ABOUT US

Alexander Castilla, Ph.D.

Executive Director

Dr. Alexander Castilla is the Executive Director of Ivy Educational Systems. He is one of the leading independent international college admissions counselors in the world. Dr. Castilla graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a Ph.D. in International and Comparative Education from the Department of International and Transcultural Studies at Teachers College, Columbia University. Prior to that, he graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a Masters degree in Public Diplomacy from New York University's School of Culture, Education and Human Development.

As a scholar and published writer, Dr. Castilla is author of the book, Re-imagining European Identity Politics in the 21st Century, and is currently writing a book about the college admissions process for international students.

Dr. Castilla has over fifteen years of experience in the field of education, and he has worked as a professor at the Institute for the International Education of Students in Barcelona and as a guest researcher within the Institute of Government and Public Policies at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. He has also worked as an educational consultant with the Municipal Institute of Education in Barcelona, elementary school teacher in the United States and ESL teacher for immigrants and refugees new to the US. He has published his research on immigration in Europe and presented his work at Harvard University, Columbia University and the Washington Consortium for Comparative and International Education, as well as at several leading universities in Europe. His work has been recognized and supported by UNESCO, the City Hall of Barcelona, and prominent European and American NGO's.

Dr. Castilla's primary focus of expertise is with international students who wish study in elite American universities. He holds a professional teaching certificate in International Education from the United Nations and has worked with students in the US and abroad. Dr. Castilla's students have gained entry and attended many of the US' most selective institutions including MIT, Berkeley, New York University, The University of London, Boston College, UCLA, Cornell, Northwestern and Pratt.

Furthermore, he has held a professional internship with the United States Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, which is the U.S. Department of State's premier professional exchange program. His academic and professional training has provided him with the advanced skills and a holistic understanding about the benefits of cross-cultural relations, studying abroad and intercultural competence in an increasingly competitive and globalized world. Subsequently, his career in education has spanned the globe and learning about other cultures is at the core of Dr. Castilla's work where he has participated in educational and community outreach projects in Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro and New York City.

The value of studying abroad has a series of lifelong benefits that I hope your child has the opportunity to experience as he or she takes the important decision to pursue an undergraduate or graduate degree in the United States. In my own case, the combination of my professional and academic experiences has given me the privilege to meet and work with a diverse array of people through my work in Europe, the Americas, West Asia and North Africa.

I am confident that Ivy Educational Systems will continue to contribute to and enrich the social and intellectual development of students. Today, in a globalized world, competition for admission into elite American universities and meeting the challenges of international students requires expertise, experience and an insider’s perspective about the United States’ educational systems.

Our educational consultants have continuously proven that we are able to carry out these objectives by providing first-rate, one-on-one services that prepares each student for college placement within elite American universities. According to the National Association for College Admissions Counseling, the average student-to-counselor ratio at U.S. high schools is 467 to 1, and so working one-on-one with students does make a real difference.

We look forward to having the opportunity to work with your child to help prepare them for college admissions and maximize their chance for success!

All the best,

Alexander Castilla, Ph.D.

Elizabeth Picker, Director of Writing

A graduate of Yale University, Ms. Elizabeth Picker is a seasoned editor, writer and tutor. Elizabeth is the recipient of numerous awards in creative writing, including the Yale Orlo Creative Writing Award, as well as the New York State Poetics Power award, and commendations by National PTA reflections contest and the National High School Press Association.

As a result of extensive experience in journalism and formal writing workshop settings, Elizabeth excels at aiding writers to realize their clearest and most refined prose. Elizabeth combines her artistic sensibility with the advanced intercultural competence necessary to serve the special needs of international students. Her extensive knowledge of the intricacies of America’s most competitive universities allows her to guide students in the crafting of essays which are carefully targeted toward each school of choice.

Elizabeth recently completed a Masters degree at the Mannes Conservatory in New York City. An opera singer and actress who has studied with nationally renowned figures in each field, Elizabeth's unique creative training has enriched her with the keen sense of dramatic and comic timing so essential to challenging students as they write essays which are not merely clear, but distinctive, memorable and persuasive. Elizabeth is committed to ensuring that each application passing her desk will serve as an invaluable tool to a student forging a path toward a future of personal and intellectual growth through higher education.

Nadia Isaenko, Life Coach and Psychologist

Originally from Moscow, Nadia is a trained psychologist and lawyer who studied at the prestigious Russian University for the Friendship of Nations (RUDN) and the Moscow State Institute for International Affairs (MGIMO). As a practitioner in coaching and transpersonal and body-oriented psychology, Nadia’s work at Ivy Educational Systems focuses on assisting high-achieving students.

Nadia has extensive experience working with international students from Russia and Europe. Her work as a life coach has been instrumental in helping students keep organized and academically focused as they learn how to manage stress. Throughout the process of preparing for university study, students gain the tools for personal growth.

Nadia’s workshops on cross-cultural adaptation form a core part of Ivy Educational Systems’ pre-departure briefing sessions. She assists students on developing successful coping skills for dealing with and overcoming culture shock and communication barriers. International students also learn winning strategies to cultivate social support systems in the host country. This preparation helps them adapt to the demands and expectations of the new culture which, in turn, allows them to achieve better academic performance and maintain psychological well-being.

Since 2010, Ms. Isaenko has also been in charge of educational outreach for Russian and Eastern European international students.

Kasper Christiansen, M.Phil. Webmaster