College Admissions Counselors

Hello! My name is Purvi Mody and as the Head of College Counseling and one of the partners/founders at Insight Education, I love working with students ready to achieve their educational dreams! 

I have over twenty-two years of experience as an educational and college admissions counselor. My formal experience in this field began with Achieva College Prep in 1999, but I have worked privately with students since 1998. At Achieva, I developed the Jump Start Program, designed for 9th, 10th, and 11th graders. My work with more than 1200 students during my career has allowed me the privilege of assisting many with their admission to some of the top universities in the country and the world including Stanford, Brown, Harvard, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Cambridge, and the University of Toronto to name but a few. My philosophy centers around helping kids identify and apply to the schools that are the best fit for them and then develop applications that emphasize their unique attributes and talents. I also enjoy working with Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors helping them with every facet of their high school journey. I have increasingly spent time advising families of middle school students on choosing the best high school for their child and helping their children develop the fundamental skills to be successful in high school. And as graduate school admissions, including law and medical, have become more complex, I have worked with applicants to develop and execute their admissions strategy. 

I graduated from UCLA with a BA (Honors) in Psychology, and minors in Education and Business. I then completed my Masters in Education at the Stanford University School of Education. My final foray into a degree program culminated in an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. I am a member of WACAC (Western Association for College Admission Counseling).

I have built my career on my passion for education and am exceedingly well versed in the college admissions process. More importantly, I love to connect with students as they embark on an increasingly stressful and complex journey. 

When I am not reviewing college admissions essays or helping students start a new club and set academic goals, I can be found spending time with my beautiful boys (future Insighters) and husband.

Hello! My name is Zach Pava and I am a Senior College Admissions Counselor with Insight Education. The oldest of three brothers, I grew up in Newton Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston, and graduated from Trinity College in Hartford with a B.S. in Psychology. It has been a wonderful experience to work with an extraordinary team of professionals at Insight, who provide a comprehensive, but personalized approach to college admissions counseling.

My previous experience as a teacher, counselor, and behavioral coach has enabled me to successfully guide Insight students from the more open-ended nature of freshman year to the more rigorous demands placed on upperclassmen. My background in psychology and managerial experience has allowed me to assess the specific needs of other people. No two students are exactly alike, as each brings his or her own unique personalities, talents, and goals to the admissions process.

A creative writer throughout my life, I believe there is no better place for students to distinguish themselves than through their college essays. Colleges want to know who you are, not just what you’ve done. With tutoring certifications in writing and editing and a decade spent guiding students to develop their ideas using constricted word counts, I will help to ensure that your essay is the one that stands out.

In my role as a college admissions counselor at Insight, I have worked with high school students applying to the UCs, CSUs, BS/MD programs, International schools, and world-class technical institutions like MIT. I have worked with seniors on the Coalition Application, which features UIUC, UT Austin, Maryland, and Washington, and also supported hundreds of students with the Common Application, which includes the Ivy League, the NESCAC, and the Claremont Colleges. I have helped students to successfully navigate applications to Stanford, Michigan, Duke, NYU, Northeastern, BU, Wisconsin, UNC, Purdue, USC, Santa Clara, Tufts, Emory, GaTech, CMU, and Northwestern, among others. Additionally, I have led Insight’s counseling clinics, taught ACT classes, and worked with many college students on transfer applications during their freshman and sophomore years at the university level.

As the lead counselor and head of our Boston office, I have the unique opportunity to work with live clients and remote clients from coast to coast. This enables my students the flexibility to work with a remote counselor from home while still utilizing all of the resources and services in our Cupertino office. I also travel to meet students in-person several times throughout the year.

When not conducting mock interviews, helping with course selection, or brainstorming college essays, I can be found cheering on the Celtics at the Garden, relaxing on the beaches of Maine, and exploring playgrounds with my kids, who always keep me on my toes.

I can’t wait to meet you!

Hello, I’m Jenny Bloom! I grew up in North Texas and graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a B.S. in Human Development Family Sciences. Post-college, I moved to Los Angeles and worked for Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, a non-profit organization at UCLA, counseling and leading college students for three years. I then continued my education at Loyola Marymount University, graduating with an M.A. in Early Childhood Education with Honors and at the top of my program.  

Since 2012, I have worked with a variety of students at Insight Education helping them take the right steps to achieve their academic goals.  Choosing the right courses, applying study skills, test preparation, applying to summer programs and internships, and volunteering are the tools I use to help move students to their final application process and building their college lists.  Going through these steps and getting to know each student and his or her passion really helps me build a mentorship relationship to help students find the right college fit for them.  Part of my philosophy is to guide students to consider how they will build and hone their skills and talents to make a difference in the world around them. I have worked with students from various academic backgrounds who were admitted to schools across the country such as UCLA, USC, UC Berkeley, UIUC, UW Seattle, Purdue, Smith College, American University, UT Austin, Boston University, and many more! 

My background in community organization, education, mentoring and teaching allows me to contribute uniquely to the Insight team. Since moving to the Bay Area, I have worked as an Assistant Instructor at a community college teaching five different courses in the fields of Child Development, Family, and Nutrition. I also worked as a legal assistant at a prestigious law firm in Santa Monica for five years prior to moving to the Bay Area. These experiences have given me a better understanding of the diverse skillsets needed in different industries and the dynamics of campus life in various geographic settings.  

I have a passion to serve my community and create avenues of access for all students no matter what their background in order to create a more equitable world. I am a Board Trustee of the Ravenswood City School District where my kids go to school, using my education and experience to help all students receive opportunities and be prepared to enter high school. I also serve on the Board of Ecumenical Hunger Program in East Palo Alto, helping meet the needs of the most vulnerable in our community.  In my spare time, you can find me spending time with my husband, daughter, and son, taking bike rides or walks in the beautiful Baylands of East Palo Alto, or cheering on our favorite sports teams from New York and Texas! 

Hi! I am Meilin Obinata. I love working with students because they keep my brain fresh – I am always learning from them as I encourage them in their adventures, whether traveling the landscape of open-source software or photography. 

The Bay Area is my home. My memories of Aptos High School include P.E. runs up and down the hills of campus in foggy mornings as well as entertaining my teachers with a BBC-inspired accent as I read passages aloud. I graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a B.A. in Mathematics and earned a J.D. from Mitchell Hamline in St. Paul, Minnesota. The generous full-tuition scholarship for all three years of law school enticed me there! In my pre-education life, I gained experience in tech, business incubation, government and nonprofits.  

My history of working with scientists, artists, lawyers, teachers, activists, engineers and entrepreneurs in high technology companies, social justice institutions and non-profits helps me build a vision for what my students can do with their futures as unique adults. This is very helpful when I work with students who are finding their strengths in 9th, 10th and 11th grades.  

I began working as a college consultant in late 2012, in the Bay Area which is how I became very familiar with local and international schools, such as Monta Vista, Lynbrook, Cupertino, Fremont, Gunn, Paly, Menlo Atherton, Valley Christian, Amador Valley, Dougherty, Lowell, St. Francis, Archbishop Mitty, King’s Academy, Harker, Carlmont, Crystal Springs Upland, Shanghai American (Puxi, Pudong), Taipei American, and Mount Madonna. Whether encouraging students to work on their applications with the promise of pizza, using a whiteboard to capture ideas for essays, or discussing college lists with families, I have found various ways to make the application process easier and am happy to share those methods with students and families.  

I believe education is a creative endeavor and that we are all in the process of constantly learning and growing, at all ages. I make a point to truly listen, paying close attention so that I can create a space that allows my students to consider new ideas for themselves so that they can see what is truly important and thus discover who they are.   

My students have been accepted into undergraduate, graduate and summer programs for engineering, business and other academic destinations, including: University of California (all nine undergraduate  campuses), California State University campuses, Oregon State University, University of Oregon, Pennsylvania State University, Michigan State University, Rutgers University, Arizona State University, The State University of New York at Buffalo, University of Arizona, Evergreen State University, UC Berkeley Global Management at Haas, Brown University, Boston University BS/MD, Case Western University, University of Chicago (undergraduate and MBA), Columbia, Cornell Engineering, Carnegie Mellon College of Computer Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Johns Hopkins University, Hampshire College, NYU Stern School of Business,  Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Purdue University, University of Michigan, Rhode Island School of Design, Savannah College of Art and Design, Santa Clara University, Pitzer College, Colgate University, University of Southern California, USC Marshall School of Business (undergraduate and MBA), University of Texas at Austin, University of Washington Honors, Washington University at Saint Louis, Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program, Iowa Young Writers’ Studio, The Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshop, Sewanee Young Writers’ Conference, University of Chicago Research in the Biological Sciences and UC COSMOS.   
 

Hi, I’m Emily Sena! I grew up in San Mateo and live there now with my husband and three high school-aged kids. I have been working on various sides of the admissions world for nearly two decades. I have recently been through the college admissions process with my twin boys (Class of 2019) and am now embarking on it with my daughter (Class of 2022). These have given me new insight into both the parental and student perspective of this exciting time.

I attended Connecticut College where I received a BA in Anthropology, and then to the University of Pennsylvania, where I earned an MSEd in Higher Education Administration. I worked in Law School admissions at Penn, then transitioned to Higher Education Consulting for Coopers & Lybrand post-graduate school.

I began working for Achieva College Prep Centers (where I met Purvi Mody) in 1999 and worked there for many years on a full-time, and then part-time basis after having children. For most of the past 17 years, I worked part-time as an admissions reader for the Stanford Graduate School of Business. I also worked for a few years as the Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at Sea Crest School (K-8) in Half Moon Bay.

My favorite aspect of college counseling is helping students discover more about themselves than they expect. The college admissions process is so different than anything most 17-year-olds have done, and I love to see the growth that comes when students learn about themselves along the way. I believe there are many great colleges for every student and love to help students in that discovery.

Outside of work, I am obsessed with travel, and run a small business bringing groups of women to Southeast Asia. I spent a year traveling the world with my children when they were younger, and miss life on the road daily! 

Hi, I am Priya. I am very glad to be a part of the counseling team at Insight and hope to be working with you soon.

I have been a native of the Bay Area for the past 31 years and have lived in San Francisco, Berkeley, and Palo Alto. My family and friends work in Silicon Valley, so I am very aware of the ever-changing landscape that makes up technology. That being said, my own education and background has been very varied; prior to being a college consultant, I worked as an Integrative Health Coach and had the pleasure of coaching some of the senior executives in the Valley. After my MBA, I was employed as a consultant at one of the top consulting firms in the country; this experience was a revelation to corporate America and extensively enhanced my exposure to the product industry. Subsequently, I worked as an events coordinator on the UC Berkeley campus where I met a wide range of intellectuals, all of whom kept me constantly learning. After that, with over 30 years as a yoga practitioner and teacher, I dabbled at being an entrepreneur when I ran my own yoga studio in Berkeley.

My journey towards becoming a college consultant started in 2014 when I had to support my high-functioning son for his college apps. He graduated college with a degree in the classics and my daughter graduated with a BS in computer science. Even prior to this however, I had been working with students with their essay writing and editing for undergraduate, graduate and Ph.D. work. My experience as a parent made me aware of the stress that surrounds the college application process, and I decided to get certified as a college consultant because I felt that each student bought something unique to the table and needed to be treated as an individual with his or her own strengths.

I always go out of my way to know my students, so I can support them in a way that works best for them. Working on their activities and summer plans is a great way for me to understand their academic, creative, athletic, and social skills. This also helps when we research colleges that best fit the student’s personality, goals, and needs. Additionally, knowing that the essays provide the foundation of a strong application, I like to spend time brainstorming ideas and I encourage students to keep enhancing each draft with subtle nuances that help in transforming an essay from good to great. I feel that I can handle any situation in a very grounded manner, and always bring a calm presence to the consulting sessions.

After working in this industry for the past eight years, I have had the pleasure of seeing my students do well at colleges like Johns Hopkins, UIUC, Syracuse, LMU, Georgetown, NYU, Cornell, Yale, Amherst, Dartmouth, Vanderbilt, Boston University, Northeastern, University of Chicago, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Santa Cruz, UC San Diego, Rice, CMU and many more. The positive emails that I receive from parents and students after the application process are very heartwarming. I absolutely love to know that my students are happy and thriving.

On a personal note, I am an enthusiastic amateur golfer and an avid yogi. When I am not working with students, I enjoy long walks, watching TV shows, meeting friends, and trying out new restaurants.

Hi! My name is Jason Katz and I’m a proud Bay Area native—born in Berkeley and grew up in Palo Alto. I love working with students, especially on their college application essays.  By carefully crafting their college application essays, students become more introspective and learn a lot about themselves. Nothing makes me happier than to see their smiling faces when their essays are in final draft form, and they know they have done their best work.

After graduating from Palo Alto High School, I headed off to NYU.  However, after two years at NYU in New York City, and a summer and a semester at NYU’s amazing campus in Florence, Italy, I was tired of the New York winters and homesick. So, I transferred to Santa Clara University where I earned my B.A.

Having agonized through my original college application process as a high school student, without the help of an independent college counselor, but then working with an independent college counselor throughout the transfer application process, I know firsthand what a difference working with a college counselor can make. My transfer application process was significantly more organized, efficient, and less stressful.

Therefore, after graduating from Santa Clara, I knew I wanted to pay it forward and become an independent college counselor. I began interning with the independent college counselor that helped me with the transfer application process, and I also enrolled in UCLA Extension’s Certificate Program in College Counseling.  After completing my Certificate and my internship, I started my own independent college counseling business in Redwood City. Throughout the years I ran this business I also wrote more than 165 college admissions/college life newspaper columns for The Palo Alto Daily News (many of which were also published in the online edition of The San Jose Mercury News).

Next, I went back to school and earned my master’s degree from the University of San Francisco. After earning my master’s, had a few different jobs, but nothing that I was as passionate about as helping students, which is why I am so excited to be back in the college admissions field, working for Insight Education, specifically helping students with their application essays. I look forward to meeting you to work on the writing process!

When I am not writing or helping students with their college application essays, you can find me hanging out with family and friends, traveling, exercising, rooting on all the Bay Area sports teams, or taking long walks with my rescue dog, Posey (named after the San Francisco Giants’ catcher).

Hello! My name is Indrani Stangl, and I am an Associate Admissions Counselor at Insight Education. Although I was born in New Haven, CT, my parents moved me and my brother to Stanford, CA when I was less than 2 years old. As my dad was the Director of Lane Medical Library, I was lucky enough to grow up on the Stanford University Campus and graduate from Gunn High School in Palo Alto.

Although I am new to Insight Education, I have many years of experience working with students as both a student services officer at Stanford and more recently as an admissions counselor and career coach. I graduated from Occidental College with a bachelor’s degree in cognitive science, and later received my master’s degree from Santa Clara University in Counseling Psychology. I then began my career at Stanford, working in the School of Education, followed by the Law School and finally at the School of Engineering. I was a frosh advisor for many years and have gotten to know the type of student Stanford tends to admit, which is very helpful as I help guide students through the college application process.

I find I can build a strong rapport with my clients, using a warm approach and sense of humor. I very much believe every student has a compelling story to tell, and I work with them to refine the message and help build a package that best represents them.

I currently reside in Half Moon Bay and I work remotely with my students, which I find is a flexible and effective way to get this work done. When I am not helping students with their college applications, I enjoy walking the coastal trails with my husband and two rescue dogs. I have also been a core volunteer with Pound Puppy Rescue for the last 15 years and very much enjoy helping families find a furry friend to join their pack. You may also find me listening to jazz music and putting paint to paper to design artistic works like greeting cards and wall hangings.

Hello from Massachusetts! My name is Brian Nanos and I’m an Essay Specialist with Insight. Originally from New Jersey, I bounced around the country before my wife and I settled in the suburbs of Boston. We live there now with our two kids. 

I graduated from Trinity College with a degree in English with a focus on creative writing. I went on to Northwestern University and earned my Master’s Degree in Journalism with a focus in news writing and reporting. 

This is my first year as an Essay Specialist with Insight. In my previous career as a newspaper reporter and editor, I covered hearings on Capitol Hill, but also school committee meetings and bake sales in suburban Boston. I wrote hard-hitting news stories and lengthy features but also designed the layout of the paper and edited submissions for clarity and grammar.

After a hiatus as a stay-at-home dad, I’m excited to use my writing and editing training to help students achieve their education goals. My goal is to help students use their personal statements and essays to express their personalities, strengths, and interests in ways that a simple resume can’t capture.   

I currently live on the North Shore of Massachusetts. When I’m not reading and editing college admissions essays, I’m usually at home with my two children. I spend a lot of my time helping them with their remote learning classwork, taking them to the beach and the zoo, and baking them homemade pizzas.

Hi from Los Angeles! I am an Essay Specialist with Insight, and this is my eleventh year with the company!

I graduated (in three years) with Honors from UC Berkeley with a B.A. in History, then obtained a Masters of Fine Arts in Acting from The Actors Studio in New York City. During my years at UC Berkeley, I tutored high school students in writing and assisted them with college applications and essay composition. I also worked with junior high school students in after-school programs in Oakland as a mentor and tutor.

Prior to my acceptance to grad school, I worked as a full-time College Admissions Counselor at Insight in Cupertino, assisting students with writing college essays, applications, and SAT test prep. Once I moved to New York, I stayed on with the Insight team remotely, editing and commenting on students’ essays in my spare time. 

In Los Angeles, I have taught SAT classes, worked as a leadership camp counselor, and recently become a book editor, in addition to my work as a college counselor and academic tutor for private clients in LA. I also volunteer with the non-profit, The Young Storytellers, which teaches underserved fifth graders to express themselves through screenplay writing.

When I’m not helping kids reach their college and academic goals, I am an actress, screenwriter, and producer pursuing my own artistic ambitions.