Experiences

I've been the Director of College Counseling at The Bush School in Seattle, Colorado Academy in Denver, Shanghai American School in China, and Menlo School in Silicon Valley.

For one year I was a college counselor and Spanish teacher at The John Cooper School near Houston.

I've contributed writing, quotes and interviews to national podcasts and publications including The Chronicle of Higher Education and The New York Times. Some of my published materials are used in certificate  and training programs for college counselors in the University of California system.

My professional experiences include ACCEPT Hack the Gates Convening for Access and Equity in Higher Ed, Shanghai Forum for College Counselors co-founder, Certified Adaptive Schools Educator, Challenge Success Leadership Seminar, International Baccalaureate Counselor Training, NAIS People of Color Conference, College Horizons Native American College Access Summer Workshop, Blackberry River Retreat, Fitzwilliam Conference, Skaneateles Institute, Harvard Summer Institute on College Admission, Council of International Schools conferences, NACAC and regional ACAC conferences.

I am a co-founder and member of the Clambake Institute summer gathering of experienced counselors and admission deans since 2006.

I served the founding advisory committee of the Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools and a term on the Executive Committee.

As a director of college counseling programs and school administrator, I've led service and outdoor trips, sponsored clubs, planned grade level retreats, chaperoned a lot of proms, built alumni outreach programs, designed community education programs, integrated wellness practice into school culture, and developed professional development models to share with other schools.

I was invited to the inaugural College Admission Summit hosted by the Education Conservancy in 2006, where we composed the initial draft of this essential guide to college application mindset, still applicable today.

I recruited and read applications as an admission officer in charge of international admission and Southern California applications at Trinity University in San Antonio for five years. I oversaw merit and fine arts scholarship programs in addition to working with Residential Life to support our international population. I served on several hiring committees and created and supervised a student admission intern program.

I've presented at national and international conferences for organizations like NACAC, International ACAC, Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools (ACCIS), Council of International Schools and College Board.

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Recent session titles include: "The Future of College Admission," "Wham!, Mongolian Metal, Star Wars & the Ivy League in the Time of Coronavirus," "Comparing Admissions Approaches Across International Higher Ed Contexts," "College Counseling and Admission for Adolescent Well-being and Positive Culture," and "Switching Sides of the Desk."

I've been invited to serve counselor advisory committees for admission offices at Colorado College, University of Oregon, Colorado State University, Evergreen State University, and Colorado School of Mines.

I've visited over 200 colleges and universities around the world.

I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish with an English minor from Trinity University. I studied Spanish Literature at the graduate level, and taught classes, at UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke, and U Texas.

I am an active current member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), the Western ACAC, New York State ACAC, and an Associate Member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA.) I have been a member of International, Texas, Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountain ACACs.

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I abide by IECA's Principles of Practice, as well as the NACAC Ethical Practice recommendations.