Caitlin Reider Vander Velden has been selected as the recipient of Fox Valley Technical College’s 2026 Outstanding Alumni Award. A 2014 graduate of FVTC’s Substance Use Disorder Counseling program, Caitlin has built a career defined by compassion and advocacy for the individuals and communities she serves.
Caitlin’s path to FVTC began after realizing a large, traditional four‑year university was not the right fit. Inspired in part by her father, himself a graduate of the Substance Use Disorder Counseling program, Caitlin sat in on a class at FVTC and felt an instant connection.
“The moment that I sat in that class and got to hear some of the subjects that were going on and got to really relate to a lot of what the students were talking about, I just knew it was the right fit at that point.”
After first starting as an intern in 2013, Caitlin is now a lead substance use disorder counselor at ThedaCare Behavioral Health, where she specializes in individual counseling as part of intensive outpatient treatment. With more than a decade in the field, she has supported thousands of individuals and families on their recovery journeys.
In addition to her clinical work, Caitlin is widely recognized for her advocacy throughout the Fox Valley. Her work includes educating high school students on substance use prevention, training healthcare professionals on stigma reduction and contributing to suicide prevention initiatives.
“The biggest honor of my life is to be able to help people who are at such a difficult point in life, to find that life is better than what they’ve had,” Caitlin explains. “The people that I serve are some of the most remarkable human beings that I have ever met, and every single one of them comes with a unique story.”
Caitlin remains closely connected to FVTC in her role as an adjunct instructor, fulfilling a goal she set while still a student. Following her time at FVTC, Caitlin earned a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science and a master’s degree in psychology, with research focused on trauma, substance use and eating disorders.
Despite her advanced education, she credits FVTC with providing the foundation that made everything else possible — personally and professionally.
“I really believe in Fox Valley Technical College. I believe in the work that we do here. I believe in the students. I believe in the programs,” Caitlin shares. “Knowing how many incredible students have come through this school and gotten their education here, and to be chosen for something like this, feels kind of surreal.”
