Andy (he/him) attended Stanford and Oxford, earning degrees in Political Science and Drama. He has taught college classes in Los Angeles in Critical Thinking, Sociology, Anthropology of Media, English Composition, and Public Speaking, has helped students gain entrance to Stanford, the Ivies, U Chicago, Northwestern, and other top 25 schools every year for the past decade, and is particularly interested in working to address issues of equity and access in higher education. He has worked with hundreds of students over his career and has spent time living in California, England, Montana, and briefly New Zealand. Over his career, he’s developed a passion for intentional wandering, both in life and in the wilderness. Some of his most valued experiences in that regard include trekking 100km with his brothers to Machu Picchu during a 100-year storm, joining a Maori tribe in New Zealand, and wandering through Patagonia with his wife, Sage.

Cat (she/her) is an educator, student advocate, and writing coach with twenty years of experience teaching, editing, and writing. Using what she's learned from teaching every grade level from kindergarten through college, she aspires to meet each writer where they are in the process. She loves to work with students to create written work that is both authentic and intentional. Cat grew up in New England, lived in the Marshall Islands and then California for many years, and now resides in Northwest Montana, where she teaches writing at a tribal college. She spends her free time outside hiking, snowshoeing, kayaking, and camping with her family. She loves baking desserts, taking really long road trips, and listening to all kinds of music. Cat earned a BA in English from Dartmouth College and an MA and PhD from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Christine (she/her) is a former professor (Mills College, Macalester College, and UC-Davis) and high school English teacher who has also been an independent college and graduate school admissions consultant for 20+ years. She is passionate about helping high school students find and narrate what makes them tick, no matter how bizarre or how traditional. Students she has coached on the personal essay have been accepted to every single Ivy, Seven Sister, and top 10 liberal arts college & university in the U.S. (although she maintains a strong critique of the rankings system). Born in Miami to parents from Tennessee and Mississippi, Christine was the first in the family to cross the Mason Dixon line for college. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Smith College with a BA in English and completed her MA at the University of Toronto, and taught English lit in a prep school in Coconut Grove. Realizing that a university setting might be a better match, she completed her PhD in the interdisciplinary History of Consciousness Board at the University of California/Santa Cruz. Her extracurricular activities include cats, 1920s culture, turning simple dinner plans into ridiculously complicated 8-course gourmet feasts that require buying entirely unnecessary kitchen gadgets, and more cats. She splits her time between Miami Beach and Berlin.

Courtney (she/her) has worked in college admissions and college counseling for nearly a decade. After earning her B.S.B.A and MBA from Elon University, Courtney found herself in a critical leadership position within college admissions, influencing recruitment strategy, scholarship review and strategic planning. While her leadership grew, Courtney missed making authentic connections with students and decided to became a college counselor. Empowering students to realize and tell their stories is a passion for Courtney. Her energy, empathy and professional experience lends itself to her coaching style that leaves students feeling confident after every session. She has read thousands of essays as a reviewer and assisted hundreds in crafting their story. Courtney is active within the profession serving on regional professional boards, leading national identity-based groups and serving on college admissions counselor advisory boards. When Courtney is not navigating the college admissions process, you can find her at OrangeTheory Fitness, walking her dog, Simba, on the phone with friends, or trying new restaurants in Atlanta.

Diane (she/her) has worked as a university English professor, taught literature and cultural studies at an independent secondary school, and directed writing programs. But coaching and running workshops on college essays the past decade has been her most joyful and meaningful work. Her approach to coaching is both collaborative and inquisitive, with a goal of seeing this writing as an opportunity to help writers develop their unique, most powerful voice and to understand their own value and dreams through the process of personal writing. After 25+ years in teaching, she started a new career path as a freelance writer. Her current writing project explores the relationship between Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, their music and their fans, questioning if and how this relationship is establishing a new wave of feminism. A native Californian, Diane received her B.A. in English from UC Santa Barbara, then moved East where she earned her M.A. in English at Boston College and her Ph.D. in American Studies from Boston University. Ask her which of her Boston alma maters she roots for in the annual Beanpot hockey tournament. Currently, Diane lives in central New Hampshire, but dreams of living in London and Florence someday. When not writing or collaborating with writers, Diane can be found spinning new vinyl of all genres, hiking and skiing every mountain in New England and beyond, getting her zen on doing yoga and surfing, or playing with her SEVEN pets. She is so excited to get to work with you.

Elica (she/her) was born and raised in Southern California. She attended an arts high school, where she specialized in creative writing, and holds a BA from UCLA and an MA from CSULB (both in linguistics). While pursuing a PhD, she researched topics in the field of Writing Studies and taught academic writing at UC Santa Barbara. Beyond academics, Elica has been an essay coach and specialist for over seven years, working with students who were applying to four-year universities as well as various types of graduate school. She is committed to and passionate about helping students navigate the admissions essay genre while helping them gain confidence in their agency as young writers. You can find her (still) living in Southern California with her partner (+ two Italian greyhounds & lovebird), where she likes to spend her time reading, writing, and printmaking.

Jacki (she/her) has spent her career telling stories and working with students to tell theirs. She’s an award-wining journalist who was with CNN for more than a decade before becoming a mom and shifting her focus from doing journalism to teaching it. Jacki has taught writing and communications courses at two- and four-year colleges, and in two New Jersey state prisons. Several years ago, she began assisting college-bound students with their application essays, helping them gain admission to a range of institutions. Jacki delights in helping students discover their voice, stretch their curiosity, and widen their relationship with the written word. Jacki received a bachelor’s degree in Communications and Political Science from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in Journalism from Northwestern University. Her first book, Dogland: A Journey to the Heart of America’s Dog Problem, earned several awards for journalism and investigative reporting. A dog lover who lives with two rescues, Jacki donates all proceeds to non-profit animal welfare organizations. She says her second book is a work in progress—however, she’s made little progress.

Jennifer (she/her) holds two degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, a BA in East Asian Studies and an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School. She worked as an analyst on Wall Street for eight years before leaving to focus on raising her two daughters. She began her work in college admissions consulting as a volunteer for ScholarMatch, an organization dedicated to helping high-achieving low-income students through the college admissions process. She also tutors students preparing for the ACT and SAT. Students she has worked with have received acceptances to Harvard, Williams, Yale, Brown, U Penn, Cornell, Dartmouth, and UVA, among others. Outside of work she is a member of the Board of Trustees of her local public school and a docent for school groups at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Cloisters location. She serves on the board of Graham Windham, a child welfare organization, and the Bronxville Historical Conservancy.

Jon (he/him) knows well the value and power of writing from a place of personal truth. Originally from Houston, Texas, he holds a BA in English from Harvard University and an MFA in Acting from the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. He teaches English, Writing, Script Analysis and SAT/ACT Prep classes throughout California. As an essay coach and college admissions consultant, he has helped thousands of students from various backgrounds gain admission to top colleges and universities, including the Ivies, the UCs, MIT, CalTech, UChicago, NYU, Williams, Swarthmore, UMichigan and many, many more. As a storyteller, he is committed to helping students find their personal voices to craft authentic stories that reflect the range of human experience.

Lyssa (she/her) is a writer and educator, originally from the Green Mountains of Vermont, living in Los Angeles. She holds a B.A. in Performance Studies from Northwestern and an M.A. in Theater & English Education from NYU. She's passionate about helping students discover and nurture their unique voice as writers and especially loves the creativity, attunement, empowerment, and connection involved in guiding students through the college essay process. Lyssa is a Teaching Artist for the Geffen Playhouse, where she leads theater workshops for schools and community groups, and a freelance tutor, editor, and ghostwriter when not working on her own scripts and essays. She has been a ninth grade English teacher in NYC public schools, education staff member at MCC Theater, and education consultant for The Moth. She's backpacked around the world solo and taught English to preschoolers in South Africa, job-seekers in Tanzania, and a crew of rowdy young monks in Nepal. You can usually find her in a theater, hiking with her dog, reading in the grass, or consuming maple syrup.

Maggie (she/they) is an award-winning writer, artist, and educator who has coached dozens of students through the college application process with a keen focus on creativity and compassionate storytelling. Maggie graduated from Colorado College with a self-designed B.A. in Creative Writing for Social Change, and was admitted to the University of Cambridge's selective MPhil in American Literature. Her writing expertise is multidisciplinary, taking the form of fiction, scholarly research, and creative copywriting, and has appeared in nationally acclaimed literary journals and museum exhibits in Chicago and Boston. Maggie discovered her love of college counseling while working in the Admissions office of a selective liberal arts school, which then led her to work for a college access non-profit counseling high-achieving, low-income students through the college application process of schools like Brown, Macalester, CU Boulder, and more. Maggie works alongside her students with the belief that applying to college is also a process of self discovery; her training in Social Emotional Learning, Executive Functioning, and mental health advocacy provides the framework for her pedagogical approach. As a college essay specialist, Maggie supports her students through genuine one-on-one connection and a sharp eye for the beauty of the written word. You'll find her living with her partner in Williamstown, MA and working as the Ceramics teacher of an arts-focused boarding school, usually wearing overalls and covered in clay.

Mahika (she/her) hails from the bustling streets of New York City. She attended a competitive Ivy League Prep School in NYC and later graduated from the University of Chicago. There, she earned a BA in both Psychology (Honors) and Comparative Human Development before fast tracking her way to an MA in Social Science during her senior year. Now, as a behavioral scientist, she works to craft lasting change in a variety of prosocial contexts. An avid reader and seasoned traveler, she's traversed landscapes both literal and literary, soaking up stories from every corner of the globe. But her true passion lies in guiding others through the labyrinth of college applications. Having felt the frustration of brilliant ideas lost in translation, she's made it her mission to help students unlock the perfect prose to tell their tales. So, whether you're struggling to find the right words or just need a sounding board, Mahika’s got your back.

Melissa M. (she/her) earned her B.S. in sociology at Santa Clara University (summa cum laude) and is a current graduate student at Pepperdine University, where she is working toward a Masters in Psychology. The diversity of human experience she has encountered in her academic work goes hand in hand with another one of her passions: storytelling. As a published author, Melissa values the written word and its ability to convey emotion, inspiration, and the breadth of lived experiences. During her time at Santa Clara University, she helped high school students craft their college essays and guided them throughout the application process, placing special emphasis on making the work as feasible and rewarding as possible. Her students have been accepted at a variety of top institutions and programs around the US. She understands the whirlwind of emotions one experiences when applying to college, and as such, she prioritizes meeting students where they’re at and supporting them throughout their journey. In addition to obtaining her Master’s degree, Melissa is working on her third book (which means she knows what it’s like to be on the receiving end of tons of edits and comments!) and spends her free time swimming, singing, and cuddling with her three dogs: Maisie, Luna, and Winnie.

Michael (he, him) has a B.A. from the University of Chicago and an MFA from the Bennington Writing Seminars. For seven years he served as the Writing Specialist at the University of Chicago Laboratory High School. While at Lab he assisted hundreds of students begin and complete essays that helped them gain admission to Columbia, Harvard, Northwestern, Princeton, Reed College, Stanford, Yale, the University of Michigan, Berkeley, the University of Chicago, BS/MD program at Brown, and many others. His private clients have gained admission to Carnegie Mellon, Duke, Haverford, MIT, Pitzer, and the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. He has taught adults and high school students in the Illinois Humanities Council’s Odyssey Project. A freelance writer and reviewer, he has published poems, reviews, and essays in Asymptote, Booklist, Chicago Review, Essays in Criticism, The Hopkins Review, Literary Imagination, Literary Matters, and Raritan. His first book was published in 2013.

Rene (she/her) is a veteran educator who has taught academic writing courses at Duke University for a decade as well as advised faculty there on increasing inclusivity through effective intercultural communication. As a writing coach, she has supported Duke undergraduate students, law school students, and Ph.D. candidates in addition to working privately with high school students on their college application essays. She enjoys guiding students to develop narratives that share personal insights and that invite their readers into another world. Rene has worked with students who have been accepted to some of the country’s top schools. Her past experience includes teaching undergraduates in Puerto Rico as well as serving as an undergraduate admissions reader for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She lives out in the countryside near Chapel Hill.

Semilore (she/her) is a doctoral candidate in the English Department at Brown University. She holds a B.A. in African & African-American Studies and Comparative Literature from Stanford University, as well as a M.A. in English from Brown. As a graduate student, she has worked on both research and teaching, leading her own seminar classes as well as working one-on-one with students as a writing center associate for the Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning. She's been lucky enough to work with students applying to various levels of postsecondary institutions and fellowships, but keeps a special place in her heart for the undergraduate college application experience. Semilore is excited to continue to help introduce students to one of her favorite genres of writing: the personal essay. Other things that excite her include trashy romance novels, blue raspberry slushies, and Mariah Carey. She is currently working on adding yoga to that list.

Shira (she/her) has been involved in secondary and higher education for close to 20 years in numerous capacities including teaching on the high school and university levels, admissions, mentoring, and curricular programming. Having earned a PhD, she conducts academic research and has published two books (with two more in progress), in addition to articles in various journals. Shira oversees the admissions process in a large private high school and has guided students through the challenges of navigating the college application process. She helps students find their voice and develop their perspective, as they actualize their vision through the vivid and unique expression of their personal narratives.

Tom (he/him) is an eternally "extra" Gemini who has spent the past seven years helping students and families navigate the college admissions process. Before joining College Essay Guy full-time as our inaugural Community Manager, he worked as a college counselor at a selective Seattle independent school and an admissions officer at Pomona College and the College of the Holy Cross (his alma mater). After college, Tom spent a year as a Jesuit Volunteers/AmeriCorps member at Catholic Charities Spokane, where he served as an Operations Assistant for a family services program called CAPA (Childbirth and Parenting Assistance). During this program, Tom lived with fellow volunteers who committed themselves to four core values: simple living, community, spirituality, and social and ecological justice. Tom first connected with CEG after reading a poignant essay from a Matchlighters student during his time in admissions at Pomona, and — thanks to additional advocacy from Ethan and some fighting spirit in the admissions committee room — this student was admitted on a full scholarship! He stans em dashes and semicolons, Kacey Musgraves (all eras, not just star crossed and Golden Hour), superior breakfast burritos, and alliterative moments. He works out begrudgingly, sings and dances feverishly, complains about space tourism incessantly, and uses way too many exclamation points. (He just took one out of that last sentence). Sitting here penning this bio, he’s reminded how challenging writing about oneself can be and how high stakes and it can feel — so you’ll find nothing but empathy and solidarity from him as you embark on your college essay journey!