Client Services | Frequently Asked Questions | Privacy Policy | Contact Us

About Joe Hruban, Principal

Originally from Chicago, Joe Hruban is a well known financial educator with over 26 years of experience in financial strategies and positioning.

Joe advises families on College Funding strategies and financial aid planning that help parents pay for college efficiently while preserving their retirement savings.  Joe has also taught and trained professional traders and investors advanced financial techniques and planning concepts he developed over the fifteen years he was a  Market Maker on the options floor of the Pacific Stock Exchange in San Francisco where he founded a member firm.

Prior to this he assisted clients as their financial advisor at Mesirow Financial in Chicago. Mr. Hruban graduated with a Business Degree, Majoring in Accounting at Northern Illinois University after beginning his undergraduate studies at Loyola University of Chicago.

Joe lives in Davis, California, where he serves on the Business and Economic Development Commission for the City of Davis. He can often be found enjoying the outdoors – hiking, camping, skiing , and fishing with Debbie, and their two dogs.

Team Bio

Interviewer Bios

SHANNON BURNOSKY

After completing a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology & Biology at Loyola College in Maryland, Shannon continued on to complete a Master’s of Education in School Counseling from Fordham University. Serving as the Internship Coordinator for two years at Fordham’s Career Planning office prepared her for her current position as a College & Career Counselor at a high school in the Northeast. She is an active member of the National Association of College Admission Counseling, National Education Association, and American Counseling Association.

LINDA CHRISTY

Since graduating from DePauw University with a B.A. in Communication and later a Master’s Degree in School Counseling from Butler University, Linda has served roles in both the high school and college sectors. Linda worked in admissions for both private and public colleges for eleven years before making the move to the high school side, where she was director of college advising at a private college preparatory school. She currently serves as the resident college counseling and scholarship advisor at a large public high school in Indiana. Linda is a past Indiana delegate for the National Association of College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) and has served in various roles for IACAC in her home state.

TRISH DEW

Trish has seven years experience in college and career counseling. She has worked with students both at the high school and college level. She currently is a college counselor in a large public high school. Trish earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from West Virginia University and her Master’s Degree in Counseling with a focus on career, from The School of Educational Psychology at The University of Texas at San Antonio. In addition, she is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC).

DEBORAH HELLER

Deborah Heller has been a College Counselor for the past 6 years. She has helped hundreds of high school students navigate the college application process successfully. She has experience working in public and private high schools and has made contacts in college admission offices around the country. The students she has worked with have been accepted to a variety of different liberal arts colleges and universities across the US, in Canada and Europe. Deborah received her Bachelors degree in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and an MSEd in School Counseling from Hunter College.

LORI LEBLEU

For the past 15 years Lori has worked with students and families helping them prepare for college. Her previous experience includes teaching, counseling, financial aid advising as well as serving as educational director assisting high schools with their guidance and counseling programs. Born and raised in Texas, Lori attended Texas A&M University of Kingsville earning both a Bachelors of Fine Arts and Master of Science degrees. Helping students prepare for college has been a constant in her career. She believes that with the proper guidance and support all students have the potential to find their path and be successful in life.

PETER MARCON

Peter received his B.S. and Masters in Education from Springfield College. He has a Professional Certificate and over 25 years experience in College Guidance and Counseling. He completed studies in Guidance and Administration at the sixth-year level at Fordham and New York University. Peter is the former Director of Guidance at Rye High School in New York. He has visited numerous college campuses, and has had extensive contact with college representatives. He has authored and published The Key to College Admission. He is an active member of The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), Westchester/Putnam/Rockland Counseling Association and New York State Association of College Admission Counselors.

HARRY PETTIBONE

Harry is a graduate of Michigan State University where he received his B.A. He went to Western Michigan University for his M.A. and Butler University for his EdS. Harry has over thirty-five years of experience in education. He has been a teacher, administrator and a college counselor. He has experience in both the public and college preparatory high schools.

REGAN RONAYNE

Regan has been working with college and college-bound students for over twenty years. She began her career in college counseling at the University of California, San Diego, and later moved to Northern California to become the Director of Undergraduate Advising in Molecular and Cell Biology at UC Berkeley, where she soon became an expert in pre-medical school advising. Regan teaches college and career success courses at Napa Valley College, works seasonally as a freshman evaluator for UC Berkeley’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions, and is currently the Program Director for College Admission and Career Planning at UC Berkeley Extension. Regan earned her master’s degree in Counseling from San Diego State University, is a Certified Educational Planner (AICEP) and a freelance college admission consultant with her business, Directions To College. As a member of the National Association for College Admission Counselors (NACAC), the Western Association for College Admission Counselors (WACAC), and the Higher Educational Consultants Association (HECA), she abides by the ethical codes and good practices of these organizations.

KATHLEEN VOSS

Kathleen received her BA at Salve Regina University. She has fourteen years of admissions and financial aid experience. During her tenure as a Consultant for Manhattan College and as the Associate Director for Regis College, she met and counseled many families on the college search process. Kathleen is an active participant in National and Regional Associations and Forums.