Owner

Northwest College Search

September 2009 - present

I work with students and families to identify their needs, select appropriate high school courses and summer activities, plan for testing, develop a college list, refine all aspects of college applications (including essays and activities resumes), understand and apply for financial aid, and make final decisions.

To stay current, I travel to about 25 college campuses a year and attend one or two national professional meetings. I also maintain an extensive personal library for reference.

Skills: Listening, analyzing, writing, speaking, researching

Associate Editor, Music and Dance

Encyclopaedia Britannica

August 2006 - July 2008

Supervised all articles on music and dance for Britannica; wrote biographies and obituaries as needed; edited large portions of the Book of the Year.

Skills: Extremely careful reading and writing, communication, collaboration in groups

Director, College Resource Center

School for Creative and Performing Arts

November 2001 - November 2004

Operated resource center for all students. Hosted college reps, conducted essay workshops, organized and chaired college information nights, administered special ACT testing and PSAT testing.

Skills: Organization, advising, collaboration, research, communication, listening

New York University

Master's Degree

Completed coursework and orals for Ph.D. in historical musicology. I received a schoolwide graduate teaching award from NYU's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Skills: research, writing, presentation, German, French

Mount Holyoke College

Bachelor's Degree

Music major, history concentration at a top women's college in Massachusetts. I actually started piano lessons in college and was the first recipient of a department award for students who began their studies in college.

Skills: Adaptability, communication, analysis

Certified Educational Planner

American Institute of Certified Educational Planners

January 2013 - January 2023

Director of College Coaching, Daemen Workshop; College Coach, 5 workshops; Writing Coach, 3 workshops

Peer Forward (College Summit) (Education)

July 2011 - present

Every summer I travel to help out at a College Summit workshop. I have been to University of California Berkeley (3 times), Nova Southeastern University (2 times), Redlands University, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Florida International University, and Daemen College. At Daemen in 2017 I supervised the team of College Coaches. Peer Forward (formerly College Summit) is dedicated to helping students influence their high school peers in raising the rate of college-going in their schools. The summer workshops train teams of four or eight students and an adviser from the participating high schools around the country.

College fair counseling table

National Association for College Admissions Counseling, Pacific Northwest Association for College Admissions Counseling (Education)

November 2011 - present

I help anyone who comes to the table with whatever questions they might have. Speed counseling!