Meet Our College Consulting Team
With the largest team in the industry of over 100 Former College Admissions Officers from Ivy League and other top colleges, Solomon Admissions Consulting uses a team-based approach to maximize results. Our team has a combined 600+ years of college admissions committee experience, having reviewed a combined total of over 700,000+ college applications.
All of our consultants have been trained to use the Solomon Methodology, ensuring that you receive the same high quality strategies, results and experience. Below you'll find the bios of our college consultants. You can find bios of our graduate school and K-12 consultants as well:
Medical School Consultants | MBA Consultants | K-12 Consultants
Founders
Vitaly Borishan
Georgetown Law
Vitaly is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley, and has a Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University Law Center. He is the recipient of the prestigious Warren Christopher Scholarship Award, established in honor of the former U.S. Secretary of State.
Prior to founding Solomon Admissions Consulting, Vitaly worked at two major Am Law 100 international law firms as a Corporate Attorney. Vitaly has extensive experience working with talented high school and college students to perfect their admissions applications to Ivy League and other top institutions in the country. He has assisted and consulted applicants with regards to personal statements, theme development, strategic positioning, and overall applications. He has also prepared both high school and college students for various examinations, including the PSAT, SAT, GRE, GMAT, and LSAT.
Dan Lee
Georgetown Law
Dan is a graduate of the Georgetown University Law Center and studied engineering and worked as an engineer prior to law school. Dan has also worked as an Intellectual Property Attorney at a major Am Law 100 international law firm.
Dan has over a decade of experience helping talented students gain admission to the top undergraduate and graduate institutions in the country. He has personally edited countless personal statements and has advised applicants on proper structure, language and tone. Dan has also done extensive work with students on strategic positioning consulting to position applicants in the most advantageous light possible. His clients come from all walks of life and have come from California, New York, Virginia, Massachusetts, and as far as London and Singapore. Dan is also a former SAT and LSAT prep instructor for Princeton Review.
Leadership Team
Tamy-Feé Meneide
Director of College Counseling
Solomon Admissions Consulting
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
Dartmouth College
- 2 Years in Dartmouth College Admissions
- 1 Years in MIT Admissions
- 6,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Ms. Meneide is an educational counselor and college coach (both graduate level and undergraduate level), and graduated with her Master's from Boston College in Higher Education Administration.
Cathleen Sheils
Senior Associate Director of College Counseling
Solomon Admissions Consulting
Former Director of Admissions
Cornell University
Former Executive Director of Enrollment Management
SUNY
- 12 Years in Cornell Admissions
- 20,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Cathleen earned her MPS degree in Policy Analysis and Management and her BS degree in Science and Economics from Cornell University. She conducts research, writes and speaks on higher education enrollment and selective admissions trends.
John Birney
Associate Director of College Counseling
Solomon Admissions Consulting
Former Senior Associate Director of Admissions for Selection & Constituent Relations,
Johns Hopkins
Former Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management
Wofford College
Former Senior Enrollment Associate
University of Lynchburg
- 13 Years in Johns Hopkins University Admissions
- 7 Years in Wofford College Admissions
- 5 Years at Lynchburg College
- 75,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Will Giles
Associate Director of College Counseling
Solomon Admissions Consulting
Former Admissions Officer
Duke University
- 2 years in Duke University Admissions
- 4,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Will Giles is a Senior Admissions Consultant. He earned his Bachelor's Degree from Duke University (graduating with distinction) with majors in Political Science and Public Policy and a minor in History.
He first worked in the admissions office at his alma mater, being responsible for many application reviews and evaluations.
Marisa Herrera
Associate Director of College Counseling
Solomon Admissions Consulting
Former Assistant Director of Admission
Stanford University
- 17 Years in College Admissions
- 6,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Dr. Marisa Herrera has an undergraduate degree with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and Applied Science with an emphasis in Agribusiness, a Master of Business Management (M.S.M) with an emphasis in International Business and a Doctorate in Higher Education Administration from the University of Southern California. Dr. Marisa Herrera has worked in higher education for over 17 years at several highly selective institutions including UCLA, Stanford University and USC.
Senior Consultants
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Nicholas Accrocco
Former Auxiliary Application Reader
University of Pennsylvania
Former Admissions Counselor
Vanderbilt University
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
Kogod School of Business, American University
- 1 Year in University of Pennsylvania Admissions
- 1 Year in American University Admissions
- 3 Years in Vanderbilt University Admissions
- 7,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Haley Artime
Former Admissions Counselor
Washington University in St. Louis
Former Admissions Reader
Washington University in St. Louis
Former Transfer Admissions Counselor
Lindenwood University
- 4 years in Washington University in St. Louis Admissions
- 1 year in Lindenwood University Admissions
- 2,000+ Applications Read & Evaluated
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Adria Belin
Former Associate Director of Admissions
Dartmouth College
Former Associate Director of Admissions
Regis College
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
Simmons University
Former Admissions Counselor
The College of New Rochelle
- 7 years in Dartmouth College Admissions
- 2 years in Regis College Admissions
- 4 years in Simmons University Admissions
- 1 year in The College of New Rochelle Admissions
- 10,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Geetika Bobba
Former Undergraduate Admissions Reader
Stanford University
- 1 year at Stanford University Admissions
- 500+ applications read and evaluated
Geetika is passionate about education and has been providing guidance to both parents and students on how to successfully navigate college admissions for over 5 years. Geetika moved to the US from India at a young age and had to navigate the college admissions process without the benefit of outside help. Her own journey has propelled her personal mission to help guide students and their families to become aware of all their options and ultimately set them up for success.
Ryan Bouziane
Former Senior Assistant Director of Admission
University of Southern California
Former Assistant Dean of Admission
Pomona College
- 3 years in USC Admissions
- 2.5 years in Pomona College Admissions
- 10,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Ryan is an alumnus of the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism, where he completed undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
Rod Bugarin
Former Assistant Director of Admission & Financial Aid
Columbia University
Former Assistant Director of Financial Aid
Brown University
Former Assistant Dean of Admission
Wesleyan University
Former Sr. Assistant Director of Admission
Hampshire College
- 4 Years in Columbia University Admissions
- 2 Years in Brown University Financial Aid
- 2 Years at Wesleyan University in Admissions
- 3 Years at Hampshire College Admissions
- 10,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Nikki Burke
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
Johns Hopkins University
- 10,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Nikki earned their B.S. at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and is currently pursuing an M.A. in Counseling at Loyola University Maryland.
As an Assistant Director of Admissions at Johns Hopkins University, Nikki managed national and international recruitment workflows, overseeing various territories across the Northeast and international markets. She coordinated large-scale public sessions, organized high school visits, and led a team dedicated to Division III student-athlete admissions.
Delphine L. Byrd
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
University of Michigan Ann Arbor
Former Associate Director of Admissions
University of Michigan Law School
Former Assistant Dean for Admissions
University of Florida College of Law
- 18 years (combined) in University of Michigan Ann Arbor Undergraduate and Law School Admissions
- 2 years in University of Florida College of Law Admissions
- 20,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Janelle Braverman
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
Dartmouth College
- 1 Year in Dartmouth College Admissions
- 1,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Janelle Braverman is an Independent Educational Consultant and a Professional Member of Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) and the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC).
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Charles Adams Cogan
Former Assistant Director of Undergrad Admission
Northwestern University
Former Associate Dean of Admissions/Director of International Recruitment
Carleton College
- 5 Years in Northwestern University Admissions
- 15,000+ applications read and evaluated
Charlie earned a bachelor’s degree in History from Carleton College and a master’s degree in African and Middle Eastern History from Northwestern University and was a Ph.D. Candidate in African History for several years before leaving the program to take a job in the admissions office at Northwestern.
Alexis Colbert
Former Assistant Director of Admission
Rice University
Former Senior Admissions Fellow
Dartmouth College
- 4,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Alexis earned their B.A. in Anthropology at Dartmouth College. They then received a M.A. in Social Anthropology at the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies with a fellowship award from Dartmouth College. As a Senior Admissions Fellow at Dartmouth College, Alexis conducted outreach, wrote admissions blog posts, and evaluated over 100 applications.
Kelly Connors
Former Admissions Reader
Duke University
Former Undergraduate Advising Coordinator
George Mason University
- 4 years in Duke University Admissions
- 2 years in George Mason University Admissions
- 1,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Kelly earned a Masters of Education at George Mason University where she also engaged in student advising support. Kelly joined the undergraduate admissions team at Duke University where she reviewed and evaluated hundreds of applications per year and provided admit recommendations for committee review.
Maura Connors
Former Senior Admissions Counselor
University of Chicago
- 2 years in University of Chicago Admissions
- 4,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
After graduating from the University of Chicago with a major in Geographical Studies and a minor in Art History, Maura joined the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at UChicago. In her two years there, she recruited students from across the country, evaluated more than 4,000 UChicago applications, offered information sessions on applying to highly selective universities, led educational essay writing workshops, and advocated for students in the admissions committee.
Jeffery Cooks
Former Senior Assistant Director of Admission
Northwestern University
- 12 years in undergraduate admissions
- 4 years in Northwestern University Admissions
- 11,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Jeffery is a graduate of Butler University School of Education, where he also received the first of
three master’s degrees. Currently, Jeffery is a doctoral candidate in the area of curriculum and
instruction. In more than 25 years of educational experience, nearly half of that time was spent
in enrollment management with schools such as Butler University and Northwestern University.
Carla Crooker
Former Associate Director of Admissions
Cornell University
- 13 Years in Cornell Admissions
- 20,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
With more than a dozen years of experience in higher education admissions, recruitment, and program management in both graduate and undergraduate studies, Carla is committed to empowering students to reach their greatest potential through higher education.
Carla earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Washington in Comparative Literature and Film Studies and spent many years teaching and working in human services non-profits before beginning in the world of admissions.
Danielle Crowe
Former Admissions Reader
New York University
Former Admissions Reader
University of Michigan Ross School of Business
Former Admissions Counselor & HR Generalist
University of Michigan
- 6 Years in New York University Admissions
- 1 Year in University of Michigan Ross School of Business Admissions
- 3 Years in University of Michigan Admissions
- 4 Years inWestern Michigan University Office of Admissions
- 5,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
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Adriana Diaz-Granados
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
Johns Hopkins University
Former Admissions Officer
Georgetown University Law Center
- 1 Year in Johns Hopkins University Admissions
- 2 Years in Georgetown Law Admissions
- 2,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Adriana is a Senior Admissions Consultant at Solomon. She earned her BA in Information Communication Technology from Florida State University, where she graduated with honors and is in the process of earning her Masters in Higher Education Administration from Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies.
Gabrielle Dulys
Former Admissions Counselor
The University of Chicago
- 1 Year in University of Chicago Admissions
- 700+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Gabrielle graduated with honors from the University of Chicago with a BA in East Asian Languages and Civilizations and Fundamentals: Issues and Texts, a selective interdisciplinary, independent humanities major unique to their alma mater. They joined the University of Chicago’s college admissions team after graduation and spent a year sharing their love of the university with prospective students while educating them about the application process and evaluating hundreds of applications from students from around the world.
Kevin Dupont
Former Admissions Reader
University of California – Berkeley
Former Admissions Reader
Cornell University
Additional experience in the Learn More section below.
- 8 Years in Undergraduate Admissions
- 2 Years in Cornell University Admissions
- 10,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Kevin holds a B.A. in International & Global Studies and Anthropology from Brandeis University and a Master of Arts in Law & Diplomacy from Tufts University. As a former admissions reader from numerous universities, Kevin has evaluated candidates from across the globe for both undergraduate and graduate admission. In his reading roles, Kevin not only determined which students were eligible for admission, but also examined scholarship awards
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John W. Enyart
Former Director of MBA & Graduate Admissions
Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
Former Director of Admissions and Financial Aid
Katz Graduate School of Business, University of Pittsburgh
- 11 years of undergraduate admissions directorships for engineering, sciences and liberal arts
- 9 years of graduate admissions directorships for business and natural sciences
- 26,000+ Admissions Decisions (final authority)
Mr. Enyart draws on his experience with a wide spectrum of select academic programs and admissions processes as a teacher and director of admissions.
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Stephanie Fernandez
Former Assistant Director of Admission
Northwestern University
- 3 Years in Northwestern University Admissions
- 6,000+ Applications read
Stephanie earned her B.A. in Sociology from Northwestern University and her M.Ed in Education Policy from the University of Washington. As a first-generation college student, Stephanie became passionate about helping others through the college application process and finding the best fit school.
Chennery Fife
Former Admissions Counselor
University of Pennsylvania
- 2 Years in University of Pennsylvania Admissions
- 3,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Chennery Fife earned her Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Pennsylvania in Political Science, with a minor in Consumer Psychology. She graduated Magna Cum Laude and went on to earn her Masters in Environmental Studies from the University of Pennsylvania with a Resource Management concentration.
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Nathalie Galindo
Former Admissions Officer
Harvard College
Former Admissions Director
NYU Steinhardt
Former Admissions Director
UC Berkeley School of Information
- 4 Years in Harvard College Admissions
- 5,500+ Applications Read & Evaluated
- 2 Years at NYU Steinhardt
- 1 Year at UC Berkeley School of Information
Nathalie is an accomplished admissions professional who has held admissions leadership and committee roles at top colleges and universities like Harvard College, UC Berkeley and New York University.
Daniela Garcia
Former Graduate Student Admissions Officer
University of Pennsylvania
Former Admissions Student Coordinator
Johns Hopkins University
- 3 Years in Johns Hopkins University Admissions
- 1 Year in UPenn Undergraduate Admissions
- 3,500+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Daniela Garcia received her Bachelor of Science from Johns Hopkins University, graduating with honors, where she double majored in both Neuroscience and Psychology along with a minor in Film & Media Studies. She earned her Master of Science in Education degree from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, focusing on higher education admissions and administration.
Adrienne Gilbert
Former Admissions Reader
Rice University
- 2 years at Rice University Admissions
- 3500+ Applications Read and Evaluated
As college admissions professional for the last 16 years, Adrienne has experience working on all sides of the proverbial admissions desk. She has read thousands of applications in her role as an admissions reader for highly selective Rice University, she has aided in the development of admissions and financial aid strategies for colleges and universities worldwide as a higher education enrollment consultant, and she has served as the Director of College Counseling in an elite K-12 school.
Sarah J. Goebel (Sally)
Former Senior Associate Director of Admissions
Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
Former Director of On-Campus Recruitment Programs
University of Pennsylvania
- 5 Years in Wharton MBA Admissions
- 3 Years in Penn Undergraduate Admissions
- 10,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Sally’s professional experience combines nearly a decade of Ivy League admissions work with more than 20 years advising students and parents in prestigious college preparatory schools regarding admissions and financial aid.
Kenya Graham
Former Seasonal Admissions Reader
University of California, Berkeley
- 3 Years in UC Berkeley Admissions
- 2,500+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Kenya earned her B.A. in Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University, New Brunswick. She later pursued her M.A. in Higher Education, Student Affairs and International Education Policy at the University of Maryland, College Park. Kenya has professional experience in college admissions at UC Berkeley, reading over 800 applications annually.
Andrew Green
Former Senior Admissions Counselor
University of Chicago
- 2 Years in University of Chicago Admissions
- 3,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Andrew holds a B.A. in English Language and Literature and Law, Letters, and Society from the University of Chicago and an MFA in writing from the University of South Carolina. As a UChicago admissions officer, Andrew traveled extensively throughout New England conducting outreach, evaluated thousands of applications for first-year and transfer admission, and participated in and advocated for students during admissions committee deliberations.
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Michael Heeter
Former Application Reader
UC-Berkeley
Former Associate Director of Admission
DePauw University
Former Sr. Assistant Director
New York University
Former Assistant Director
Vanderbilt University & Ithaca College
- 9 Years in College Admission
- 10,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Anoi Hindle
Former Admissions Officer
Johns Hopkins University
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
St. Mary's College of Maryland
- 1 Year in Johns Hopkins University Admissions
- 2 Years in St. Mary's College of Maryland Admissions
- 3,500+ Applications Read and Evaluated
After graduating with his BS in Economics from St. Mary's College of Maryland, Anoi spent 3 years reading domestic and international applications for his alma mater and Johns Hopkins University.
Mark Hoffman
Former Admissions Reader
Dartmouth College
Former Assistant Dean
Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy
Former Director of Communities
Dartmouth College Alumni Relations
Former Director of Student Center/Student Activities
Dartmouth College
Former Director of Student Activities/Student Center
Connecticut College
Former Assistant General Counsel
Chicago Board of Education
- 2 years at Dartmouth College Admissions
- 2,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
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Aliesha Ibikunle
Former Assistant Director of Admission
Carnegie Mellon University
- 2 years in Carnegie Mellon University Admissions
- 5,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
After graduating from Carnegie Mellon University, Aliesha spent two years reading applications from domestic and international applicants for all seven colleges that make up Carnegie Mellon University. As part of her role, she traveled nationwide to major cities to meet with high school guidance counselors, juniors, and seniors to outline the competitive admission process, and advise on how to stand out.
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Aurora Kearney
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
New York University
Former Admissions Reader
Northeastern University
- 2 years in NYU Admissions
- 1 year in Northeastern University Admissions
- 7,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Aurora graduated from NYU College of Arts and Science in 2012 with a Bachelors in Journalism and History. Two years after graduating, Aurora began her career in education working as an academic advisor for Masters students at NYU. It was working as an advisor that she discovered her love of working with students 1 on 1, and working in an educational setting.
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Gabriel Lazarin
Former Admission Counselor
Stanford University
- 2 Years in Stanford University Admissions
- 3,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Gabriel Lazarin holds a BA in Human Biology from Stanford University and a MS in Genetic Counseling from the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston. He worked for two years as an Admissions Counselor in the Office of Undergraduate Admission at Stanford, where he reviewed approximately 3,000 applications from across the United States, met with candidates in individual and group settings, and delivered information sessions in local communities.
Patty Lydic
Former Admissions Reader
University of Michigan
Former Admissions Application Reader
University of Colorado Boulder
Former Recruitment and Admissions Coordinator
University of Colorado Boulder
Former Assistant Director of Admissions and Enrollment
Ohio State University
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
The College of Wooster
- 20+ years in Admissions
- 10,500+ applications read and evaluated
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Ariel Mazel-Gee
Former Admissions Reader
Stanford University
- 5 Years in Stanford Undergraduate Admissions
- 2 years as an Ambassador for University of Southern California Graduate Admissions
- 4,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Ariel Mazel-Gee is dedicated to empowering young people to reach their greatest potential. Her insider's view of college admissions stems from Stanford University, where she worked for five years evaluating thousands of applications on Stanford's Undergraduate Admissions committee, as well as conducting tours and presentations for prospective applicants from around the world.
Janine McGuire
Former Admission Officer
Princeton University
- 2 Years in Princeton Undergraduate Admissions
- 2,500+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Janine attained her undergraduate degree from Princeton University and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Pennsylvania. She has devoted her entire career to higher education having worked in Higher Education Publishing at Prentice-Hall, Undergraduate Admissions at Princeton, internships in Law School Admission and the Student Financial Services Office at UPenn, and over twelve years of Development and Advancement Office experience at Princeton University.
Ozzie Mendoza
Former Admissions Reader
Stanford University
Former Admissions Reader
UCLA
Former Admissions Advisor
2U: MIT, Columbia University, Georgia Tech
- 1 Year in Stanford Admissions
- 2 Years in UCLA Admissions
- 1,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Ozzie received his Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Education from UCLA and his Master of Arts in Cultural Studies from San Jose State University.
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Roscoe Nicholson
Former Admissions Counselor and Admissions Reader
University of Chicago
- 3 Years in University of Chicago Admissions
- 3,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
In addition to his undergraduate admissions work reading applications and interviewing applicants, Roscoe spent many years teaching undergraduates and graduate students as a Lector in the University of Chicago’s Academic and Professional Writing Course (a.k.a. “The Little Red Schoolhouse”).
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Monica Patten
Former Admissions Officer
New York University
- 5 Years in New York University Admissions
- 6,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Monica has her B.A. in Psychology from New York University and her M.A. from New York University, where she studied Higher Education and Student Affairs to complement her 10+ years of Higher Education experience. Throughout her role as an Admissions officer, she has traveled to local, regional, and international schools and events to identify and recruit top candidates for both undergraduate and graduate programs. As a first-generation college graduate, she is passionate about helping students navigate the college admissions process.
Vanessa Pius
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
Dartmouth College
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
Sarah Lawrence College
- 2 years in Dartmouth College Admissions
- 2 years in Sarah Lawrence College Admissions
- 2,500+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Vanessa has five years of selective college admissions experience and has worked with students all over the country as both an admissions officer and consultant. Vanessa believes the college application process can be empowering: she helps students identify what they value in a social and academic community, and consider mutual fit with every school they add to their list.
Matthew Pohl
Former Associate Director of Admissions
University of Pennsylvania
Former Assistant Dean of Admission
College of William & Mary
Former Admission Counselor
Sarah Lawrence College
- 3.5 Years in University of Pennsylvania Admissions
- 3 Years in W&M Admissions
- 4 Years at SLC Admissions
- 20,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Edgar Preciado
Former Admissions Officer
Princeton University
- 3 Years in Princeton University Admissions
- 4,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Edgar earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish & Portuguese at Princeton University in 2018. After graduating with highest honors, Edgar returned to his alma mater to work as an Admission Officer. He served on Princeton’s Admission Committee and evaluated thousands of student applications annually.
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Charis Ralko
Former Associate Director of Admissions
Former Application Review Team Supervisor
Washington University in St. Louis
- 8 years in Washington University Admissions
- 8,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Charis earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Washington University in St. Louis with a major in Political Science. She graduated summa cum laude and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest academic honor society in the United States.
McKenna Rogan
Former Admission Officer
UCLA
Former Admissions Reader
Northwestern University
Former Associate Director of Admissions
Lake Forest College
- 2 years in UCLA Admissions
- 1 year in Northwestern University Admissions
- 3 years in Lake Forest College
- 6,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Wesley Rosamilia
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
University of Chicago
- 4 Years in University of Chicago Admissions
- 7,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
While working in college admissions and athletics, Wes Rosamilia evaluated over 7,000 applications and 14,000 college essays. Wes’ ability to help students find their authentically persuasive voice as they share their narrative has resulted in a 75% admission rate and over $500,000 in academic scholarships at institutions such as Williams College, Amherst College, Johns Hopkins, The University of Chicago, and more.
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Jordan Schank
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
University of Notre Dame
Former Director of Enrollment
Holy Cross College at Notre Dame
- 7 years in University of Notre Dame Admissions
- 4 years in Holy Cross College Admissions
- 8,000+ Applications read and evaluated
Jordan (he/him) earned his B.A. in Theology and Pre-Professional Studies from the University of Notre Dame. His undergraduate experience included studies in London, teaching in Tanzania, and playing the trombone in the Band of the Fighting Irish.
Drew Scopelliti
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
Columbia University
- 7 Years in Columbia Admissions
- 8,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Drew earned his BA in Economics from Columbia College and his MBA from Columbia Business School.
As Assistant Director of Admission at Columbia University, Drew held regional responsibilities for Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, South Jersey, Upstate New York and Horace Mann High School in New York City. During that time, he was the athletic liaison for tennis, golf and wrestling, and developed an alumni summer jobs program for incoming students and academically advised students in their freshman and sophomore years through Columbia’s rigorous Core Curriculum.
Kirsten Sharett
Former Admissions Officer
Princeton University
- 2 Years Former Admissions Reader Princeton University
- 2,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Kirsten has her B.A. from Barnard College of Columbia University, where she ranked on the Dean’s List and spent a year abroad studying European Relations at the London School of Economics & Political Science in the U.K. She has her M.S. from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, where she studied broadcast and documentary journalism and was awarded a journalism fellowship from the American Council of Germany for her investigative reporting on Germany 10 years post-reunification.
Samantha Shepard-Guerinoni
Former Admission Counselor
Stanford University
Former Assistant Director
Simmons University
- 3 Years in Stanford University Admissions
- 3 Years in Simmons University Admissions
- 2,900+ Applications Read and Evaluated
After graduating from Stanford University, Samantha joined the Office of Undergraduate Admission at her alma mater. During her three years there, she evaluated and advocated in committee for up to 1500 students from across the country and led on- and off-campus information sessions for students, families, counselors, and teachers.
Jessica Sibbing
Assistant Director of Admission
Rice University
- 4 Years in Rice University Admission
- 14,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Jessica has her Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from The University of Texas. She also completed her MBA while working full time in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at her alma mater before transitioning to Rice University. As a first-generation college graduate, she is passionate about helping students apply to their dream schools.
Frank Sierra
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
University of Chicago
- 2 years in University of Chicago Admissions
- 3,500+ Applications Read and Evaluated
After graduating from the University of Chicago with a B.A. in Sociology, Frank Sierra joined his alma mater’s Office of College Admissions to continue his passion for education. As an Assistant Director of Admissions at the University of Chicago, Frank has recruited students across the Midwest and evaluated over 3,500 applications. He also facilitated essay writing workshops for high school students and offered information sessions on applying to highly selective universities.
James Simon
Former Admissions Counselor
The University of Chicago
Former Admissions Counselor
Loyola University Chicago
- 1 year at The University of Chicago
- 3 years at Loyola University Chicago
- 6,000+ First Year and Transfer Applications Read and Evaluated
In addition to reading first-year and transfer admission applications at The University of Chicago and Loyola University Chicago, James earned a bachelor's degree and two master's degrees in Education from Loyola University Chicago.
Brandi Smith
Former Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Admissions
Vanderbilt University
Former Senior Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Admissions
Emory University
- 6 Years in Vanderbilt University Admissions
- 3 Years in Emory University Admissions
- 13,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Brandi is dedicated to helping young people navigate the ever-changing college admission landscape. She has close to 20 years of expertise in the colleges admission profession.
Laura Smith
Former Undergraduate Admissions Reader
Northwestern University
- 2 Years in Northwestern University Admissions
- 1,500+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Laura graduated cum laude from Northwestern University where she studied Theatre and International Studies. She returned to Northwestern to join the Office of Undergraduate Admission, where she read applications for all six undergraduate schools from prospective students all over the United States.
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Matthew Tatelman
Former Admissions Reader
Northwestern University
Former Director of College Counseling
Dwight-Englewood School
- 1 Year at Northwestern University Admissions
- 2 Years at Dwight-Englewood School
- 1,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Matthew has worked with thousands of students and families through their college process for over a decade. Matthew served as the Head of Counseling at the United States Consulate affiliate School, the American School of Dubai (ASD), as well as Director of College Counseling at one of the top independent schools in the Tri-State region.
Philana Tenhoff
Former Associate Director of Admissions
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Former Associate Director of Admissions
Macalester College
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
Macalester College
Former Admissions Counselor
St. Olaf College
- 3 Years in MIT Admissions
- 9 Years in Macalester Admissions
- 4 Years in St. Olaf Admissions
- 20,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Colin Tessier-Kay
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
University of Pennsylvania
- 4 Years in University of Pennsylvania Undergraduate Admissions
- 10,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Colin Tessier-Kay holds a Bachelor’s degree in Government and Global Studies from St. Lawrence University and a Master’s degree in International Relations and International Economics, with a concentration in China Studies, from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).
Michele Thompson
Former Director of Undergraduate Admissions
University of Michigan - Ross School of Business
Former Associate Director of Graduate Admissions
University of Michigan - Ross School of Business
Former Director of Admissions
University of Michigan - School of Nursing
- 13 Years in University of Michigan Admissions
- 20,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Michele earned her BA in English and Communication from the University of Michigan Ann Arbor and her MBA in International Business from Thunderbird School of Global Management.
Anna Thysell
Former Admissions Reader
Princeton University
- 5 Years at Princeton University
- 7,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Anna worked as an Admissions Reader for Princeton University for five admissions seasons. In this role, she read and evaluated over 7,000 undergraduate applications from across the country including Questbridge applications.
Anna holds an undergraduate degree from Elon University and a master's degree from New York University. Additionally, she served as a Team Leader for AmeriCorps NCCC's Central Region, where she supervised a team of ten young adults.
CJ Trinh
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
University of Washington
- 6 Years in Admissions and Recruitment
- 5,000+ Applications Read & Evaluated
Carol earned her B.A. in International Relations from the University of California, Santa Barbara and her M.A. in Higher Education Administration and Policy from New York University.
As a first-generation college student, she followed her passions in education and served in various capacities in the college experience and process, from teaching to career coaching to admissions reading to scholarship selection. She also engaged in directly interacting with prospective students from all over world through information sessions, presentations, 1:1 interviews, advising, and panels to guide students through their application process.
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Jina Walker
Former Admissions Reader
Northwestern University
Former Admissions Reader
Boston University
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
Le Moyne College
- 1 Year in Boston University Admissions
- 1 Year in Northwestern University Admissions
- 1 Year in Saint Louis University Admissions
- 7 Years in Le Moyne College Admissions
- 6,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Timothy T. West
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
Duke University
Former Application Reviewer
Stanford University and Rice University
- 10 Years in Duke, Stanford, and Rice Admissions
- 5,700+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Timothy (Tim'm) earned his undergraduate degree from Duke University where he began his career as an Admission Officer before the pursuit of graduate degrees from The New School for Social Research (MA) and Stanford University (MA).
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Peter Zimmerman
Former Admissions Reader
Stanford University
- 3 Years in Stanford University Admissions
- 2,500+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Peter Zimmerman is a Senior Admissions Consultant with Solomon. Peter earned his Bachelor’s Degree from The College of William and Mary in Art/Art History, with minors in Anthropology and Japanese Studies.
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Gabriel Gutierrez Aragon, M.S.Ed.
Former Admissions Reader
Yale University
Former MBA Admissions Reader
The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
Former Admission Counselor
Hispanic Scholarship Fund
- 1 Year in Yale University Admissions
- 1 Year in Wharton MBA Admissions
- 3 Years in Hispanic Scholarship Fund
- 2,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
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Cody Busia
Former Assistant Director, Admissions & Financial Aid
University of Southern California
- 4 years in USC Office of Admission and Financial Aid
- 1,600+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Cody obtained his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and International Relations from the USC Marshall School of Business. During his undergraduate career, Cody worked for the USC Office of Student Affairs in academic advising and career counseling.
Clay Busia
Former Senior Assistant Director of Admission
University of Southern California
- 6 years in USC Admissions
- 13,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Clay is a graduate of the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business and Price School of Public Policy where he received his undergraduate and graduate degrees respectively. As an undergraduate student, he worked for four years under the USC Office of Student Affairs in academic advising and career counseling.
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Taylor Caldwell
Former Admissions Review Specialist
Washington University in Saint Louis
- 2 Years in WUSTL Admissions
- 2,000+ Applications Reviewed and Evaluated
Taylor is a first-generation college graduate and is passionate about serving, coaching and advocating for individuals who are under-resourced so that they may gain access and have equitable experiences at all institutions of higher education. Taylor received a B.A from Berea College and an M.S.W from Washington University in Saint Louis.
Grace Chee
Admissions Evaluator
Vanderbilt Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Associate Director of Admissions and Recruitment
Vanderbilt Law School
- 4 Years in Vanderbilt Admissions
- 6,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Grace Chee is an Admissions Consultant with Solomon. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Vanderbilt University in Human and Organizational Development and English, and also received her Master’s in Education from Vanderbilt in Higher Education Administration.
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Breanna Echelmeier
Former Admissions Reader
New York University
- 7 Years in New York University Admissions
- 3,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Breanna Echelmeier is an Admissions Consultant for Solomon Admissions Consulting. After graduating from Susquehanna University, where she studied psychology and music performance, Breanna began her career in higher education.
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Terry Gilbert
Former Associate Director of Admission
Carnegie Mellon University
Former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions
Purdue University
- 2 years in Carnegie Mellon University Admissions
- 7 years in Purdue University Admissions
- 21,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Terry Gilbert has an undergraduate degree in Management and a graduate degree in Student Affairs and Higher Education, specializing in Enrollment Management.
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Nadja Johnson
Former Admissions Reader
Cornell University
- 2 Years in Cornell University Admissions
- 2,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Nadja Johnson earned her Bachelor’s Degree at Fisk University in Psychology. She graduated Summa Cum Laude and went on to earn her Masters in Clinical Psychology from the University of Central Florida. She earned her PhD in Comparative Studies from Florida Atlantic University.
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Kimberly Kauer
Former Undergraduate Admissions Reader
Stanford University
- 3 Years in Stanford University Admissions
- 8,600+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Kimberly took her passion for learning individuals' personal stories and growth into college admissions with a three-year role as an admissions reader for Stanford. Over three years, Kimberly gave a holistic evaluation to over 8,000 restrictive early action, regular decision, transfer, and Questbridge applications from all regions of the U.S. and multiple international areas, including Australia and New Zealand.
Simone Kershner
Former Admissions Officer
Harvard Law School
- 2 years in Harvard Law School admissions
- 2000+ applications read and evaluated
During her two years as an admissions officer at Harvard Law School, Simone led information sessions, traveled to law fairs throughout the US, and read and evaluated thousands of applications. Much of Simone’s career outside of admissions has been devoted to writing, editing, and persuasive storytelling as a fundraiser, nonprofit director of communications, and freelance writer and book editor.
Pamela Klebanov
Former Admissions Reader
Princeton University
- 4 Years as an Application Reader at Princeton University
- 5,500 Applications Read and Evaluated
Pamela Klebanov was a top Admissions Reader for Princeton University for 4 admission cycles and has evaluated over 5,500 undergraduate applications. She has experience reading applications from students across the U.S. and has evaluated Questbridge and transfer applications.
Jennifer Kolb
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
UNC at Chapel Hill
- 2 Years in UNC-Chapel Hill Admissions
- 3,300+ Applications Read and Evaluate
After graduating from Harvard College, Jennifer worked in finance for five years in marketing and corporate strategy. Deciding on a career change where she could work more closely and directly with people, she then returned to school for her master's degree in school counseling at UNC-Chapel Hill. During that year, she worked closely with high school students on college and career planning.
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Shayla Lebeck
Former Admissions Reader
The University of Michigan
- 3 years in University of Michigan Admissions
- 3,500+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Ever since graduating with her bachelor’s degree, Shayla Lebeck knew her passion lied within supporting students. Years later, Shayla has a graduate degree in Higher Education/Student Affairs with a concentration in academic advising.
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Zachary McNeal
Former Admissions Reader
Duke University
- 1 year at Duke University Admissions
Zachary McNeal graduated summa cum laude from Lancaster Bible College, and is currently a grad student at Duke Divinity School. Before coming to Duke, he worked as a program coordinator and chaplain at an historic rescue mission in New York City, working to help NYC’s homeless community achieve housing stability.
Eliana Melmed
Former Admissions Counselor
The University of Chicago
- 4 years at University of Chicago Admissions
Eliana graduated from the University of Chicago with a B.A. in Public Policy and a minor in Media, Arts, and Design. Eliana served in an array of roles in the UChicago Admissions Office between 2018 and 2021. She has led virtual school visits, facilitated prospective student workshops, and served as an admissions expert for high school counselors and families alike.
Terri Morris
Former Assistant Director of Admission
University of Southern California
- 1 year at University of Southern California
- 1,800+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Terri earned her BA in Spanish and Italian Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), an MA in Linguistic Anthropology from the University of Chicago, and a master’s degree in Museums and Cultural Heritage from the Sorbonne in Paris.
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Caitlin Peace
Former Admissions Counselor
Johns Hopkins University
Former Admissions Fellow
Christopher Newport University
- 1 year at Johns Hopkins University
- 1000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Caitlin earned her B.A. in Communication Studies at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia. She later pursued an M.A. in Higher Education Administration with a focus in Policy and Finance at The George Washington University in Washington, DC.
Tatum June Pollard
Former Admission Officer
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
- 6 years in UCLA Admissions
- 2,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
As an alumna and former admission counselor for a university that receives some of the most applications in the nation, Tatum Pollard knows how to help students stand out in a competitive landscape and catch the attention of today's top universities.
Tatum directed admission strategies for UCLA's most competitive territories and partnered with some of the most prestigious high schools in the nation to equip students for higher education success.
Miguel Prieto-Valle
Former Admissions Reader
Stanford University
- 2 years in Stanford Admissions
- 1,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Miguel Prieto-Valle brings over 15 years of experience as an educator, college counselor, mentor, and undergraduate academic advisor to the Solomon admissions team. He is a former high school foreign language instructor and has worked internationally and back home in the US as a language specialist and coach, both in private industry and in the public sector as an adjunct lecturer at the European School of Business and German American Institute.
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Jessica Rabalais
Former Undergraduate Admissions Reader
Stanford University
MA in Higher Education Administration
Stanford University
Director Of Education
ICOHS College
Jessica is a graduate of Chapman University with a BA in higher education and received her MA from Stanford University in higher education administration.
Eishna Ranganathan
Former Admissions Counselor
Swarthmore College
Former Assistant Director
Tufts University
- 3,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
- 3 years of Admissions Experience
Eishna holds a Bachelors in Cognitive Science with a minor in Spanish from Swarthmore College and a Master of Business Analytics from the MIT Sloan School of Management. While working in admissions, she played a key role leveraging data and reporting to drive strategic decisions.
Haley Rosenspire
Former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions
University of Southern California
- 3 Years at the University of Southern California
- 6,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
After graduating from the University of Southern California with her degree in Political Science, Haley joined Teach for America in Tulsa, Oklahoma, beginning her career in education and as an advocate for students in the college admissions process.
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Andrea Saunders
Former Application Admissions Reader
Rice University
Former Application Admissions Reader
Carnegie Mellon University
- 3 Years in Southern Methodist University Admissions
- 1 Year in Rice University Admissions
- 1 year in Carnegie Mellon University Admissions
- 1 Year in Chatham University Graduate Admissions
- 4 Years in Wofford College Admission
- 8,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Jewell Christian Stewart
Former Seasonal Admissions Reader
Cornell University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
- 1 Year in Cornell Admissions
- 300+Applications Read and Evaluated
Jewell obtained his Bachelor Of Arts in Rhetoric and Public Advocacy and Political Science from Hofstra University. He went on to complete a Master of Science in Cybersecurity at Brown University and his Doctor of Law at Cornell University.
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Hillary Teague
Former Admissions Counselor
University of Michigan
Former Director of Enrollment Communications
Case Western Reserve University
Former Associate Director of Admission
Kalamazoo College
- 2 Years at University of Michigan Admissions
- 1 Year at Case Western Reserve Univeristy Admissions
- 11 Years at Kalamazoo College Admissions
- 4,000 Applications Read and Evaluated
Tiffany Tran, M.A.
Former Admissions Officer, Stanford University
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
- 3 Years at Stanford Admissions
- 3,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Tiffany received her B.A. in Economics and Geography at UCLA and her M.A. in Educational Leadership at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Post-graduate school, Tiffany joined the graduate admissions team at Stanford University as an Assistant Director. She reviewed thousands of graduate applications and provided admit recommendations for committee review in the Electrical Engineering department.
Makeda Turner
Former Recruitment Coordinator and Admissions Counselor
University of Michigan
- 4 Years in University of Michigan Admissions
- 1 Year in University of Michigan Architecture & Urban Planning Admissions
- 4,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
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Heather Walmsley
Former Senior Assistant Director of Admission
Carnegie Mellon University
- 4 Years at Carnegie Mellon University Admission
- 8,000+ applications read and evaluated
Heather is an experienced college admission professional with four years of experience at Carnegie Mellon University undergraduate. She has participated in all aspects of the admissions process from reviewing applications and making application decisions to managing the systems in which applications flow.
Jonathon White
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
New York University
- 2,500+ Applications Read
Jonathon White is a graduate of Cornell University with a BA in Government and New York University with an MBA in Management and Marketing. He previously worked as the Assistant Director of Admissions for NYU in the College of Arts & Science and was an active member of the national admissions association, NACAC.
Kelly Wilcox
Former Seasonal Admissions Reader
Cornell University College of Arts and Sciences
Former Events Coordinator
University of New Haven
- 3 Years in Cornell University Admissions
- 2.5 Years in University of New Haven Admissions
- 4,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Kelly earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Cornell University in Human Development and her Master’s Degree from the University of Pennsylvania in Higher Education. Kelly’s experiences in higher education include mentorship programs, fundraising, student activities, admissions, and events.
Juliana Wong
Former Admissions Reader
UC Berkeley
- 2 years in UC Berkeley Admissions
- 2,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Born and raised in San Francisco, Juliana attended UC San Diego as an undergraduate and studied Communication and Business. During her time at UCSD, she was heavily involved in educational equity work, which centered around college access, retention, and persistence for diverse student populations in the local San Diego area. After graduating, she served as a City Year AmeriCorps Member in the South Bronx in New York City, providing academic and social-emotional support through alternative educational experiences for NYC public school students.
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Jacqueline Yeager
Former Admissions Reader
Cornell University
Former Admissions Reader
University of Rochester
- 2 years in Cornell University Admissions
- 1 year in University of Rochester Admissions
- 2,500+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Jackie earned her BA degree in Psychology and her MS degree in Education from Nazareth College, now Nazareth University. Her professional background combines over 20 years of experience as a creative writer, independent college admissions advisor, elementary school educator, and corporate sales trainer.