Wakefield School supports parents, students, and families needing short-term assistance and counseling resources for life changes, social skills, and other adjustments associated with
school.
The counseling staff for Lower, Middle and Upper Schools are licensed professionals. They are available to assist students and families as needs arise throughout the year.
Meet Our Counselors
Jen Sipes serves as Wakefield's Lower School Counselor and is the coordinator of the Lower School Virtue's Program, the school's character-education initiative.
Mrs. Sipes graduated from University of Maryland’s Business School in 1989 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Personnel, and Labor Relations. She worked for several years as a Human Resource Specialist for Marriott Corporation, and then went to University of Maryland’s School of Social Work, where in 1994 she earned a Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work (MSW) with a specialization in families and children. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who has worked as a School Clinician for over 15 years in Baltimore City, Connecticut, and Virginia.
Amrit Daryanani has many roles at Wakefield, including Counselor for Middle and Upper Schools, Dean of Faculty, and Chair of the Learning Support Department. She teaches various classes at the 11th and 12th grade levels, including Applied Psychology, Leadership Theory, and Introduction to Neuropsychology.
She received her BA from Antioch College, her MA from Marymount University, and her Ph.D from Antioch University. Amrit is best known as the Program Developer of the Leadership and Resiliency Program, which is a substance abuse prevention program certified as a national model by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention. She is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Virginia, teaching graduate level education courses in their School of Continuing Studies. She is an avid kayaker, a student of Eastern philosophy, and an ardent animal lover. She is currently an appointed Commissioner for the Fairfax County Animal Services Division.