AIKEN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT APPOINTS KRISTEN KEEFE AS NEW DIRECTOR OF XSEL
With more than two decades of demonstrated leadership in behavioral health, student support, and educational program development, Kristen Keefe was named as the new Director of XSEL, the district’s elementary social emotional learning program.
“I look forward to the opportunity to combine the foundational aspects of Applied Behavioral Analysis with my expertise in mental health and social emotional learning to meet the unique needs of students regardless of learning styles or behavioral needs,” she shared.
Keefe attained both her undergraduate degree in Psychology (1992) and Master’s in Counseling Psychology (1996) from Boston College and brings to the role an extraordinary breadth of experience, including positions as Program Coordinator, Clinical Counselor, and School Social Worker across schools and districts in Massachusetts. She is a licensed professional counselor in South Carolina and a licensed mental health counselor in Massachusetts, with additional credentials in school counseling, principalship, restorative justice, and trauma-informed care.
Throughout her career, Keefe has established herself as a leader in building and sustaining systems of support for students facing academic, emotional, and behavioral challenges. Most recently, she served as a Clinical Counselor in Lexington-Richland School District Five, where she provided direct clinical services and professional development to staff in areas such as trauma-informed classrooms, emotional regulation, and behavior intervention.
Prior to relocating to South Carolina, she served as Student Support Program Coordinator at Nashoba Valley Technical High School in Massachusetts, where she developed a comprehensive support classroom and established partnerships focused on student mental health, including a collaboration with the JED Foundation. Her previous experience also includes administrative leadership roles and over 20 years of direct clinical practice through her private psychotherapy work.
Keefe says she’s honored to join a district that places such a high value on the whole child.
“I look forward to working collaboratively with students, families, and educators to build pathways for every learner to thrive,” she shared.