing best practices, literacy, collaboration, data analysis and engagement, and has a proven ability to help students reach their potential while sharing effective strategies with colleagues.
Melissa resides in Marietta. She has two sons: Terrence of Cleveland and Matthew, who is a senior at The Ohio State University, and two daughters: Hannah of Lakewood and Emily, who is a junior at Bard College Berlin in Berlin, Germany. In her spare time, Morris loves hiking, camping, reading biographies and mysteries, going to concerts, and traveling with friends.
Jennifer Smicker graduated in 2008 from Washington State Community College with an Associate’s in Respiratory Therapy. In 2011, she received an Associate’s in Nursing – Registered Nurse. Smicker worked as a respiratory therapist for two years out of college before beginning her eight-year career as a registered nurse in the advanced care, critical care, and intensive care units. She has earned certifications in Advance Cardiovascular Life Support and Basic Life Support. In October 2013, Smicker received the Nurses Excellence Award.
Jennifer resides in Williamstown, WV with her husband, Danny, who is employed as an IT Manager with The Bureau of Fiscal Services in Parkersburg. They have three children of the home: Lexi, Benson and Kason.
Chelsea Warren graduated in 2014 from Marietta College with a Bachelor of Arts in English. As a former student of the Career Center, Warren stated she has many positive feelings and memories of attending. Most notably, of how the staff and administration work tirelessly to help students find their path to success and figure out where they belong. With this sense of nostalgia, it became her goal to work in such an outstanding environment for high school students.
Warren worked for both Williamstown High School and Frontier High School, as an English Teacher, before coming to the Career Center. During this time, she also wore various other hats including, junior class advisor, planning prom, coordinating yearbook production, and serving as HPAC advisor.
Chelsea resides in Lower Salem with her daughter, Anistyn, and two basset hounds, Rose and Gatsby.
Photos: Phyllis Boyd, Melissa Morris, Jennifer Smicker, Chelsea Warren