Making smart choices simple.
BETTER INFORMATION FOR BETTER LIVING.
The internet is filled with garbage. Yet where do we go when we need answers?
We’re tired of all the garbage, and decided to do something about it. So, we’re sifting through it all to find the buried treasure. We’re talking to experts. We’re analyzing mountains of data. We’re doing whatever it takes to create content that helps you live better.
And to make this possible, we’re committed to finding a business model that doesn’t corrupt the integrity of our content.
WE’RE STARTING WITH STUDENTS
Why? Because becoming a student is one of the first complex decisions you’ll make starting out — deciding where to go, how to pay for it, how to get top grades, and of course, how to land a job after college. Also, being located across the street from one of the top universities in the world, it’s the demographic we’re closest to, and know best.
So, what are we doing to help?
We’re helping students in their pre-college journey by ranking colleges and programs across the country using aggregated publicly available data.
We’re building guides to help students succeed in the classroom by bringing together the latest research with tips and techniques championed by today’s leading experts.
We’re arming you with resources to successfully transition from college to the workforce by building databases of internship opportunities and compiling example resumes.
All of this, and we’re just getting started.
Meet the Team
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Higher Education and Career Advisor
Diane Gayeski
Diane Gayeski, Ph.D., is a Professor of Strategic Communication at Ithaca College’s Roy H. Park School of Communications and served as Dean for 11 years. She’s a respected innovator in new technologies for learning and communication, with a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland. Through Gayeski Analytics, she has spearheaded 300+ consulting engagements globally, aiding clients like the US Navy and Panasonic in adopting innovative tools. A prolific author and speaker, she was named a Fellow by the International Association of Business Communicators. She specializes in bridging the worlds of academic research and corporate practice, helping college students and their future employers become prepared for each other, and developing innovative designs for new educational technologies.
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Admissions Consultant
Beata Williams
For the past nine years, Beata has been coaching students through the undergraduate and graduate admissions process. Ninety nine percent of Beata’s students have been admitted to at least one of their top choices. Not only has she helped students reach their dream programs, Beata alleviates the stress by breaking down the application process into manageable steps leading to consistent progress towards their goals.
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College Counselor
Dana Marvin
Throughout her six years of experience, Dana Marvin has helped hundreds of students nationwide navigate through the college and career planning process. Her speciality is financial aid, tuition negotiation, scholarships, and financial planning for college costs. Dana’s expertise has led her to help students earn over $10 million in scholarship offers from colleges in the 2021-2022 education cycle alone. Her students have earned acceptances to top colleges such as University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth College, Penn State University, SUNY Binghamton, Bates College, Tufts University, UConn, and many more. She has a Master’s degree in Higher Education Leadership and Administration from Purdue University and a graduate certificate in College Counseling from UCLA. She currently resides in New York City, but helps students nationwide and internationally through the college admissions process.
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COLLEGE ADMISSIONS AND EDUCATION ADVISOR
Blanca Villagomez
Blanca Villagomez is a seasoned professional with over ten years of experience developing programs, curriculums, and initiatives supporting diverse and underrepresented student populations. She completed her master’s in Counseling at CSU Long Beach (CSULB). Her experiences navigating college as a first-generation, low-income student equipped her with a deep understanding of the educational inequities that impact student sense of belonging. Her formal training in educational counseling has equipped her with a skill set in fostering meaningful relationships with students that prepare them to graduate successfully. She currently serves as a Program Counselor and Coordinator for the University of California, Irvine (UCI). As a lifelong learner, Blanca strives to create growth experiences that help students thrive in college and beyond.
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Student Advising Center Director
Michelle Pickett
Michelle Pickett is an experienced higher education professional with over twenty years working with students. Her experience includes academic advising, student retention, program assessment, recruitment, and diverse populations. She’s currently the Director of the Academic Advising Center at Northern Illinois University, which oversees student advising services for undecided and pre-professional students, and where she recently developed a university-wide student advisor training program. As an adjunct professor, she taught classes in leadership and college reading and study strategies. Michelle has earned a Master of Science in Education (M.S. Ed.), Adult and Higher Learning and is a doctoral candidate in Higher Education and Student Affairs having completed a Graduate Certificate of Study in Advanced Qualitative Methodology.
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College Admissions and Education Advisor
Leslie Reyna
Leslie Reyna is a higher education professional with over four years of experience working with diverse student populations. She earned her Master's in Social Work and specialized in Community and Administrative Practice. As an Admissions Counselor for the University of Texas at Arlington's School of Social Work, Leslie planned events across the state of Texas, created recruiting material, and guided over 600 students every semester through the undergraduate and graduate admissions processes. Her experience in assisting students from the start of their college journey to their successful graduation has allowed her to create several instructional manuals to train new hires in her department. As an academic advisor, she has worked collaboratively with departments across the university to revitalize previous dual-degree agreements and create social work licensing guides. Leslie currently serves as a member of her department's Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee and volunteers as a mentor for the Fort Worth Hispanic Women's Network's Latina's in Progress Organization.
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Writer
Alex Kale
Alex Kale has worked as a professional writer and editor since 2016. Forever passionate about language and the stories it can tell, she holds an MFA in Creative Writing Fiction from Texas State University and a BFA in English Literature from Concordia University Texas. She enjoys researching higher education topics to create informative, reader-friendly content for current and prospective students.
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Writer
Meggie Patton
Meggie Patton is a higher education professional and a copywriter. She graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Master of Education in Higher Education in 2012. Since graduating, Meggie has worked in several institutions across various specialties, including college admissions, campus sustainability, residential life, and student support services. Currently, she works full-time for an education-based, nonprofit organization in Vermont.
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Education Policy Specialist for the National Association for the Deaf
Sarah Honigfeld
Sarah Honigfeld is a deaf adult who works as the Education Policy Specialist for the National Association for the Deaf, and as an Early Childhood Education Consultant on a national level. She works closely with various schools, programs, and agencies to provide bilingual, family-centered programming for deaf and hard-of-hearing infants and toddlers and their families. Her academic background includes a MA in School Counseling from Gallaudet University and a Certificate in Infants, Toddlers, and Families: Leadership, also from Gallaudet University. Currently Sarah is a doctoral student at the University of Colorado Denver, studying for a doctorate degree in Leadership in Educational Equity.
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Department of Veterans Affairs Benefits Advisor and retired Master Sergeant of the Marines
Jim Bivens
Jim is a retired Master Sergeant of Marines. His experience includes work as a Department of Veterans Affairs Benefits Advisor, and part of the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) program. Jim has mentored over 3K transitioning service members and their families on the eligible benefits earned through their service and managed five VA offices and 12 VA Benefit Advisors. Jim is considered a master trainer and briefer by the VA and was certified by the Department of Veterans Affairs to instruct a two-day course to support veterans with identifying licensures, degrees, and certifications to find employment. He has conducted veteran assessments, resume advice, job search assistance, interview skills training, and Warrior Transition Workshops. Recognized for outstanding ability to mentor personnel (100% success rate), Jim was selected to administer USO transition workshops in Italy and Germany resulting in a 100% success rate.
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Higher Education and Career Advisor
Dr. Elizabeth A. Pierce
Dr. Elizabeth A. Pierce brings extensive experience in academic advising and teaching to her roles in higher education. She is known for fostering productive relationships across multiple departments and implementing practical process improvements. As an Adjunct Instructor at Southern New Hampshire University, she is deeply committed to providing personalized support to learners, responding promptly to inquiries, and ensuring collaboration with academic teams. As a Graduate Military Academic Advisor, she stands out for her leadership in program improvements, her management of significant student caseloads, and her commitment to training military graduate advisors. A solid foundation of academic achievements and practical experience has shaped her path to becoming an academic advising expert. She holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, which has equipped her with a comprehensive understanding of business principles and management strategies. Elizabeth also earned a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership and Business, which has deepened her knowledge of leadership dynamics and organizational behavior.
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Writer
Jomana Papillo
Jomana Papillo is a Ph.D. candidate in Business Psychology (ABD) with a concentration in Behavioral Economics. Her life’s passion has always been teaching, especially at the college level, and even in her non-academic careers, she has found herself in teaching roles in one capacity or another. She spent eight years as an adjunct instructor in the Department of Business at Wheeling University, teaching in the areas of Organizational Behavior, Behavioral Economics, Organizational Leadership, Consumer Behavior, Strategic Business Planning, and Marketing.
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Writer
Chris Snellgrove
Chris Snellgrove is an English professor who has been an educator since 2005. He holds a Master's in English and a Ph.D. in English from Auburn University. He is passionate about helping students discover how developing writing skills can help them achieve academic and vocational success.
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Founder & CEO of The Jonathan Foundation for Children With Learning Disabilities
Raja Marhabar
Raja Marhabar founded The Jonathan Foundation for Children With Learning Disabilities, Inc. in 2001 to help the families of students with disabilities navigate the education system. Her passion for special education rights stems from the unjust experiences her sons had in their school district. Through her own journey with her sons, she gained an incredible amount of expertise, courage, and drive to advocate and change the education system on behalf of other families. In 2006, Raja was selected and successfully completed the first cohort of the federally-funded Special Education Advocate Training (SEAT) Program. After her completion of the SEAT Program, she was selected to be a member of the Education Panel & Committee for the Juvenile Division of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, which is comprised of special education attorneys and advocates, who are court-appointed to represent the educational needs of children involved in the foster care and probation systems. Raja continues to advocate for students with disabilities and serves as the CEO of the Jonathan Foundation. Her tireless advocacy efforts earned her the 2021 Diane Lipton Award for Outstanding Advocacy and the 2019 L’Oreal Paris Women of Worth Award as well as many other accolades.
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Licensed Psychologist
Dr. Andrea Slaughter
Dr. Andrea Slaughter is a licensed psychologist with a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Kentucky. During her matriculation, Dr. Slaughter attained numerous authorship credits in scholarly journals, clinical textbooks, and conference presentations focused on her area of interest — providing culturally competent therapy services to a diversifying population.
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Writer
Paul Schmidt
Paul Schmidt holds a bachelor’s degree in education from USAT and has worked in education for over two decades. As an English teacher, he has taught students of all age ranges, from primary school children to adults. His teaching experience includes classroom instruction, private tutoring, and online teaching, and he has taught students from various countries in Europe, Asia, and South America. He lived in Russia for two years, working in several public and private schools throughout Moscow.
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Writer
Susanne Reed
Susanne Reed has a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and an M.A. in Educational Psychology. Susanne has worked in several positions at the higher education level. She was the International Student Advisor, helping students from more than 70 countries transition to university life and assisting them in choosing academic programs for their desired career paths. She has also been an adjunct professor in psychology, teaching first and second-year students.
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Writer
Valerie Kalfrin
Valerie Kalfrin has worked as a writer and editor since 1992. She has copyedited books and materials for The College Board, such as the book Meeting College Costs: What You Need to Know Before Your Child and Your Money Leave Home, as well as consumer publications. From her years as a daily journalist, she draws an enthusiasm for research, an attention to detail, and a knack for making complex issues accessible. Passionate about storytelling, she has a BA in English from Montclair State University with a concentration in creative writing. She also works with a screenwriting group where she enjoys helping students with their craft.
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Writer
D.G. Farnsworth
D.G. Farnsworth is a freelance journalist and author of 17 books with a journalism degree, a Master of Management, and 63 graduate hours in multiple education programs. At the University’s Kentucky Athletics Association’s Center for Academic Tutorial Services, he was a mentor English tutor to seven members of two N.C.A.A. basketball teams. D.G. wrote the department’s tutorial handbook. For seven years, he produced the nightly news for Kentucky Educational Television, linked to college classrooms nationwide.
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Director of LGBTQ+ Resources Center at George Mason University
Josh Kinchen, M.Ed.
Josh Kinchen, M.Ed. is a university LGBTQ resource center director at George Mason University, nationally published researcher, and a United States Marine Corps veteran. His mission is to create affirming, healing campus communities where students can be their full, authentic, selves in all aspects of their intersectional identities.
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Content Marketing
Kristen Scatton
Kristen has over 11 years of experience in college admissions, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Her experience includes working with freshmen, transfer, and graduate students, particularly in arts and social science-related fields. Kristen is passionate about helping students make wise decisions regarding their education and career paths.
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Communications Manager
Jase Beard
Jase Beard is the Communications Manager at Intelligent. He is passionate about supporting those who seek self-improvement. With over five years of marketing and communications experience, Jase is on a mission to help connect people with the best resources to provide them with the ability to optimize their lives.
Editorial Policies
What Our Editorial Independence Means to You
Intelligent.com is a free, privately-supported website that’s editorially independent. This enables us to bring you unbiased, accurate, and fact-based information on a wide range of issues.
Accuracy and Review of Content
Hundreds of experts, educators, advisors, and consumers have been interviewed during the production of our original content. Our content is also periodically checked and reviewed for accuracy.
Our View on Self-Improvement
At Intelligent.com, we’re awed by the advancements made in information transmission. We also understand that the continuous self-improvement is a human art as well as a science. Every story is valid, every experience unique. We’re most interested in the experience of those seeking self-improvement. We believe that everyone should question everything, including their mentors, teachers, government but also seek the best possible relationship with those very same people.
Information is a critical tool for self-improvement. It’s also important when navigating an environment that is oftentimes complicated and vague. We recognize the importance of different approaches to self-improvement, and we strive to provide perspective on every approach where relevant.
Advertising and Funding
Advertising
Intelligent does not accept advertising. We are not sponsored by any corporate entities. We rely on private funding to pay for all of our resources including staff and office expenses.
Funding
Intelligent.com is privately funded by individuals and groups that hold the same beliefs in regards to information about self-improvement to pay for our staff and operating costs.
We’re Hiring!
Editor-in-Chief
We are looking for a skilled and experienced Editor-in-Chief to drive and execute the strategic direction of Intelligent as well as manage and oversee daily publishing operations. We are looking for someone to ensure that content published on the site meets the editorial strategies of Intelligent.
Qualifications
- Proven track record recruiting, motivating and managing freelance writers to produce quality content economically
- Excellent data skills. The ability to think critically, analyze performance – setting and reporting on progress toward goals
- Bias towards action
- Results oriented
- Passion for writing with a strong sense of voice and tone
Send us an email with your resume to apply!
Interested in our other career opportunities? Click here to learn more.
Contact us
Questions? Thoughts? Let us know at
[email protected]
ADDRESS
Seattle, WA 98104
Phone Number
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