Paola Ramirez
Mental Health Counselor
Lithia,US
Summary
With over 16 years of dedicated experience in fostering the social-emotional development of children, I am deeply committed to empowering educators and promoting social-emotional learning from an early age. I work to unite communities by teaching the Pyramid Model Framework and successfully integrating it into preschool settings, both domestically and internationally in Ecuador. My approach includes delivering impactful training sessions, conferences, and coaching, while also providing support to school administration, teachers, children, and families. I tailor my work to effectively address the diverse needs of the communities I serve.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
4
4
Certifications
2
2
Languages
Work History
Learning and Development Facilitator
University of South Florida
08.2018 - Current
- Recruit and provide on-site coaching and technical assistance to the leadership team and site staff at Early Childhood Development Centers and Child Care Homes in Hillsborough County.
- Facilitate a team-based approach in functional assessment and both targeted and individualized behavior support planning for children between the ages of birth to six.
- Provide technical assistance on data-based decision making on implementing the Pyramid Model with fidelity.
- Develop and present trainings based on the Pyramid Model to on-site school, community and conferences.
- Guide a local learning community of Pyramid Model coaches and behavioral-support coaches on PWPBS.
- Assist with social networking, website development and maintenance, social-networking and local early childhood events.
- Utilize and maintain database systems to support the local leadership teams and coaches with using PWPBS.
- Assist with entering training/registration data into database for retrieval and use in planning trainings, meetings, workshops; enter research data into database, carry-out literature search.
Pyramid Model Coach/Consultant
Pyramid Model Consortium
06.2024 - Current
-Providing consultation and coaching to preschool owners and educators on the implementation of the Pyramid Model in Ecuador.
-Delivering trainings to build a leadership team and take action to facilitate social-emotional practices in early childhood.
-Coaching on how to embed Pyramid practices in curriculum and daily routines.
-Teaching educators how to create emotionally supportive classrooms.
-Assiting with self-assessment tools like the Benchmarks of Quality (BoQ).
Infant and Childhood Mental Health Specialist
Citrus Health Network
05.2012 - 07.2018
- Provide collaborative, relationship-based consultation services to early childhood staff and Directors.
- Provide child based interventions for children with behavioral and/or social emotional issues.
- Conduct assessments for children developmental behavior and social emotional needs though standardized age appropriate behavioral and developmental screenings such as: Devereux Early Childhood Assessment for Preschoolers (DECA-P2), Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3), Ages and Stages Questionnaire-Social Emotional (ASQ-SE2), Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC-TRS and BASC-TRS) and other assessments as needed.
- Conduct Bio-psychosocial assessment, create intervention plan and support implementation.
- Provide direct service consultation and technical assistance, including classroom observation and role modeling for childcare providers.
- Refer children and their families to additional community resource- Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Individual and Family Therapy, Early Steps and FDLRS.
- Provide teacher trainings using principals from the Pyramid Model, Conscious Discipline and Ages and Stages 3/Social -Emotional.
- Create and develop Bilingual Social Emotional trainings.
Assessment and Referral Therapist
The Starting Place
08.2011 - 04.2012
- Responsible for coordinating and scheduling all intake appointments.
- Record all documentations and maintain all paperwork updated.
- Responsible for conducting initial assessments for both adolescence and adult clients towards all clinical programs.
- Determine client's substance and mental health diagnosis based on the diagnostic criteria from DSM-IV-TR.
- Assed Marchman and Baker Act clients within a critical time frame.
- Elaborate GAIN assessment based on eligibility.
- Provide in-home service to clients with low income.
- Assisting clients and their families through case management.
- Referring clients to a higher level of care based on their mental health stability.
- Provided discharge planning and aftercare activities.
- Performed administrative duties related to intake activities.
Psychologist Assistant
Kathryn Ross, Psy.D
08.2007 - 10.2011
Completed data entry for neurodevelopmental reports, including social history, WISC-IV, WRAML-2, WJ-III, and other behavior assessments for children.
Program Therapist
Beacon Behavioral Center
10.2008 - 01.2009
- Provided screenings and assessments of new patients for both partial hospitalization and outpatient services.
- Performed initial paperwork for all patients including comprehensive bio-psychosocial assessments, initial treatment plan and initial discharge plan.
- Completion of the initial and master treatment plan.
- Reviews and updates of treatment plans.
-Facilitated team interaction for discharge planning.
Education
Master of Science - Mental Health Counseling
Nova Southeastern University
Davie, FL 05.2001 -
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL 05.2001 -
Skills
Individualized support
Parent-teacher communication
Curriculum development
Instructional coaching
Mentoring teachers
Teamwork and collaboration
Leadership and inspiration
Presentation design
Personable and friendly
Building relationships
Certification
Certified Teaching Pyramid Infant-Toddler Observation Scale (TPITOS) Train-the-Trainer Workshop, Pyramid Model Consortium
Conference Presentations
Diaz, A., Perez, M.I, & Ramirez, P. (April 2025). Conecta, aprende y actúa: ¡Herramientas esenciales para el desarrollo socioemocional con un toque mágico! Connect, Learn, and Act: Essential tools for socio-emotional development with a magic touch! National Training Institute on Effective Practices: Addressing Challenging Behavior. Tampa, Fl.
Kelly, J., Nola, J., Pena, D., & Ramirez, P. (April 2025). Workshop the Workshop: Creating interactive Pyramid Model Professional Development Sessions. National Training Institute on Effective Practices: Addressing Challenging Behavior. Tampa, Fl.
Ramirez, P. (January 2025). Apoyo al comportamiento positivo, Modelo pirámide e inclusión. Positive Behavior Support, Pyramid Model and Inclusion. Inclusion Palooza 2.0. Tampa, FL.
Aragon, J., Kelly, K., Perfett,i V., & Ramirez, P. (July 2024). PBS Comes Alive: Real Teachers, Real Classroom Experiences. One Goal Summer Conference. Tampa, Fl.
Ramirez, P., von der Embse, M. (April 2023). Powering it Up with Family Partnerships. National Training Institute on Effective Practices: Addressing Challenging Behavior. Tampa, Fl.
Ramirez, P., von der Embse, M. (April 2022). Powering it Up: Partnering with Families to Strengthen Program-Wide Implementation of the Pyramid Model. One Goal Summer Conference. Tampa, Fl.
Perez, M., Ramirez, P., Romero, M.E., Winneker, Anna. (April 2022). Positive Behavior Supports: Making it work for you. One Goal Summer Conference. Tampa, Fl.
Ramirez, P., & Sizemore, E. (July 2020). From Seed to Flower: Cultivating Family Partnership that Flourishes. One Goal Summer Conference. Tampa, Fl.
Ramirez, P., & Sizemore, E. (June 2019). Give me 5! Tips for Improving Behavior in the Classroom. Early Childhood Conference: Oh, the Places You’ll See. Tampa, Fl.
Muñoz, E., Ramirez, P., Sosa, M. (September 2015). Inside Out: Ayudando a los Niños a Expresar sus Sentimientos”. Children First Conference: Literacy is a Family Affair by Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe, Doral, FL.
Non-Peer Reviewed Publications
Marsteller, J., & Ramirez, P. (September 2024). We Can Be a Super Friend. Program-Wide Positive Behavior Support Project, University of South Florida. Tampa, Fl.
Ramirez, P., & Taylor, C. (October 2023). I Will be a Star Everyday. Program-Wide Positive Behavior Support Project, University of South Florida. Tampa, Fl.
Collado, E., & Ramirez, P. (July 2023). Going to School. Program-Wide Positive Behavior Support Project, University of South Florida. Tampa, Fl.
Ramirez, P. (June 2023). Understanding My Feeling. Entendiendo Mis Sentiminetos. Program-Wide Positive Behavior Support Project, University of South Florida. Tampa, Fl.
Ramirez, P. (October 2022). When I feel, I choose. Program-Wide Positive Behavior Support Project, University of South Florida. Tampa, Fl.
Inservice Presentations
Harris, A., & Ramirez, P. (November 2025). Conectando a traves de la Intencion: Apoyo Positivo al Comportamiento con el Modelo Piramide (En Español). Program-Wide Positive Behavior Supports, University of South Florida. Tampa, Fl.
Harris, A., Ramirez, P., & Winnerker, A. (March 2025). Give Me 5! Tips for Improving Behavior in the Classroom. Program-Wide Positive Behavior Supports, University of South Florida. Tampa, Fl.
Kelly, J, Nolan, J., & Ramirez, P. (May 2024). Stop and Smell the Roses: Supporting the Self & Co-Regulation of Little Learners. Program-Wide Positive Behavior Supports, University of South Florida. Tampa, Fl.
Nolan, J., & Ramirez, P., Sizemore, E. (October 2023). Won't You be My Neighbor? Creating a Caring Classroom Community. Program-Wide Positive Behavior Supports, University of South Florida. Tampa, Fl.
Kelly, J., Knight, L., & Ramirez, P. (September 2022). Digging Deep with Infant, Toddlers and Twos! Program-Wide Positive Behavior Supports, University of South Florida. Tampa, Fl.
Lopez, E., Knight, L., & Ramirez, P. (September 2018). Tell Them What You Want, What You Really, Really Want: Teaching Behavior Expectations. Program-Wide Positive Behavior Supports, University of South Florida. Tampa, Fl.
Timeline
Certified Teaching Pyramid Infant-Toddler Observation Scale (TPITOS) Train-the-Trainer Workshop, Pyramid Model Consortium
07-2024
Pyramid Model Coach/Consultant
Pyramid Model Consortium
06.2024 - Current
Certified Positive Solutions for Families: Train-the-Facilitator Series, Pyramid Model Consortium
06-2022
Certified Touchpoints, Champions for Children
04-2020
Learning and Development Facilitator
University of South Florida
08.2018 - Current
Teacher and Child Interaction Training-Universal (TCIT-U) Coach
07-2017
Infant and Childhood Mental Health Specialist
Citrus Health Network
05.2012 - 07.2018
Assessment and Referral Therapist
The Starting Place
08.2011 - 04.2012
Program Therapist
Beacon Behavioral Center
10.2008 - 01.2009
Psychologist Assistant
Kathryn Ross, Psy.D
08.2007 - 10.2011
Master of Science - Mental Health Counseling
Nova Southeastern University
05.2001 -
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
Florida Atlantic University
05.2001 -
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