Meet the College Counselors - Taipei American School

Melanie Brennand Hamre
Director of College Counseling
ext. 228

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Most recently, Melanie served as Dean of Admission & College Counseling for UWC-USA, working with students from 95 countries through the two-year IB Diploma program. Previously, she oversaw recruitment and selection of over 3,000 young people for a national service program in the USA and spent six years reading and advocating for applicants from Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, and Singapore at Harvard College, her alma mater. She also received her Masters of Education with a focus on Higher Education Administration from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Shanice Kok Kamibeppu
College Counselor
ext. 228

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Sean Huang
Comprehensive Counselor
ext. 228

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John Gursky
College Counselor
ext. 228

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John worked for nearly ten years in admissions offices at two different universities prior to joining TAS. He began his career at his alma mater, St. Lawrence University, as a Senior Assistant Director of Admissions. John then worked as a Senior Assistant Director of International Admissions at Boston University, and at the same time received his Masters of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies.

Dabina Gim
College Counselor
ext. 228

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Dabina received her B.A. in Psychology and French at New York University, then pursued her passion in Psychological Counseling by receiving both her M.A. and her Ed.M. from Columbia University. This is her seventh year at TAS and outside of her immediate college counseling responsibilities, she was a testing coordinator for three years and is currently the Class Dean for the Class of 2022.

Sonali Hutchison
College Counselor
ext. 228

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Before arriving at TAS, Sonali worked with international students as a University Counsellor at Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong, and has been a counselor and teacher at international schools in Asia since 2004. As both an educator and a parent of two "Third-Culture Kids" at TAS, she strongly believes in the benefits of a global education. Sonali received her B.A. in Political Science and History at Wellesley College, followed by a J.D. from Tulane University Law School and M.Ed. from Lehigh University's College of Education in Comparative Education and Globalization and Educational Change.

	Melanie Brennand Hamre Director of College Counseling ext. 228 Most recently, Melanie served as Dean of Admission & College Counseling for UWC-USA, working with students from 95 countries through the two-year IB Diploma program. Previously, she oversaw recruitment and selection of over 3,000 young people for a national service program in the USA and spent six years reading and advocating for applicants from Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, and Singapore at Harvard College, her alma mater. She also received her Masters of Education with a focus on Higher Education Administration from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
	Shanice Kok College Counselor ext. 228 After receiving her secondary education in Hong Kong, Shanice received her B.S. in Psychology at Tufts University. After graduation, Shanice remained at her alma mater to work as an Assistant Director, where her work focused on STEM diversity and international admission in the east Asia region.
	Warren Emanuel College Counselor ext. 228 Prior to joining TAS, Warren worked for nearly five years as Senior Assistant Director at his alma mater, Eugene Lang College. Most recently, he coordinated international recruitment and admission at Hampshire College before joining the TAS college counseling office.
	John Gursky College Counselor ext. 228 John worked for nearly ten years in admissions offices at two different universities prior to joining TAS. He began his career at his alma mater, St. Lawrence University, as a Senior Assistant Director of Admissions. John then worked as a Senior Assistant Director of International Admissions at Boston University, and at the same time received his Masters of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies.
	Dabina Gim College Counselor ext. 228 Dabina received her B.A. in Psychology and French at New York University, then pursued her passion in Psychological Counseling by receiving both her M.A. and her Ed.M. from Columbia University. This is her seventh year at TAS and outside of her immediate college counseling responsibilities, she was a testing coordinator for three years and is currently the Class Dean for the Class of 2022.
	Cory Zimmerman College Counselor ext. 228 Cory taught high school English and was an admissions officer at his alma mater, Washington University in St. Louis, before becoming a college counselor in 2014 in Washington, DC. He has been doing some combination of teaching, advising, swim coaching, and counseling for 12 years.