Emmi Harward
Executive Director
ex officio member of Board of Trustees

Emmi Harward has served as the Executive Director of ACCIS since January 2017. After serving in that role in a part-time, volunteer capacity for three and a half years, she became the Association’s first full-time employee. As executive director, Emmi is tasked with the day-to-day operations of the Association, whose mission is to support the essential role of college counselors as leaders in independent schools through professional development and support. She is a frequent presenter and panelist at regional and national conferences and a speaker at professional meetings. Emmi’s experience in college admission and counseling spans over 25 years in the profession. Early in her career, she served in the undergraduate admission offices at Emory University in Atlanta and Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Emmi then served as director of college counseling at Hampton Roads Academy in Newport News, Virginia and The Bishop's School in La Jolla, California. It was at Bishop's where she began her involvement in ACCIS as a committee member, chair, and ultimately executive director. She is based in San Diego, California.

Linda Pierre
Director of Member Services and Operations

Linda Pierre joined ACCIS in January 2022 as the Director of Member Services and Operations, where she takes a lead role in association operations, member services and outreach, and managing membership and systems to benefit ACCIS member schools and organizations. Additionally, she is responsible for managing the logistics of the Association’s professional development offerings, along with their respective chairs. Linda has worked with several national associations and higher education institutions and brings more than 20 years of experience in association management, program management, events, and operations. Prior to joining ACCIS, Linda worked with the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) as a senior director. She is also a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), holds a Certificate in Exhibition Management (CEM), and Digital Events Specialist (DES). She is based in Texas.

Leilani Arita-Takayama
'Iolani School, Honolulu, HI 
Board past chair (term through 2027)

Leilani Arita-Takayama joined the ACCIS Board in 2023. She served as the New Counselor Workshop and Webinar Series Chair from 2021-2023 and has been on the faculty since 2020. She has been a member of the college counseling team at ‘Iolani School in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi since 2017, serving as Associate Director of College Counseling. Before this current role, she also served as Academic Dean and College Counselor at La Pietra-Hawai`i School for Girls and has spent time in graduate advising at Hawaiʻi Pacific University. She currently serves as Co-Chair for Hawai`i Association for College Admission Counseling's Diversity, Equity, and Access Committee. 

Dr. Ashley L. Bennett
Emma Willard School, Troy, NY
Board chair (term through 2028)

Ashley Bennett was elected to the ACCIS Board of Trustees in 2023. She currently serves as Director of College Counseling at Emma Willard School in Troy, NY. Prior to this role, Ashley was Director of College Counseling at KIPP Sunnyside High School and she was a college counselor at St. Agnes Academy in Houston, TX as well. As is often the case in the profession, Ashley spent several years in college admission. She was Director of Admissions and Recruitment at Wiley College in Marshall, TX, and Assistant Director of Admission at Oklahoma City University. 

Tania Castro Bradt 
Head-Royce School, Oakland, CA
Strategic Directions Committee co-chair (term through 2028)

Tania Castro Bradt was elected to the ACCIS Board of Trustees in 2025, after being a part of ACCIS since the early days of her college counseling career at Palmer Trinity School in Miami, Florida. She has been a member of the college counseling team at the Head-Royce School in Oakland, California since 2016 and currently serves as Director of College Counseling. Before her current role at Head-Royce, she worked in leadership roles in undergraduate admissions at UC Berkeley, Stanford University and her alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania.

Chadwick Fulton
St. Andrew's Episcopal School, Austin, TX 
Strategic Directions Committee co-chair (term through 2028)

Chadwick Fulton was elected to the ACCIS Board of Trustees in 2025, having previously served on the ACCIS leadership team as the New Counselor Workshop and Webinar Series Chair; he began his service on the faculty in 2020. He has been a member of the college counseling team at St. Andrew's Episcopal School in Austin, Texas since 2012 and serves as Co-Director of College Counseling. Before his current role at St. Andrew's, he worked in undergraduate admissions at his alma mater, the University of Tennessee. 

Sebnem Giorgio
New Canaan Country School, New Canaan, CT (term through 2027)

Sebnem Giorgio joined the ACCIS Board of Trustees in 2024. She currently serves as the Chief Financial and Operations Officer at New Canaan Country School (NCCS), where she leads the school’s finance, facilities and capital projects, and human resources functions. Sebnem came to NCCS in August 2025 from The Nightingale-Bamford School in New York City, where she held a similar leadership role for over five years. Sebnem brings more than a decade of executive experience in the nonprofit and education sectors. She previously served as Chief Financial and Administrative Officer at DREAM (formerly Harlem RBI), a charter school and youth development organization in New York. Earlier in her career, Sebnem spent over ten years in investment banking at Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch. In addition to her role at ACCIS, Sebnem serves as Treasurer of the Board for America Needs You, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting economic mobility for ambitious, first-generation college students. She was also a member of the NYSAIS Business Affairs Council from 2021 to 2025.

Jazmin John
McDonogh School, Owings Mills, MD (term through 2029)

Jazmin most recently served as Co-chair of the ACCIS Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Committee. Currently, Jazmin is Associate Director of College Counseling at McDonogh School and previously served as the Associate Director of College Counseling & DEI Coordinator at Friends School of Baltimore. Jazmin began her career in college admissions at both Hood College (MD) and her alma mater, Notre Dame of Maryland University (MD). After working in higher education, she began her journey to independent schools working in admissions at Garrison Forest School (MD) and then at Friends School. During Jazmin's time as a college counselor, she has been extremely active as the Co-Leader of the Association of Independent Maryland Schools (AIMS) College Counseling group, and an active member on the ACCIS DE&I Committee planning the first Equity & Innovation Summit. In 2023, Jazmin was awarded AIMS Counselor of the Year Award. 

Megan Mann
The Approach Group (term through 2029)

Priscilla Morales
The Park School of Baltimore (term through 2028)

Elizabeth Pili
The Spence School, New York, NY (term through 2027)

Beth Pili joined the ACCIS Board of Trustees in 2024. Before joining the board, she was a member of the ACCIS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee and volunteered for the ACCIS 360 Review. In 2019, Beth joined the Spence community as Director of College Counseling, and in 2025 was named Director of College Counseling and Institutional Research. She is also a member of the performing arts department as a dance history teacher. Previously, Beth worked in the Horace Mann College Counseling office and was the head of college advising for the Heckscher Foundation for Children. Her career started in higher education, where she worked in undergraduate admissions for Barnard College, Yale University, Columbia University, and most recently as a reader for Colorado College. She is an active member of the Association of Black Admissions and Financial Aid Officers of the Ivy League and Sister Schools (ABAFAOILSS) and serves on the Presidential Advisory Board for Bryn Mawr College. 

Jamon Pulliam
Marin Academy, San Rafael, CA (term through 2029)

Warren Quirett
Episcopal High School, Alexandria, VA
Board chair-elect; Organizational Advancement for Access & Equity Chair (term through 2028)

Warren was elected to the ACCIS Board of Trustees in 2025, and previously served as the Co-chair of the Diversity Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Committee. Currently, Warren serves as the Associate Director of College Counseling at Episcopal High School (VA). He began his career in higher education, working in undergraduate admission at his alma mater, Louisiana State University, and Miami University. Warren has served as a College Counselor at Holy Innocents' Episcopal School (GA) and St. John's College High School (DC). He is active within the profession, as he has served on the Board of Directors for the Southern Association for College Admission Counseling (SACAC) and advisory boards of various colleges and universities throughout the country. He is the Co-Leader of the Black and African Diaspora Special Interest Group for the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and has served in a variety of roles within the organization.

Courtney Skerritt
Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, NH
Governance and Nominating Chair (term through 2027)

Courtney Skerritt joined the ACCIS Board in 2024. Prior to joining the board, she served as co-coordinator of the ACCIS 360 Program from 2020 – 2024 and co-chaired the 2018 Summer Institute at Trinity University. She began her service to ACCIS as coordinator of  Community Outreach from 2007 – 2013. Courtney has been an Associate Director of College Counseling at Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire since 2019. Prior to joining the faculty at Exeter, she served as Director of College Counseling at The Hockaday School in Dallas, Texas and at Lawrence Academy in Groton, Massachusetts. In addition to volunteering with ACCIS, Courtney served as the Professional Development Co-Chair for the Texas Association of College Admission Counseling and co-chaired the New England Association of College Admission Counseling Summer Institute, while also serving on faculty.

Theresa Peaches Valdes
Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA (term through 2028)

Theresa Peaches Valdes is the Dean of Admission and Financial Aid since August 2022 and serves as a member of senior leadership at Wellesley College. Ms. Valdes oversees the Admission and Student Financial Services teams as they support prospective and current students while ensuring that the College remains in compliance with state and federal regulations. Previously, Ms. Valdes served as a Title IX and Equal Opportunity Officer at Bryn Mawr College. Ms. Valdes received a B.A. in political science, a Master in Social Service, and a Master in Law and Social Policy from Bryn Mawr College. Prior to Wellesley, she was the Dean of Undergraduate Admissions at Bryn Mawr College and more recently the Dean of Admission at Hamilton College in Clinton, NY. Ms. Valdes is deeply committed to creating access and opportunity for students and families throughout the college search and application process. Ms. Valdes was on the board of A Better Chance of Clinton and the Mohawk Valley, a community school program preparing young men of color to pursue college. Lastly, she served as a faculty member and coordinator for the Tri-College Orientation Program between Bryn Mawr, Haverford, and Swarthmore Colleges. 

David Weisbord
Winchester Thurston School, Pittsburgh, PA
Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair (term through 2027)

David Weisbord joined the ACCIS Board of Trustees as Treasurer and Finance chair in 2023. David currently serves as the Director of College Counseling at Winchester Thurston School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Prior to moving to Pittsburgh in 2018, David served as Associate Director of College Counseling at George School in Newtown, Pennsylvania. David worked in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at Columbia University for 11 years in a variety of leadership roles and started his admission career at Susquehanna University. David is an active member of NACAC and PACAC and previously served as PACAC Treasurer/Chair of Finance & Budget.

St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School, Alexandria, VA
Treasurer-elect and Finance Committee Chair-elect (term through 2029)

Libby Weith joined the ACCIS Board of Trustees in 2026. She has been a member of the college counseling team at St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School in Alexandria, Virginia since 2013 and serves as an Associate Director of College Counseling. Prior to her current role, she worked in the Office of Admission at her alma mater, Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, as a Senior Assistant Director of Admission, Scholarship Coordinator, and Summer Scholars Program Director. Libby is an active member of NACAC and PCACAC, and previously served as PCACAC Vice President of Finance and Chair of the Finance Committee, acting Executive Assistant for the association, Summer Institute Faculty Member and Mentor, and a member of the Ann Powell Mentor Committee.

Timothy L. Cross
The Lawrenceville School, Lawrenceville, NJ
Membership Co-chair (term through 2028)

Tim Cross (he/him/his) joined the ACCIS leadership team in 2025 as Co-Chair of Membership after serving as Co-Chair for ACCIS's Mentoring & Volunteers Subcommittee since 2023. Currently, he is an Associate Director of College Counseling & Lower School Level Director at the Lawrenceville School in New Jersey and has served as a university-assigned mentor for Penn GSE's School Leadership Program for the past three years. Tim has been an ACCIS member since 2015, when he started working as a college counselor at the Kent School in Connecticut. Before working in boarding schools, he was an Associate Director of Admissions & Coordinator of Transfer Admissions at Trinity College in Connecticut. 

Katie Frink
Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart, Houston, TX
Data Trends & Analytics Chair (term through 2027)

Katie Frink joined the ACCIS leadership team in 2024 as the Data Trends & Analytics Chair. She is the College Advising Co-Director at Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart in Houston, TX. Katie pioneered the regional model as an Associate Director of Admission for Rhodes College, and in that capacity served as Vice Chair of DARN and member of the TACAC Government Relations Committee. Her additional experience includes teaching at the high school level and serving as a Secretary of the Board of Trustees of Holy Family School in McKinney, TX.

Joaquim Hamilton
Germantown Academy, Fort Washington, PA
New Counselor Workshop and Webinar Series Chair (term through 2028)

Joaquim Hamilton joined the ACCIS Leadership Team in 2025 as Chair of the New Counselor Workshop and Webinar Series. With over 18 years of experience in college access and admissions, Joaquim combines his lived experience and professional expertise to guide students through the college admissions process. He currently serves as the Associate Director of College Counseling at Germantown Academy, having previously worked at Westtown School and Swarthmore College. Joaquim is passionate about creating inclusive and supportive environments for students, particularly those from diverse backgrounds, and is deeply committed to advancing equity in college counseling. His dedication to supporting first-generation and underrepresented students is evident from his time as the Director of College Connection at Philadelphia Futures (now The Heights), where he designed and launched programming to create college pathways for Philadelphia high school students.

Lesley Klecan
St. Mary's School, Medford, OR
Annual Conference Chair (term through 2027)

Lesley Klecan joined the ACCIS leadership team in July 2022 as the Annual Conference (formerly Summer Institute) Chair after co-chairing for two years. She is the Director of College Counseling and Head of Academics at St. Mary’s School in Southern Oregon. Lesley was a member of the Counselor Advisory Board for the University of Oregon, an Executive Board member for PNACAC, and the Chair of the Inter-Association Committee. She’s presented at state, regional, and national conferences as well as volunteering her time with local community-based organizations.

Berta Liao
`Iolani School, Honolulu, HI
Communications Chair (term through 2028)

Berta Liao joined the ACCIS leadership team in July 2024 as the Communications Chair after having been a member of the committee since January 2023. Berta has been part of the `Iolani School college counseling team since 2020 as an Associate Director of College Counseling, and previously spent a decade as the college counselor at Hsinchu International School in Taiwan. While in Taiwan, Berta was a member of both the Communications and Professional Development Committees of International ACAC. In addition to volunteering with ACCIS, Berta is an active member of NACAC and currently serves on the Hawaiʻi ACAC Executive Board. 

Stevi Schuknecht
Trinity Valley School, Fort Worth, TX
Membership Committee co-chair (term through 2028)

Stevi Schuknecht (she/her/hers) joined the ACCIS leadership team in 2025 as Co-Chair of the Membership Committee after serving as Co-Chair for ACCIS's Mentoring & Volunteers Subcommittee since 2023. Stevi has worked as a college counselor in independent schools since 2011, and is currently the Director of College Counseling at Trinity Valley School in Fort Worth, Texas. She joined ACCIS for the first time in 2021. In addition, she has been a member of the National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) since 2011, the Texas Association of College Admission Counseling (TACAC) since 2012, and she currently serves on the TACAC Executive Board.

Brian K. Smith
Marlborough School, Los Angeles, CA
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Co-chair (term through 2028)

Brian K. Smith (BK) joined the ACCIS Leadership Team in 2025 as Co-Chair of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Committee. He currently serves as the Dean of College Counseling and an English Instructor at Marlborough School in Los Angeles, California. A seasoned college admission and counseling professional, BK is now working at his third independent school. Prior to joining Marlborough in 2017, he served as Director of College Counseling at Memphis University School, and began his college counseling career at Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Deeply committed to equity and access, BK has been a passionate advocate for underserved communities throughout his career. At Marlborough, he teaches an Honors Senior Seminar in African American Literature, co-advises the African American Cultural Exchange (AACE) student group, and leads the Parent Diversity Book Club annually. 

Lesley Watkins
St. John's School, Houston, TX
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Co-chair (term through 2029)