Haewon has over 20 years of teaching, advising and administrative experience in primary, secondary, and tertiary sectors in the US, UK and HK. 

She has a BA in Russian Literature from Harvard University, an MA/PhD in English from King’s College London and formerly served as the Director of MA in English Studies at The University of Hong Kong. In her university role, she reviewed thousands of applications at the graduate level, interviewed finalists and decided on scholarship allocations. As an educator, she advised students on college and postgraduate admissions, taught college essay writing classes, wrote references for students and advised them on a variety of career paths. As a proud mother of an ADHD child, she embraces neurodiversity and is passionate about finding creative strategies for every student to achieve their goals. 

In her prior life, she also worked at Goldman Sachs (NY) and JP Morgan (London) but began her teaching career at Teach for America (LA) and later served as a board member of Teach for Hong Kong, where she still remains active. 

She is currently an Associate Member of IECA (Independent Educational Consultants Association), a certified ADHD coach, as well as a member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF).

With over 25 years’ experience in international education as a school administrator, counselor and K-12 teacher, Catherine has worked with hundreds of high school students in various parts of the world. She has a BA from Princeton University and an MA in Educational Administration from the University of New South Wales.

Her experience as High School Dean of Students at a prestigious private school in New York led her to develop a passion for counseling students. She then spent 9 years as University Guidance Counselor at the French International School of Hong Kong, where she gained extensive experience in helping students (and their families) navigate the complex landscape of university admissions.

Bilingual in French and English, she is an expert in the French Bac, BFI (OIB) and sits on the Board of Directors of AAMIS (Association of American International Sections). She has also worked extensively with students pursuing the IB, AP and A levels, and understands the unique challenges and opportunities associated with each curriculum.

Catherine prides herself on providing a service far beyond that of a consultant. She acts as a mentor for her students, accompanying them every step of the way in their university applications.

The fact that she remains in touch with students she has taught or mentored as far back as 1999, is a testimony to the impact that she has had on them.

She regularly attends conferences and workshops for guidance counselors and university admissions officers, ensuring that she is abreast of the latest trends in university admissions.

Haera is an independent college counselor based in Chicago with a B.A. in Political Science from Brown University. After graduating, she worked at JP Morgan (NY) and completed all three levels of the CFA certification. She currently serves on the board of the Brown Club of Chicago and remains deeply connected to the alumni network.

As the former Regional Chair of Brown University’s alumni interviewing program in Illinois, Haera has 15+ years of experience working with high school seniors and understands what makes an application stand out. She has advised students from public, private, parochial, and boarding schools, spanning diverse socio-economic, religious backgrounds and academic interests—including business and entrepreneurship, engineering, pre-med, humanities, music, and arts. Her passion lies in helping each student craft a compelling, authentic narrative that highlights their unique strengths. Haera has extensive experience working with student-athletes, musicians, and college transfer applicants, as well as those applying for grants, internships, graduate schools, and post-grad career development programs.

Fluent in Korean (her native language) and proficient in French, Haera understands how cultural heritage can enrich a student’s profile. Her own children attended the Lycée Français in Chicago, giving her insight into international and bilingual education. When not working, Haera enjoys reading, experimenting with NYT recipes, and visiting her adult children in San Francisco and NYC.