Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
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DEE-DEE SANDERS

Los Angeles,CA

Summary

Results-driven educator with a proven record of fostering character development and academic achievement. Expertise in school operations, curriculum design, and leadership with a comprehensive understanding of independent school environments. Demonstrated ability to lead strategic planning, build relationships, and drive initiatives that deliver extraordinary outcomes. Recognized for developing innovative programs and solving complex challenges, with a focus on strengthen the ethos of the school.

Overview

25
25
years of professional experience

Work History

Director of College Counseling / Academic Advising

Brentwood School
07.2022 - Current


  • Manage and execute comprehensive college counseling programming, including a full 9th-12th grade curriculum, parent information nights, annual case studies, speaker series, and college access initiatives.
  • Lead and train a team of six college counselors, ensuring alignment with institutional values, professional growth, and high-quality student outcomes.
  • Build and maintain comprehensive data systems for reporting student performance, academic rigor, college admissions outcomes, and alumni tracking through tools like the National Student Clearinghouse.
  • Analyze and present data-driven insights to the Board of Trustees, school leadership, and community stakeholders through written reports and formal presentations, ensuring accountability and transparency.
  • Lead initiatives with the Office of Equity and Inclusion, including programming on antisemitism, safety for marginalized students on college campuses, and college access for underrepresented communities.
  • Directed Brentwood's response to the SCOTUS decision on race-conscious admissions, organizing extensive faculty and staff training and providing targeted support for students and families.
  • Hosted and executed an annual case studies event for four Los Angeles independent schools, coordinating with event teams to engage over 1,100 families and more than 50 college admissions officers, managing all logistics, budget, and follow-up, including a post-event college fair and outcome analysis.
  • Oversee strategic planning for academic advising and course selection for 650 Upper School students, ensuring alignment with institutional goals and trends in higher education.
  • Collaborate with stakeholders across the school, including faculty, registrars, data analysts, learning specialists, admissions, and the academic advising team, to develop policies and practices that enhance student outcomes.
  • Develop and utilize data analysis tools to monitor standardized test scores, grade point averages, and course selection trends, ensuring informed decision-making for academic and counseling strategies.
  • Manage a robust college counseling budget, meeting fiscal goals while supporting innovative programming and professional development.
  • Build and maintain relationships with college deans and admissions officers globally to sustain the school's reputation and maximize opportunities for students.
    Partner with advancement teams to create financial support initiatives, including programs engaging grandparents of current students, fostering long-term community investment.
    Managed budgeting process for departmental activities related to college counseling services.
  • Analyzed data trends related to test scores, grade point averages, and course selection patterns in order to inform programmatic improvements within the department.

Director of College Counseling

GEMS World Academy Chicago
08.2018 - 07.2022


  • Lead the development of a strategic plan for the college counseling office in alignment with the academy's mission
  • Developed and managed the college counseling program while collaborating with associate directors and other school constituencies
  • Created the School Profile and College Counseling Handbook in alignment with the academy's curriculum, institutional priorities, and the highly structured International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP)
  • Create and manage social media for college counseling, including monthly newsletters, social media platforms, etc
  • Coordinate and host college admission representatives for GEMS Days, panel presentations, symposiums, college fairs (live and virtual) and workshops for students
  • Supervise the academy registrar on all matters relating to credits, graduation requirements, transcripts, and grading policies
  • Created a college counseling curriculum for 9th through 12th graders
  • Counsel students 9th through 12th grade on all matters relating to college admissions, college applications, post-secondary planning and goal setting
  • Lead member of academic team with Head of School and IB Coordinator to design a curriculum that promotes college acceptance and long-term educational goals
  • Taught 9th grade Language & Literature
  • Responsible for coordinating and hosting national speakers on campus to conduct college process / financial planning workshops with parents, faculty, and students
  • Develop and deliver the summary reports/dashboards on students' progress (standardized testing, college admission decisions, college enrollment, programmatic developments) to the Advisory Board, and senior leadership
  • Member of the Academic Leadership Team and Leadership Team for Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity
  • Leadership Team Member for NEASC accreditation. Worked closely with committee to ensure a successful accreditation process
  • Responsible for administering the PSAT, reporting results, providing professional development, and working with teachers and the academic team to incorporate test preparation authentically in the classroom
  • Initiated and lead the partnership between Chicago high schools and the American Talent Initiative (a cohort of some of the most selective colleges and universities in the nation). The objective is to build a coalition of Chicago area high schools to help underserved students have access to resources
  • Collaborate with Posse Foundation, QuestBridge, Chicago Scholars in identifying and selecting underrepresented minorities and first-generation college students to increase college access

National Director of College Counseling

Great Hearts America
08.2012 - 07.2018


  • Great Hearts Academies is an independent charter network of 13 prep school academies and 16 k-5 academies servicing more than 15,000 students
  • Great Hearts is the largest brick and mortar provider of classical liberal arts education in the country
  • Provided leadership for 23 college counselors and 13 prep school academies in all areas of the college counseling programs
  • Launched and developed new programs as academies opened
  • Responsible for overseeing college counselors, their individual programs, mentoring, training, and implementing best practices for counseling students
  • Created new programs and events, including, but not limited to summer college tours for students, application workshops, seminars
  • Coordinated events to bring speakers in to discuss various aspects of admissions
  • Provided a long-term strategic vision for budgeting and development as Great Hearts continued to grow into new demographics
  • Member of the network's national Management Team and the Academic Leadership Team
  • Presented and improved network relationships with colleges nationally
  • Responsible for all programming and implementation to support college counseling to more than 3,000 9th through 12th graders network wide
  • Presented at board meetings and parent events in Arizona and Texas as we continued to implement new college counseling programs due to growth, to articulate our mission and priorities in college counseling, and to foster strong collaboration within our educational community
  • Trained college counselors to use various admission and application platforms
  • Managed all aspects of a very large college counseling budget
  • Worked closely with SSD coordinators to ensure best practices for all ESS students relating to post-secondary plans and standardized testing accommodations
  • Created and managed reporting for Arizona's College and Career Readiness Index; database for acceptances, matriculations, and scholarships; reports for SAT, ACT, PSAT scores network wide as it related to fundraising and growth/development, and parent communication
  • Recruited new college counselors, interviewed, on-boarded, trained and supported college counseling professionals
  • Managed all written materials and communication for the college counseling program nationally for parents, donors, boards of directors, students, and admission representatives, including marketing and branding
  • Created a curriculum called 'Decision Making' (11th grade program) and College 201 (12th grade program)

Educational Consultant

Private Practice
06.2007 - 08.2012


  • Responsible for counseling students from diverse backgrounds regarding college admissions
  • Worked with students from independent and public high schools to support each aspect of their college admissions, scholarship, and financial aid aspirations
  • Worked closely with families and parents in helping to communicate the challenges and opportunities in college admissions as well as focusing on the right fit
  • Managed a business with three additional college counselors and two dozen academic tutors and advisors
  • Conducted and implemented application workshops and essay writing workshops
  • Worked with students and families on securing scholarships and financial aid
  • Counseled and advised students from IB and AP curricula, including promoting student strengths in both programs
  • Counseled international students on TOEFL examinations, requirements for admissions in the U.S., and awareness of admission landscape and trends for U.S Colleges and universities
  • Worked with the Posse Foundation selection committee
  • Created, implemented and executed the educational plan at the Bo Jackson Foundation to help underserved students gain admissions and scholarships to college

English Teacher

Clark County School Disctrict
08.2007 - 08.2011


  • Developed innovative lesson plans to engage students in English language learning.
  • Worked on curriculum committee and writing across the curriculum committee to ensure successful proficiency and college readiness in reading and writing.
  • Prepared and implemented lesson plans covering required course topics.
  • Assessed student progress and provided feedback to improve performance and establish academic success.
  • Improved classroom management by implementing consistent routines and clear expectations for behavior.

English Teacher, Curriculum Designer

Bishop Gorman Catholic High School
08.2002 - 06.2007


  • Taught high school literature, composition, and rhetoric
  • Travel curriculum coordinator - implemented a new program connecting student travel with high school credit opportunities (integrated curriculum)
  • Director of the writing across the curriculum program. Drafted and created materials to encourage all disciplines to write across the curriculum
  • Discipline Board member which helped maintain student discipline and consequences for behavior infractions
  • Coached varsity swim team; Cheerleading moderator; Amnesty International advisor

English Teacher

Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School
08.1999 - 06.2002
  • Taught literature, composition and rhetoric through 9th through 12th grades
  • Helped design writing curriculum for 9th grade writing and grammar
  • Worked closely with department chairperson on curriculum committees
  • Head Varsity Coach for a Illinois state ranked swimming and diving team

Education

MA - CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION

National Louis University

BA - ENGLISH

Xavier University

Skills

  • Excellent communication skills
  • Expertise in telling a school's story in written materials and through speaking events
  • Able to manage and prioritize multiple tasks and meet firm deadlines
  • Broad school background classroom teacher, curriculum designer, academic advising director, coach, and academic leadership
  • Demonstrated success leading a team and creating a culture of collaboration and collegiality
  • Organized and goal oriented with an entrepreneurial and pioneering spirit
  • Extensive networking and relationships with members of admission teams and higher education staff
  • Experienced with educational student information systems

Timeline

Director of College Counseling / Academic Advising

Brentwood School
07.2022 - Current

Director of College Counseling

GEMS World Academy Chicago
08.2018 - 07.2022

National Director of College Counseling

Great Hearts America
08.2012 - 07.2018

English Teacher

Clark County School Disctrict
08.2007 - 08.2011

Educational Consultant

Private Practice
06.2007 - 08.2012

English Teacher, Curriculum Designer

Bishop Gorman Catholic High School
08.2002 - 06.2007

English Teacher

Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School
08.1999 - 06.2002

BA - ENGLISH

Xavier University

MA - CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION

National Louis University

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