Consultant & Coach ProfilesÂ
Kate Pedigo, M.Ed., NCC
Independent Educational Consultant
Founder, Growing2College
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Kate Pedigo is an Independent Educational Consultant (IEC) and founder of Growing2College. She understands that high school and college planning can be stressful and overwhelming, and she truly enjoys helping to make the process clear, manageable, and even fun for families. Kate's services include:
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Advising families as they plan high school courses and extracurriculars
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Helping families understand important college planning timelines
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Assisting students with exploration of majors and careers
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Guiding families through the college search and selection process
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Coaching students through Common App completion
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Supporting students considering the transfer process
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After earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology at the University of Colorado at Boulder, Kate pursued her Master of Education degree in School Counseling at Loyola University in Baltimore. She is a National Certified Counselor (NCC) and a certified marriage preparation and parenting facilitator. Kate has also earned Professional Member status with the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), which requires demonstration of professional mastery and years of experience in the field.
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Kate is a former school counselor, and was an IEC with Laura George Consulting for several years prior to founding Growing2College. She works virtually via Zoom to accommodate families in multiple time zones, and to provide flexibility for daytime, evening, and weekend appointments.
Beth Corelli, BA, MSJ
College Essay Coach
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Beth Corelli has more than 20 years of communications and writing experience in media, cultural and higher education institutions. Most recently, she worked in admission and enrollment communications with premier research university Washington University in St. Louis — specifically focused on the Brown School, which houses top-ranked graduate programs of social work and public health. During her career in communications and marketing, she has crafted articles, speeches, organizational statements, brochures, video scripts and much more. She enjoys helping people tell their stories in a unique and genuine way.
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She received a Bachelor of Arts in English from Miami University (Ohio), and a Master of Science in Journalism from Northwestern University, where she spent time reporting from both Washington, D.C. as well as London, England.
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In her free time, she enjoys chasing after her two young children, trying to tame her flower garden, a good book or a new hiking trail.
Karen Ecanow, LLB, JD
College Essay Coach
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Originally from Toronto, Canada, Karen attended the University of Illinois on a dance scholarship. After an injury, she ultimately graduated with a B.S. in Psychology. She continued with her education, earning two law degrees: an LL.B. from Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, and a J.D. from The University of Chicago Law School.
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After practicing law, Karen focused on raising her two daughters, but remained active in many endeavors. She has volunteered in the community and at schools in multiple capacities, both in and out of the classroom. Most recently, Karen assisted in the creation of a soup kitchen, serving as the volunteer coordinator.
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Karen’s strong writing and editing skills, acquired through her practice as a lawyer, have enabled her to make a seamless transition to the essay writing process. She first became immersed in college admissions while assisting her daughters with their applications. Having grown up in Canada where there were no standardized tests or lengthy admissions applications, Karen found the process fascinating. She also discovered that her outside perspective and unique background made her well-suited to support, guide, and mentor others through the endeavor. Further, her background in psychology and years as a mother allow her to relate to and understand the concerns of both students and parents as they navigate the college admissions process.
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Karen lives in Highland Park, IL with her husband, David, and their two daughters.
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Anne Windholz, PhD
College Essay Coach
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Anne Windholz holds a BA from the University of Colorado and a PhD in English from the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign. Recipient of fellowships from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities, she has twenty years’ experience as a college professor. In addition to conducting classes in composition, interdisciplinary studies, and literature, Anne has advised and mentored many individual students, guiding them through creative writing projects, scholarship applications, and undergraduate research.
A lifelong learner, Anne earned her Master of Divinity degree in 2012. In her second career as a board certified chaplain, she has served hospitals in Chicago’s west and northwest suburbs. She works with patients and families from diverse cultures, faiths, and belief systems. Anne provides a calm and supportive presence, and she is adept at helping all clients reframe challenges, define goals, and find meaning. She is committed to creating a safe space in which to nurture personal growth, believing that compassion and respect are integral to both healing and learning.
An enthusiastic writer, Anne’s publications on chaplaincy, nineteenth-century literature and culture, and spirituality have appeared in professional journals as well as general interest magazines. To relax she plays piano and embraces the music of words in poetry and fiction writing. Mother to three young college graduates, she understands the college application and testing process from the perspective of student, parent, and faculty member. While challenges come with applying to college, she encourages students to celebrate the great adventure to which it leads!