Toni
Toni Schwarting comes to BCSNOVA with over 20 plus years working with children and youth in both volunteer and paid ministry positions. She has an undergraduate degree in English/Secondary Education from Shenandoah University where she was an honors student and her Masters in Pastoral Counseling from Liberty University. Toni started with BCSNOVA as an intern and joined the team upon graduation. Prior to BCSNOVA, Toni worked full time as a mental health specialist in a residential behavioral hospital for youth. From the earliest time she can remember, she felt called to work with kids especially teens.
She has worked with kids for most of her adult life as an office manager in a pediatric dental office, a pediatrician’s office, a pediatric therapy clinic, and a pediatric autism center. In addition, she has worked with the children of her church, both as a staff member and as a volunteer. She has held the positions of Children’s Choir Assistant Director, Sunday School Teacher, Children’s Choir Musical Technical Director, Assistant Director of KidsZone (grades 1-3), Assistant Director of Route 54 (grades 4-5), Youth Department Small Group Leader, Camp Counselor, Missions Trip Coordinator, and Director of Middle and High School Bands. She currently is a small group leader, assistant event coordinator, and rotates as the speaker for her church’s high school AWANA group.
Toni has also been a member of missions teams to Jamaica, Mexico City, and Nicaragua - all of which were focused on reaching children and teens in the area. On her last trip to Nicaragua, she coordinated a group of 42 high schoolers and 6 parents as they worked with children in an orphanage in Puerto Cabezas in addition to helping with the construction of a new building on the orphanage property.
Toni was on the team of founding leaders for the Awakening Music Festival which brought Christian artists to the Northern Virginia area for 11 years. She was one of five leaders to work the festival all 11 years and was thrilled to be a part of a festival that brought Jesus to families, youth groups, and young adults across the area!
Toni feels called to this work of counseling. Before joining BCSNOVA, Toni worked at a residential treatment center on a unity with patients dealing with suicidal ideations, sexual abuse, trauma, crisis, anxiety, depression, substance abuse and self-harm. BCSNOVA is thankful to have Toni's gifts and talents contributing to our team.