Our Team
Cindy McCormick
Principal Advisor
Some people are lucky enough to have a career doing EXACTLY what they were born to do - Cindy is one of them. She thrives on guiding high school students along their paths to college. Before starting CMCA, she received her B.A., teaching credential, and Master's in Education from UCLA; Instructional Writing Certificate from UC Santa Barbara; and College Counseling Certificate from UC San Diego. With the highest standards in education, training, and ethics, she believes in getting to know her students thoroughly while routinely researching and visiting universities to ultimately guide high schoolers to their best-fit college homes.
Before college advising, Cindy taught school in both Westchester County, NY, and Southern California. She then leveraged her teaching background and specialized as a college application and essay writing instructor. Beyond the classroom, Cindy dedicated ten years to coaching students on competitive STEM teams, where several of her students achieved global championships. Currently, Cindy shares her expertise with colleagues by presenting on various subjects, including tailoring counseling approaches to students' learning styles, conducting successful application and essay workshops, and developing a comprehensive and impactful college advising curriculum.
Cindy brings a wealth of experiences to college advising. As a mother of five boys, a Gifted and Talented educator, an autism specialist, and a Spanish bilingual instructor, she values and embraces unique abilities, perspectives, and backgrounds. She prioritizes building relationships with each student, providing motivation, guidance, and coaching, and ultimately tailoring their college plans to match their unique goals and aspirations.
In her downtime, she loves spending time with her family, running marathons in beautiful places, and cuddling her two kittens and Goldendoodle, Ollie.
Vicki Halphide
Business Director
Vicki Halphide manages the business and data side of CMCA while also tracking the latest developments in college admissions. Vicki earned her B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Iowa State University and moved to Southern California to begin her career working for semiconductor companies Rockwell International, Conexant Systems, and Skyworks Solutions. Vicki’s engineering responsibilities expanded into corporate business development and strategic planning, which inspired her to earn an MBA from Pepperdine University while working full-time.
Vicki now combines her technical and business experience to create processes and resources to best serve our high school families. She is dedicated to the integral use of data-driven research and structured planning to make admissions a reality for students who dream of a college experience perfectly suited to their passions and abilities.
Vicki is the proud mom of two. When she’s not working, she’s most likely fitting her household projects into a database or Powerpoint presentation, reading with her book club, traveling with friends and family, or testing a new recipe in the kitchen!
CMCA Essay Specialists
Jenn is a seasoned educator with experience working in various school environments including public, independent, magnet and charter schools. She received her B.A. in Organizational Communications from the University of Colorado and her Masters in Education from Northern Arizona University. She currently holds the position of Dean at TVT Community Day School where she previously served as a dedicated faculty member. During this time, she regularly led faculty workshops focused on enhancing writing instruction.
As a mother of four and teacher-at-heart, Jenn has always appreciated and celebrated the unique giftedness of every child. She is skilled in providing support based on students’ individual needs and offers specific expertise in essay writing to help students highlight their own strengths.
When not working, Jenn enjoys reading and watching movies. On her best days, she is with her family playing board games, going to the theater, or traveling.
Emily graduated with honors from the University of San Diego, where she earned a B.A. in English. In school, she tutored students at the campus writing center, guiding them through each step of the writing process, from brainstorming to the final revision. After graduating, she earned a Copyediting Certificate from UC San Diego, where she honed her skills as an editor. She is currently working for the Newport-Mesa Unified School District.
But Emily's not just about grammar rules and red pens. She understands that writing an awesome essay goes beyond commas and semicolons. It's about meeting each student where they're at and helping them uncover their own unique voice while providing support in an approachable manner. Everyone's got a tale to tell, and she's there to help translate those idea onto paper in a way that showcases each student’s personality.
In her free time, Emily enjoys reading cheesy books, baking, and hanging out at the beach.
A California native, Sheray earned her B.A. in Psychology from Point Loma Nazarene University and her Masters in Education and Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) credential from the University of San Diego. Sheray has worked for over 20 years as a high school counselor in both private and public educational settings. She recently transitioned from high school to middle school counseling where she thoroughly enjoys helping students achieve their academic, social-emotional, and college and career goals. Sheray’s diverse experience as an educator enables her to assist families with immediate guidance and as well as long-term planning, as she understands the importance of partnership and collaboration on this educational journey.
When she’s not working, Sheray enjoys her husband and three college-aged children (when they are home), reading, traveling, and friends. She also loves learning and can often be found taking classes for enrichment.
Partnered Colleague for Student-Athletes
Katie Andersen is a private college counselor in Dana Point, CA. She specializes in working with student-athletes to help them identify schools that are the best fit for both the “student” and “athlete” as well as guiding them through the college athletic recruiting and application process. Her unique perspective is based on personal experience as a Division 1 soccer player at Duke University, alumni interviewer, college counselor, and experience working for 15 years in the software and web design industries in the United States and Europe. She received her College Counseling Certificate with distinction from UCLA Extension and is a member of IECA and HECA.