Brynnen Ford has thirty years of experience leading, teaching, and advising in colleges, universities, and PreK-12 schools. Brynnen has studied, taught at, or visited over 100 US and international colleges and universities in person and many more virtually (the one benefit of COVID!) As a parent of two Seattle teens, she has visited almost every Seattle-area private and public school and has negotiated the admissions/enrollment process in multiple public districts and independent schools. Her oldest son is currently a student at Pomona College.

Brynnen holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Washington, taught at Seattle University and served in teaching and academic leadership roles in Seattle Public Schools, most recently at Leschi Elementary School. Her research and leadership experiences focus on creating excellent and equitable schools for all students, prioritizing the success of Black and Brown students in working to dismantle systems that unwittingly enact systemic anti-Black racism. 

Brynnen launched the Schooling Doula to share her accumulated knowledge about how to access excellent learning opportunities with youth and families who need it. As her oldest was going through the college admissions process, she built on her own experience as an admissions interviewer and guide at her alma mater Swarthmore College and her experience as a graduate student at University of Washington and a professor at Seattle University, by apprenticing with a professional full-service college admissions advisor and doing extensive coursework on advising the college admissions process.

Brynnen is an active member of the Independent Education Consultant Association, the Higher Education Consultant Association, Seattle Area College Consultants, and the Pacific Northwest Association of College Admissions Counselors and engages professional development almost every week of the year. Brynnen visits Seattle-area schools and national and international schools every year. Lifelong learning is so much fun.

Since launching the Schooling Doula, Brynnen has supported youth and families with the following: 

• College admissions research, list-building and applications, including preparing for virtual and in-person visits, Common and Coalition Application-completing, preparing for interviews, personal statement and supplemental essay drafting and revising, applying for financial aid and scholarships, considering financial aid offers, deciding where to attend 

• College admissions: US and/or International?

• Testing: Deciding whether or not to do it, which one(s), preparing for it, arranging for it, deciding whether to do it again. 

• Coursework guidance for 8th-12th graders--what classes should I take? AP? Running Start—all, partial, none? Study abroad?

• Values and strengths analysis for 11th graders (part of discerning a college fit) 

• Summer and extracurriculars planning for 9th, 10th, and 11th graders--internships, work, study or travel opportunities, and how to complete one’s service hours

• Building toward college: what do I need to be thinking about or doing? Checklists and timelines for 9th, 10th, and 11th graders 

• Discernment of where to apply/enroll and then where to attend public or private elementary school for preschool and school-aged children 

• Discernment of where to apply and then where to attend public or private middle school for 5th graders 

• Discernment of where to apply and then where to attend public or private high school for 8th graders 

• Negotiating racialized conflict with teachers, administrators or other families

• Support for IEP meetings with new public school

• Transitioning from private to public

• Whether or not to seek advanced learning services and where

• Understanding the K-12 public vs private options and decision in the Seattle area