Howard University

I hold over 6 years of higher education administration experience advising students on their educational and academic pursuits. I obtained my B.S. in 2017 from Bowling Green State University where I received a 4-year full-ride scholarship. I graduated from Michigan State University with my master's in Education Administration in 2019. As a higher education professional, I strive to remove barriers to education and provide support to students from all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. I believe that having access to affordable higher education is an amazing avenue to pursue, and an opportunity everyone should be able to access affordably. I have experience advising a diverse array of students from many different institution types and love connecting with students holistically and providing them support and resources to best reach their collegiate goals. As an educator the driving force behind my advising style is to provide guidance and support as well as getting to know my student goals, values, and priorities to help them make decisions best suited for their situation. My time in higher education has allowed me to gain a great understanding around academic requirements, extracurricular activities, and institution types. I am always excited to learn about the experiences that have shaped students and how they want to make their impact on the world. I am very skilled in assisting students in finding out what it is they value and how they want to "share their story" with higher education institutions. I know the application process and the search for the right school can feel daunting and overwhelming at times, but I know from experience with the right support it can be incredibly rewarding and exciting as well!

College counseling started as a college major, but I quickly found it to be my true passion. It has become my calling. Over the past twenty years, I have counseled hundreds of students into their college fit. My students have received offers to the most competitive colleges in the USA, UK, Canada, and abroad. I am well-versed in the application process and essay writing. My journey into college counseling has taken me to Canada, the UK, the USA, Italy, China, and The Middle East. I graduated from Howard University, and my instructors were the first of their generation to receive degrees; they were my mentors and pioneers in their respective fields! But it was during my time at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, UNECA I realized the power of education. I worked in Ethiopia on a fellowship to eliminate Female Genital Mutilation, FGM. That experience changed my career trajectory and put female issues at the center of my work. It was then I realized the power of educating girls. When I visited The Hamlin Fistula Hospital, I met an Oromo woman with the most exciting story. Years ago, she was brought to a hospital by her father and of no use to her husband. She was in labor for almost a full day and lost her child. The fetus stuck inside her, and in the process, she permanently damaged her womb. She could no longer have children, which was the only purpose she saw for herself then. A visiting team from the US-sponsored her to attend college, and she eventually received her nursing degree. Now she is a permanent fixture at The Hamlin Hospital as a head nurse and spends her spare time educating other women and family members. The most significant transformation happened with her immediate family, her father, mother, brother, and sisters all benefited from her education. When you educate a woman, you educate a family. That was when I saw the power of education, and I knew I needed to empower people through the power of college counseling. At the core of my work is a deep appreciation of the uniqueness of each student and embracing the fact that every student's path is particular to them. I want my clients to know who they are and understand why they like what they like so they can choose programs that resonate with their personalities. Yes, I am a dreamer, pragmatist, and skilled strategist. My experiences have fine-tuned these skills I have gained through education, travel, life, color, understanding all the nuances and idiosyncrasies of cultures, and turning students' lives into stories that whet the appetite of college admissions representatives. The college application requires a lot of reflection on experiences and lessons learned and knowing success and challenges. My work with my clients is about unleashing their passion and helping them find themselves as they discover their universities of choice. I am pleased that the college counseling process is becoming more inclusive as we elevate student voices. As I enter my 24th year of college counseling, I desire to partner with students and their families to help them find their best match. Professionally I have visited universities in the UK, Canada, China, Australia, South Korea, the USA, and South America. I am familiar with curricula from IB, AP, IGCSE, and Canadian, and others as well. I am a full-time Director of College Counseling at a private independent school. This work is crucial for understanding the daily influences that impact students, domestically and internationally. I am committed to working on issues of equity and inclusivity with all communities. I am part of an extensive People of Color college counseling community; they are essential to my existence. This community has given me wise counsel, support, and a sense of belonging. I remain a student of life and will never stop learning.

To give you an idea of who I am, I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with my Bachelor of Science in Biology & Exercise and Sport Science in 2016. I then went on to become a College Advisor aiding over 1500+ students in their college process. Some of my most rewarding experiences have been supporting students to be admitted to Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Columbia, NYU, Duke, and many other top universities. I’m very passionate about the sciences and education. I currently work as a Senior Instructional Designer for a cable provider! I’d love to be a part of your journey!

I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and Political Science from Rice University. I also hold a Master's in Education from the University of Houston in Higher Education Administration and Supervision. I am currently working on a Doctorate in Higher Education Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Houston.

I started my career in college admissions at Rice University in 2009. I worked my way up from being an Admission Counselor to Associate Director of Admission. I have over 15 years of experience in advising students through the college admission process. While I represented Rice University, I have always viewed my job as being a representative of higher education. Therefore, I have assisted students in their college admissions journey whether their destination was Rice or any other college or university. I have also conducted workshops on highly selective admission practices, essay writing, and mock admission committee case studies. I served as an admission committee chair for all areas of study including international student admissions and transfer admissions. I have served at the national level as part of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) Anti-Racism Institute Faculty and the Guiding the Way to Inclusion Conference Faculty

My approach is to serve as a guide and a coach. The college admission process should be an amazing time in your life in which you get to dream big and think about the environment you want to spend your time in. My job is to help guide you to places that will help fulfill your dreams, places that will provide the environment where you will feel happy, healthy, and supported, and places that will open you to new opportunities/possibilities. This process can seem daunting, but it truly isn't. Together we will put together your best application, hit submit, and take a deep breath as you watch the admission doors open.