Posts by Cyndi Bohlin
Message from the IECA President on Staffing Reductions at the Dept. of Education
As President of IECA, I am writing regarding the latest developments within the US Department of Education, a federal agency that has served students and families in important ways for the past four decades. Last week, I joined 16 fellow IECA members and CEO Leigh Allen II on Capitol Hill for our 2025 Advocacy Day.…
Read MoreIECA Returns to Capitol Hill for Our Third Annual Advocacy Day
It is an interesting time to work in education. Teen mental health concerns abound, and the political climate in the United States is causing significant unrest, concern, and confusion. So, what better time to gather a group of independent educational consultants (IECs) to venture to our nation’s capital to meet with senators and representatives about…
Read MoreThe DoE for the IEC: Understanding the Federal Government’s Role in Education
Note: The Trump administration is making changes at a rapid pace and while these functions have existed with the Department of Education for decades, they could take a different shape or live in a different department in the future. The important piece to recognize is that the federal government plays a fundamental, yet defined role…
Read MoreWhy I Belong: Creativity in All Things
Standing on the 18th floor of an open-framed high-rise building, wearing a hard hat and surveying the open floor plan, I could never have imagined that this path would one day lead me to become an independent educational consultant (IEC). My career began as an interior architect, where I spent over 12 years designing collaborative…
Read MoreIECA Urges President to Sign Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act (S. 1351)
Last week, the Senate passed the Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act (S. 1351), which was then approved by the House of Representatives this afternoon. This bipartisan bill requires that the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services engage into a contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a study…
Read MoreIECA Announces Leigh R. Allen II as New CEO
The Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) announced today that its Board of Directors has unanimously chosen Leigh R. Allen II as the organization’s next Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective December 2, 2024. Allen will succeed Mark H. Sklarow, who is retiring after his 30-year tenure in the position. “After a yearlong, nationwide search process, the…
Read MoreWhy I Belong: Noah Nemitoff-Bresler
“Have you thought about joining ah-yee-kuh?” he asked me from across his oversized executive desk. I was teaching middle school math at a private school in Los Angeles at the time, and I had just told the head of school that I wanted to change my career trajectory and start advising students in the college…
Read MoreIECA Responds to Rick Singer’s Release from Prison and Plan to Resume College Counseling
As reported by the Wall Street Journal, William “Rick” Singer, mastermind of the “Operation Varsity Blues” college admissions scandal, has been released from federal prison and plans to resume college counseling. Singer, along with over 50 people, including Division I coaches, CEOs, and high-profile Hollywood actors, pleaded guilty or were convicted for the admissions conspiracy.…
Read MoreIECA Announces Lineup of Major Events in Winter/Early Spring 2025
IECA is excited to announce its lineup of major events coming up in the first quarter of 2025, including: IECA Business Growth InstituteFor IECA Professional Members Online • January 23–February 27 This new six-week online course will focus on strategies, tools, and tips for growing your IEC practice. The Business Growth Institute is designed to help IECA Professional…
Read MoreCelebrating the New IECAonline.com
After months of development and testing, IECA is excited to share our newly redesigned website, IECAonline.com. The website features a new, modern design, user-friendly navigation, and informative content to better serve the association’s members, admission representative and vendor partners, and parents and students seeking guidance from our IECA member consultants. Key features of the website…
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