About Creative Kid College Coach
Years of Counseling Experience and An Innovative Approach to Support Each Student’s Unique Talents
Harriet Katz
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Harriet Katz ✸
Harriet (she/her) brings over 15 years of experience guiding students through the college admissions process, with a particular focus on visual and performing arts programs. She is deeply committed to helping students identify schools that align with their goals, strengths, and creative passions. In addition to arts-focused applicants, Harriet also works with students pursuing STEM, art and technology, and other interdisciplinary fields, helping them leverage creative interests to stand out in a competitive applicant pool.
Her approach is both strategic and highly individualized. Harriet supports students through every stage of the application journey, from building balanced college lists to crafting compelling essays, refining portfolios, and preparing for auditions and interviews. She places a strong emphasis on organization, timeline management, and accountability, implementing structured systems that keep students on track while reducing stress. At the same time, she takes a holistic, strategic approach to each application—guiding students in how to leverage every available component, from academic choices and extracurricular involvement to supplemental materials and interviews, to present a cohesive, compelling, and highly competitive candidacy. She also emphasizes authentic storytelling, helping students clearly communicate their voice, dedication, and artistic identity while meeting the nuanced expectations of specialized programs.
Harriet is a frequent speaker at national panels and workshops, where she advises students and families on navigating the wide range of college options. She often continues mentoring students through their undergraduate years and into early career exploration. An active member of NACAC, HECA, and WACAC, Harriet stays closely attuned to evolving trends in admissions and developments within visual and performing arts education, ensuring her students receive informed, current guidance.
Caillie Dick
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Caillie Dick ✸
Caillie’s (she/her) favorite part of the application process is helping students in the visual and performing arts translate their work into writing. Her first experience with this process came when she was a film student herself in a media art program during high school, and only grew as she took on both design and writing positions during college. She was a lead designer in the Sustainability Office of UC Santa Cruz and then a staff writer at two different publications while she finished her degree. Immediately after graduation, she took on a research assistant position at Stanford University with a musicology professor studying audiovisual aesthetics.
All of these experiences prepared her to join Creative Kid College Coach in the spring of 2016 as an essay consultant. Her extensive experience with visual art, writing, and editing lent to her innate ability to guide students through the process of writing personal essays as well as artist statements. Under Harriet’s expert guidance, she quickly expanded to working with students on program selection and portfolio curation. Now she excels at working with students to marry any medium they flourish in with an accurate written portrayal of their skills and abilities, using her insight and guidance to help students use all parts of their application to express their unique creative passions.
Caillie has continued her training in college counseling at UCLA and is a member of WACAC, the Western Association for College Admission Counseling.
Natalia Spritzer
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Natalia Spritzer ✸
Natalia (she/her) brings a unique blend of creativity, academic insight, and educational expertise to her role at Creative Kid College Coach. As a creative educator, interdisciplinary artist, researcher, and designer, Natalia’s diverse background equips her to guide students through every facet of the modern college application process.
Her journey began as a visual arts student navigating her own college applications, driven by a deep passion for both portfolio development and the intersection of Psychology and Education. Natalia pursued these interests at UC Santa Barbara’s College of Creative Studies, where she refined her skills in writing and portfolio curation. During her undergraduate years, she taught 4th grade at the Santa Barbara Congregation and worked as a graphic design intern at both a BioTech company and Stanford Children’s Hospital. When the shift to virtual instruction occurred, Natalia adapted by teaching 3D Modeling, Visual Art Skills, and Web Design to students of all ages.
Natalia holds a Bachelor’s degree in Art with minors in Applied Psychology and Education, and she earned her Master’s in Art and Design Education from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in the Teaching and Learning in Art and Design (TLAD) program. Her graduate research explored the challenges remote learning posed for creative students during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading her to focus on how creative disciplines can support personal wellness and growth.
At Creative Kid College Coach, Natalia applies this holistic perspective to help students develop their individuality and creative voice, both in their portfolios and beyond. Since joining the team, she has also expanded her expertise into the performing arts, supporting students through the complex audition process. Known for her exceptional organizational skills and thoughtful mentorship, Natalia has helped students gain admission to both conservatories and liberal arts universities, where they continue to thrive as creative scholars and artists.
Mara Ramirez
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Mara Ramirez ✸
Mara Ramirez (they/them) has been an arts educator for over 10 years. They are trained in the Reggio Emilia approach of exploration-based learning, and have worked with people of all ages and skill levels to create age-appropriate, challenging, and engaging personalized learning plans, syllabi, and ongoing artistic relationships.
Mara started their career working with youth at art studios such as Scribbles and Giggles, ARTifact, and SFCAC, to name a few. Soon after, they moved on to teach in Public Education at the San Francisco Art Institute in the Young Artist, PreCollege, and Adult Community Course Programs. Other community courses of theirs have been taught at both public and private institutions, such as Art School LLC and the Sharon Art Studio in Golden Gate Park.
Mara’s portfolio-building curriculum is tailored to each individual student and includes as much critique, advice, and assignments as needed. Priority is given to learning comprehension of many different mediums and styles while maintaining unity of concept, craftsmanship, and technical skill. Through the implementation of practice and focus on conceptual framework, students will find their own unique voice and confidence. Mara centers on finding fun and emotional regulation in our creative practices, as they believe these are the strongest foundations for not only a great portfolio that will impress college admissions but for a grounded and passionate lifelong studio practice.
Carolyn Janssen
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Carolyn Janssen ✸
Carolyn (she/her) is a seasoned educator with over 15 years of experience teaching at both collegiate and secondary levels. She is deeply committed to nurturing the creative growth of her students and guiding them through the process of applying to visual and performing arts programs. With a student-centered approach, Carolyn offers individualized mentorship that emphasizes organization, research, and editorial support—helping visual and performing arts students, as well as those pursuing interdisciplinary paths, discover programs that align with their unique artistic goals and aspirations.
Carolyn holds an MFA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design. Her academic background has shaped her expertise in drawing, painting, two-dimensional design, and digital art processes, equipping her to support a wide range of creative disciplines. Her artwork has been exhibited nationally and internationally, with solo exhibitions at venues such as the Julie Saul Gallery in New York and Quinta del Sordo in Madrid. She has also completed artist residencies at the Headlands Center for the Arts and the Vermont Studio Center, and her commissioned work is part of the permanent collections of the North Carolina Museum of Art and the San Francisco Arts Commission.
Carolyn's teaching journey began at an international school in Malaysia and has since spanned universities, independent schools, and nonprofits across the U.S. and abroad—including in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, North Carolina, and Nepal. Across all these settings, she remains passionate about empowering young artists to find their voices and thrive in environments where their creativity can flourish. Carolyn is a member of WACAC, the Western Association for College Admission Counseling.
Samara Kelly
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Samara Kelly ✸
Samara Kelly (sher/her) is a performing arts educator, director, and mentor with extensive experience across secondary schools, conservatory training programs, and professional artistic settings. She is known for her dynamic, student-centered approach, creating ambitious theatre, musical theatre, and dance productions while fostering collaborative, inclusive communities where young artists can develop both their craft and confidence. Her teaching style blends rigor with creativity and is often described as engaging, innovative, and energizing.
Most recently, Samara served as Performing Arts Department Chair and Musical Theatre Program Manager at The Archer School for Girls, where she also taught and directed. She led curriculum development and faculty collaboration while teaching courses ranging from Acting Technique and Viewpoints to Meisner, Devised Theatre, and Audition Preparation. She directed two full-scale musicals annually and mentored students pursuing competitive college performing arts programs.
Previously, she was Dance Director at Monrovia High School, where she built a conservatory-style program in Ballet, Jazz, and Hip-Hop and founded an award-winning competitive dance team. She also served as Acting Department Chair at the New York Film Academy, teaching on-camera acting, script analysis, and performance technique while overseeing program development and industry showcases.
Samara holds an MFA in Acting from Harvard University (in association with the American Repertory Theater and Moscow Art Theatre School) and a BFA in Theatre from NYU Tisch School of the Arts.
Professional Affiliations
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Professional Affiliations ✸
