30 Years of Experience Working Directly with Students
I’ve interacted and supported teachers and other non-management education workers for 30+ years in various volunteer capacities whether tutor, classroom aide, etc. This includes work I have done with students with learning differences. In those roles, I interacted with all manner of education workers. I have volunteered as an Orton Gillingham (Barton) tutor to work with elementary school students who could not read, to enable them to read which required close collaboration with teachers, aides and parents.
In law school, I worked in the Child Advocacy Clinic, representing (under the guidance of a supervising attorney) children whose parents were losing their parental rights due to neglect or abuse in the home, which required me to collaborate with social workers and other adults connected to the child.
I have worked with students who were interacting with educators in my work as an academic counselor for the past 14 years, including students who have Individualized Education Plans, 504s, and diagnosed disabilities for which families did not seek accommodations.
Deep Knowledge of K-16 Systems
As a college counselor for the last 14+ years in private education businesses serving students from Silicon Valley to San Francisco and all school districts in between, I have seen the way different school districts operate from the lens of my students and families. I have also provided those services for free to under-resourced families from Pajaro Valley Unified School District and other parts of Santa Cruz County.
I have assigned my students tasks such as communicating and meeting with teachers, mental health professionals, special education staff, and librarians to help them pursue their educational goals, whether to make up missed assignments and tests or to help them make better use of their school’s resources. I have asked my students to contact school counselors regarding mental health challenges, to work with teachers regarding accommodations issues and more.
I have a strong working knowledge of the University of California / CSU A-G subject matter system, and understanding how students can fulfill requirements for graduating as well as making themselves more competitive for college admissions with aspects of their high school experience from their course selection to their extracurricular activity choices. I know how hard it can for students to change Fs and Ds to passing grades and to keep motivation strong because I have supported them every step of the way.
Over the years, my students have earned admission to some of the most competitive undergraduate programs in the country: Columbia University, Cornell University Engineering, Carnegie Mellon College of Computer Science, Brown University, the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, UC Berkeley’s Global Management Program at Haas, NYU Stern, the University of Chicago, Johns Hopkins, USC Marshall, the University of Michigan, UIUC, Purdue, Washington University in St. Louis, the University of Washington Honors Program, and all nine UC undergraduate campuses, among many others. I’ve also guided students into wonderful fits at RISD, Savannah College of Art and Design, Hampshire College, and Pitzer — because the right school looks different for every student, and I take that seriously.
Broad Foundation of School and School District Knowledge
These are some of the schools my students have attended, whether I was working with them as a college counselor, Barton (an Orton Gillingham system) Reading tutor, math tutor or provided other academic support which gives me a broad foundation for understanding how different schools operate with a variety of resources available.
Pajaro Valley Unified School District
Santa Cruz City High School District (Santa Cruz, Soquel, Live Oak)
Scotts Valley Unified School District (Scotts Valley)
Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District (Los Gatos, Saratoga, Monte Sereno)
Cupertino Unified School District (Christa McAuliff Elementary)
Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District (Mountain View, Los Altos)
Palo Alto Unified School District (Palo Alto)
Sequoia Union High School District (Redwood City, Menlo Park, Atherton, East Palo Alto, Belmont, San Carlos)
San Mateo Union High School District (San Mateo, Burlingame, Foster City, Hillsborough, Millbrae, San Bruno)
Fremont Union High School District (Cupertino, Homestead, Monta Vista, Lynbrook)
Fremont Unified School District (Mission San Jose, American)
Pleasanton Unified School District (Pleasanton)
San Francisco Unified School District (Lowell, Taraval)
San Ramon Valley Unified School District (San Ramon, Danville, Alamo)
California State University Monterey Bay
Pacific Collegiate High School
Harker
Basis Silicon Valley
Archbishop Mitty
St. Francis
Lick Wilmerding
Crystal Springs Uplands
Shanghai American High School (Puxi and Pudong campuses)