Brendan Smith

Adnane Adossama

Biography

Do what you love and what you need will follow!

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 and things to do in Vermont

Manhattan Pizza and Pub
Hiking and Snowboarding

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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 at Bolton Valley, riding her bike around Lake Champlain, 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, travel, biking, hiking, film, dogs

Favorite Local Eateries and Things to do in Vermont

Some of my favorite places to eat in Burlington include Poco, a Single Pebble, and Myer’s Bagels. My favorite things to do in Burlington include biking along Lake Champlain on the Burlington bike path, enjoying an outdoor concert at Shelburne Museum, walking my dog at Red Rocks Park, and skiing at Bolton Valley.

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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

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

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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Kathleen Ehlers

Biography

Kathleen A. Ehlers is a high-impact, results-driven senior college management professional with over 20 years of experience in higher education. Renowned for her innovative thinking and commitment to enhancing educational opportunities, Kathleen excels in identifying and leveraging untapped opportunities to improve services, streamline operations, and reduce costs without compromising academic quality. She combines business acumen with a deep devotion to education, ensuring responsible budget management, effective policy establishment, and compliance with legal mandates.

Kathleen has a proven track record of driving significant improvements in key performance metrics. Under her leadership, admissions applications increased by 169%, and total traffic grew by 141% over one academic year. She developed and implemented a highly effective admissions team, introduced cutting-edge lead management tools, and launched successful digital advertising campaigns, achieving click-through rates of 15.75% and conversion rates of 6.32%. Her strategic initiatives have consistently exceeded enrollment and registration goals, securing substantial grants and deepening community partnerships.

Throughout her career, Kathleen has demonstrated exceptional strategic leadership in traditional, online, graduate, and professional studies, resulting in notable enrollment growth. She successfully reduced operational expenses by $500K through strategic evaluations and implemented new intake sessions to expand enrollment opportunities. Kathleen’s efforts have consistently led to increased retention rates, higher student satisfaction, and remarkable revenue growth.

Kathleen’s relentless dedication to education and strategic leadership have driven consistent success in her career. She remains a transformative force in higher education, championing diversity and inclusion while improving processes and outcomes for students and institutions alike.

What are your hobbies?

Travel, read, spend time with family, Rotary member and community advocate.

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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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Jessa Karki

Biography

Jessa has a B.A. English Language and Literature and an MA in Teaching English As a Second Language (TESL) from Saint Michael’s College. Jessa Karki has been in the field of international education in the State of Vermont since 1992. She started as a Student Assistant at the School for International Studies in the second year of her undergraduate studies at Saint Michael’s College and fell in love with the field. She is the Director of the Office of International Student Services (OISS) at Champlain College.

In her current position, she is a one-person office for ISSS and an area expert in international admissions, recruitment, student services, and international alumni relations. She is responsible for the welfare, safety, and immigration advising of all international students, exchange students, and scholars at Champlain. She is the Principal Designated School Official and the Responsible Officer for the College. She also teaches a one-credit, 5-week course of her creation, specifically designed for new international and exchange students which delves into the complexities of U.S. academic writing and cultural norms/expectations.

She has presented at various NAFSA Regional and National conferences. She is a former NAFSA National and Region XI Co-Chair for the One Person Office Member Interest Group and NAFSA VT State Representative for NAFSA Region XI. She currently serves on the NAFSA Region XI GRAC (Government Regulations Advisory Committee) and is the National Co-Chair of the OPO Mentoring Committee.

Jessa lives with her 3 teenage children and her husband in Essex Junction, Vermont. In her free time, Jessa loves to walk, hike, and run. She especially loves hiking the U.S. National Parks and has visited 28 so far!

What are your hobbies?

Long-distance walking, hiking Vermont and the National Parks, and running

Favorite local eateries and things to do in Vermont

Chef’s Corner Table, Williston – hiking all seasons and spending time near, on, or in Lake Champlain.

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Stephanie McConnell

Biography

Stephanie began her career with Champlain College in September 2022 as an Undergraduate Admissions Counselor. Through her work with prospective students, she saw firsthand just how beneficial campus visits can be to a student’s college search. With this passion reignited, Stephanie transitioned her role to the Assistant Director of Visit Experience in May 2024.

When she’s not coordinating Admissions events or working with our Student Ambassadors, Stephanie can be found kayaking, watching the sunset over Lake Champlain, or camping in one of Vermont’s 52 state parks.

Favorite local eateries and things to do in Vermont

Favorite eateries: The Cafe Hot, The Daily Planet, A Single Pebble

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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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Kaitlin Chuck

Biography

Kaitlin Chuck graduated from Clemson University in 2017 with a BS in Marketing and a BA in Writing & Publication Studies. Having moved states 13 times during her life, Kaitlin looks forward to calling Burlington, VT her longtime home. Kaitlin enjoys Snowboarding in the winter, stand-up paddle boarding with her dog in the summer, and yoga at Sangha Studio year-round. New to the Burlington area, Kaitlin and her husband are enjoying the outdoor access and great restaurants BTV has to offer. Kaitlin’s favorite restaurants include Café Hot, May Day, and Restaurant Poco and her favorite mountains are Bolton Valley and Sugarbush.

What are your hobbies?

Snowboarding, SUP, Yoga, Skateboarding, hiking, cooking & Baking

Favorite local eateries and things to do in Vermont:

Café Hot, May Day, Poco

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Samantha Kassel

Biography

Sami joined Champlain College in the fall of 2022. She earned a BA in Cultural Anthropology from Boston University and spent many years traveling the world. A Vermont native, Sami has lived in Boston, Alaska, Hawaii, and San Diego, but is happy to be calling the Burlington area home once again. She enjoys spending her time skiing, hiking, reading, pet-sitting, and watching reality TV.

Favorite local eateries and things to do in Vermont:

Skinny Pancake, Cucina Antica in Shelburne, Barrio Bakery

Favorite Champlain tradition:

Apple Picking

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Leah Miller

Biography

Leah Miller joined the Champlain family after serving as the Assistant Director of Admissions and Assistant Cross Country and Track Coach at Lesley University. She currently serves as the Assistant Director of Stowe Running Camp during the summer, and in the winter you can find her at Smuggler’s Notch Resort.

Territory

Transfer Students, US Territories

What are your hobbies?

Running, Crossfit, Hiking, Biking, Walking my Dog, Art

Favorite local eateries and things to do in Vermont

Jericho Tavern

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Kimberly Rojas Cepeda

Biography

Kimberly graduated from Columbia College in Columbia, SC with a B.A. in Public Relations. She has been in her current role since September 2022.

What are your hobbies?

Reading, Whittling

Favorite local eateries and things to do in Vermont:

Cafe Dim Sum

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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 (Barnstable, Bristol, Duke, Essex, Middlesex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, Worcester), Maine, New Hampshire, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, International Students

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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