
Thomas C. Golden, Ph.D.
Founder and CEO
(he/him/his)
Known simply as Dr. Thom to his clients and friends, he spent more than 25 years in selective admissions at some of the top universities in the world, leading recruitment and admissions selection at Purdue and Vanderbilt Universities.
To say that Dr. Thom has studied the college search is a massive understatement; his dissertation for his Doctorate in Educational Psychology explored how to help young people deal with the stress of applying to college.
Bridget Williams Golden, M.A.
Chief Enthusiasm Officer
(she/her/hers)
Bridget brings 20 years of experience in higher education student and alumni services, leadership development, academic advising, and association management to our team. Bridget also brings a lot of encouragement and enthusiasm to students and families.
Bridget excels at teaching young people to develop a growth mindset while learning valuable lessons throughout the college search that they will call on throughout their adult lives.


Jen England, M.A.
Educational Consultant
(she/her/hers)
Jen has more than 25 years of experience in college admissions, most recently at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin. She served on the Colleges That Change Lives Board of Directors for five years and is committed to a student-centered college admission process, where students feel seen, heard and valued.
Jen wants the students and families she works with to have fun!
Every student has something important to offer the college of their choice. Jen prides herself on listening well, responding with thoughtful questions, and using that information to help you build a list of colleges you’d be proud to attend, colleges that will be fortunate to count you among their students.
Chris Ream
Educational Consultant
(he/him/his)
Following a 10 year career in selective college admissions at Duke and Vanderbilt Universities, Chris spent 3 years as an admissions consultant prior to joining Dr. Thom and Bridget at GEC. His experience as both an admissions officer and consultant have shown him how (unnecessarily) stressful the college application process can be.
Chris is committed to helping students successfully navigate the complex admissions process while keeping student and family wellness as his top priority. He loves helping his clients discover their true interests and find colleges that are well-matched to those interests.


Jill Teeters, M.A.
Educational Consultant
(she/her/hers)
Jill brings a joyful and personalized approach to college admission - for both students and families. With more than 25 years of experience as an admission officer, application reader, and college counselor in New England, she is dedicated to supporting the whole student on their post-secondary journey.
Understanding the importance of a college search that is authentic, balanced, and comprehensive, Jill encourages students to reflect on both who they are, and why they want to go to college. This information is critical to finding several great college matches and, ultimately, making the best enrollment choice after graduation.