American School Counselor Association

Mr. Neil Clark started at Walker School in 1993 after working in higher education enrollment management for 17 years, most recently at Valparaiso University in Indiana as Vice President of Admissions and Financial Aid. Mr. Clark is a National Certified Counselor, Certified Educational Planner, and a member of The College Board, The National Association for College Admission Counseling, the American Counseling Association, the American School Counselor Association and the American Psychological Association. Mr. Clark has been married to Karen Clark for 29 years; their son, Elliott, is a third year student at Georgia Tech. Because of his constant presence and very vocal support, Mr. Clark is often referred to as the "Best Fan" at Walker's arts and athletic events. He loves snow skiing and has two Golden Retrievers named Sage and Chili. Mr. Clark has small, private college counseling practice for non-Walker families, and during the summer he hosts the annual National Small College Enrollment Conference, now in its 17th year.

Ellen Richards founded Ellen Richards Educational Services, Inc. after graduating from Wellesley College and completing graduate coursework for Masters degrees in both College Counseling and Child and Adolescent Literacy at Loyola Marymount University. Ellen is an expert on every level of the college application review process. Ellen spent almost twenty years working in the Wellesley College admissions office, interviewing countless students and reviewing a myriad of college applications, thus she has the expertise and deliberate approach that yields excellent results. Ellen is well acquainted with the intricacies of most colleges and universities in the United States: many clients deem her a "master strategist." While each student has unique strengths, Ellen's many years of working with students who seek entry into college and Ellen's constant research into changing trends that affect students have endowed her with unsurpassed experience in every facet of college admissions. Ellen and her team assist students not only with standardized test preparation but also with the creation of a strategy that saves time and renders the best result for the student. Ellen and her team help students create art portfolios, acting reels, short films and many other aspects of the application that help them stand out among the crowd. In addition to expertly guiding hundreds of families through the college admissions process successfully, Ellen volunteers her time helping low-income youth, who otherwise have no advocate, obtain the opportunity to attend college. She serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Bridge to College, nominates students for the Posse Foundation and shares her expertise with students living on Skid Row through her partnership with the non-profit group School on Wheels. With the assistance of the Los Angeles mayor's office and Summer Night Lights program, she is currently working with a filmmaker to create a documentary that will educate others about growing up in an urban ghetto that is dominated by a gang culture that infiltrates the hearts and minds of the children who live there, creating an atmosphere in which college is merely an impossible dream. Ellen often delivers presentations to public middle and high school students and parents about how to best prepare for the college admissions process and also how to fulfill their dreams if college does not seem like the appropriate choice for a student. She has served as a study skills teacher for Marlborough School and assisted over 100 students with the ISEE standardized exam necessary to obtain admission into a private school. Ellen uses her experience in advocating for students who seek admission to the nation's top schools as well as those who strive to find an alternative destiny that resonates with their individual values and strengths and outlines her academic support philosophy in her forthcoming book: Authentic Admissions. Ellen writes for Examiner.com as the Los Angeles College Bound Expert and regularly contributes to several online websites. She recently launched Secret Admissions, an online community where students openly and honestly share their concerns about the college admissions process. Ellen is committed to maintaining the highest standards among test preparation instructors and college admissions experts with whom she affiliates. The team's personalized approach and tireless commitment to excellence is proven by the number of satisfied students who gain entry into the college of their choice. Ellen views the team of consultants with whom she collaborates as an extension of herself and refers only the brightest graduates of the nation's top schools to support and mentor students. Ellen is a member of the Western Association of College Admissions (WACAC), the California Association of School Counselors (CASC), the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) and the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA).

Charlie serves as our Aftercare coordinator and also as a funeral assistant. He joined the firm in January of 2005 and heads up our AfterLoss Support Group. He has brought an extensive background with years of experience and training into this area of our funeral care team. He attended Monmouth College in Illinois and earned a B.A. in elementary education and learning disabilities in 1976. He moved to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa and taught first grade. He was accepted into graduate school at The University of Iowa where he was a research assistant in the counseling department and earned an M.A. in Counseling and Human Development in 1981. After working as a counselor at College Community in Cedar Rapids, he moved to Maquoketa and has worked as an elementary counselor for the Maquoketa Schools since the fall of 1981. He facilitated numerous Systematic Training for Effective Parenting groups from 1980-1999, and also started Parenting Again, a group that assisted grandparents raising grandchildren. Since 1995 he has co-facilitated over 200 Children in the Middle classes for Eastern Iowa Community College. He's been a member of the American Counseling Association and the American School Counselor Association since 1979. As a member of the Iowa Counseling Association he held many positions, including state president. Charlie earned status as a National Certified Counselor in 1983 from the National Board for Certified Counselors. He became a certified Trauma and Loss School Specialist in 2002 from The National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children. Charlie is married to Cathy and has two step sons, Jamie and Brian. Both are married and have a son. In the community, he is the coordinator of the PALS Program and a member of the Jackson County Coalition Against Family and Domestic Violence. He is a member of Sacred Heart Church where he is a lector, commentator, head usher, Eucharistic minister, and on the stewardship committee. In his spare time he enjoys spending time with family, loves being a Grandpa, is an avid golfer, and travels Up North with Cathy to golf and relax.

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Judith M. Kuczynski has a bachelor's degree in nursing and Master of Science degree in professional counseling. She is a professional member of the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). In addition to her role as Counseling Services Director at Excel High School, Judy is also a college online psychology, anatomy, medical terminology, and health care law and ethics instructor. Judy is president of Bully Police USA, a non-profit watch-dog organization reporting on state ant-bullying laws and advocating for bullied children. She is also co-founder and vice president of Power of One Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization studying the problem of relational aggression and bullying in schools, and is a national consultant to middle and high school parents, teachers, and school administrators throughout the United States who want to implement solutions and advocate for their children.