“We feel that talented students, who have the courage to travel and study abroad, deserve ethical and comprehensive guidance on such important decisions.” -Michael J. Novielli and Andrew Sohn, Co-Founders ManagementAndrew Sohn Andrew holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Columbia College of Columbia University. After graduating from Columbia, Andrew joined the Investment Banking division of J.P. Morgan, where he worked in the Financial Sponsor Group. Outside of work, Andrew co-founded 116 to Wall Street, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating college students about the financial services industry. Through 116 to Wall Street, Andrew mentored hundreds of students who went on to secure jobs in finance. He is also actively involved with the Columbia College Alumni Association (CCAA), serving as the Chairman of the Class of 2004 Alumni Fund, as well as Vice Chairman of the CCAA Board of Directors’ Career Services Committee. Prior to founding Due West, Andrew worked at Irving Place Capital (IPC), a leading New York-based institutional private equity firm focused on middle market investing with $4.4 billion assets under management.
Adam Presser holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chinese from Yale College, graduating Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude. He also holds a Master of Arts degree in East Asian Studies from the Yale University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. At Yale, Adam was a pole-vaulter for the Varsity Men’s Track and Field team, and spent three summers studying and working in China. After graduating from Yale, Adam studied at Tsinghua University’s Inter-University Program for Chinese Language Studies as a Blakemore Freeman Fellow. Adam later joined Ticketmaster’s China offices as a Senior Director, overseeing much of the company’s China operations. While at Ticketmaster, Adam was also General Manager of the majority Chinese state-owned joint-venture entity that served as the primary ticketing provider for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Adam is currently a JD/MBA candidate at the Harvard Business School and the Harvard Law School. U.S. Pre-College Preparation TeamKeith holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History & Hispanic Studies from Columbia College of Columbia University. He also holds a Master of Arts degree in History from the University of Chicago. Keith previously worked as an Undergraduate Admissions Officer for Columbia University, where he managed a portion of submitted applications and coordinated recruitment and selection for the Columbia Undergraduate Scholars Program. As an educational innovator and an expert on educational exchange in China, Keith often shares his insights at conferences and with the media. He is a member of the admission organizations OACAC, NACAC and ABAFOILSS. John Beck John holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government with a focus on International Relations and a minor in Environmental Studies from Dartmouth College. At Dartmouth, he was a Dickey Center War and Peace Fellow and a Senior Leadership Fellow at the Rockefeller Center of Public Policy. John worked as a Senior Assistant Director at the Dartmouth Admissions Office, where he was responsible for both U.S. and international (Middle East and South Asia) recruitment and selection, which included travel to India, China, and Southeast Asia. In his final year with Dartmouth, John served as the International Recruitment Manager, overseeing the selection process for all of Dartmouth’s international applicants. Prior to joining Due West, John spent 6 months backpacking abroad, including in Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia. Annie Lewis
Originally from Lisbon, Portugal, Tania holds a Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude in African and African American Studies from Amherst College. Through her major coursework, she focused on issues of race, migration and colonial identity in Africa. She also pursued the pre-medical requirements and completed a certificate in social innovation and entrepreneurship. While at Amherst, Tania was a Civic Engagement Scholar and selected as Class Marshal. Upon graduating, Tania worked as a special assistant to the Provost, having helped coordinate Amherst’s strategic plan for the next decade. She transitioned to the Amherst Office of Admission as a Senior Admission Fellow and then subsequently as Assistant Dean of Admission. She was responsible for U.S. and international recruitment and selection, traveling extensively around the world to meet prospective students and evaluating thousands of applications. As a former Admission Officer, she believes in the power of education to transform lives and is committed to supporting young people in achieving their full potential. Tania is currently Class Alumni President and is actively involved with the Amherst Alumni Association as member of its executive committee.
Mark graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude from Bowdoin College, where he also won the Lennox Foundation Prize for being the top scholar of Africana Studies. In addition to his Africana Studies coursework, Mark also spent a semester abroad in Berlin, where he studied German with a focus on metropolitan development. During his time at Bowdoin, Mark sat on various multicultural programming committees, and spent 3 years working with the Admissions Office as both a Tour Guide and Senior Admissions Interviewer. After Bowdoin, Mark worked as an Admissions Counselor at Bates College, where he oversaw the Tour Guide program in addition to his responsibilities recruiting, and admitting prospective students. After Bates, Mark was awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Rheinbach, Germany, where he taught English in a German secondary school. Mark then worked as an advisor at CIEE, the nation’s oldest and largest non-profit study abroad provider. Mark comes to Due West having earned his Master’s in Higher Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. During his time at Harvard, Mark focused specifically on the internationalization of higher education, and the scope of student experiences at American colleges and universities. As a first-generation college student with a wealth of experience in the working with students both domestically and abroad, Mark is committed to ensuring that students have the resources, guidance, and support to be successful in the college application process and beyond.
Molly graduated cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania in 2013 and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Arabic Literature and Anthropology. Her academic achievements and independent linguistics research earned her the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, Annenberg Scholars Challenge Grant, and admission to the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program. She completed one year of postgraduate study at the University of California, Davis, fully funded by the UC Davis Provost’s Fellowship in the Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences. She has worked with Due West since 2016 and has expertise in essay writing and working with boarding school students. Students Molly has mentored have been admitted to many top-tier schools, including MIT, Columbia, and the University of Chicago. During her time with Due West, Molly has worked as an Editor, an English Literature and Writing Tutor, and Counselor, and has been involved with applications, intellectual development, and project management at every step of the process. She is currently a Strategy Counselor in our Boston Office.
Sophie graduated with distinction from the University of Virginia, where she was awarded her Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Science with a Global Sustainability minor. Sophie is committed to the idea of better and brighter futures for everyone, beginning with a quality education. It was her work teaching at summer camps and mentoring youths of all ages and backgrounds that resonated the most with her during her time in college and led her to pursue a counseling career. Sophie finds joy in helping students realize their maximum potential, wherever their passion lies. Kristen graduated magna cum laude from Hainan University with a Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Exchange. In her senior year, she worked as an academic advisor for an international education company. As the student ambassador and athlete, she won multiple scholarships, worked, and conducted research for professors in the topic areas of economics, marine agriculture, and journalism. Kristen holds a Master’s Degree in Education from Boston College, with a focus on international education policies and curriculum instruction. She holds a state Teacher’s License in secondary education in Massachusetts and worked as a public high school teacher and for the US college admissions counseling. During her time as a teacher, she helped students organize fundraising events, Asian club activities, and was the core faculty for the city’s foreign language curriculum framework upgrade. Prior to joining Due West, Kristen was the program facilitator for one of the United States largest summer programs in Minnesota, where she was responsible for hundreds of students and over 30 faculty and staff. She has worked with several Charter and private schools in Brighton and Cambridge, MA, in educational administration.
Georgie, born and raised in Beijing, was a student of Due West and RDFZ when she applied for college. With the help of Due West, she successfully got into her dream school, Barnard College, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in art history with a visual art concentration. Georgie then completed her masters’ degree in Bicultural Education at Teacher’s College of Columbia University. During the six years Georgie spent in New York, she fully immersed herself in the city of New York by engaging in multiple jobs and activities. By meeting people in school and in work, Georgie perceived and overcame many obstacles that stood in the way for her and other international students from China. That’s when she decided to pursue a master degree in education so that she could better help international students with similar backgrounds to avoid the predicaments that she encountered. While studying in Teacher’s College of Columbia University, she worked as a teaching assistant and student activity organizer for two years in a local middle school, where she affirmed her passion lies with education. She worked closely with the art department and was involved in editing syllabus and course preparation. Meanwhile, Georgie maintained close relationship with the families of her students and took charge of the communication among first generation Chinese immigrants families to help them went through the challenging middle school phases in ease. Being both a warmhearted friend and a conscientious mentor to students and their parents, Georgie cultivated powerful bonds with multi-cultural family, and acquired new insight regarding international education from them regularly. Georgie is confident in her abilities to uncover each student’s unique talents, tailor their college preparation and application processes and help them rise above the competition. Matt graduated magna cum laude from Colgate University and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political-Science, with a minor in Creative Writing. He served as a member of the university’s Senior Honor Society, dedicated to leadership and service to the community. While studying at Colgate, Matt worked as an Orientation Leader and First-Year Mentor who helped new students acclimate to the campus community. Additionally, he served as a Team Coordinator at the Center for Outreach and Volunteerism, where he was in charge of pairing students with student mentors. Most recently, Matt interned at Colgate’s Office of Institutional Advancement where he communicated directly with faculty, staff and alumni to foster interest and support for the Colgate University Annual Fund. Matt frequently lived and traveled abroad before attending university. He strongly values compassion, empathy and perspective, and the manner in which these qualities manifest in the context of education and cultural exchange. Matt is a passionate reader and writer. His interests include creative non-fiction and short-story fiction. Outside of work, he enjoys travel, reading and writing, film and television and Boston sports.
Peiwen Hao graduated from University of Chicago with a Master of Public Policy. Prior to entering UChicago, he was awarded a Bachelor Degree in English from Nankai University. In Nankai, for his academic achievements, he received numerous awards and scholarships, including the Distinguished Thesis of the Year of 2017. Since his college years, he has fostered a strong interest in literature and writing, which led him to taking academic and creative writing classes in UChicago with journalists. Also, as a Public Policy major in UChicago, he has gone through rigorous training in applying analytical skills and tools in social science and public administration. During the summers throughout his academic journey, Peiwen has interned or volunteered in various organizations and firms, including the Center of International Cultural Exchange, AcrossChina Communication Group, and China MEHECO. He has a wide range of hobbies such as working out and watching movies. Also, he is an avid reader.
谭硕以优秀成绩毕业于海南大学,获得文化交流学士学位。大四学年,她在一家国际教育机构担任学术顾问的职位。作为学生大使和一名运动员,她多次获得奖学金,参与了教授领导下的涉及经济学、海洋农业、新闻等多领域的研究。谭硕获得了波士顿学院教育学硕士学位,研究方向为国际教育政策和课程与教学。她获得了马萨诸塞州中等教育教师资格证,担任公立高中教师和大学录取顾问的职位。担任教师期间,她帮助学生组织募捐,亚洲俱乐部活动,并且在学校所在城市的外国语言课程框架升级当中起到了核心的作用。加入途西之前,谭硕是在明尼苏达州举行的美国最大的暑期项目之一的项目推动者,对上百名学生和超过30名的教职员工负责。谭硕在布莱顿和剑桥的多家特许学校和私立学校中工作,参与教学管理。
Chris 是乔治亚州亚特兰大人,毕业于华盛顿李大学(W&L),拥有工商管理学士学位和东亚语言文学学士学位。W&L位于弗吉尼亚州列克星敦的田园大学城,是美国南部历史最悠久、最负盛名的文理学院之一。W&L的荣誉体系是大学本科生活的基石,每一位毕业生都具有强烈的社区意识、诚信和追求卓越的热情。在获得这所大学的两个学位时,克里斯对东亚研究以及该地区在不断变化的全球社会经济格局中所扮演的角色十分着迷。因此,他在上海度过了一个夏天,学习了有关中国政治、商业和经济的各种课程。 从W&L毕业后,克里斯搬到了北京,在那里他已经生活和工作了一年多。他曾在北京担任大学招生顾问和教育工作者。克里斯教授过各种课程,并帮助一些北京的尖子生通过严格的美国大学申请程序。在北京的这段时间里,克里斯一直努力让自己融入社区,让学生们的生活更加充实。他的首要目标是在中美两国政治和经济关系的关键时刻弥合两国之间的鸿沟。 在他的业余时间,克里斯喜欢打网球,骑自行车,徒步旅行,阅读,并支持他的家乡大学橄榄球队。
Born and raised in Shanghai, Estelle graduated cum laude from the University of Rochester holding a Bachelor of Science degree in Business: Finance and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics. She was awarded a Take Five Scholarship which allowed her to study Italian history and architecture for one year after college. During her time at the U of R, Estelle served as a teaching assistant for the mathematics department. She was also a team captain for the mock trial club. Estelle did volunteer work in Procida, Italy where she worked with elementary school students in sustainable gardens. She has also interned in several companies including ICBC, Huatai Securities, and EF Education. Before joining Due West, Estelle partnered with local college students in a Chinese-Italian language exchange program in Arezzo, Italy. Estelle enjoys cooking, shopping, and swimming. U.S. High School Preparation TeamRick has a BSFS in international economics from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and a MSc in international relations from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris. He also has a MSc. TESOL from Aston University, now a part of the University of Birmingham, and M.Ed in Curriculum Design and Educational Leadership from Plymouth State University where he was inducted into Phi Delta Kappa. Rick joins Due West after working for a long time at Cardigan Mountain School where he served as Director of International Student Program and International Relations. Rick oversaw Cardigan’s international student placement, international fundraising, and international alumni and parent associations. During his years there, he also coached, taught several foreign languages, and served as a dorm parent. Prior to working at Cardigan, Rick was a foreign expert in Changchun, Jilin where he taught International Business and Multinational Corporation Management at the Changchun Tax College. He also taught at the Changchun Foreign Languages School. Rick worked in business before he became an educator. His children, Elizabeth and Joe, are attending college in the US. Mary, his wife, also lives in Beijing. Rick is fluent in several languages, including Chinese.
Kwame is from Jamaica and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology with a concentration in African Studies from Macalester College. He also holds a master’s degree in International Training and Education from American University. He recently completed his education specialist (Ed.S.) degree in Secondary Education at Worcester State University. He is also TEFL certified and has taught in Japan, South Africa, Botswana, Myanmar, Jamaica and the USA. Prior to joining Due West, Kwame was an assistant director of admission at St. Mark’s School in Massachusetts for three years. He’s been described as a jovial and positive individual who brings a ray of light into any room he enters. He loves traveling, the performing arts, and eating good food.
Calvin was born in Los Angeles, California and graduated from Humboldt State University with a BA in International Studies and minor in Spanish and a MA in Chinese Studies from Valparaiso University. As a student, Calvin worked with students of all ages from elementary to high school. After graduation, he worked at multiple universities on international student services teams and helping students with their cultural and academic transition to campus. Prior to working at Due West, Calvin was working in Boston as a study abroad advisor and international student advisor. In his spare time, Calvin enjoys watching sports, staying active, traveling and trying new food.
Yanning double majored in International Relations and Human Rights Development and earned her Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees from the University of Iowa. She also studied for her Master of Social Work at women school, Simmons University in Boston. Yanning has three years working experiences with the non-profit agencies in Iowa City and Boston (Federal and state founded program). Her non-profit work mainly focused on community education, legal assistance, counseling and advocating awareness for victims/survivors of gender-based-violence, domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking. Yanning also served as a facilitator in the university to train freshman and new-coming students to raise the awareness of gender-based-violence. Yanning also worked in an International School in the Middle East as an administrator. She was responsible to manage student’s application file, conduct interviews and enhance the student wellness development plans and events in the school. More specifically, she also worked with students from different backgrounds one on one to better understand their study and personal/family problems. Yanning also hold self-care workshops for international school faculties to raise the awareness of self-care, meditation and community development. Outside of Yanning’s professional life, Yanning enjoys outdoor activities and traveling around different cities and regions around the world. She also loves talking to people who share different backgrounds and learning from the difference.
Jeremy holds a Master of Science degree in Linguistics from Georgetown University. More specifically, with a concentration in Sociolinguistics, he delved into the study of language in social context and was intrigued by how individuals from various backgrounds could better communicate with one another in a more cohesive and effective manner. He has always been an active and insightful researcher and his research interests include: discourse analysis of both routine conversations and personal narratives, language use in social media, and players’ in-game messages in online interactive gaming environment, etc. Prior to joining Georgetown, Jeremy had earned dual degrees – Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology – at University of Richmond, one of the top private liberal arts colleges in the nation. Besides academics, Jeremy has interned and worked full-time for companies in various industries, including: Blockchain Technology, Finance, Accounting, and Risk Management. At Due West, Jeremy hopes to combine what he has learned in his classroom studies with his previous working experience to really help students grow on a holistic basis. In leisure time, Jeremy enjoys watching sports, reading, and chilling with his friends. Parent Coordination Team
Mary Exton earned her Bachelor’s degree from Hunan Changsha University of Science & Technology. After graduation, she worked in the training center of SongLiao Water Resource and Electric Power Institute. In 1995, she moved to New Hampshire, US with her husband, and worked on the campus of Cardigan Mountain School. Mary obtained her Master of Education with the focus on Information Technology from Plymouth State University. She has taught Algebra, Computer Science and Mandarin Chinese language in the US high schools for 17 years, where she established the computer program and the Mandarin Chinese language program. She was selected as AP Computer Science Reader by College Board in 2008. Mary is passionate in Global Education, project base learning.
Lina earned her Bachelor’s degree in English and Hotel Management from Hebei Foreign Studies University. During her studies in college, she volunteered in the school’s international students center as the coordinator of admission office. and she also graduate as an outstanding graduate. Prior to joining Duewest, Lina works in the Intercontinental Hotels Group as a guest service manager.
Shane graduated from Hebei University of Science and Technology with a degree in English. She earned Test For English Major 8 certificate as well as TL9000 Internal Auditor certificate. She has rich work experience on coordination and project management. Prior to joining Due West, she worked in global leading telecommunication service vendor Aicent, where she was in charge of translating, service quality assessment and analysis. Rae Yang graduated from Heilongjiang University and has worked in education for over two years Prior to joining Due west, Rae worked at an English training agency and really enjoyed teaching children ages 3-12.She is very glad to join due west ,and she hopes she can help students apply to their dream school. She is very passionate about her work, and likes to communicate with people. Meiting Li (Melanie) is graduated from Northern Arizona University with a Bachelor Degree of Hotel & Restaurant Management. And She earned a Master Degree in Global Management from Thunderbird School in US. Prior to Due West, she has four years of working experience as manager in hospitality industry in Los Angeles in the US. Meiting Li is proficient at Cantonese, Mandarin, and English. She is customer oriented and provides good customer service. Echo graduated from Xi’an Shiyou University as an outstanding graduate. She is born in northeastern China, she is enthusiastic and patient, willing to communicating with people and opens her heart to every student and parent. Her work principle is to offer the most efficient and meticulous service for the families,pave the way to staying in the United States. Prior to Due West, she has worked in a central enterprise named CRRC for 2 years as a secretary of general manager and party committee office, and then worked in EIC for 1 year as an American education consultant, helping many students apply schools and be admitted to their ideal one. Thus, she is familiar with domestic and foreign education systems and devoted to her job. In daily life, Echo loves travel,sing and dance! Chen graduated from Saint Petersburg State University and went to graduate schools in Oxford University and Sophia University. He has degrees in international Relations and Global Studies. He also likes art, architecture and cooking. Before joining the Due West, he worked in hospitality. Bing Bai (Gin) graduated from US Westcliff University in Master of Business Administration. He holds a Bachelor Degree in Interior design. Prior to Due West, He has 4 years working experience as manager in hospitality industry in US, 9 years living experience in America. Besides, Bing is proficient at Mandarin, and English. Mia was born and raised in Beijing. She graduated with honors from North China University of Technology with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chinese Language and Literature. Before joining Due West, she worked as a secretary in the general manager’s office at Media Center for nearly three years. During that time, she was mainly responsible for submitting reports to CCTV headquarters, assisting the general manager in supervising the task implementation of various departments, and compiling the company’s annual reports. She also participated as the leader in the late translation work of the TV programs authorized by CCTV. For the next two years, Mia worked in two foreign-funded institutions to help over 100 students to apply to top universities in the UK and US. Mia has previously volunteered at the Beijing braille library, practised ballet, and won the honor of the National Second Rank Athlete in fencing. Outside of work, Mia has a wide range of interests, including reading, traveling and learning Japanese.
Born and raised in Beijing, Ursula spent 7 years in Beijing International Studies University, received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Teaching Chinese as the Second Language and a Master of Arts degree in Linguistic and Applied Linguistic. Through her college life, she attended several short-term exchange programs and had traveled to the United States, South Korea and Singapore to explore local culture and learn effective methods of localized Chinese language teaching. Prior to Due West, she worked as a Chinese teacher in Minzu University for 2 years and spent 2 summers teaching with Princeton in Beijing, an intensive language-learning program run by Princeton University. Following her teaching work, she decided to join in CIEE Beijing to expand more work skills and contribute to Sino-US intercultural education. Being an educator, Ursula is enthusiastic and patient, full of empathy, willing to communicating with people and never stop her movement in learning and progressing. She believes that education can promote people’s development and be honored to make contribution to it. Aileen graduated from Beijing forestry University, after graduation, she worked as coordinator in two foreign companies. Outside work, she wants to have a wide view of the world, so she visited many places and even has traveled abroad for 1 year, she loves to explore all parts of the world. On the way of her work and life, she likes to take on different challenges and keep moving. Cynthia graduated from Sichuan Agricultural University with a bachelor degree in English. Prior to joining Due West, she has six years of experience in education, working at schools both in Chengdu and Beijing where she gained plenty of experience on English tutoring and coordination. Moreover, she also served as TOEFL and AP Proctor. Course Consultant Team
Victoria holds a bachelor degree in marketing from Harbin University of Science and Technology. Prior joining Due West, Victoria worked in the Heilongjiang branch of Boneco Air treatment in Switzerland as a sales manager and assistant of the general manager. She was fully responsible for the sales in Heilongjiang province. Due to her love for education, she joined EF , the largest private English group in the world. During her six years’ service, she was responsible for the comprehensive management of Marketing Department, sales department and school management. She believes that love and responsibility are the soul of education. Through love and responsibility, more and more students will realize their dreams.
Vera received a bachelor’s degree in economics from the School of Management, University of Science and Technology Beijing in 2005, majoring in International Economics and Trade. After graduating, she worked in business and channel management at a top global automation manufacturing company. Inspired by the educational journey of her twin children, she believes that high-quality education provides incredible opportunities, so she has devoted herself to the higher education field. With her 8 years as an education consultant, she has rich experience and a highly efficient working style. Drawing on her own experience charting her family’s educational journey, Vera takes into account each family’s desires as part of their educational plan. During her spare time, she enjoys traveling and relaxing with her family and friends.
Wenjing Zhang received a bachelor’s degree in law from Ningbo University and a master’s degree in international law from Nanjing University Law School, and passed the national judicial examination. During her postgraduate years, she studied at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center for Chinese and American Studies (HNC) for a year and was responsible for helping Emory University and Northeastern University students studying in China with their summer education programs coordination. Prior to joining Due West, Zhang Wenjing worked as an intern at Fangben Law Firm, a leading law firm in Shanghai. Operations-HR & Admin Team
Elisa holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Language from Hefei University of Technology. She also holds a Master degree in Human Resources Management & European Labor Law from University of Toulouse . Prior to joining Due West, Elisa worked at a leading Seattle-based Public Relation company for 5 years, managing a full spectrum of human resources programs, services and functions. Anne graduated from Beijing International Studies University where she obtained a major in English. Prior to joining Due West, she worked at CDB as a secretary and at an US orthopaedic group as RA specialist. Ines graduated from University of Alcala in Spain with a master’s degree in drama and literature studies. After returning to China, she worked as the Chinese Office of King Juan Carlos University of Spain before she worked as a Admissions Commissioner Alliance Françaisee. The Due West CouncilThe Due West Council also includes former admissions officers and directors from Ivy League and other prestigious institutions including: Harvard University, Columbia University, Tufts University, Barnard College and New York University. With decades of experience working in admissions, the Due West Council unlocks the secrets to university admissions, coaching our students throughout the application process. |