Meet the Admissions & Aid Team

Gabriel Affonso-Wagner

Biography

Gabriel joined Champlain College in the winter of 2025. As a New York City resident, he brings the personalized admission experience Champlain is known for to High Schoolers, their families, and School Counselors of the Five Boroughs, Long Island, Westchester and Northern New Jersey. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in General Studies with a concentration in Theology from Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama. At his Alma Mater, Gabriel earned experience in college admissions through student ambassadorship, internships and student employment in the office of admissions. As a college admissions professional with over a decade’s worth of experience, he’s worked for many colleges and universities in his career helping countless amounts of talented young people find their best-fit college to become future professionals and achieve meaningful success. Always happy to have a conversation about what makes Champlain so special (especially over coffee or a meal!), Gabriel’s here for your student every step of the way in their college search and discernment.

Territories

New York (Bronx, Dutchess, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster, Westchester), New Jersey, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, Arkansas

Hobbies

Spending time with family, traveling, camping, going to the beach, swimming, fishing, eating.

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Brittany Beck

Biography

Brittany graduated from a small liberal arts college in upstate New York, St. Lawrence University, with a B.A. in Sociology and German Studies. While at St. Lawrence University, she played field hockey and studied abroad in Vienna, Austria. After graduating, she spent the next thirteen years working in the international education field sending students to study abroad at various universities overseas and working in the international travel field sending clients to travel around the world on customized luxury trips. Though travel is still a passion of hers, she’s excited to be back in the higher education field and sharing her love for Burlington, Vermont with students! When she’s not speaking with students, she can often be found skiing, riding her bike, or catching the newest must-see film.

Territories

Maine, Massachusetts (Barnstable, Bristol, Duke, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth counties), New Hampshire, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, International Students

Hobbies

Skiing, Traveling, Biking, Hiking, Walking my Dog, Watching Movies, Decorating

Favorite Local Eateries and Things to do in Vermont

Favorite local eateries: Poco, a Single Pebble, BKK in the Alley, Myer’s Bagels

Favorite things to do in Vermont: biking along Lake Champlain on the Burlington bike path, enjoying an outdoor concert at Shelburne Museum, strolling through the Burlington Farmers Market, skiing at Bolton Valley

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Jorge Erazo

Biography

Jorge Erazo graduated from the State University of New York at New Paltz with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Mathematics. He began his career in Undergraduate Admissions that following year and remained there until moving into the hospitality industry in Northeast Pennsylvania. He then decided to pursue a move back into Higher Education and Admissions with Champlain College where he is excited to engage with new and inquisitive minds as they embark on their college journey.

Territories

Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey (Atlantic, Burlington, Campden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean, Salem), New Mexico, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia

Hobbies

Gaming, Reading, Scale Model Building and Walking Dogs

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Morgan De Caro

Biography

Morgan De Caro graduated from the University of North Florida in August of 2023 with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Biology with a concentration in Ecology and Evolution. After working as an Admissions Counselor in Florida post-grad, Morgan decided to relocate to Vermont. Wanting to continue to pursue a career in higher education and admissions, she found Champlain College to be exactly what she was looking for.

New to the area, Morgan enjoys exploring Burlington and its surrounding areas with her fiancée, finding new hiking trails, restaurants, and shops.

Territory

Transfer Students

What are your hobbies?

Hiking, Reading, Cooking

Favorite local eateries and things to do in Vermont

Palmer Lane Maple, Farmers Markets, Bingham Falls Hike

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Brendan Smith

Biography

Brendan began his career in Admissions at Champlain College in July 2023 after graduating from Champlain with a B.S. in Game Production Management only a few months prior. He still finds himself very active in the Game Studio community today, and loves to offer advice to any incoming or current students! He is excited to speak to prospective students and encourage them to follow their passions while in college and beyond.

Brendan can be found at any of the local bookstores, on the bike trail, or at Muddy Waters Cafe when not working in the Admissions office. If you see him out and about, be sure to say hello!

Territory

Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts (Hampden), Hawaii, Alaska

Favorite things to do in Vermont

Martone’s Market, Papa Frank’s, Pingala Cafe

Biking, skiing, and checking out local eateries

Hobbies

Biking, cooking, hiking, swimming, gaming

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Adnane Adossama

Biography

Adnane was a first-generation college student, graduating with a Bachelor’s of Science in Exercise Science from Vermont State Universities Castleton Campus in 2019. He went on to work for their TRIO Upward Bound and McNair Scholars Program. As an Admissions Counselors, he enjoys working with students and families throughout the admissions process, helping them realize the amazing endless possibilities at Champlain.

Adnane is enjoying his return to Burlington Vermont, reliving some of his favorite childhood memories down by the waterfront.

Territory

Vermont (Addison, Bennington, Rutland, Windham, Windsor), New York (Albany, Allegany, Broome, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Chemung, Chenango, Clinton, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Erie, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Genesee, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Livingston, Madison, Monroe, Montgomery, Niagra, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario, Orleans, Oswego, Otsego, Rensselaer, St Lawrence, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Wyoming, Yates), Massachusetts (Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire), Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois

Favorite local eateries

Pho Dang Vietnamese Cafe

Hobbies

Basketball, Snowboarding, Hiking and Road Trips

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Melissa Rosenberg

Biography

Melissa was a first-generation college student, graduating with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Agricultural Business and Economics from SUNY Cobleskill in 1992. She went on to earn her Bachelor of Science degree in Rural Economics from the University of Vermont in 1995. After spending several years in Maine, Melissa found her way back to Vermont and is thrilled to be part of the Champlain College community. As the Senior Director of Admissions, she finds it incredibly rewarding to work with students and their families throughout the admissions process, helping to make a difference in their lives.

Melissa is enjoying her return to the beautiful state of Vermont, discovering new hiking trails and spending quality time with her family.

Territory

California, Oregon, Washington

Hobbies

Hiking, Biking, Cooking

Favorite Local Eateries & Things to do in Vermont

Healthy Living Cafe, August First, and The Gryphon

Bike the Causeway, Peruse the local Farmers Markets, Explore the Intervale.

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Emily Rudolph

Biography

Emily Rudolph has been a member of the Champlain College community for eight years. In 2010, she arrived on campus as a first year student and completed her Bachelor’s Degree in 2014. After several years working in the hospitality industry, Emily returned to Champlain College in 2019 as a member of the admissions team. Emily has also been an active member for Staff Council and is the current Co-Chair of the Communications and Engagement Committee. When not on campus, Emily can be found at a local bookstore, hiking the Vermont trails, and skiing at as many mountains as she can.

Territory

Vermont (Caledonia, Chittenden, Essex, Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans, Washington), Massachusetts (Essex, Middlesex, Suffolk, Worcester), Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri

What are your hobbies?

Reading, hiking, skiing, and walking dogs.

Favorite local eateries and things to do in Vermont

My favorite place to eat is either Bluebird BBQ or Folino’s Pizza

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Katrina Bennett

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Marianne Werner

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Kimberly Moran

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Mark McGinnis

Hobbies

Snowboarding, Longboarding, Gardening, Walking my dog, Hiking, Swimming, Watching Football

Favorite Local Eateries

Mill River Brewery, Los Jefes, Jeff’s Seafood, and Twiggs

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Tami Patnode

Hobbies

Skiing, Biking, Hiking and anything outdoors

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Heather Hanson

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Laura Ennis

Biography

Laura Ennis joined the Financial Aid team at Champlain College in 2021. Laura is the Financial Aid Counselor for the online and graduate students.

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Juliette Albert

How did you apply to Champlain?

Early Decision

Why I Chose Champlain

I chose Champlain for its upside down curriculum and its location in Burlington. (I love being so close to the other places surrounding Champlain).

Ideal Weekend in Burlington

My ideal weekend in Burlington, would be going to the bagel bakery with my roommates, followed shopping on Church St, then going down to the waterfront, and later going to the mall.

Favorite Champlain Memory

My favorite champlain memories are when my friends and I are able to go out and go places together.

One piece of advice for students going through the college search process

Finding a college can be an important overwhelming process, it’s important to remember that finding a college where you believe you’ll fit in best is one of the most important things to consider.

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Grace Berry

How did you apply to Champlain?

Early Decision

Why I Chose Champlain

I chose Champlain because of the unique business environment we study in and the major specific courses I take feel very valuable.

Clubs & Student Involvement

• President’s Council
• Students Demand Action
• Stiller Women in Business

Ideal Weekend in Burlington

Walking down Church Street and stopping by all of the small businesses and walking down to the waterfront for lunch.

Favorite Champlain Memory

The night before classes begun, we watched Jurassic Park on Finney Quad under the stars.

One piece of advice for students going through the college search process.

Trust your instincts and know what you value in a college experience and that your values may be different than other people’s.

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Brandon Cherry

How did you apply to Champlain?

Early Decision

Why I Chose Champlain

The upside down curriculum allowed me to jump right into making games, and that drew me in from the start. Also, having a game programming specific major was a big factor as I wanted a more specialized major.

Clubs & Student Involvement

Student Ambassador Operations Captain

Ideal Weekend in Burlington

Playing games down at the Archives, dinner at Rí Rá, and heading up the hill to the Barnes and Noble!

Favorite Champlain Memory

Taking my girlfriend to Spring Meltdown! Between racing through bounce house obstacle course, sharing snacks and food, and getting printed pictures taken together, it was an amazing experience for both of us!

One piece of advice for students going through the college search process.

When you find the right college, it will stick out to you and you’ll feel right when you walk onto campus for the first time.

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Evan Gartner

Internship

Project Management for Champlain’s Marketing Department

Favorite Class

Introduction to Game Production Management

What have you gained from Core? Has it changed your perspective?

Core has helped me to improve my reading and writing skills. It’s really changed my perspective of the world. Many of my Core classes have covered world issues and cultures, helping me to better understand that subject matter. My favorite Core class has to be the Reading, Writing, and Pop Culture class from the fall of my first year. The class was fun and very engaging because of Division of Information Technology & Sciences focus on protest songs written throughout history, which had a great impact on pop culture, and that really interested me.

What do you think about InSight? Why is it valuable, practical, or relevant?

The InSight program is a very useful program for helping students find jobs or internships. It’s very valuable because in addition to being used by current students, alumni can use it as a resource as well if they need assistance finding a job after graduating. The milestone that’s been the most rewarding to me is my LinkedIn submission. Getting a perfect score and receiving positive feedback from a peer career coach significantly boosted my confidence in succeeding with my job hunt.

Looking back, what advice would you give a new or incoming Champlain student? What might the high school version of you think about the current you today?

An important piece of advice I would give to a new or incoming student would be to always ask for help when you need it. I had a particularly stressful Spring 2022 semester. However, because I asked for help from my professors, counselors, and doctors, I was able to get through it and get on a great path. I feel like my high school self would be proud of all that I have accomplished in my first year and a half of college. He would probably tell me to keep it up, just like my teachers, professors, co-workers, family, and friends have all told me to do.

How did you apply to Champlain?

Regular Decision

Why I Chose Champlain

I chose Champlain because it was the only college in the country that had a major that combined my interests of video game development with business and management. I also liked the convenience and feel of a small campus. It makes it really easy to navigate and hard to get lost.

Clubs & Student Involvement

• Events Captain on Student Ambassador Executive Board
• Project Management Intern in the Champlain Marketing Department
• Study Abroad Recruiter
• Discord Moderator for Class of 2028 server
• Delta Mu Delta International Honor Society in Business
• International Business Club Member
• Climb Champlain Member
• Move-In Crew for Fall 2024 Orientation

Ideal Weekend in Burlington

Sleep in, have a big brunch, participate in any weekend events that may be happening on campus, hang out with friends off campus for cookouts and movie nights.

Favorite Champlain Memory

Studying Abroad for the summer and fall of 2023. Being immersed in two different cultures for extended periods of time gave me so much more experience in the real world in terms of networking, internships, and allowed me to meet so many amazing people. I will never forget these experiences!

One piece of advice for students going through the college search process

Never be afraid to speak up and always ask for help when you need it. Your voice is the most important and powerful tool you have at your disposal. Use it, and you won’t regret it! Ask questions on a tour, connect with your admissions counselor, or reach out to alumni. No matter what you do, someone will always be there to help you if you speak up!

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Kyle Holland

How did you apply to Champlain?

Transfer Student

Why I Chose Champlain

I preferred the smaller class sizes and active community.

Clubs & Student Involvement

• Coffee and Tea club
• Include+

Ideal Weekend in Burlington

Walking down Church Street to the waterfront with friends.

Favorite Champlain Memory

Winning best outfit at Taylor Swift night.

One piece of advice for students going through the college search process

Keep an open mind!

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Sarah Kelly

How did you apply to Champlain?

Regular Decision

Why I Chose Champlain

When I was first looking into colleges I knew that I wanted a small school, it was also in a beautiful location and when I was first visiting I got to meet so many wonderful professors that made me feel heard before I was even their student and many other schools did not make me feel as seen as Champlain had done.

Ideal Weekend in Burlington

Starting the day off with a maple latte from Burlington Bagel Bakery, then going paddle-boarding on Lake Champlain with my friends followed by a picnic at Oakledge Park. Lastly ending my day with either a cup of ice cream from Ben & Jerry’s or a scoop of gelato from Shy Guy Gelato.

Clubs & Student Involvement

• Event Coordinator for Stiller Women in Business
• Vice-President for Student Government Association
• Rugby Club

Favorite Champlain Memory

I have many different small ones, but some are having a cookout at Oakledge Park in the rain, getting way to many scoops of ice cream during Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry’s or playing board games with my roommates and friends.

One piece of advice for students going through the college search process

I would just say to follow your gut and don’t listen to closely to what others are telling you to do.

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Lisa Lafayette

How did you apply to Champlain?

Regular Decision

Why I Chose Champlain

I chose Champlain for the endless opportunities for my major and the amazing autumn season.

Clubs & Student Involvement

• Office Assistant Housing and Res Life
• School of Social Innovation Representative SGA
• Discord Moderator
• Champ 101 Peer Facilitator 

Ideal Weekend in Burlington

My ideal weekend is hanging out with friends around and off campus.

Favorite Champlain Memory

My favorite memory was when I went to Canada with my division and we were able to see the Montreal campus and explore.

One piece of advice for students going through the college search process

It is something that is hard however with persistence and patience, it becomes worth it in the end.

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Aidan Pearl

How did you apply to Champlain?

Regular Decision

Why I Chose Champlain

The housing was the most unique out of all the school I applied to!

Ideal Weekend in Burlington

Sitting by the water eating chocolate

Clubs & Student Involvement

• Lead Resident Advisor
• Student Government President

Favorite Champlain Memory

Axe throwing freshman year

One piece of advice for students going through the college search process

Meet the faculty for your program and pick the ones that match the best with you!

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Nate Rogers

How did you apply to Champlain?

Regular Decision

Why I Chose Champlain

I found my people here, and I felt like I belonged more than I did in high school.

Ideal Weekend in Burlington

Sitting in bed and cuddling my cat while I order local food.

Clubs & Student Involvement

Champlain Supernatural Investigators

Favorite Champlain Memory

Playing jackbox games as a dorm event and doing a rap battle and winning.

One piece of advice for students going through the college search process.

Believe in yourself, trust that you will make the right decision for yourself.

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Kira Schafer

How did you apply to Champlain?

Early Decision

Why I Chose Champlain

Champlain is close to home and Burlington is a beautiful city. Champlain also has smaller class sizes which I learn better in.

Clubs & Student Involvement

Stiller Women in Business

Ideal Weekend in Burlington

If I’m feeling energetic, shopping and to dinner somewhere on Church Street, getting ice cream and watching the sunset over Lake Champlain. Otherwise just relaxing with my friends outside before it snows!

Favorite Champlain Memory

In my first accounting class I didn’t know anybody so I usually sat alone. One day a girl brought in her service dog and I sat next to her and her friends to talk about her dog. They’re still my friends and have really helped me get adjusted to Champlain.

One piece of advice for students going through the college search process

Choose a college based on what is right for you. It doesn’t matter what other people are doing, focus on what is best for you and your future!

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Maia Tebbets

How did you apply to Champlain?

Regular Decision

Why I Chose Champlain

I chose Champlain because of the cozy tight knit campus and the small size of the school! I went to a small high school so it was important to me that I would be able to connect with my professors and peers, and I have definitely found that here!

Ideal Weekend in Burlington

My ideal weekend in Burlington would be grabbing coffee at Cosmic Grind down on Church Street, exploring the lakefront with friends, having a slice at Pizza 44, and playing board games with my friends!

Clubs & Student Involvement

• Resident Advisor
• President’s Council
• Captain of Champlain College Dance Team
• CHAMP

Favorite Champlain Memory

One of my favorite Champlain memories was Spirit Week my freshman year! It was themed after space camp and there were lots of cool crafts and activities. It felt like the first time I really connected with my people!

One piece of advice for students going through the college search process

One piece of advice for students starting to look at schools is to go with your gut. It can be easy to make a decision based on what other’s expect from you or what you think you are “supposed to do”, but go with what feels right! For me, I felt a connection when I visited campus. I hope you find what you’re looking for!

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