MARGARITA MARTINEZ
M.Ed, Managing Director, Career Counselor, Personalized School Counselor & Professional Consultant
Pronouns used: They/Them
Margarita was born in Colombia and has called the DMV area home for more than 40 years! Margarita has a B.A. in Creative Writing, a Masters in Education for Counseling and Development, and completed a Human Resources Manager certificate all from George Mason University.
Margarita has experience working in 4-year universities, community colleges, as a teaching and professional faculty, college staff, student services/student life, school counseling, college access/trio programs and Human Resources Management including hiring, benefits, compliance, policies, procedures, employee wellness and best practices.
Margarita offers Professional Consulting on topics dealing with American Disabilities Act (ADA), Accommodations, and offering employees and employers Disability support. Margarita specializes in improving hierarchical communication breakdowns, conflict resolution, and navigating challenging work situations through case-reviews, supervisor training and employee advocacy workshops.
Margarita empowers clients through career counseling that encompasses Margarita’s long career in higher education and a large range of knowledge of diverse professional careers and jobs. Margarita created the AXLE Career Model that uses Assessments, Exploration, Planning and Employment preparation to help folks career switch, find better career opportunities or help discover new fields to consider.
Margarita also offers career counseling for new Counseling Professionals or Counseling graduate students to navigate professional organizations on the local, state and national level.
Lastly, as a Personalized School Counselor Margarita is excited to offer students intensive Academic Success Counseling! Margarita maintains small caseloads to help prioritize student needs and focus on individualized attention! No cookie-cutter formulas, students and Margarita work together to create a game-plan to achieve the best results in our counseling. You’ll have an accountability partner and take part in a body doubling/mirroring like study halls to create a place to learn.
Margarita's Personalized School Counseling can support the following common student success issues:
• Senioritis – help to finish off that last year for a smooth college transition.
• 1st Year College Transition – start your college career without making common 1st year pitfalls and rookie mistakes.
• Transfer Transition – if you’re transferring from community college to a 4-year university, Margarita can help you with the challenges of acclimating to a different school environment and make the best of what a 4-year school has to offer.
• 1st time Graduate Student – work with Margarita to learn how to navigate graduate programs and learn the difference between graduate and undergraduate workload and expectations.
• Academic Probation/Suspension/Dismissal – Margarita has more than a decade working with students struggling academically and will work to help students find confidence and get back in positive student standings.
Unfortunately most schools, colleges and universities are short-staffed with well-intentioned folks with large caseloads and are unable to prioritize your needs. Hire Margarita as your Personalized School Counselor who will offer you individualized support in collaboration with resources available at your school.
Self-pay Rates
Margarita's services are all self-pay and not covered by insurance.
Career Counseling & Professional Consulting
Service | Price | Ideally if you |
Quick Consult | $100 per hour | Need to meet one time, or a few times (less than 10 hours in a month), to be paid after each consult. |
Short Term Contract | $50-85 per hour | If you need support in a short term contract or a temporary project; 10-19 hours minimum; payment schedule can be negotiated. |
Part-Time Contract | $40+ per hour | Part-time contract position for 20 hours minimum; pricing varies depending on the project and requirements; price and payment schedule will be determined after free consult. |
Services requested under these rates may include:
- ADA, Accommodations, and Disability
- HR: Conflict Resolution, Navigating Challenging Situations, Supervisor Training, and Evaluations/Reviews
- Career Counseling (AXLE): Assessments, Exploration, Planning, Employment
- Content Expert in: LGBTQPIA+, Latine(x), HR & Wellness, Curriculum Development & Training
- Digital Communications: web Design, Logos, Letterheads, Flyers, Fillable Forms, Branding Support
Personalized School Counselor & Academic Success Counselor
Cum Laude Package | Magna Cum Laude Package | Summa Cum Laude Package |
$100 weekly | $348 per monthly | $1,200 per semester |
You will be charged weekly this rate and you can cancel any time, no guarantees on preferred scheduling days and times. | You will be charged monthly after your 1st session and you will be scheduled the entire month, priority dates before weekly clients. | You will be charged one time after your 1st session and you will be scheduled for 12-16 weeks (depending on your semester length), VIP priority selection. |
Weekly Check-Ins | Weekly Check-Ins | Weekly Check-Ins |
Body Doubling/Mirroring | Body Doubling/Mirroring | Body Doubling/Mirroring |
Advocacy Support | Advocacy Support | Advocacy Support |
Goal Setting | Priority Scheduling | VIP Schedule |
No guarantees on scheduling availability | Monthly Progress Report | Full semester assignment calendar |
Leadership Service
Vice President for Latine/x Concerns – Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD) 2017-2020
Secretary – Virginia Counselors Association (VCA) 2017-2019
President – AMCD (2021-2022)
President-Elect – Northern Virginia Counselors Association (NVCA) 2023-2024
President-Elect – National Counseling Division TBD (2024-2025)
Margarita utilizes transformational leadership and servant leadership to empower the group and not succeed as an “I” but as a “we.”
Individual Recognition
2021: Compadrazgo/Comadrazgo Award recognized by the Association of Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD)
2020: Diversity Award recognized by the American College Counseling Association
Collective Recognition
2022: Chapter of the Year- Northern Virginia Counselors Association (NVCA) recognized by the Virginia Counselors Association (VCA)
2021: Small Chapter of the Year- Northern Virginia Counselors Association (NVCA) recognized by the Virginia Counselors Association (VCA)