The Counselors That Change Lives Award recognizes those whose dedication to the college counseling profession reflects the CTCL ideals. By helping students frame their search beyond the ratings and rankings to find a college that provides the foundation for a successful and fulfilling life, these student-centered professionals powerfully communicate to students and families that what happens during the stay is what counts. Since 2009, the following individuals have been honored as Counselors That Change Lives.
Lade Akande, University High School, IN, 2019
Ana Almeida, Onward We Learn, RI, 2023
Robert Andrews, Schuler Scholar Program, IL, 2010
Angelica Bailon, Saint Joseph-Notre Dame High School, CA, 2017
Beau Baker, Ivy Plus Academy at Fern Creek High School, KY, 2018
Kathryn Baron, Mount Vernon High School, IA, 2018
Laura Baxter, Key School, MD, 2024
Amy Belstra, Libertyville High School, IL, 2015
Helen Berger, Houston Preparatory Academy, TX, 2012
Emily Berty, Kirkwood High School, MO, 2011
John Boshoven, Community High School, MI, 2010
Tobe Bott-Lyons, Northern New Mexico College TRIO, NM, 2025
Jesse Bowen, Woodward Academy, GA, 2022
Frank Branch, Jim Hill High School, MS, 2022
Matt Burns, Woodrow Wilson High School, WA, 2015
Blythe Butler, Catlin Gabel Academy, OR, 2020
Diane Campbell, Fossil Ridge High School, CO, 2017
Mark Chalkley, United World College Red Cross Nordic, Norway, 2019
David Chehey, Boise High School, ID, 2025
Eli Clarke, Commonwealth Academy, VA, 2020
Anne Cochran, Charter High School of the Arts (Multimedia and Performing), CA, 2012
Emily Coffey, Mount St. Mary Academy, AR, 2021
Emily Colman, Brooklyn Latin School, NY, 2012
Cole Conners, Lakeside High School, GA, 2021
Allie Cooper, Breakthrough Santa Fe, NM, 2021
Maria Cortes, Nicholas Academic Center, CA, 2016
Dan Crabtree, Wheaton Academy, IL, 2016
Cody Dailey, Lyons Township High School, IL, 2024
Brendan Diffley, Pinewood Preparatory School, SC, 2010
Josh Ditsky, Berks Catholic High School, PA, 2017
Nora Dowley, Codman Academy Charter Public School, MA, 2010
Melanie Drake, Whitfield School, MO, 2012
Erin Duffy, Seacrest Country Day School, FL, 2009
Gail Durso, Explore Solutions, CA, 2019
Yvonne Espinoza, Gonzalo Garza Independence High School, TX, 2015
Jennifer Ewing, Cristo Rey Baltimore, MD, 2020
Jim Fadely, University High School of Indiana, IN, 2009
John Fanning, Jones College Prep, IL, 2010
David Feiner, Albany Park Theatre Project, IL, 2015
Jennifer FitzPatrick, Columbus Academy, OH, 2013
Michele Flores, Baltimore City College, MD, 2018
Randy Fong, Sacred Hearts Academy, HI, 2022
Adrienne Fluitt, BASIS Oro Valley, AZ, 2020
Kathy Garrett, Minds Matter Portland, OR, 2024
Steffanie Gentile, Clark Montessori, OH, 2011
Sarah Jane Gibbons, Millennium Brooklyn High School, NY, 2023
Timothy Gibson, St. George’s Independent School, TN, 2013
Aliza Gilbert, Highland Park High School, IL, 2017
Daniel Gin, Niles West High School, IL, 2011
Janet Glovinsky, Denver Center for International Studies, CO, 2012
Sharmon Goodman, One Voice, CA, 2025
Debbie Greenberg, College Bound, MO, 2009
Keeon Gregory, Greensboro Day School, NC, 2025
Jessica Hardy, St. George’s Independent School, TN, 2022
Jason Harris, College Now Greater Cleveland, OH, 2024
Patty Hart, HighSight, IL, 2022
Mary Hunter Hardison, Nansemond-Suffolk Academy, VA, 2019
Bridget Herrera, Escola American de Campinas, Brazil, 2010
Kelly Herrington, University Prep, WA, 2013
Kris Hilton, Central Academy of Des Moines Public Schools, IA, 2015
DeEnna Holohan, Notre Dame High School, CA, 2021
Nicholas Howell, Pflugerville High School, TX, 2021
Lauren Hoyt, Oakwood Friends School, NY, 2010
Emma Huelskoetter, Davidson College Advising Corps/Hunter Huss High School, NC, 2016
Grace Jackson, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Twin Cities, MN, 2025
Andrew Johnson, George Westinghouse College Prep, IL, 2025
Kent Jones, Emma Willard School, NY, 2020
Rodney Joyner, Baltimore City College, MD, 2020
Beth Kainic, Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep, IL, 2019
Donald Kamentz, College Initiatives Prep/YES Prep, TX, 2012
Derrick Kang, Mid-Pacific Institute, HI, 2020
Adam Kendis, North Star Academy Charter School of Newark, NJ, 2011
William Kibler, Cesar Chavez High School, AZ, 2022
Mo Kim, SEO Scholars San Francisco, CA, 2024
Lesley Klecan, St. Mary’s School, OR, 2016
Alice Kleeman, Menlo-Atherton School, CA, 2014
Melissa Kotačka, Carolina Friends School, NC, 2018
Raquel Laiz, Benjamin Franklin HS, OR, 2019
Crys Latham, Washington Latin Public Charter School, DC, 2012
Whitney Laughlin, College Horizons, NM, 2009
Carolynn Laurenza, Uncommon Charter School, NY, 2014
Chat Leonard, Metro Academic and Classical High School, MO, 2019
DeVonta Lee, Bellaire High School, TX, 2020
Stacy Lightfoot, Chattanooga School for Creative Arts, TN, 2011
Carmen Lopez, College Horizons, NM, 2024
Joy Maguire, Westside High School, TX, 2020
Emmanuel Manu, W.E.B. Dubois High School/CollegeBound Foundation of Baltimore, MD, 2012
Ann Marano, Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School, TX, 2017
Cynthia Markoch, Eastside High School, FL, 2009
Elisabeth Marksteiner, International School of Zug and Luzern, Switzerland, 2013
Gabrielle Matthews, College Advising Corps (Boston University) for Community Academy of Science and Health, 2022
Jasmin McClendon, College Bound Initiative, NY, 2018
Lynda McGee, Downtown Magnets High School, CA, 2009
Christopher Miller, Sandy Spring Friends School, MD, 2023
Karen Minvielle, Counterpane Montessori School, GA, 2016
Victoria Monroe, Mechanicsburg High School, OH, 2021
Jim Montague, Boston Latin School, MA, 2011
Toni Marie O’Daniel, Hmong College Prep Academy, MN, 2020
Diana Olivarez, Camino Nuevo Charter High School, CA, 2012
Delia Olmos-Garcia, Willamette Academy, OR, 2022
Melanie Onufrieff, Deerfield Academy, MA, 2023
Kathy Ortman, American International School of Guangzhou, China, 2014
Tobi Oves, Ocean City High School, NJ, 2020
Gretchen Parks, Academy of the Sacred Heart, MI, 2013
Ginger Patron, Patapsco High School, MD, 2011
Lisa Pederson, Mounds Park Academy, MN, 2021
Carl Peterson, Forest Hills Eastern High School, MI, 2009
Morgan Phillips, St. Mary’s School, NC, 2021
Brian Rauscher, Peak to Peak Charter School, CO, 2017
Sheena Reed, Metairie Park Country Day School, LA, 2019
Sam Ritter, Davis New Mexico Scholarship, NM, 2021
Chris Rodriguez, The Branson School, CA, 2018
Margaret Rosenbaum, Uplift Summit International Preparatory, TX, 2017
Andrea Rusk, Mundelein High School, IL, 2020
Rebecca Rutsky, Alabama School of Fine Arts, AL, 2010
Joe Sailors, Campus High School, KS, 2016
Charlette Genne S. Santiago, Tiyan High School, Guam, 2024
Stephanie Shandra, MMI Prep, PA, 2014
Margaret Smith, Chattanooga School of the Arts and Sciences, TN, 2011
Jeff Stahlman, New Albany High School, NY, 2011
Paula Steiner, Prairie Ridge High School, IL, 2016
Anna Takahashi, Eastside College Preparatory School, CA, 2016
Alice Tanaka, Holy Names Academy, WA, 2015
Nanette Tarbouni, John Burroughs School, MO, 2015
Karen Tcheyan, CollegeTracks at Wheaton High School, MD, 2011
Gisela Terner, Independent Counselor, WI, 2014
Tela Thigpen, Freedom Preparatory Academy, TN, 2020
Darryl Tiggle, Friends School of Baltimore, MD, 2021
Bob Turba, Stanton College Prep, FL, 2014
Terry Ullram, Watkinson School, CT, 2012
Eva Varellas Kanellis, Anatolia College (Thessaloniki), Greece, 2015
Elena Walsh, Benjamin Franklin High School, MD, 2021
Stephanie Walsh, Seabury Hall, HI, 2025
Sierra Ward, Saratoga High School, CA, 2025
M.L. Weber, Freedom Preparatory Academy, TN, 2023
Hermela Welday, Institute for East African Councils on Higher Education, DC, 2018
Jean Whalen, Pine Richland High School, PA, 2011
Christopher Wolf, Nicholas Senn High School, IL, 2023
Rose Yackley, Achieve Twin Cities: Humboldt High School, MN, 2023
Teng Yang, Democracy Prep, NY, 2019
Matt Ybarra, Santa Fe Preparatory School, NM, 2021
Lenni Yesner, Bard High School Early College Queens, NY, 2020
Ashley Young, Charles R. Drew Senior Academy, GA, 2018
Robert Zapotocky, The Galloway School, GA, 2013
Susan Zarwell, University School of Milwaukee, WI, 2014
Pedro Zuniga, Gear UP at Harlingen High School, TX, 2022