Corporate Benefits Program - Our Consultants
Solomon Admissions Consulting is the largest admissions consulting firm in the industry, with over a hundred consultants, all having worked in admissions at prestigious colleges. Our large and diverse team enables us to serve an equally diverse client base, whatever their interests, preferred colleges, or majors.
We're also able to provide expert feedback on Financial Aid, K-12 admissions, and Med School or MBA programs.
Admissions Consultants
Led by two corporate attorneys, graduates of Georgetown Law, our team of Former College Admissions Officers provides the best personalized, strategic undergraduate and graduate school admissions advice to empower each applicant to achieve peak performance. Our college admission consultants have a combined 151 years of experience as admission officers at college admissions offices and have reviewed a combined total of over 168,000 college applications.
Our Employee Benefits Program Consultant Team
While our Employee Benefits Program has access to the skill and experience of our full team of 100+ consultants, we know the value of specialization, so there is a dedicated and growing team assigned to the program. The following consultants serve the students enrolled in our Employee Benefits program.
Sonja Bhan
Former Admissions Manager
University of Pennsylvania
Former Senior Admissions Officer Barnard College - Columbia University 3.5 years in Penn admissions 1 year in Barnard admissions 5000+ Applications Read and Evaluated Sonja earned her MSEd in International Educational Development from the University of Pennsylvania and her BA in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies from Barnard College - Columbia University. At the University of Pennsylvania, she chaired admission committees for over 20 undergraduate, post-baccalaureate and professional graduate programs. Her final role at Penn was as the Director of International Programs at GSE, where she developed custom programs for visiting scholars and students from all over the world, including a gap-year program for Chinese students applying to American universities. At Barnard College, she oversaw international recruitment and led selective college admissions workshops for students at NYC public schools. Helping students and families navigate an unfamiliar and complex application process showed her just how important it is to employ a hands-on, individualized approach with each student. She has spent the last 9 years as a college counselor at international high schools in China, Jordan, and Singapore. She has guided students in preparing 4000+ applications to top-tier universities in the US and across the globe and has helped students secure over 10 million dollars in merit scholarships. As a private consultant, she has helped her clients gain admission to MBA programs at Duke, Harvard, Columbia, Cornell, Northwestern, and UCLA.
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. Following the completion of his undergraduate program, Clay spent six years working in the USC Office of Admission. While he reviewed and supported applicants from all over the world, he primarily worked with students from California (Los Angeles, Orange, San Francisco, and San Mateo counties), Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, and all students enrolled in online, non-traditional, or homeschooling programs. In addition to reviewing thousands of applications, he has conducted over 1000 one-on-one, in-person interviews with prospective students. He established long-term counseling relationships with over 200 students as they sought transfer to USC from other two-year and four-year institutions. He also coordinated the admission review process of the highly selective USC School of Cinematic Arts and acted as an interviewer and evaluator for university merit-based scholarship recipients.
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. Since receiving her graduate degree, Grace has devoted her career to higher education. As an Admissions Evaluator for Vanderbilt’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions, Grace read and evaluated hundreds of first-year applications across all four colleges, sat in on committee meetings, and offered admissions information sessions to interested students and families. Grace most recently served as the Associate Director of Admissions, Recruitment and International Student Services at Vanderbilt Law School, where she recruited and reviewed applications for competitive legal programs. Grace is passionate about increasing college access and support for all, especially for students from underserved and underrepresented communities. She enjoys working with students and coaching them on all aspects of the college application process through a holistic and student-focused lens.
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. During his nine-year college admission career, he held leadership roles at both Carnegie Mellon University and Purdue University, crafting and executing the undergraduate diversity recruitment and the domestic recruitment strategy of those institutions, respectively. His work as a professional in support of college access and student inclusion garnered recognition from both The College Board and the National Association of College Admission Counseling. Through personal interviews, financial counseling sessions, and admission credential reviews, Terry has advised countless students on the path through which to achieve their post-secondary dreams. As a reflection of the reputations of Carnegie Mellon and Purdue, he is skilled at helping students interested in the STEM fields navigate a holistic admission process.
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. Kimberly has an understanding of institutional priorities, effective storytelling, and how to advocate for applicants. A first-generation college student, Kimberly has degrees from Northeastern University and the University of San Francisco.
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. Pamela grew up in Hawaii and was a first-generation college student who received her BA with honors from Occidental College where she majored in Psychology and minored in Asian Studies. She continued her study of Psychology at Princeton University where she earned her Ph.D. Pamela has devoted over 20 years to research in child health and development at Educational Testing Service, Columbia University, and Princeton University. Her research has garnered over 18,700 Google Scholar citations, with her publication on school readiness and later achievement featured on the front page of the New York Times. She also served as a reviewer for 18 peer-review journals. Throughout her years in academia, Pamela enjoyed interacting with students and helping them formulate and conduct research. As a Princeton University alumna, Pamela has interviewed Princeton undergraduate applicants for the Alumni Schools Committee and served on the Executive Board of The Auxiliary to the Isabella McCosh Infirmary at Princeton. During her time as an application reader, Pamela took a particular interest in reading the personal narratives of undergraduate applicants. Pamela is excited to share her expertise with students as they navigate their journey from high school to college by identifying and honing their interests and strengths to craft a compelling narrative.
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. Shayla is an experienced higher education professional with multiple years of experience serving at colleges throughout the state of Michigan. Shayla’s experiences in higher education include admissions, academic advising, orientation, and new student programming. Shayla uses these experiences to provide a unique lens while talking students through what happens after students get admitted to college. Shayla joined the Admissions team at the University of Michigan in 2018, where she spent three admissions cycles working within undergraduate admissions reading and evaluating applications for the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts and the College of Engineering. To date, Shayla has read and evaluated over 3,500 applications from around the world, specializing in California schools. Shayla is passionate about bridging the gap in the college admissions process from high school to college.
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. While enrolled at Duke, he worked as a First Reader in Duke’s Undergraduate Admissions Office. During his time in Duke’s admissions office, he read and evaluated hundreds of applications from all over the United States, especially from the Chicago area, Pacific Northwest and Northeast. This exposure to a wide variety of college applicants has given him a keen insight into the significance of making the college application tell a compelling and focused story. While high grades and exemplary extra-curricular activities are vital to success, top colleges admit interesting people, not merely impressive résumés. He is dedicated to taking this knowledge and expertise, and leveraging it to help students and families tell their stories well. In addition to admissions consulting, Zac is an avid reader, a mediocre musician and an obsessive acquirer of historical trivia.
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. Much of her undergraduate and graduate research was oriented toward women and students of color in STEM fields at the college level and beyond. During her time at Stanford, she worked as an admissions reader and has since volunteered her time to assist low-income students from her hometown work on their essays and applications to state schools. When not helping students achieve their college dreams, Jessica manages student services and academics at a small private school. She loves working with students directly: building a relationship, getting to know their strengths, and discussing the best way for them to market themselves. She gives direct feedback and takes time to explain when clients don’t understand to make sure they can make the necessary adjustments with context and depth.
Van Sam
Former Admissions Reader
Stanford University
2 Years in Stanford University Admissions Van Sam earned her Bachelor's Degree from the University of California, Berkeley in Ethnic Studies and her Master's degree in Public Health from the University of Pennsylvania. Van is a Gates Millennium Scholar and a Strauss Scholar. After she finished her undergraduate degree in Ethnic Studies, she returned to Philadelphia and worked with high school students to develop their leadership as a youth program coordinator at a local non-profit. She worked as an admissions reader for Stanford University from 2019-2021, where she worked remotely and reviewed and evaluated over 800 applications from over 10 states in the US. Van is trilingual in Chinese (Mandarin & Cantonese), Vietnamese and English. She has experience working with students from various backgrounds, especially those from underserved communities, in their journey toward higher education. Van enjoys working with both students and parents as they navigate the college admissions and financial aid process. She will help you uplift your stories and how to best weave all the different parts of yourself into your application to make sure you can find an institution that is the best fit for you.
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 Admisssions 4,000 Applications Read and Evaluated A career admissions professional, Hillary has spent over 17 years working in college, as well as independent PS-12, admissions. At the University of Michigan, where Hillary earned her M.A. in Higher Education Administration, she provided a holistic review to 60-80 applications weekly. At Kalamazoo College, Hillary was a first reader for high volume territories in and around Chicago and Detroit, assisted with International application review, and served as a second reader. She twice overhauled the admissions application review process and trained new staff on application evaluation. At Case Western Reserve University, Hillary participated in an application evaluation, as well as assisted in making final decisions as part of the enrollment leadership team. Hillary currently serves as Director of Pre-Primary and Primary School Admissions at Laurel School, an independent all-girls school, where she evaluates applications for all lower school grades. Additionally, she supports the college counseling office by conducting mock college interviews with high school juniors and reviewing college essays for high school seniors.
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. She also worked very closely with the Graduate School of Business and School of Law at Stanford University for the joint degree programs. During her years at Stanford, she facilitated a course called "Designing The Professional" at The Hasso Plattner Institute of Design. In the course, she facilitated a group of graduate students to create a generative environment to discuss activities on design thinking and provided exercises for investigating career prototypes. As a Solomon Admissions Consultant, Tiffany uses her admissions and teaching experience to provide a unique perspective on how students can find their voice and bring their best foot forward for their college application.
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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 Dr. Makeda Turner has close to 20 years of experience in higher education working in various capacities including admissions, academic advising, academic affairs, and adjunct instruction. She worked at the University of Michigan for close to 17 years, and enjoys working with high achieving students to help guide them through the process of college exploration. Dr. Turner is a proud alumnus of Eastern Michigan University, having earned a doctorate of philosophy - educational leadership, a master of art - educational leadership & student affairs, and a bachelor of business administration - marketing. Her dissertation titled “The Essence of a College Summer Bridge Program: Voices of Students Who Completed College” explored the experiences of college graduates who participated in a summer bridge program, and contributing factors to the participant’s academic and professional success beyond college graduation.
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. She has been a volunteer and co-chair for the Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network since graduating in 2013 and has counseled many students through the college process. Ms. Wilcox joined the Admissions team at Cornell University in 2016, where she spent three admissions cycles working on the undergraduate admissions team reading and evaluating applications for the College of Arts and Sciences. During that time, she read applications from California, Delaware, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington DC, and West Virginia. Most recently, Kelly worked for the University of New Haven helping to recruit new students through information sessions, planning prospective student events on campus, and supervising student tour guides. Her role also included traveling to college fairs and regional receptions as well as reviewing admissions applications. Kelly looks forward to getting to know each student and helping them craft a compelling story in their application.