Cyndy McDonald, CEP

Cyndy McDonald is a recognized leader in both college counseling and in business. She has over thirty years of experience as a college advisor. She has trained many advisors when they were starting college consulting firms. Currently, Cyndy teaches in the UCLA online college counseling certificate program and serves as an active member of several professional organizations: NCAG, AICEP, NACAC, IECA, WACAC and HECA.

Steven R. Antonoff, Ph.D.

Steven R. Antonoff, Ph.D., Certified Educational Planner, is a respected voice in the profession of Independent Educational Consulting. He is author of A Student of Colleges (the first textbook written for the field), College Match, and The College Finder. Dr. Antonoff is on the Standards and Ethics and the Professional Development Institute committees of the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA). He is a member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) and the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). Dr. Antonoff was President of IECA and often teaches at the IECA Summer Training Institute. He is the Founding Chair of the American Institute of Certified Educational Planners. He is past chair of the IECA Foundation, the charitable arm of the professional association. He is a member of the Advisory Committee and an instructor in the University of California, Irvine Independent Educational Consulting Certificate program. He is sought as a speaker on issues of educational consulting, higher education, and college admission. He served as Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid and Dean of Students at the University of Denver.



Kazue McGregor


Kazue is a Certified Educational Planner and has been advising students as an independent counselor since 2011. After a full career as an active teacher and classical musician performing in concert halls worldwide, Kazue works with students from all backgrounds with her specialty being in the performing arts and students from multicultural backgrounds. Kazue has held several leadership roles in HECA including past Director of Professional Development, College Fair & Conference Co-Chair and Virtual Conference Oversight. She is also an active volunteer in IECA and NACAC.

Debra Landesberg

For over 20 years, Debra Landesberg has focused on and trained to be knowledgeable about trends in higher education, the college application process, scholarships and financial aid. Her extensive experience assures that she provides the most critical and up-to-date information to her clients. As a result of multiple leadership roles in national and regional organizations, Debra has presented at various conferences and received numerous national and regional awards. Debra has grown her business to offer a team approach of highly experienced and passionate consultants who are dedicated to serving students and families across the world.

As an educational consultant, Debra Landesberg offers step-by-step guidance throughout high school, helping students prepare for the college application and selection process with minimal stress and maximum organization. Initially starting in the public high schools by creating a college & career center, My College Resource now consults with families throughout the nation who utilize public, private, and customized approaches to secondary education. Her motto, "Take the Stress and Guess out of College Admissions," reflects her commitment to making the process as smooth and manageable as possible for students and their families.

Tony Cabasco

Vice President for Enrollment, Colorado College

Tony Cabasco is the Vice President for Enrollment at Colorado College, a role he assumed in June 2024. Prior to joining Colorado College, he served as Vice President for Enrollment at Bennington College in Vermont from 2018 to 2024. Mr. Cabasco began his higher education career as an Admission Officer at Whitman College in Washington, where he worked for 24 years. He was appointed Director of Admission in 2000 following a national search and was promoted to Dean of Admission & Financial Aid in 2004.

Mr. Cabasco has been an active leader in the college admission field, serving on the Executive Board of the Pacific Northwest Association for College Admission Counseling and as a faculty member for the College Board’s Summer Admission Institute. He has presented on college admissions at numerous professional conferences and secondary schools across the United States.

Born in Vietnam, Mr. Cabasco lived in the Philippines and Nigeria before immigrating to the United States and settling in Olympia, Washington. He graduated from Whitman College with a degree in Physics. After spending a year teaching English at Northwestern Polytechnic Institute in Xi’an, China, he earned a master’s degree in international studies (Chinese Studies) from the University of Washington.

Christine Bowman

Assistant Vice President of Admission, Southwestern University

Christine Bowman has served the Southwestern University Admission Office since May of 1994. As Assistant Vice President, her responsibilities include overseeing the admission department to set enrollment philosophies at Southwestern University.

After growing up in Houston, she attended Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, graduating in 1993. She furthered her education earning a Masters degree in Higher Education Administration from The University of Texas at Austin. Throughout her career, Christine has worked with tour guides, campus visitation planning, alumni recruiting programs, transfer students, and international students managing staff and other "supplemental" duties that make an admission and enrollment office successful.

Professionally, Christine has been active in various professional organizations including The National Association of College Admission Counseling on both the National and State level. She was the Co-Chair for the 2007 NACAC National Conference in Austin and served as the Chair of the Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas E-Committee. She served two terms as the Chair of the Colleges that Change Lives Board of Directors and was a member of the TACAC Fiscal Policy Committee. With 20 years of experience in the Admission profession, Christine believes in guiding students to find the right college fit and regularly gives presentations encouraging a stress-free college search process.

When not reading admission files, Christine loves to cook, watch movies and read. She also supports several student organizations on the Southwestern campus.

Her husband, Bill, is also a Southwestern graduate ('92) and currently serves as the Men's Lacrosse Coach. They have two children, Savannah and Elijah.

Murphy Miller

Membership Experience & Global Engagement, NACAC

Murphy Miller leads Membership Experience & Global Engagement at the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), charging him with supporting 28,000 members across 65 different countries. As part of Murphy's role, he thinks strategically about NACAC's membership engagement, retention, and acquisition. Murphy also spearheads the association's international initiatives, NACAC Special Interest Groups, and key event experiences. Prior to joining the NACAC team, Murphy worked in undergraduate admissions at Pitzer College, Savannah College of Art & Design, and The George Washington University. He also spent a number of years working as a college counselor in London, United Kingdom where assisted students from across Europe with their US university applications. Murphy received his bachelors degree from Pitzer College in child development & education and his masters from The George Washington University in higher education Administration with a focus on international education.

Dr. John Durante

2025 NACAC John B. Muir Editor Award Recipient

Dr. John Durante, a proud alumnus of Stony Brook University, has devoted over 30 years to education as both a teacher and administrator. Since 2010, he has served as the principal of Syosset High School, helping guide it to national recognition — including the prestigious U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon School designation in 2016.

Dr. Durante began his career at Syosset in 1994 as a world languages teacher. His deep commitment to supporting students and families through the college search process inspired him to launch The College Admissions Process Podcast in 2022. Since its inception, the podcast has become a widely respected resource in the field of college admissions, with over 300 episodes and 15k - 20k monthly downloads. By providing direct insights from admissions professionals across the country, the podcast has elevated transparency and access in the college admissions landscape — earning national praise from educators, students, and counselors alike.



In 2024, he also authored Straight from the Admissions Office, a book that distills key lessons and themes from over 250 podcast interviews. The book serves as a practical, student-centered guide for navigating the college admissions process — and stands as a testament to Dr. Durante’s mission of making expert advice more accessible to all.

Patricia O'Keefe, MBA

Senior Consultant, College Admissions

Patricia is the Founder of Global Elite Scholars, proud member of HECA since 2018 and the 2025-2026 Chair of the IECA Global Committee. With over 25 years of experience in international educational consulting and more than 20 years working in Asia,  she has a profound understanding of the significant challenges faced by international students studying abroad. As one of only 1500 certified educational planners (AICEP) worldwide, she has visited over 350 universities across the U.S., the U.K., the EU, and Asia.  Patricia recognizes the invaluable contributions that international students make to universities through their diverse perspectives and creativity. She is also cognizant of the substantial challenges these students encounter in preparing for and adapting to life on foreign campuses and leverages her experience to help them prepare thoroughly for success.

Hanna Stotland, JD

Independent Educational Consultant

Hanna Stotland flunked out of high school, got a G.E.D., and went on to graduate from Harvard College and Harvard Law School. Since 1999, she has been an independent admissions consultant specializing in educational crisis management, including Title IX, substance abuse and mental illness. Her recent professional presentations include conferences of the Independent Educational Consultants Association, the Higher Education Consultants Association, regional ACACs, and Families Advocating for Campus Equality. She has also been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, CBS News, PBS, and WNYC.