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Meet the Team

At The Wardlaw + Hartridge School we have two full-time college counselors available to work with our students and families on the ever-shifting college landscape. The College Counseling Office provides opportunities for students and families to learn more about all aspects of the college admission process. Our goal is to ensure that our graduates have the skills and knowledge to navigate the college process effectively so that they can make the best selection for their undergraduate experience. 


  • Sarah Honan joined W+H after over a decade of working in higher education and college admissions. After graduating summa cum laude from George Washington University, Sarah began her career in college admissions at DePaul University. She later joined the undergraduate admissions team at Fordham University where she oversaw recruitment data management and analytics. After completing her Master's in Education Policy from Teachers College at Columbia University, Sarah transitioned to the non-profit space serving as the Director of Operations for Cooperman College Scholars.

    Sarah currently serves as an Advisory Committee Member for the Education Pioneers Greater NY Alumni Board, a member and regular volunteer for the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) as well as its state affiliate, the New Jersey Association for College Admission Counseling (NJACAC), and a member of the Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools (ACCIS). 


 

Lower School Landing Page

Alayne Birnhak joined the W+H community in July 2022 as Associate Director of College Counseling. Ms. Birnhak earned her Bachelor’s degree from Brandeis University, a Juris Doctor degree from Rutgers University School of Law, a Master’s degree in Higher and Postsecondary Education from Teachers College of Columbia University, and a Master’s degree in Jewish Studies from Gratz College in Pennsylvania. She has also earned certificates in college admission advising from Teachers College of Columbia University and from Harvard Summer Institute. Ms. Birnhak served as Director of Recruitment and Admissions for The Jewish Theological Seminary and Associate Director of Graduate Admissions for Bank Street College of Education. She then provided career counseling through OneTRUEzone Foundation and college counseling through her position at the highly-regarded Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls in Teaneck, NJ.


 


Rande Brown joined the W+H Community part-time in 2013 as a substitute teacher, an early care supervisor and the Summer Programs Assistant and later became the full-time Front Desk Receptionist in 2017, before becoming the College Counseling Administrative Assistant & Registrar in 2021.  


Having recently gone through the college admission process with her own children, Zachary ‘20 and Olivia ’21,  Mrs. Brown looks forward to interacting with Upper School Students and assisting them in their exciting college process.


 

Upcoming Events

Meet Our Graduates

Meet Giselle Rodriguez '25

Giselle is grateful for the support of Ms. Sarah Honan, her college counselor, for being a “guide and a friend” who helped her through everything in the admission process. Giselle acknowledged that there are big changes happening around the corner, but added that she feels “so ready to face this next chapter of my life and I'm excited to start working towards my future.”

Read More about Meet Giselle Rodriguez '25
Meet Sam Cohen '25

Sam is also grateful for the support of the W+H College Counseling Office, particularly Ms. Alayne Birnhak, his counselor, for supporting him through the entire college process and creating a path for him to excel in the future and to eventually have an impact in the business community and world as a whole.    

Read More about Meet Sam Cohen '25
Meet Tapleen Kaur '25

Meet Tapleen Kaur ’25, who is looking forward to continuing her education at Haverford College, where she will major in Public Policy. Tapleen knew she was looking for a small but diverse school and is happy to have found Haverford late in the process, thanks in large part to valuable guidance from Ms. Sarah Honan, Director of College Counseling.

Read More about Meet Tapleen Kaur '25
Meet Saveena Boga '25

Saveena gave one final shout out to the W+H College Counseling Team:  “The W+H college counseling program made navigating the admissions process a breeze,” she said. “From brainstorming essay topics to preparing for interviews, my college counselor consistently provided me with support and practice throughout the journey.”

Read More about Meet Saveena Boga '25
Meet Cian Nicholls '25

As he prepares to graduate, Cian is filled with gratitude and credited Ms. Alayne Birnhak, his college counselor, with providing incredible support during the application process to help him find his perfect fit. “I’m very thankful for all the support I have received over the past 13 years of my Wardlaw+Hartridge experience and wouldn’t have been in this situation without it,” Cian said. “I would like to especially thank the small tight knit community which I have been able to call my family and grow so close with, allowing me to know the environment and feeling I wanted to replicate in my college life.”

Read More about Meet Cian Nicholls '25