Mr. Klonis is in his first year as a counselor! He is currently a counselor here at SFHS for students in grades 9-10, with last names from M- Z. He received his degree back in 2017.

He worked for his family during the pandemic, then moved to Germany and eventually back to Santa Fe. Santa Fe High School has the honor of being the first school he has worked at as a counselor.

He has an Associate’s Degree in Science from New Mexico Military Institute, a Bachelor’s Degree in Science from New Mexico Tech with a Major in Biology, a Bachelor’s Degree in Arts with a Major in Psychology from the University of New Mexico, a Bachelor’s Degree in Arts from Oregon State University with a Major in German, and a Master’s Degree in Arts with a Major in Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling from New Mexico Highlands University.

His family moved to Santa Fe from Greece in the 1930s and his grandfather fought in World War II, and then came back to Santa Fe. After the war, he eventually opened up a family business that still exists today.

He was born in Santa Fe in 1985 and went to EJ Martinez, Capshaw Middle School, and then Santa Fe High for a year before he left to attend military school to pursue a commission/become a military pilot. After high school, he was in an early commissioning program at New Mexico Military Institute and ended up losing his commission due to a medical condition. Years later he did eventually became a pilot (fixed-wing sport pilot) and a paramotor pilot.

His inspiration for becoming a counselor is because he can reflect on his own time back in high school and remember how difficult it was at times to manage everything himself. He can also remember that little acknowledgments or bits of encouragement from adult role models went a long way in helping him chart a positive course in his life. “I essentially want to deliver that to students, to let them know that I am always here for them. Whether it’s just blowing off steam or planning for college, a school counselor should always be there to lend an open ear. That’s what I hope to achieve.” is what Mr. Klonis is hoping to achieve in his counseling career here at SFHS.