Break into College

Julissa Arce is a bestselling author, sought-after speaker, producer, and public thinker whose writing interrogates the myths of the American Dream and the cost of assimilation. Her acclaimed books, including My (Underground) American Dream, Someone Like Me, and You Sound Like a White Girl, blend memoir, social critique, and cultural analysis to reframe conversations around immigration, identity, and what it means to truly belong. Her work has made her a leading voice in the national dialogue on race, belonging, and the power of reclaiming one's roots. 

 She's a trusted voice on CNN, MSNBC, NPR, and other outlets. Her essays have appeared in The New York Times, TIME Magazine, CNBC, Vogue, and BuzzFeed News. Julissa's storytelling and advocacy have earned her recognition as one of People en Español's 25 Most Powerful Women of 2017 and 2022, and she was honored as the 2019 Woman of the Year by the City of Los Angeles. 

 Prior to becoming a writer, she built a successful career on Wall Street working for Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch, and had seemingly achieved the American Dream—yet she was not part of what defined American.

 Julissa immigrated to America from Mexico at the age of 11 and was undocumented for more than a decade, some of them spent rising to prominence on Wall Street. In order to help other young people in similar circumstances, Julissa co-founded the Ascend Educational Fund (AEF). AEF is a college scholarship and mentorship program for immigrant students regardless of their ethnicity, national origin or immigration status.

 She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, daughter, and cat.

"Mark is Senior Assistant Dean of Admissions and Director of Selection at Swarthmore College where he oversees all aspects of Swarthmore’s holistic and contextual application review process, including serving as Chair of Early Decision and Regular Decision Committees. Mark also serves as Athletic Liaison, is a member of the Transfer and International review teams, and is the dean responsible for Southeastern PA (not Philly), the state of Colorado, and Southern California.

Mark is a first-generation student who attended Lehigh University where he majored in Political Science. After graduation, Mark went into sales before returning to his hometown and working as an Admissions Counselor at Albright College. Mark has enjoyed serving as faculty for organizations that support underserved populations like College Horizons and the Cherokee Nation College Prep Institute (CCPI) - two organizations that organize week-long bootcamps for Native students. For PACAC (Pennsylvania Association of College Admissions Counseling), Mark has served on the scholarship committee for five cycles and is currently a member of PACAC’s Executive Committee as Treasurer. He has experience organizing different events within PACAC and serves as Faculty for the PACAC Summer institute, a professional development event for new admissions professionals.

Mark is the proud father of two children, Roman (4) and Milani (2) who he is raising alongside his wife, Siani."

"Erica is a college admissions and access professional with over 15 years of experience in higher education. With a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Michigan and an M.Ed. in Urban Education from Temple University, Erica has devoted her career to demystifying the college admissions process and dismantling societal barriers to education for students of marginalized identities. Within her career, she has worked in the admissions offices of three universities, including each of her alma maters, as well as four years working directly with high school students at a premiere college access nonprofit. She is rooted in and motivated by her unwavering belief that equitable access to a high-quality education is a fundamental human right, not a privilege. 

Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Erica currently lives and works in Philadelphia, PA as Director of Strategic Partnerships in Admission for Villanova University and serves as the Director of Public Advocacy for the Pennsylvania Association for College Admission Counseling (PACAC).  PACAC recently awarded Erica with the 2025 Gary M. Kelsey Human Relations award which is given to those who make outstanding and voluntary contributions for the betterment of the students, particularly those who advance the human dignity of minorities and/or the disadvantaged. Erica is also an active member of the Rho Theta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. where she leads a subcommittee focused on hosting public policy forums. 

In her spare time, she is an overly obsessed pet mom to her dog, Lexington, and her cat, Sebastien."

"Nicole Savage is a dedicated education strategist and self-proclaimed college access enthusiast who currently serves as the Director of Outreach and AP Readiness at the College Board. With over 15 years of experience across K-12, higher education, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors, Nicole has consistently designed and led programs that expand postsecondary opportunities for Black and Latinx students.

Prior to her work at the College Board, Nicole served as the founding Director of the Early College Academy at Coolidge Senior High School in Washington, DC, where she created and led a dual enrollment program enabling students to graduate high school with an associate degree. She began her career as an Admissions Officer at Vassar College, leading multicultural recruitment efforts and advocating for a more equitable admissions process.

In addition to her institutional roles, Nicole is the founder of BlackprintEd LLC, a consulting practice that partners with schools, organizations, and families to support strategic college admissions advising, postsecondary program building and student success.

Nicole holds a BA from Vassar College and an MPA from the Maxwell School of Syracuse University. A proud Philadelphia native, she splits her time between her hometown and Washington, DC, and remains deeply committed to helping students navigate their educational journeys with confidence and purpose."

Dr. Amanda Sterk has worked in education for 25 years, as a teacher, school counselor, counselor educator, and higher education administration. In all her roles, she has focused on student programming and curriculum with a focus on increasing communication and information to all stakeholders for college and career readiness. Dr. Sterk is active in community and state programs, such as the Florida Alliance of Dual Enrollment Partnerships, Florida College Access Network, and FutureMakers (Talent Hub). 

After 25 years in education, she brings her passion for helping students realize their full potential through academic planning and college decision-making. Her responsibilities include content creation, presentation, and collaborator relations.

"Ethan Sawyer helps students tell stories that reflect their values, growth, and potential. Raised in Spain, Ecuador, and Colombia, Ethan has studied at seventeen different schools and has worked across education, storytelling, and community-building as a teacher, curriculum writer, voice actor, motivational speaker, community organizer, and even a truck driver. Through this work, he’s developed a deep appreciation for the many ways people make meaning and express themselves.

A graduate of Northwestern University, Ethan holds an MFA from UC Irvine and two counseling certificates. His work includes founding College Essay Guy and Matchlighters Scholars, a program designed to expand access to one-on-one college application guidance for low-income students.

Each year, he and his team help more than one million students, parents, and counselors through the College Essay Guy blog, YouTube channel, podcast, social media, and via one-on-one support.

To contact him or learn more about his work, go to www.collegeessayguy.com."

"Bringing 35+ years of experience to the Transition Center at Perkins School for the Blind, Leslie presents nationally about college and career readiness for students with visual impairments, including keys to developing stronger technology skills earlier, executive functioning skills, and literacy. She also consults with college-bound young adults as an independent educational consultant and executive functioning coach.

Throughout her career, Leslie has worked to create opportunities for student growth and independence, both academically and personally. Her professional and leadership experience includes college and independent school admissions, program development and student life, including college counseling and leadership training.

Leslie has a master’s in education with a focus on adolescent development and higher education administration from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a B.A. in History from Lewis & Clark College."

Dr. Julie Loppacher is an equity driven educator that strives to improve the college and university experience for students with disabilities while educating and inspiring teachers and faculty to create inclusive learning environments within their schools and classrooms. With more than 20 years of experience working in higher education at the intersection of learning support and academic success for students with disabilities Dr. Loppacher's work serves to address systemic barriers and other obstacles to learning at the collegiate level.

Luna Nombrano Larsen, M.A. (she/her) is a proud neurodivergent Latina who has dedicated her career in higher education to supporting underserved students. A higher education professional since 2011, Luna joined Cal State Fullerton in January 2026 after serving for more than a decade at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in multiple roles, including most recently as founder and Director for the Empowering Autistic Scholars Mentoring & Research Training Program. Prior to her work at Cal Poly, Luna managed multiple support programs for BIPOC, first-generation college students, and disabled STEM students at San Diego State University. She brings a strong record of leadership in designing and managing high-impact student support programs that advance persistence, retention, and graduation for first-generation, low-income, and disabled students. Her work reflects a sustained commitment to equity-driven, inclusive, and outcomes-focused programming grounded in student needs and data-informed practice.

Eric Endlich, Ph.D., clinical psychologist and founder of Top College Consultants®, manages a diverse, nationwide team of college admissions professionals helping neurodivergent students transition to higher education. He co-teaches the UC Irvine continuing education course for educational consultants, Working with Students with Learning Differences, and co-manages a 27,000-member Facebook group for parents of college-bound neurodivergent students. Dr. Endlich has served on the Board of Directors, the Learning Differences/Neurodiversity Committee and the DEI Committee of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), and was honored with IECA’s “Making a Difference” award for contributions such as a database of neurodiversity-friendly colleges. A keynote speaker, researcher and professional writer, he is also on the board of the College Autism Network and helped found the Neurodiverse Couples Institute for the Association for Autism and Neurodiversity. Finally, he is a neurodivergent parent and adult himself.

Matt Leichman is an Admissions Counselor for the University of Maryland-College Park. After graduating from UMD in 2022 with a degree in Communication, Matt joined the Office of Undergraduate Admissions team in February 2023. 

Matt currently serves as the Territory Manager for Northern Virginia, Nassau County, New York and Howard County, Maryland and also oversees the admissions for Homeschooled students, Concurrent Enrollment Students and Children of Facility and Staff while also working closely with the Honors College 

A native New Yorker, Matt spends his free time hanging out with friends, exploring DCs restaurant scene and dealing with the emotional whiplash of being a New York Knicks fan.

April has been working in college admissions for 9 years. Before this, she was an elementary school teacher and outdoor educator. She is passionate about working to make college admissions equitable and has created initiatives at Wooster to make tours and visits accessible to many world languages.

Kahlil is a graduate of Berea College where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. He later graduated from the University of Louisville’s Kent School of Social Work where he completed his Master of Social Work.  Kahlil was raised by a single mother who has been a community activist, politician, and social worker. Her profound influence, as well as his powerful experiences at Berea College, led to his work in community organizing, mental health, child protection and advocacy, chemical dependency and recovery, and higher education. Broadly, Kahlil’s career has been focused on helping others, and he has made that his life’s work.

Prior to joining the Berea College’s Office of Admissions in 2018, Kahlil served as the Director of the Martin Luther King Center at the University of Kentucky, and the Sophomore Counselor at UK’s Center for Academic Resources and Enrichment Services (CARES), and many other roles serving others.

"Edithe Rose is a proud Burundian, first-generation college graduate, and dedicated higher education professional. She earned her B.A. in Sociology/Anthropology with a specialization in Leadership Development from Agnes Scott College in December 2023.

During her time at Agnes Scott, Edithe was deeply engaged in multiple positions across campus life, receiving the Unsung Hero Award and serving as Vice President and later President of Path Makers, demonstrating her strong commitment to leadership and student engagement.

She currently serves as a Student Recruitment and Engagement Specialist at Berea College, guiding and supporting first-year and transfer students as they navigate their college journeys.

As a first-generation college graduate, Edithe is passionate about college counseling and expanding students’ access to scholarships, grants, and career opportunities that support both academic achievement and personal growth. She has served in several executive roles within nonprofit organizations—including Student Coordinator, Treasurer, and Director of Student Success—culminating in her recognition as a 2025 Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Atlanta 30 Under 30 recipient. Edithe remains deeply committed to empowering students to reach their educational and professional aspirations."

Lamesha C. Brown, Ph.D. is a proud first-generation college graduate. She was raised in Washington state, but lived in Georgia and Minnesota before moving to Pennsylvania. As a college student at Washington State University, Dr. Brown had dreams of becoming a personal shopper to the stars. Instead, she found her purpose in the field of higher education championing student success and supporting students as they navigate their college experience. She has over 10 years of higher education experience in multiple functional areas including academic advising/coaching, first-generation student success, first-year experience, and housing and residence life. Dr. Brown earned her B.A. in Apparel Merchandising from Washington State University, M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from Valdosta State University, and Ph.D. in College Student Affairs Administration from the University of Georgia. She enjoys traveling, spending time with family and friends, baking, and sewing. She is the life partner to Antuan Brown and dog-mom to Bron Brown.

" Elisa is a first-generation college graduate, transfer student, and college access professional passionate about helping students turn their aspirations into clear, achievable postsecondary pathways. Grounded in her lived experience, she is deeply committed to advancing equity and ensuring students—especially those from historically underserved communities—have the tools, knowledge, and support to navigate their futures with confidence.

Elisa earned her undergraduate degree from California State University, Long Beach and pursued graduate studies at Azusa Pacific University. She began her career as a college adviser, supporting students through college exploration, applications, and decision-making, and was later promoted to program coordinator, where she expanded her impact through program implementation, educator coaching, and school partnerships.

As an equity-minded practitioner and systems thinker, Elisa focuses on strengthening the structures that support student success. She is especially passionate about helping students articulate and achieve their postsecondary goals while building aligned, sustainable systems that drive meaningful outcomes."

Leah has over 20 years of experience in the education sector, including more than 15 years in higher education work focused on undergraduate and graduate financial aid, admissions, and non-profit financial education. She has worked in financial aid across several sectors, including Columbia Business School, Penn State Dickinson Law, and Dickinson College in positions from Assistant Director to Assistant Vice President. She most recently joined Juno after serving as a Regional Director for Financial Education at AccessLex Institute.

As the Executive Director of Admission, Miguel Alvarez leads the team in the Office of Admission and oversees undergraduate student recruitment, admission review, travel, yield and enrollment. Prior to being named Executive Director in 2025, Miguel served as Director of Access and Opportunity/Tartan Scholars Recruitment and Enrollment Manager in the Office of Admission. In this role, Miguel gained extensive knowledge in the areas of access, affordability and student success, and he was responsible for leading initiatives in athletics, outreach, counselor and CBO partnerships, and other college access efforts. Miguel also collaborated with the Student Academic Success Center and the Tartan Scholars program, working with student leaders from limited resource backgrounds. His beliefs in the power of education, relationship building, caring for people, and collaboration stem from his broad admission experience and his personal experience as a first-generation college student. 

Sophie Gamble is a master's student in Education Policy at The University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, where she focuses on how federal policies are implemented by institutions and navigated by students. She also works in the Office of Admission and Financial Aid. Sophie has spent time with several educational access organizations, including Teach For America and Breakthrough Collaborative. She is beginning a role with the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators and transitioning to a College Counselor role at an independent school. 

Jed is the Founder and President of Applerouth Tutoring Services, a national test-prep and academic tutoring services provider.  Jed is a Nationally Certified Counselor with a Master's Degree in Professional Counseling and a PhD in Educational Psychology.  Jed has researched testing for over two decades and has presented his findings at national conferences and published in numerous peer-reviewed journals.  Jed's research on motivation and pedagogy has informed the instructional style of the Applerouth team of tutors.  Jed is also a trained landscape artist and likes playing his djembe and guitar for his two little ones at home.  

Sasha Fawaz, a college counselor with 16+ years of experience, has helped students gain admission to Ivy League and top research universities, with many receiving full scholarships. She uses her expertise in selective admissions to provide strategic guidance and content that reflects the evolving expectations of top-tier institutions.

Sarah Seymour is the Executive Director of Pre-College Programs at Kaplan, where she leads the development of SAT, ACT, and college and career readiness programs designed to help students unlock opportunities and reach their goals. She is especially passionate about supporting first-generation students with the tools, strategies, and confidence they need to navigate the path to college successfully.Before joining Kaplan, Sarah worked with school districts and colleges across the country to create learning and assessment solutions that expand access and promote equity. She has also taught career development and public speaking at the college level, helping students strengthen their communication skills and prepare for professional success.

Jenny Spinner is professor of English, Writing & Journalism at Saint Joseph’s University where she teaches creative nonfiction and journalism and serves as Director of the Writing Center. In her position as the department's internship coordinator for nearly two decades, she worked to promote and facilitate internship opportunities for majors and minors. She is a published author of numerous literary and scholarly essays and two books, including Of Women and the Essay: An Anthology from 1655 to 2000.

Kevin March is a Program Manager at Lumiere Education and a PhD candidate in History at Boston College. His research examines the environmental dimensions of encounters between Puritans and Native Americans in colonial New England. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Cornell University and a master’s degree from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. With over seven years of experience teaching in college classrooms and mentoring students as an admissions coach and test-prep tutor, Kevin brings a deep commitment to helping young scholars develop their research and critical thinking skills. After six wonderful years in Boston, Kevin and his partner moved to New York, where he’s learning to love the big city.

Ibrahim Firat brings over two decades of experience at the intersection of nonprofit leadership, business strategy, and financial stewardship with deep expertise in nonprofit finance and strategic growth.Ibrahim is the Chief Educational Consultant and Co-Founder of Firat Education, a nationally recognized firm providing test preparation and college consulting services. He has previously served as President and Treasurer of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), where he guided the organization through major governance and financial transitions. He is also the former Vice President of the iWrite Literacy Organization, where he helped scale programs that empower young writers. In addition to his education-focused work, Ibrahim is the Co-Founder and strategic lead at Nexus Futbol Academy, a unique private soccer school that merges academics and athletics, breaking barriers for talented youth athletes seeking holistic development.Ibrahim holds an MBA and a BA in History from the University of St. Thomas (TX), as well as a Certificate in Entrepreneurship from Babson College.

Leeroy Tafadzwa Matarutse is a dedicated student-athlete and emerging leader in sports and business. Pursuing a double major in Business Management and Sport Management at King University, he also competes as a D2 soccer player and has led the King University Developmental Soccer Team to a Conference Carolinas Championship game. Professionally, Leeroy is the Head of College Placement at Foot Prodigy and has gained valuable experience through internships in Communications and PR and Consumer Sales at Bristol Motor Speedway. He is also a volunteer graphic designer for Tri-Cities United Soccer Club and King Men’s Soccer, blending creativity with his passion for sports. Recognized among the top 200 student-athletes selected for the NCAA Careers in Sports Forum, Leeroy holds certifications in Artificial Intelligence in Marketing, U.S. Soccer Grassroots Coaching, and Safe and Healthy Playing Environments. With a proven track record of leadership, adaptability, and innovation, he is poised to make a significant impact in the sports and business industries.

Michelle Gervasio is an experienced educator and materials scientist with specialties in nanomaterials, nanoparticle-polymer hybrids, colloidal suspensions, and a variety of materials characterization techniques. She earned her B.S. (2012) and her Ph.D. (2018) in Materials Science and Engineering from Virginia Tech.

"An expert in university and graduate admissions, Quyen has helped hundreds of students from every continent gain acceptance to the most selective institutions worldwide. She is originally from the United States, where she earned an Ed.M. from Harvard University and dual degrees in Music and Kinesiology from Iowa State University on a full academic scholarship. She is also a recipient of the prestigious Fulbright Fellowship and has extensive international experience, having lived abroad for 12+ years.

Quyen is a professional member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), where she serves on both the Global and Graduate Committees and chairs the Business Subcommittee. She will soon step into the role of Chair of the Graduate Committee. She was also formerly an associate professor at CESA, one of Latin America’s leading business schools, where she taught both undergraduate and MBA students for nearly a decade. 

Her clients often view her not only as an admissions expert, but also as a trusted mentor and coach."

Drew Barksdale is the inaugural dean of student success in the undergraduate program at Boston College’s Carroll School of Management. In this role, Drew builds the data infrastructure and intervention systems that identify students at risk of attrition and connect them to resources before they stop out. His current work sits at the intersection of academic advising, career development, and data-informed program design. He's a double eagle and pursuing his doctorate in Higher Education at Boston College.

"Since 2018, Caitlin Andersen has helped business graduate school applicants navigate the admissions process. Currently, Ms. Andersen is the IECA (Independent Educational Consultants Association) Graduate Committee Chair. She is internationally recognized by Fortune Magazine, GMAT Club, and the Changing Higher Ed Podcast. 

Ms. Andersen has an MBA from the University of Oxford, Saïd Business School where she received graduate-level writing distinctions on individual essays from Harvard Business School, Stanford GSB, and Oxford SBS professors. Ms. Andersen graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Texas at San Antonio with a Bachelor’s degree in Technical Communication and a GPA of 4.0 / 4.0. She ranked 1 of 1668 in her class.

Prior to becoming an academic consultant, Ms. Andersen was a management consultant and a recruiter. In these roles, she enjoyed helping small businesses and individuals build their brands.

On a personal note - Ms. Andersen is a former Professional International Latin Dance Competitor. She placed Top 34 in the World in the Professional Rising Star category at the Blackpool Dance Festival in England in 2022. She still dances for fun!"

Chris Andersson was the Director of Admissions for the Drama department at NYU Tisch School of the Arts for 12 years and now leads an educational consultancy that advises students who want to pursue an education in the arts. His team supports theatermakers, filmmakers, writers, musicians, dancers, visual artists, architects, photographers, and those who want to work in the fashion industry. We provide guidance for applying to undergraduate, graduate and summer high school programs in the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand — really any English-language arts program anywhere in the world. To serve young artists around the globe in the best way possible, Chris founded Nothing But Drama in 2014.

For the past 15 years, Peter has advised families on career and college planning for teens. His background includes Human Resources for Fortune 100 companies and faculty for STEM (AP Physics, Biology, Robotics) in both private and public high schools. He provides a practical perspective on preparing teens for college and career success.

David duKor-Jackson is well-versed in the finer points of the college search and admissions process having worked on “both sides of the desk” at multiple institutions as both an admissions officer and college counselor.  David has served In his current role as Director of Admissions at MIT since the Fall of 2020.

Dr. Michele Evard is an educational consultant who assists homeschooling families during the K-12 years and college application process. While homeschooling her three children and mentoring others, she served as program director and then president of Voyagers Homeschool Cooperative and Resource Center, a nonprofit with the mission to include neurodiverse homeschoolers. Now Michele helps design and document unique educational options, and assists learners who took personalized paths during their college search & application process. Dr. Evard is the author of College UnMazed: Your Guide to Design & Document Your Homeschool and a regular presenter at professional conferences. She is honored to serve as the chair of the board for Barrier Breakers, Inc., and is a member of IECA, NACAC, NPEA, DLAC and SENG.

Wade Arave has spent more than 12 years helping students choose where to continue their education. As Director of Admissions at The Evergreen State College, he helps make high quality alternative education accessible to everyone.