The Region 9 Board of Education has named Catherine Hilser the new director of counseling at Joel Barlow High School. She replaces Paula Panos, who retired at the end of the 2023-24 school year. Hilser has officially started her new role preparing for the upcoming school year.
Hilser has extensive experience helping students to succeed. Before joining Barlow, she was the department chair of school counseling at Trumbull High School. While in Trumbull, she developed and implemented programs to support students’ academic and personal growth. Her colleagues and students’ families respected her commitment to fostering a positive and inclusive school environment.
“I am committed to continuing the tradition of excellence in the counseling department and supporting each student in reaching their full potential,” Hilser said. “I am honored to join Joel Barlow High School and look forward to working with the talented staff and wonderful students.”
Dr. Mario Almeida, Barlow head of school, said, “We are confident that Catherine Hilser will play a key role in upholding this commitment.” He went on to say, “We are confident Catherine will be a tremendous asset to our community and will continue to build on the strong foundation established by Paula Panos. Joel Barlow High School remains dedicated to providing exceptional support and resources to our students, ensuring their success both academically and personally.”
Before joining Trumbull High School, Hilser was a school counselor at Westhill High School in Stamford. She also worked at St. Michael Academy in Manhattan as a college counselor and started Right Choice College Consultants with her husband.
Hilser holds a Master of Science degree in counseling and a Sixth Year Degree in education leadership. She completed the 2016 Harvard Summer Institute on College Admissions and holds a professional College Counseling Certification through the UCLA Extension Program.
