Hello Sanford students & families!

I'm Ahna Rushmann, or Ms. Ahna.  I joined Sanford as a Licensed School Counselor in Fall 2021 after earning my M.A. in Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota.  During graduate school, I worked with K-12 students in St. Paul, Richfield, and Maple Grove, as well as with undergraduate and graduate students as a peer counselor and graduate teaching assistant. 

Becoming a school counselor has been a bit of a career change for me, as I worked as a paralegal/legal assistant for several years before going back to school for counseling.  But I’ve always had an interest in mental health and working with people in my community, and have volunteered in Twin Cities schools since college.  Being a school counselor provides a unique opportunity to collaborate with students, families, and staff on academic support, college and career readiness, and social/emotional development, and I’m proud to be part of a passionate team of counselors across the district who advocate for a comprehensive school counseling program and counselor in every MPS school building.

I live near Sanford in the Cooper neighborhood with my partner, Nick, and our dog, Milo.  I was born in South Korea but grew up in Wisconsin, about 90 miles east of the Twin Cities.  I moved to Minneapolis to attend the University of Minnesota (B.A., Journalism, '08) and aside from a short stint in Washington D.C., Minneapolis has been my home ever since.  When I'm not at school, I enjoy biking, gardening, exploring state and national parks, cooking and baking (and eating), and cheering on the Minnesota Timberwolves and Milwaukee Bucks.   

Please reach out anytime.  I look forward to meeting you all and learning more about you!