Cuca Acosta, Associate Director of Admissions, UC Santa Barbara

Ms. Acosta has spent 15 of her 18 years at UCSB focused on outreach and recruitment for the Office of Admissions, ushering in record applications and traveling the world to engage students eager to study in the US. She’s presented at national and international conferences about the UC system; UCSB; undocumented student issues; and first-generation college students. Born and raised in California, she has a B.A. in Philosophy from UCSB and an M.A. in Leadership and Liberal Studies from Duquesne University. As the only member of her family with a college degree, she made it her career goal to guide and encourage students.

Christin Johnson, Assistant Director of Outreach, Recruitment & Orientation, CSU Fullerton

As senior outreach and recruitment counselor at Cal State Fullerton, Ms. Johnson bolsters academic preparation among underrepresented and educationally disadvantaged students. A native of Orange County, she believes anti-racism is practicing love over hate and choosing justice over personal bias. Key success factors on her journey toward anti-racism and helping CSUF students: knowing one’s family history; recognizing injustice; and being bold about speaking out against it.

Krista Klein, Co-Director of College Counseling, Lick-Wilmerding HS

Ms. Klein discovered her passion for college counseling after a now-serendipitous departure from a UC Berkeley doctoral program in the late 90’s. She first co-authored a popular guide on admissions (in its 3rd edition), then founded and directed the college counseling program at Stuart Hall High School. From there, she became Co-Director of College Counseling at Lick-Wilmerding High School and–16 years in–still takes joy in helping Lick teens and their families discover and embark on their life journeys after high school.

Lia Lackey, VP of Tutoring Services, Compass Education Group

As head of her company’s 1-on-1 tutoring division, Ms. Lackey is responsible for ensuring that families across the US and abroad receive the guidance, expertise and individual support they need to navigate academics and test preparation with confidence. She began her career in tutoring as an undergraduate student at UC Berkeley in the late 1990's and has remained in education and student support ever since.

Morgan Volkart, Associate Vice Provost, Recruitment, Lehigh University  

Ms. Volkart leads Lehigh’s enrollment initiatives for the Western US and multiple regions worldwide. Previously, she worked in their international affairs office advising study abroad; served with the U.N. Academic Impact Initiative as liaison to Asian university presidents; edited manuscripts for international ed journals; and taught English in China. Hailing from Nevada, she was a first-generation college student, earned a B.A. in Social Psychology and Asian Studies (Lehigh) and played on the Division I women’s volleyball team; studied Chinese culture and Mandarin (Shanghai Jiao Tong University); and later earned an M.Ed. in Globalization and Educational Change (Lehigh).

Moderated by: Christina Bui, Parent - Lick-Wilmerding High School