Connect with the International Network of Ethical Professional Independent Educational Consultants
Helping over 40,000 students and their families find and afford their right-fit college.
Mailing List
Not-for-profit schools can communicate with our membership
Find a Rep
Questions? Concerns? Reach out to your local HECA Community Coordinator today!
Host a Tour
Showcase your college and share what sets you apart by hosting a HECA college tour or event.
Conference
Meet our national membership and join the discussions that shape the future of our field.
Membership Matters
As members of a volunteer-driven professional association, HECA IECs are committed to ethical practices and access to higher education for all types of students. As a group, they seek to continually develop their knowledge through professional development and college visits. They welcome open communication with college admissions offices and high school counselors.
All independent educational consultants are not equally committed to ethics, education, access, volunteering, and collaborative relationships with colleges and high school counselors. HECA members model all of the behaviors above. We are HECA proud and committed to the betterment of the college counseling industry.
Key Facts About HECA & HECA Members
The Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA) is the only professional association devoted exclusively to the independent college admissions consulting profession.
To be eligible for HECA membership, prospective members must hold a Bachelor’s degree or higher, demonstrate recent experience assisting students with college planning, and make a commitment to upholding HECA’s high professional standards.
HECA's Memebership Consists of 1,000+ Educational Consultants
Assisting Families
Assisting more than 40,000 high school seniors with college planning each year
Advising Families
Advising Families in every region of the United States as well as many other countries.
Experienced professionals
Eighty-two percent of HECA members have been independent educational consultants for three years or longer; 55% have more than seven years of educational consulting experience.
Actively seek reliable information on colleges
Seventy-five percent of our members report that they’ve visited 10 or more college campuses in the past year; 32% have visited 20 or more campuses in the past year.
Highly Educated
Eighty-two percent of our members hold a Master’s degree or higher, and 52% have completed or are in the process of completing a post-bachelor’s certificate in college admissions counseling.
Committed to Professional Standards and Ethical Behavior
As a requirement of membership, all HECA members must agree to abide by HECA’s Standards and Ethics for Educational Consultants.
HECA Membership Mailing List For Colleges
The Higher Education Consultants Association provides institutions the opportunity for outreach to our members to provide them with information about institutional programs and events.
Mailing List Availability
The Membership Contact List is ONLY available to not-for-profit, regionally accredited colleges and universities. If you are not representing a college or university please check our Business Partners benefits.
Mailing List Updates
The Membership Contact List is updated monthly and includes each current member’s name, company, city, state, zip code, country, website, and email address. The Membership Contact List is provided to colleges in Excel format.
Questions? Concerns? Looking to connect with HECA members in a specific area?
Use our directory to reach out to your local HECA Community Coordinator today.
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
680 HECA
(East Bay along Interstate 680)
Beth Coyle, Susanna Ordway, Melissa Masland
California
Silicon Valley
Jeffrey Yoon, Margaret Rothe, Marge Cortes
California
Central California
(Sacramento, Fresno, Bakersfield, Central Coast)
Kat Clowes
California
Coastal Ventura
Joan Stern
California
Greater Los Angeles
Ellen Kuppersmith
California
Orange County/Long Beach
Lisa Harrison
California
San Diego
Linda Dowley
Colorado
Connecticut
Tri-State (CT, NJ, NY)
Kecia Muller
Delaware
District of Columbia
DMV
Kelly Scherr
Florida
Mid-Florida
Kelly Riccardo, Brenda Shepherd
Florida
South Florida
Janice Caine
Georgia
GA/TN
Steve Tapper, Rose Opengart
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Great Lakes
Rod Bugarin, Betsy Ellsworth
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
TBA
Maine
Greater Boston/RI
Sue Wachter
Maryland
DMV
Kelly Scherr
Massachusetts
Greater Boston/RI
Sue Wachter
Michigan
Great Lakes
Rod Bugarin, Betsy Ellsworth
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
Greater Boston/RI
Sue Wachter
New Jersey
Tri-State (CT, NJ, NY)
Kecia Muller
New Mexico
New York
Tri-State (CT, NJ, NY)
Kecia Muller
New York
Westchester
Neal Schwartz
New York
Long Island
Terry Mady-Grove
North Carolina
Triangle/Eastern NC/Eastern SC
Pamela Shelor
Ohio
Great Lakes
Rod Bugarin
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Greater Boston/RI
Linda Wegrzyn
South Carolina
Triangle/Eastern NC/Eastern SC
Pamela Shelor
South Carolina
Charlotte/Western NC/Western SC
Laura Owanesian, Kathy Griswold-Fine
South Dakota
Tennessee
GA/TN
Steve Tapper, Rose Opengart
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Washington
Virginia
DMV
Kelly Scherr
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
International
Ontario, CA
Ron Reed
International
West Coast Canada
Kate Van Pernis
International
Europe
Demetra Tzevelekos, Nevena Martinovic
Other International
Member College Tours
Sponsor A HECA Member Campus Tour
Let HECA members get a first-hand look at your college by sponsoring a HECA Member Campus Tour.
HECA members are committed to visiting a wide variety of college campuses each year
In fact, 75% of our members report that they toured 10 or more campuses last year; 32% have visited 20 or more college campuses in the last year.
Reach this important target market of educational consultants
Sponsor a tour of your campus for HECA members or let us know about campus visit opportunities for independent consultants.
HECA’s annual Conference also includes tours of nearby campuses.
Every year the conference is held in a different area of the country, and this is a great opportunity to get maximum exposure for your school.
For information on sponsoring a HECA member tour of your campus or to publicize a counselor tour open to independent consultants, please contact us.
