Chris Harper M.A., LPCC-S, LSW, LPSC, Assistant Director of Student Services and Well-Being, Perrysburg Schools has been named Ohio School Social Worker of the Year for 2025 by the Ohio School Social Work Association (OSSWA)! She will be honored at the OSSWA Annual Conference and invited to the Midwest School Social Work Conference in the Fall, where she will be recognized alongside the School Social Workers of the Year from the 10 Midwestern states that make up the Midwest Council.

“Chris Harper is simply incomparable,” shared Dr. Justin R. Fults, Director of Student Services & Well-Being, Perrysburg Schools. “It’s no surprise that people outside of our community have taken notice of the phenomenal level of service she provides for children and their families in Perrysburg. She is a tireless innovator and true person for others. This approach can be seen in her interactions with her colleagues as well. They simply treasure her.”

For the last 19 years Mrs. Harper has worked in the educational setting as a School Counselor, School Social Worker, and now Assistant Director of Student Services and Well-Being for Perrysburg Schools. As the first School Social Worker for Perrysburg Schools, she designed and built the School Social Work Department. In her current role she oversees all social work programming for the School District. This includes supervising the School Social Work program, serving as the homeless and foster liaison, overseeing attendance and truancy, supervising the ELL program, and providing support for at-risk youth and the most vulnerable students and families in the school district.

In addition, Mrs. Harper created the Northwest Ohio School Social Work Consortium and works with others around the area to continue to build a network of support for all School Social Workers in Northwest Ohio. Chris also serves as the co-regional representative for Northwest Ohio with the Ohio School Social Work Association and as a Board Member for the Perrysburg Heights Community Center.

Before working in the educational field, Mrs. Harper worked as a caseworker for Lucas County Children’s Services, was a Counselor and part of the startup team for the Juvenile Residential Center through the Department of Youth Services, a trainer for foster and adoptive parents for the State of Ohio through the Ohio Child Welfare Training Program, while maintaining a clinical practice for the last 27 years.

Mrs. Harper graduated from the University of Findlay with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Criminal Justice and from Bowling Green State University with a Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling. She is a licensed professional clinical counselor with a supervision designation, a licensed social worker, and a licensed school counselor.