Meet Our Team
IvyBoost's team consists of professionals and graduates from prestigious
colleges who are passionate about helping students fulfill their college dreams!
College Admissions Counselors
Managing Counselor, Jennifer L.
Jennifer has over 15 years of experience counseling high school and college students. She is a certified college admissions counselor with extensive experience guiding high school students through all elements of the career planning and college admissions counseling process. She has successfully mentored IvyBoost students who have matriculated to highly selective colleges including the Ivy League schools and top UCs. Specifically, she has experience counseling students in the STEM fields, medical sciences, business and many other majors. She is warm, patient, responsible and favored by students and parents.
Jennifer started her career with higher education administration experience at Barnard College, and then established her leadership by serving as the Associate Director of Academic Advising in the Study Abroad Office at UNC Chapel Hill, as well as an academic advisor and program director at the Undergraduate College at the Stern School of Business of NYU.
Jennifer holds a Master in Higher Education Administration from the University of Tennessee, as well as the College Counseling Certificate from UCLA. She was a student- athlete and earned her degree in Economics from the University of Puget Sound. She also studied abroad at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland before pursuing her graduate studies.
She grew up in the Bay Area and has lived in the Mountain View/Los Altos area for over 17 years. She has three children in college and high school. During her free time, Jennifer enjoys running, hiking, traveling, visiting family and friends, as well as spending time with her children.
Admissions Counselor, Dr. Melanie Y.
Melanie had over 15 years experience teaching biology at Stanford University and directed DNA sequencing for the Human Genome Project.
She served 19 years as a freshman adviser and has successfully coached students’ college application process and counseled countless students in making good career decisions. Melanie also has extensive experience over private boarding schools and high schools application as she sent both of her daughters to the top boarding schools.
Melanie received her Ph.D. of Molecular Biology from UC Davis and worked her post-doctor at Stanford University.
Melanie is certified on Career Planning and College Admissions Counseling by UC Berkeley.
Admissions Counselor, Lindsay F.
With over a decade of experience in the education field, Lindsay brings experience, versatility and depth to her role as an independent education consultant. She holds a certificate in college admissions counseling from UC Berkeley and a master’s degree in counseling from CSU, Sacramento.
Lindsay grew up in the SF Bay Area and graduated from the Mission San Jose High School.
Lindsay is currently the director of college counseling for an independent school and previously served as a college counselor at a college preparatory school for young women in Silicon Valley. Lindsay brings experience in college admissions having served in admissions roles for Stanford University summer programs and Washington State University.
Lindsay enjoys building relationships with students and families while guiding them through the college application process. Her goal is to help students find the best college fit while making the college planning, application process and transition to college as smooth as possible.
Admissions Counselor, Dr. Sarah M.
Sarah has over ten years’ experience teaching high school and college students. She first began mentoring college applicants when she was an undergraduate at Vassar. She went on to get at an MPhil at the University of Cambridge, and then returned to mentoring when she began her PhD in the History Department at Princeton. There she also worked with many Princeton undergraduates on study abroad and graduate school applications.
Currently Sarah teaches writing part-time at Princeton, while continuing to work one-on-one with college applicants. She has helped many students achieve admission at the world’s most selective schools, including the Ivy League, Stanford, Cambridge, Oxford, and many more. Sarah is passionate about guiding students as they plan their future, and she deeply enjoys working to ensure that students feel confident as they chart their education course and complete their college applications.
Admissions Counselor, Michelle P.
As a previous student of Mission San Jose High School and as a college transfer herself, Michelle has over 6 years experience counseling students with the application process to guide students on freshmen, transfer and graduate applications. She has enjoyed working with students by reviewing their college applications and essays and helping them find the strongest ways to express their ideas. She looks forward to using her experiences to encourage and support many other students throughout their journey of college admissions! Michelle is bilingual in Chinese Cantonese.
Michelle graduated from UC Berkeley, where she majored in English. Through volunteering with organizations such as WriterCoach Connection, in which she worked with high school students on improving their writing, she gained a greater awareness of students’ different approaches to essay-writing and a greater sense of respect for the students’ diversity of opinions on a single text or topic. She also has experience in reviewing and editing people’s writing through her time as a member of student-run campus publications like Berkeley Fiction Review and Imaginarium.
During her free time, Michelle enjoys reading and watching musicals.
Admissions Counselor, Shiv G.
Shiv has over 5 years of experience as a tutor, mentor, and college admissions consultant. As a college junior at Columbia University, he first got a taste of mentoring other students who had been in his place in lower-level math classes. After graduating, Shiv worked for almost four years with high school students on all facets of the college admissions process. In this position, he was able to successfully coach several students into several elite colleges, including Ivy League colleges. Shiv has found the experience of mentoring students (especially students that have gone through experiences that he has gone through himself) to be extremely rewarding. Those experiences have involved a lot of empathy towards his students and by doing so, he has been able to better empathize with his past younger self.
Shiv is currently a medical student at the University of California—San Francisco (UCSF), and is, therefore, especially excited about being a mentor to future physicians.
In his spare time, Shiv enjoys lifting weights, hiking, reading novels, watching TV and movies, and running in Golden Gate Park. His favorite place in the world is Hawaii, and he tries to visit it at least a few times a year.
Admissions Counselor, Justin B.
Justin is a highly experienced and compassionate High School Counselor who brings a wealth of college knowledge with him to IvyBoost. As Head of College Advising Services at a top-performing New Jersey STEM Academy, Justin has counseled more than 500 students over the last 10 years on their journeys to the Ivy League, Accelerated BS/MD Programs and many other top institutions, including Duke, Johns Hopkins & Stanford. Whether it’s completing the Common Application, choosing a major or developing insightful personal statements, Justin is well-versed on navigating the complexities of the college application process.
Justin holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Rutgers University – New Brunswick College of Arts & Sciences, spent a semester abroad at Leiden University in The Netherlands and has a Master’s of Education Degree in School Counseling from The College of New Jersey (TCNJ). Justin is also a National Certified Counselor (NCC) and certificated through Columbia University’s College Advising Program (TC-CAP).
Outside of the counseling office, Justin enjoys spending time with his family and friends at the Jersey Shore and never misses a New York Knicks or Las Vegas Raiders game.
Admissions Counselor, Dr. Aaron L.
Aaron is a Harvard Medical School physician specializing in Radiology. Born and raised in Walnut, California, he earned a degree in Biochemistry and French and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa at Washington University in St. Louis. He then matriculated into the Medical Scientist Training Program (M.D./Ph.D.) at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, which awarded him a full scholarship for medical and graduate school. He was inducted into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society.
Aaron received his Ph.D. in Cancer Biology and published several manuscripts while winning awards for his research presentations. He then matched at Harvard Medical School where he is passionate about advancing medicine through artificial intelligence as well as medical education.
Aaron has multiple years of experience advising students on college applications. With his healthcare connections, he has helped students interested in pre-med and BS/MD combined programs obtain biomedical research internships, healthcare shadowing opportunities, and leadership positions. These experiences have given his students unique opportunities that make them stand out on their college applications. He strongly believes that with strong guidance and the right work ethic, any student can achieve their goals and aspirations. He knows that a successful adviser understands that each student is unique and thus personalizes his technique to match each student’s strengths.
In his free time, he enjoys cooking, skiing, traveling, and trying new restaurants.
Admissions Counselor, Dr. Abby G.
Abby brings a unique blend of real-world and academic mentoring experience to her role as a college and career counselor, with over five years of experience guiding students through their academic and career choices. As a Senior Scientist at Genentech, Abby is involved in pioneering drug development to engineer life-saving therapies. Her academic journey took her from Princeton University, where she studied Chemical Engineering for undergraduate degree, to Stanford University, where she earned her PhD developing biomaterials for drug delivery applications. During her PhD, Abby’s passion for mentoring shone as she guided numerous high school and undergraduate students towards achieving their academic goals. Abby aspires to inspire students to realize their full potential and carve their own unique paths.
In her free time, Abby enjoys taking ballet classes (former child performer) and practicing yoga.
Admissions Counselor, Dr. Ziba R.
Ziba brings over 15 years of experience in research, teaching, STEM education, and student mentoring. She has spearheaded numerous programs designed to equip students for success in academic and research careers. Ziba has successfully mentored thousands of STEM majors, guided students through the nuances of the graduate school application process, and offered counsel on undergraduate research and careers in STEM and health-related fields. She also has extensive experience advising high school and community college students on admissions to top tier universities.
Ziba is passionate about helping students navigate their future paths and finds great joy from supporting them in this pursuit. Her unwavering commitment to student success underscores her dedication to fostering the next generation of leaders in STEM fields. As a fervent advocate of equitable access to education, she is actively engaged in initiatives and programs that support underrepresented minority students.
She holds a BS in Biology from UCLA, a PhD in Cell & Molecular Biology from Yale University, and completed her post-doctoral fellowship in Mechanobiology at the University of Pennsylvania. She is a published author and recipient of several prestigious grants and competitive fellowships. Beyond her professional achievements, Ziba is dedicated to personal development and engages in mindfulness and meditation practices.
Admissions Counselor, Dr. Diane N.
Diane combines her impressive scientific background with a dedicated commitment to student mentorship and education, particularly in the STEM field. Holding a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering and an M.S. in Chemical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University, along with a B.S., cum laude, in Biomedical Engineering from Columbia University and a B.A. in Mathematics from Georgetown University, Diane’s academic journey is marked by excellence and a multidisciplinary approach. Her expertise has earned her numerous accolades including the Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship and recognition as a STAT Wunderkinds honoree.
In addition to her scientific accomplishments, Diane has a profound dedication to mentoring students. With over a decade of experience, she has guided students from high school into colleges like Georgia Tech and the University of Maryland. Her mentorship extends beyond the classroom, encompassing both laboratory and real-world contexts. Her involvement in various research programs has allowed her to mentor students in hands-on, practical settings, providing them with invaluable insights and experiences in the STEM fields.
Diane’s commitment to STEM education is further highlighted by her roles on the advisory boards of Roxbury Community College Mathematics Department and the AICHE Henry T. Brown Endowment Fund, where she provides invaluable insights into program development and student support. Her advocacy for diversity in STEM, featured in an interview with Nature, showcases her commitment to inclusive and effective educational strategies.
In her free time, Diane enjoys taking long walks through the city and completing DIY projects around the house.
Admissions Counselor, Tony T.
Tony is passionate about education and has 30 years experience in teaching, mentoring, working and counseling. He taught at Fudan University and was a TA in Oregon’s graduate program in his early career. He expanded his interest to technology when he lived in the Silicon Valley and studied web development & relational database along business management, which helped him work in Webex Communications and Cisco Systems, and his own Web 2.0 start-up before IvyBoost Education.
Tony is certified on Career Planning and College Admissions Counseling by UC Berkeley. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Fudan University and Master’s degree from the University of Oregon. Tony is currently a member of WACAC (Western Association for College Admission Counseling) and NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counseling).
Tony developed a six-module planning curriculum for college admissions, which includes a lot of his learning, research and experience over secondary and college curriculums, standardized tests, extra-curriculums, career planning and college financing. He has visited many colleges and secondary schools in the US and abroad. Tony is bilingual in Mandarin Chinese.
In his spare time, Tony likes jogging, biking, skiing and golf. He loves to travel with his family and play games and sports with his children. He is a fan of college football and NBA.
Essay Mentors
Michelle P.
Michelle has tutored students for over 10 years on writing, SAT Reading/Writing, ACT English, and all other important points of English subjects such as grammar and literary devices. She has also used her previous experience as a student of Mission San Jose and as a college transfer herself to guide students through the complex steps of freshmen and transfer college applications. Particularly during the process of college essay mentoring, Michelle finds it inspiring when students discover their voice through their writing and loves to watch how they would strengthen and add details about their story over successive drafts, whether they were writing about their interest in astronomy or their dedication to their art hobbies.
Michelle graduated from UC Berkeley, where she majored in English. She also has experience in reviewing and editing writing as a member of student-run campus publications like Berkeley Fiction Review and Imaginarium. Currently, she also enjoys proofreading pages of e-books to clean up errors in punctuation and spelling to help increase access to public domain books on the site Project Gutenberg.
When she isn’t reading classic historical literature like War and Peace, Michelle also enjoys Broadway musicals and podcasts.
Lillie W.
Lillie has worn many different hats over the years as a writer, editor, news director and reporter. She has written project reports for NASA, authored more than 2,000 published articles, been a book editor at a major New York publishing house, filed radio stories as a foreign correspondent, and taught college classes in journalism and professional writing.
Her favorite job of all, however, is the one she does now: coaching students into producing that special piece of writing with all the excellence they can muster. When that piece is the personal essay on a college application, she knows how important it can be – a potential green light into their dream school and a bright gateway to the future. She has focused on eliciting from students those qualities that will make their application stand out and optimize their admission chances to the country’s finest colleges. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Sarah Lawrence College, an M.A. in English literature from Brandeis University, and an M.S. from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
Dr. Sarah M.
Sarah has over ten years’ experience teaching writing to high school and college students. She first began mentoring college applicants when she was an undergraduate at Vassar. She went on to get at an MPhil at the University of Cambridge, and then returned to mentoring when she began her PhD in the History Department at Princeton. There she also worked with many Princeton undergraduates on study abroad and graduate school applications. Currently Sarah teaches writing part-time at Princeton, while continuing to work one-on-one with college applicants. She has helped many students achieve admission at the world’s most selective schools, including the Ivy League, Stanford, Cambridge, Oxford, and many more.
Sarah is passionate about excellent writing, and deeply enjoys helping students attain their strongest and most polished voices. Writing is a life-long skill that can be difficult to master, and Sarah’s students appreciate her ability to break down complex concepts and give concrete strategies for crafting clear, powerful, and elegant essays—for college applications, and beyond.
In her free time, Sarah enjoys long-distance running, baking, and, of course, writing. She is currently at work on a book of essays.
Molly R.
Molly holds a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Emerson College and a BA in English and Judaic Studies from Tufts University. She has a significant background in communication and writing across many disciplines including fiction, creative nonfiction, journalism, and marketing. She has worked in higher education, as a communications consultant, and for empowering nonprofit organizations.
A natural storyteller, Molly is compelled to create content that inspires and nurtures her readers. She has published many articles and blogs in many online and print publications, including Tiny Buddha, Upstreet Literary Magazine, and Expressing Motherhood.
Molly has also worked as a writing and essay tutor for many years. Beginning in college, Molly worked in writing labs to help students craft better academic essays. She has worked with many high school students in Vermont to help polish their essays and to help her students find their voices. She has also worked with students at The University of Vermont.
Dr. Kathleen M.
Kathleen is a retired English professor with over 20 years of experience teaching writing and literature courses to first year through Master’s level students. Her love of nineteenth-century British literature is offset by her interest in student writing and mentoring students on research projects from English to Communications. She loves helping students gather their thoughts, make a plan, and create a beautifully crafted essay.
Kathleen holds a PhD in English from Purdue University, but started her education journey with a BA from UC Santa Barbara and an MA from CSU Long Beach. She is happy to have returned to California and is enjoying walking by the beach frequently.
In her spare time, Kathleen enjoys baking cookies and reading detective novels.
Administration
Manager, Michelle P.
Michelle joined IvyBoost in 2013 and she is familiar with many aspects of education and the college counseling process, from college applications, transfers, test prep, and college essays.
She grew up in the Bay Area and attended Mission San Jose High School, in an environment that deeply emphasized the value and hopes of a great education. She later graduated from UC Berkeley, with a major in English. She has over a decade of experience with mentoring students, from past volunteering on guiding junior high and high schoolers on writing to supporting the students at IvyBoost through multiple facets of their applications process towards UCs and other top schools. She hopes that with college counseling and the right guidance, students can undertake a journey of self-discovery for their real interests and a road to college.
Currently, Michelle is also taking the digital marketing program with UCLA.
In her spare time, she enjoys reading, listening to musicals, and testing out cooking experiments.
If you are interested in supporting our students and posses the appropriate trainings and experiences, please send your resume to web[at]ivyboost.com