My story

Designer

I've spent 20+ years as a design strategist helping clients solve complex problems through research, prototyping, and iteration. Designers are trained to listen deeply, understand constraints, and build solutions that actually work. I bring this approach to college counseling.

Third culture kid

By 18, I had lived in six countries and attended four international schools. I attended, sight unseen, both my undergraduate and graduate degree colleges, each in countries I'd never lived in. I understand both the research process and the leap of faith that college selection requires.

Parent

As a mother of teenagers, I understand the family dynamics at play during this process. I give students ownership of their journey while providing parents the strategic guidance that transforms overwhelming choices into clear next steps.

Practitioner

I volunteer with ScholarMatch helping low-income, first-gen students apply to college. I have interviewed applicants for Tufts University, my alma mater, have a Certificate in College Admissions Counseling through UC Berkeley and am a member of HECA, IECA and WACAC. I live in San Francisco but work with students nationally and internationally.

BA, International Relations
Tufts University

MA, Interaction Design
Domus Academy (Italy)

Certificate, College Counseling
UC Berkeley

APPROACH

Working principles

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Self-knowledge comes first

Good decisions require self-awareness. We use exercises to identify patterns in what energizes your student, what they value, and where their strengths lie.

Deep research drives strategy

Smart decisions are informed by research. We dive into what colleges actually value and deliver, how that manifests, and how your student fits their priorities.

True alignment resonates

Strong applications show genuine alignment. We craft narratives that emphasize what connects your student's story to each college's values and mission.

It's 4 years, not just getting in

The four-year experience can be prototyped and evaluated, not just guessed at. We sketch out flexible pathways to align coursework, activities, and goals from day one.

FAQ

Common questions

I'm in ____, do you work with students here?

Likely, yes! All my sessions are virtual. I'm familiar with and visit colleges around the country. Many students I've worked with apply to colleges throughout the country. That said, as a San Francisco-based consultant I am of course very familiar with the UCs and CSUs. As long as we're able to find mutually convenient times to connect, location is a non-issue.

What year do you start working with students?

I take on rising freshmen through to rising seniors though I recommend starting no later than the winter of your junior year.

How do we know if we need a consultant?

Not everyone needs an independent consultant! Hiring one can be particularly valuable in situations like: your school-based support is insufficient; you and/or your student are time-strapped; you're quite unfamiliar with the current process; your student has fairly specific circumstances or requirements; or your student is targeting highly selective colleges.

Do you have a niche or specialization?

I'm a generalist. Undecided and 'multi-passionate' students get a lot out of my self-reflection and narrative-building work — figuring out who they are, what that means for their college list, and how to communicate it.

Students who are very thoughtful about the experience they want out of college find the 'future prototyping' and degree mapping exercises to be valuable — they help them test what a school actually feels like and offers, going beyond first impressions and surface research.

Hello!