Anne Zager has made an impact on the lives of countless Williston students since joining the Health & Wellness staff, and now her work is being recognized outside of our school community. 

Zager, a counselor at Williston, has been named a 2026 Chapter Advisor of the Year by Active Minds, a national nonprofit focused on action and student advocacy in mental health. Williston has had an Active Minds chapter on campus for several years now. 

Zager was nominated for the award by Addie Eakin ’27, a rising senior at Williston who has worked closed with Zager in Active Minds. For Eakin, the idea to nominate Zager was an easy one to come by. 

“It will be such a special opportunity to celebrate Ms. Zager’s accomplishments and recognize all of the hard work, care, and dedication she puts into making this club so meaningful,” Eakin said. “We truly would not be Active Minds without her.” 

For winning the award, Zager was invited to Active Minds’ Hill Day + Mental Health Conference on July 16 in Washington, D.C. Zager went, along with Meg Colenback, Director of Mental Health Counseling, and three Williston students. As part of the event, the group spent the day on Capitol Hill, meeting with Congressional representatives to advocate for mental health policies. 

Additionally, the group attended a networking hour to meet with other Active Minds groups and mental health professionals; attended an evening workshop featuring panels of advocates and an address from Active Minds Founder Alison Malmon; and participated in a live podcast recording of the “She Persisted” podcast as part of the keynote presentation. 

Williston’s chapter of Active Minds has been busy in the community since the chapter was founded. The group partners with varsity sports teams each season to hold themed games; the group hosts activities aimed at relieving stress during assessment weeks; and has hosted guest speakers to talk with students about the importance of maintaining good mental and physical health.