Our Team

Owner and Lead Advisor
Jennifer Williams Taylor is the former Senior Director of Admissions at Santa Clara University, former Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Enrollment at Presidio Graduate School and was also a college admissions reader at Stanford University. She supported hundreds of students through the college application process with an approach described as being empathetic with high expectations, sharing her insight with parents and students who are looking to be highly competitive in today’s college applicant pool. To create an authentic student profile, Jennifer guides students in developing outstanding essays with intellectual depth and in preparing cohesive application materials that highlight the best of the student. Jennifer received her MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and B.S. from the University of California, Davis, before gaining executive experience with Fortune 500 pharmaceutical companies. She remains involved in her community and has served on several nonprofit boards committed to youth development. When she's not working with students, Jennifer is likely to be traveling, hiking local Bay Area trails, spending time with family and friends, doing Pilates, or reading a great book.  More about Jennifer...

 

Advisor
Julia Duszak joined Avalon in the fall of 2021, and brings over a decade of experience working with students of all ages in academic settings. She has a B.A. in Communications & Public Relations from Virginia Tech and spent the early part of her career working in supplier-client relations and marketing. Julia enjoys spending time with her 2 daughters (including one in high school with sights set on college!), her husband, and the ever-changing menagerie of animals living in her house. In her free time, she can be found creating or building, enjoying family movie nights, getting warm in the sunshine or learning something new.  More about Julia...

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Advisor
Kaitlyn Soto has dedicated herself to providing academic support to students of all ages, specializing in writing, history, and mathematics. In addition to her commitment to motivating students to accomplish their academic goals, Kaitlyn is an accomplished writer as well as an advocate of environmental issues, having actively engaged in the environmental sector, educating youth and young adults and playing a key role in influencing decision-makers state-wide. Born and raised in Southern California, Kaitlyn enjoys spending time with her local family playing pickleball or participating in family game night, and reading books and exchanging perspectives on them with her book club friends. More about Kaitlyn...

 

 

Advisor
Dr. Jeanette Moore has been an educator and author for 25 years. At Avalon, Jeanette aims to assist students in accessing opportunities through caring and supportive advisory, along the college planning process continuum. Throughout her endeavors, she has served hundreds of students in their college planning process. When she isn’t working and learning, she is with her two daughters, Maya and Savanna. They enjoy New England hikes, snowboarding, horseback riding, and yoga classes. More about Jeanette...

 

 

Program Coordinator
Julia Smith-Johnson is an alum of Avalon College Advising who returned to Avalon with a Data & Business Analytics degree from Suffolk University. Julia specializes in facilitating student onboarding and program experiences, updating internal processes, and synthesizing and analyzing student data. In her free time, Julia enjoys hiking, camping, and traveling with friends and family. More about Julia...

 

 

 

Client Services & Operations Support
Amber comes to Avalon with a background in healthcare and STEM, holding a Bachelor's degree in Nursing Science and a Doctorate in Nursing Practice specializing in Adult-Gerontology Acute Care from the University of Florida. Amber brings a wealth of skills and her healthcare expertise to the college application process, helping our STEM-focused students in particular. Her commitment to excellence and her welcoming, positive demeanor make her a trusted ally for students navigating the college application process. More about Amber...

 

 

 

Accountant
Widya Ishananto has been with Avalon for many years, efficiently and cheerfully managing our client and staff financial transactions with an eye for detail and excellent organizational skills.

 

 

 

Essay Reviewers & Readers
Led by Jennifer Williams Taylor and supported by a team of editors. Our essay team boasts experience in education, business, communications, economics and more. They hold bachelors and masters degrees from universities across the country (including University of Iowa, Harvard and Stanford), and have years of experience in editing, copywriting, and college admissions.

 

Communications, Operations and Customer Support
The Avalon College Advising Team includes professionals with backgrounds in finance, client and community relations, communications, marketing, education, and business management. We are both Myers Briggs MBTI and Strong Interest Inventory certified.