MEET OUR FOUNDER
For more than a decade, I have worked at the intersection of students, families, and schools—leading admissions and enrollment strategy, strengthening enrollment operations, and helping families navigate some of the most consequential educational decisions they will make.
​
I founded Laurel & Oak Education Advisors to bring those perspectives together: helping families find educational environments where their children can thrive while partnering with schools to build stronger, more sustainable enrollment communities.
Experience & Expertise
10+ Years
Admissions & Enrollment Experience
Enrollment Leadership inÂ
Independent Schools & Higher Education
Strategy + Execution
Data, Systems & Relationships
Families + Schools:
Experience on Both Sides of Admissions
I've Spent My Career Helping People Make Better Educational Decisions.
I didn't arrive at educational consulting from outside the admissions process. I spent my career inside it.
​
For more than a decade, I have worked in admissions, enrollment management, marketing, and educational leadership across schools and universities. I've evaluated applicants, built recruitment strategies, analyzed enrollment funnels, managed admissions systems, developed family communications, strengthened partnerships, and worked alongside institutional leaders to solve complex enrollment challenges.
​
But some of the most meaningful parts of that work have happened across the table from families.
​
I've spoken with parents trying to determine whether a school truly understands their child. I've worked with students wondering whether they will belong. And I've seen what can happen when the right student finds the right educational environment.
​
Those experiences shaped the philosophy behind Laurel & Oak:
Â
There is no universally "best" school. There is the school where a particular student has the greatest opportunity to thrive.
​
That belief guides everything I do.
Experience Behind the Advice
My approach to consulting is informed by years of actually leading enrollment work—not simply advising from outside it.
Throughout my career, I have held responsibility for admissions and enrollment strategy, recruitment, forecasting, family engagement, marketing, CRM systems, funnel analysis, communications, partnerships, and institutional growth.
That experience has taught me that successful enrollment is both analytical and deeply human.
Data can tell us where families are entering or leaving an enrollment funnel. Systems can make an admissions team more effective. Strategy can create focus.
But ultimately, enrollment decisions are made by people.
Understanding both sides of that equation allows me to help families navigate schools more thoughtfully—and help schools understand the families they hope to serve more effectively.
Areas of Expertise
Strategic Enrollment Management
CRM & Admissions Operations
Independent School Admissions
Enrollment Marketing
Enrollment Funnel Analysis
Recruitment & Yield Strategy
Family Engagement & Experience
Retention & Re-enrollment
Educational Consulting
Learning Differences
Leadership Advising
Strategic Partnerships
RESULTS / PROOF
Strategy Should Produce Results.
26% YoY Increase in Campus Visits
Through targeted recruitment and engagement strategy
YoY Growth in Enrollment & Net Tuition Revenue
Contextualized to reflect multi-year strategic planning outcomes
29.69% Email Open Rate Through Strategic Enrollment Communications
Demonstrating the impact of thoughtful, data-informed messaging
PHILOSOPHY
The Right Fit Changes Everything.
I've seen what happens when a student finds an educational environment that truly understands them. Confidence grows. Curiosity returns. Relationships deepen. Students become more willing to take intellectual and personal risks because they feel known and supported.
That's why I believe educational decisions should extend beyond rankings, reputation, or what worked for someone else's child.
For families, my role isn't to tell you which school to choose. It's to help you understand your child, evaluate your options thoughtfully, ask better questions, and make a decision with confidence.
For schools, the philosophy is remarkably similar. Sustainable enrollment isn't simply about filling seats. It's about attracting, enrolling, and retaining students whose needs and aspirations align with what your institution does exceptionally well.
Fit isn't a softer measure of success. Often, it's what makes success possible.
Why I Built Laurel & Oak
Over time, I realized that the perspective I had developed inside enrollment offices could be valuable beyond the walls of a single institution. Families deserve access to someone who understands how admissions actually works. Schools deserve access to experienced enrollment leadership when they need an outside perspective, additional capacity, or strategic support. And both deserve advice that is thoughtful, candid, practical, and grounded in experience. Laurel & Oak was created to provide exactly that. The name reflects what I hope this work provides: recognition of each student's potential, represented by the laurel, and the strong foundations necessary for lasting growth, represented by the oak.
Â
The mission is simple:
Helping students thrive,
one thoughtful choice at a time.
I ask questions before offering answers. Good recommendations begin with understanding the full picture.
Thoughtful
What It's Like to Work With Me
Candid
My job isn't always to confirm what you already believe. I'll offer an independent perspective when it matters.
Data-Informed
Evidence matters--but numbers rarely tell the entire story.
Practical
Recommendations should lead somewhere. Whether working with a family or school, I focus on clear next steps and meaningful progress.