Every student deserves a personalized approach to their college search and application journey

Terry brings over 45 years of experience in independent school administration and college counseling. For the first half of his career, he was Director of Admissions and  Dean of Students at Storm King School and Suffield Academy. As Dean of Students, he was awarded one of the school’s most prestigious awards, and was lauded as “a man of passion, with a deep commitment to student growth and health. He goes the extra mile to treat students and parents with respect and concern.” After he founded Ullram and Associates in 1998, he spent the second half of his career as the Director of College Counseling at Watkinson School where he created and implemented a strategic plan for the school’s college counseling program.

As one of ten college counselors selected from a nationwide nomination process, Terry was named as a recipient of the “2012 Counselors that Change Lives” award, voted upon by the membership and Board of Directors of Colleges that Change Lives (CTCL). The award is given in recognition of counselors whose dedication to the college counseling profession reflects the mission of CTCL: to promote and support a student – centered college search process. Terry fulfills this mission in his daily work as he mentors each student to find the right college “fit.”

Terry lives in Barnstable County and when he is not working with high school students, he enjoys hiking, motorcycle riding, kayaking, and all things Cape Cod.

Raised in Upstate New York, Kelly is a first-generation college graduate with a passion for higher education. Kelly holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the State University of New York at Geneseo and a Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from Suffolk University. In a higher education career spanning twenty-five years, Kelly has helped thousands of students make the transition from high school to college. Her professional career includes six years reviewing applications at Suffolk University before continuing her admissions career at Boston College for another sixteen years. 

Kelly served as President of the New England Association of College Admission Counseling (NEACAC) where she had the privilege of leading an organization of hundreds of college admission and secondary school professionals with a mission to further higher education to hundreds of thousands of high school students. Kelly is passionate about helping students navigate the admissions process in a positive and empowering way that matches their goals, ambitions, and academic interests.  

When she’s not assisting others, Kelly can be found swimming laps at the local YMCA, hiking the trails of Connecticut, or traveling throughout the United States.

Miranda Volpe Miranda is the lead writing coach with Ullram and Associates and meets regularly with the essay coaching team to brainstorm, troubleshoot, and guide professional development so our team stays current with what college admissions officers look for in a meaningful college essay.

Miranda is a veteran teacher and administrator with over twenty years of experience working with students on furthering their intellectual and artistic growth. After teaching English and performing arts for over a decade at Watkinson School in Hartford, CT, Miranda became the Director of Watkinson’s Creative Arts Diploma Program, where she was instrumental in creating an award-winning film concentration, establishing digital portfolios for creative work, producing a student-run coffee house, and diversifying the theatrical repertoire. Miranda also played a leadership role within the faculty as a department chair, professional learning community coach, member of the strategic planning committee, and new faculty mentor.

Miranda has coached college bound students on application essay writing at Watkinson School, through Crossover Consulting Group, and as an independent contractor. She is fiercely committed to helping writers discover their own authentic voices; she works with students to produce polished essays that reflect essential aspects of who they are. Miranda holds a Bachelors of Fine Arts from New York University’s Tisch School for the Arts and a Masters in Liberal Studies from Wesleyan University, where she earned an additional Writing Certificate. She also works as a professional actor, lives in West Hartford, CT, and has three college graduates of her own.

Sarah Berman is originally from West Hartford, Connecticut, and now lives in New York City where she is the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Manager at the New York Post. In this role, she optimizes headlines, live blogs and breaking news coverage. She previously worked in content strategy across 12 magazine brands at Bustle Digital Group.

Sarah is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and Hobart and William Smith Colleges, where she was captain of the swimming & diving team and sang in an a cappella group. Her writing has appeared in the New York Post, Bustle, Hey Alma and more.

Outside of work you can find Sarah trying a new workout class and watching the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.

Grace is an energetic, intellectually curious, and dedicated writing tutor. Throughout the past two years at Ullram & Associates, Grace has guided students through the application process from essay conception to polishing touches and prioritizes preserving each student’s distinct voice. She is also a certified writing counselor through WOW Writing Workshop–an intensive training program for writing counselors, that focuses specifically on coaching students through the college essay experience.

Born and raised in West Hartford, CT, Grace attended Colgate University and graduated magna cum laude in May 2021 with a double major in English Literature and Psychological Science. After graduation, her love for writing, editing, and content development led her to a top-rated strategic communications agency in New York City where she drafted and edited content on behalf of Fortune 500 companies across industries. Grace is an expert in written communication, and in identifying and honing the distinctive voice of each piece of writing she revises. She is now pursuing her passion for accessible health care, working remotely on the growth team of a Population Health Startup, while still based in SoHo, NYC.

In her free time, Grace enjoys perusing the Mulberry Street Library for psychological thrillers, volunteering at Elizabeth Street Garden, and exploring Chinatown for the best new dumpling spot.