Meet your college counselors!
Sara
Hi! I'd love to let you know a little more about me before we start to work together. I graduated from Dartmouth College with a degree in Psychology and French. During my undergraduate time there, I worked for four years in the Admissions Office, culminating with a position as a Senior Interviewer during the summer before, and the fall of, my senior year. During that time, I was fascinated by the entire admissions process and learned so much. It was also a blast to meet all the high school students applying and to hear about their achievements, passions, and aspirations. I have continued to serve Dartmouth after graduation as an alumni interviewer for over 20 years.
More recently, I volunteered as an IB CAS advisor and a college essay mentor at Skyline High School in Sammamish, WA where I helped many seniors each year brainstorm, craft, and edit their college application essays. After helping my own son and several of his classmates through the college application process - doing hours of research, several campus visits, helping with editing and brainstorming essays - I realized that I had a particular passion for helping these amazing young students along their journey through high school and beyond. It was this passion that led me to start Sound College Counseling. I completed the Certificate in College Counseling from UCLA with distinction and am currently a member of the Seattle Area College Counselors and IECA professional groups. I have been counseling students from all areas of the world since 2017.
In my spare time, you can find me reading, cooking, hiking, or playing board games with the family.
Natasha
Natasha Peart joined our team in 2025 as a consultant and essay specialist extraordinaire. Natasha brings a rare combination of creativity, professionalism, and global experience to the table, along with an ability to bring out the writer in everyone.
With nearly 20 years of experience as a professional copywriter, Natasha has worked across major global advertising agencies in Ireland, as well as in Australian broadcast media, where she became an award-winning writer for radio and television campaigns. She is exceptionally skilled at helping people find their authentic voice, an ability that translates beautifully to supporting teens through the college admissions writing process.
Natasha is a published author and an accomplished ghostwriter, with a portfolio that spans celebrities, wellness experts, and octogenarians alike. Her own book, Chow & Pung: The Social Mahjong Player’s Guide, has earned praise for its clarity, humour, and warmth, qualities that also define her work with students.
Natasha holds an Honours Humanities degree from University College Dublin and an MSc in Advertising from Trinity College, Dublin, and has lived and worked internationally, including in Ireland, Australia, Singapore, and Thailand. Her work regularly takes her into sensitive, human-centred storytelling: she writes for both the Australian and Irish governments in the health and wellness sector, conducting empathetic interviews with program participants and shaping their stories with care, accuracy, and respect.
She also brings extensive experience in education writing, having developed curriculum and learning materials for international clients, and she has guided students through crafting strong, reflective college essays with a coaching style that is warm, engaging, and confidence-building.
Parents and students alike will appreciate Natasha’s calm, supportive presence; her insight into how to help teens express themselves sincerely; and her ability to turn complex experiences into meaningful, compelling narratives. She is thoughtful, adaptable, and, importantly for our work, exceptionally skilled at helping students feel at ease.
Outside of writing, Natasha shares her home with her husband and three beloved dogs and continues her passion for global creative work and storytelling.
