This August, at the first Commission meeting of the 2020 -21 year, AICEP welcomed two newly elected commissioners. Certified Educational Planners, Alice Lissarrague and Qing (Shirley) Xian, each join the Commission for a three-year term and are currently both serving on the AICEP Outreach Committee.  The executive leadership team was also elected in June to continue for an additional year including:  Chair, Katelyn Klapper, CEP; Vice-chair, Rachel Sobel, Ph.D, CEP; Secretary Pamela Tedeschi, CEP; and Treasurer, Steven Syverson.

In June 2021, Commissioner Lora Block, CEP, rotated off  the AICEP Commission after serving six years. The Commission is grateful for Lora's service and commitment to the professional standards of the CEP designation.

Alice Lissarrague, M. Ed. & CEP, has nearly 20 years of experience as both an ESL and French teacher and college counselor, and is the founder of Lissarrague College Guidance, LLC. Alice taught at the Fashion Institute of Technology, Konan Women's University in Japan, Burlington High School and the Lake Champlain Waldorf School (LCWS). Alice is the college counselor at LCWS and has been an independent educational consultant since 2011. Prior to becoming a consultant, she served as the Smith College Alumnae Admissions Coordinator for Vermont. Alice regularly offers college guidance presentations to her local community and volunteers as a peer mentor to other college consultants.  

Qing (Shirley) Xian, M.B.A. & CEP,  grew up in an educator family on a university campus in China. She is a professional member of Independent Educational Consultant Association (IECA), with a UCLA Certificate of College Counselling, earned with distinction. Shirley holds a strong belief in the value of in-person campus visit and has visited more than 100 college campuses from 2014 to 2019. In August 2018, Shirley published a book < “Interview” American College Campuses “面试“美国大学> in Chinese by Social Sciences Academic Press (China). Prior to becoming an IEC, Shirley graduated from Georgetown University MBA in 2001 and developed in-depth industry expertise in Financial Services and Technology/Manufacturing and subject matter expertise in business analytics, data science, finance, and marketing.

ABOUT AICEP

The American Institute of Certified Educational Planners (AICEP) awards the CEP credential to professionals, working independently or in schools, who have achieved the highest level of competence in educational planning. Only the best and most experienced counselors qualify to become CEPs.  A key requirement of all Certified Educational Planners is that they adhere to a strict code of ethical practices. In this way, the CEP designation signifies that the consultant maintains the highest standards of professional service and conduct.

AICEP is taking the lead in providing the public with an assessed assurance of knowledgeable and professional educational planning. We hope that you will join this elite, and growing, group of educators, and help us further our mission of cultivating excellence in our field.