Helping students build the work and the story
Top College USA supports students with academic planning as they prepare for selective academic pathways and develop effective application strategies for meaningful public leadership. We also focus on interview preparation and public communications to enhance student positioning in their future endeavors.
OUR LEAD STRATEGIST
Founder and Principal, Narrative Strategy & Communications
Lead narrative strategy, public communications, grant writing, and storytelling for youth-led and mission-driven work across climate action, clean water, food systems, education, public health, research, and civic leadership, while focusing on academic planning and application strategy.
Before founding Top College USA, Karri owned Nice Design, a marketing company that collaborated with national brands, education organizations, museums, and nonprofits. Earlier in her career, she served as a senior product manager at Johnson & Johnson, where she developed brand strategies, consumer research, digital campaigns, social media programs, and national partnership materials for major medical product lines. She also worked as a marketing manager for a billion-dollar private food conglomerate, which enhanced her understanding of food systems, consumer behavior, packaging, and public messaging.
At Top College USA, Karri assists students, founders, and youth-led initiatives in transforming meaningful work into public narrative, including interview preparation and student positioning. Her projects often sit at the intersection of climate, clean water, school food, plastic reduction, public health, and civic participation. She builds the language, campaign frames, media materials, public remarks, toolkits, and long-term strategy that help serious work become visible and usable.
Her work is grounded in one belief: good ideas need more than achievement. They need a story that people can see, repeat, fund, join, and carry forward.
Partnerships
Building Communities Around the World
For more than 20 years, Jill has played a pivotal role in helping Top College USA establish partnerships that connect students to the right programs, mentors, and academic opportunities. Her expertise in academic planning ensures that students can effectively navigate their educational paths. Jill's efforts have made it possible for Top College USA to foster relationships among families, students, schools, instructors, universities, researchers, nonprofits, and community partners, allowing students’ interests to evolve into tangible academic and public opportunities.
Jill’s work is deeply relationship-driven. She assists in identifying the right programs and application strategies, coordinates with partner institutions, opens doors to mentors, and finds environments where students' ideas can be valued. Much of her role involves careful introductions, consistent follow-up, and a clear understanding of what each student is ready to build, including interview preparation and public communications to position them for success.
coordination
A Thousand Points of Connection
For more than 20 years, Lynda has assisted students in navigating the application process with clarity, precision, and care, focusing on effective academic planning. She ensures that every part of the application is complete, polished, and aligned with the student’s broader application strategy.
Lynda pays close attention to the details that can influence how an application is perceived: deadlines, forms, activity descriptions, essays, supplements, recommendation materials, and final submissions. Her role encompasses both practical support and strategic guidance, including interview preparation. She ensures that all components work in harmony, presenting the student with accuracy, strength, and purposeful public communications, ultimately enhancing their student positioning.
