Karla Vargas-Kennedy
Woodberry Forest,VA
Summary
Relationship-driven Assistant Headmaster focused on developing positive work culture. Accomplished at streamlining procedures and pursuing administrative improvements to achieve student recruitment goals. Employs data-based strategies to achieve institutional fiscal goals.
Overview
27
27
years of professional experience
Work History
Assistant Headmaster, Director of Enrollment Management
Woodberry Forest School
Woodberry Forest, VA
07.2020 - Current
- Manage marketing and enrollment of five camps that engages over 500 alumni and prospective students every summer
- Enrolled most diverse incoming classes in school's history moving SOC enrollment from 19% to 25%
- Developed coordinated digital marketing plan corresponding drip campaign; Manage $200,000 marketing budget
- Developed branded admissions experience; Launched valued-based marketing strategy
- Launched virtual open houses and first in-person open house in school's history
- Manage tuition assistance budget in excess of seven million dollars
- Manage team of eight professionals
- Led transition from InResonance to Slate CRM
- Member of executive strategic plan team
- Work with Dean of Students to retain current students
- Work with CFO to forecast enrollment and income
Director of Enrollment Management and Marketing
Foxcroft School
Middleburg, VA
07.2017 - 01.2020
- Developed and executed data-driven enrollment and marketing strategy
- Increased enrollment from 157-178, highest enrollment in over decade, in first year
- Increased net tuition revenue per student meeting board net tuition revenue targets ahead of schedule
- Increased domestic boarding student numbers and right-sized enrollment funnel
- Streamlined application process: adjusted application, developed online file reading process, launched character assessment testing
- Started and launched digital marketing program which increased views to website by over 100%
- Developed marketing materials: digital and road pieces
- Managed financial aid process-both internal and outreach to parents
- Member of senior leadership team
- Provided education to board: marketing, financial aid, markets, enrollment opportunities and challenges.
Director of Enrollment
St. Andrew's Episcopal School
Jackson, MS
07.2015 - 01.2017
- Oversaw recruitment and retention of 1150 students grades Pre-K3 to 12
- Managed Malone Foundation Scholarship program and increased applicants by 120% in first year
- Increased retention year over year and reduced attrition from 9.5% to 5%
- Increased incoming class by 10 in year 1 and 20 in year 2
- Developed, launched, and managed Chinese recruitment program that brought in $250,000 in first year
- Increased overall net tuition revenue
- Managed financial aid process: documents, committee, awarding
- Developed and analyzed parent (customer) satisfaction survey meant to measure word-of-mouth marketing
- Advised families, conducted tours, managed admissions team, and managed admissions committees
- Provided education to board: Marketing, financial aid strategies, aligning admissions and financial aid to mission.
Associate Dean of Graduate Programs
Green Mountain College
Poultney, VT
09.2014 - 01.2015
- Oversaw recruitment and enrollment of four online master's programs and one online undergraduate (goal of 110 students each start)
- Executed launch of new graduate program
- Responsible for all marketing including traditional advertisement, publications, and launch of Graduate Social Media program
- Built graduate infrastructure to serve online students: development and coordination of student services
- Managed graduate faculty council
- Developed active graduate alumni community
- Managed hiring of adjunct faculty and graduate staff
- Planned and executed four graduate residencies.
Dean of Recruitment and Admissions
Green Mountain College
Poultney, VT
09.2013 - 01.2014
- Recruited and enrolled largest mid-year class in College history, 7% more than previous record
- Recruited and enrolled largest Killington School of Resort Management (KSRM) class in history of program, increase of 230% (KSRM higher cost of attendance and lower discount rate)
- Oversaw recruitment and enrollment of first Bachelor of Science in Business degree-completion class
- Increased on-campus visits 20%
- Increased incoming fall (non-athlete) incoming class by 10%
- Increased yield on transfer class
- Planned and operationalized all undergraduate and graduate recruitment efforts
- Oversaw management of 4 undergraduate admissions officers, processor, hospitality coordinator, and Graduate-Online Director
- Oversaw development and launch of dual-enrollment marketing class for junior and senior high school students.
- Streamlined administrative processes for increased efficiency, resulting in reduced workload for faculty members.
Assistant Vice President of Traditional Undergraduate and Graduate Admissions
Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX
02.2012 - 09.2013
- Increased Undergraduate class by 22%
- Provided Executive Vice President with enrollment reports and proposals for adjustment in strategy
- Served as Primary Designated SEVP Officer (PDSO) in charge of maintenance of all SEVIS and I-20 records
- Oversaw management of traditional undergraduate and graduate admissions office
- Responsible for meeting enrollment goals for traditional freshman, transfer, and graduate populations
- Responsible for management of application processing team.
Interim Executive Director of Enrollment Management
Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX
06.2012 - 04.2013
- Made and increased undergraduate class by 17% in 120 days
- Provided Vice President enrollment reports and proposals for adjustment in strategy
- Oversaw management of the Offices of Undergraduate Admissions, Graduate Admissions, Processing, Financial Aid, Student Employment, and other campuses (Houston, Rio Grande Valley, and Online division)
- Worked collaboratively with Communications to develop outreach materials to prospective and incoming students
- Functional lead for the University's migration to new prospect system (Recruiter)
- Served as primary liaison between the University and Department of Homeland Security division of Student Exchange Visitor Program—responsible for all issuance and maintenance of I-20 records.
Director of Financial Aid
Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX
02.2012 - 05.2012
- Worked with senior University leadership to develop and implement federally compliant policies
- Managed Financial Aid budget of 25 million and prepare aid packages that maintain University discount rate
- Prepared federal and national consumer reports.
Director of Financial Aid
University of Chicago Law School
Chicago, IL
01.2010 - 02.2012
- Recruited prospective students at national and local fairs along with university and college-based visits
- Employed scholarship strategy to increase medians and increase rank
- Read and reviewed admissions files and made recommendations for admissions
- Responsible for research, development and writing of Loan Repayment Plan
- Responsible for all scholarship awarding—maintaining University budget while seating class with required medians.
Director of Financial Aid
Cornell University Law School
Ithaca, NY
07.2005 - 12.2009
- Directed Daily operations of Law School Financial Aid Office
- Functional lead for building and migration of Law School student services system from homegrown system to PeopleSoft
- Produced all written and on-line materials for Cornell Law Financial Aid
- Served as representative to Gang of Nine law school group
Temporary Undergraduate Financial Aid Counselor
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY
10.2004 - 07.2005
- Performed needs analysis and packing of financial aid requests
- Counseled prospective and continuing student on application process, financing options, and budgeting
- Presented financial aid information at outreach and recruiting events with Office of Admissions.
Director of ESLPlus Summer Language Enrichment Program
Mercersburg Academy
Mercersburg, PA
05.2003 - 08.2004
- Responsible for recruitment, hiring, training, and supervision of faculty and teaching assistants
- Managed all aspects of program budget and responsible for growing program participation by 100%
- Developed and oversaw all aspects of student academic and residential program
- Coordinated with Admissions, dormitory staff, Academic Dean, and Associate Head of School's office to prepare international students transition into US-based preparatory schools.
Spanish Section Leader—Student Advisor—Dormitory Staff
Mercersburg Academy
Mercersburg, PA
08.1998 - 05.2004
- Managed all Spanish Language Teaching staff and responsible for designing, implementing and reviewing Spanish language and literature curriculum
- Coordinated all national testing for students at all levels
- Taught all Spanish Advanced Placement courses
- Advised group of 10 students and managed dormitory floor
- Advisor for photography club and Mercersburg students newspaper.
Spanish Teacher and Dormitory Staff
Chatham Hall
Chatham, VA
08.1997 - 05.1998
- Taught three sections of Spanish
- Served as primary dorm parent.
Education
Doctoral Candidate in Educational Leadership and Innovation - Women in senior leadership
St. Thomas University
Miami Gardens, FL12.2024
Certificate in Marketing -
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY01.2018
Masters in Educational Leadership -
Western New Mexico University
Silver City, NM01.2017
Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature and Latin American and Caribbean Studies -
State University of New York At Binghamton
Binghamton, NY01.1997
Skills
- Operations Oversight
- Student Management
- Program development and implementation
- Enrollment strategies
- Community Engagement
- Parent Communication
- Recruitment Strategies
- Staff Training
Boards
- Association for Independent School Admission Professionals (AISAP), Current
- Law School Admission Council (LSAC) Financial Aid Governance Committee, 2008-2012
Presentations
- Creating Effective and Consistent Board Reports, AISAP conference, 06/2023, La Jolla, CA
- Data to Drive Strategy: Understanding your data and how to make data-driven decisions, AISAP conference, 07/2022, Chicago, IL
- What Works and Where to Start: Managing Retention., AISAP conference, 07/2021, Virtual
- Shifting Norms, Shaping Culture: Values-based Leadership, VAIS Heath Summit, 02/2020, Richmond, VA
- A Series of Anecdotes is not a Data Set, Association of Independent School Admissions Professionals (AISAP) conference, 07/2019, Colorado Springs, CO
- Sales Psychology 101: Tuition and Financial Aid, VAIS Business Officers Institute, 04/2019, Charlottesville, VA
- Enrollment Starts with Your Team, AISAP conference, 07/2018, Nashville, TN
- Retention Strategies that Work, AISAP conference, 07/2017, San Juan Capistrano, CA
Timeline
Assistant Headmaster, Director of Enrollment Management
Woodberry Forest School
07.2020 - Current
Director of Enrollment Management and Marketing
Foxcroft School
07.2017 - 01.2020
Director of Enrollment
St. Andrew's Episcopal School
07.2015 - 01.2017
Associate Dean of Graduate Programs
Green Mountain College
09.2014 - 01.2015
Dean of Recruitment and Admissions
Green Mountain College
09.2013 - 01.2014
Interim Executive Director of Enrollment Management
Our Lady of the Lake University
06.2012 - 04.2013
Assistant Vice President of Traditional Undergraduate and Graduate Admissions
Our Lady of the Lake University
02.2012 - 09.2013
Director of Financial Aid
Our Lady of the Lake University
02.2012 - 05.2012
Director of Financial Aid
University of Chicago Law School
01.2010 - 02.2012
Director of Financial Aid
Cornell University Law School
07.2005 - 12.2009
Temporary Undergraduate Financial Aid Counselor
Cornell University
10.2004 - 07.2005
Director of ESLPlus Summer Language Enrichment Program
Mercersburg Academy
05.2003 - 08.2004
Spanish Section Leader—Student Advisor—Dormitory Staff
Mercersburg Academy
08.1998 - 05.2004
Spanish Teacher and Dormitory Staff
Chatham Hall
08.1997 - 05.1998
Doctoral Candidate in Educational Leadership and Innovation - Women in senior leadership
St. Thomas University
Certificate in Marketing -
Cornell University
Masters in Educational Leadership -
Western New Mexico University
Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature and Latin American and Caribbean Studies -
State University of New York At Binghamton