Meet the Clear Directions Team

Claire Cafaro
Director and College Counselor

After almost 20 years as a school counselor at Ridgewood High School, Claire founded Clear Directions to provide the quality of time and counseling required to assist students and enhance their success as they navigate the admissions process.

Claire is a recognized leader in the profession, having served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA) and helping plan professional development opportunities and annual conferences. Claire was elected President of the New Jersey Association for College Admission Counseling (NJACAC) and has been awarded distinguished service distinctions by both HECA and NJACAC. Claire is also a professional member of IECA.

Claire has presented at many professional conferences alongside admissions leaders. These professional connections, as well as continuing visits to colleges, help her and all the counselors at Clear Directions stay informed of the latest trends in admissions. The most satisfying aspect of Claire’s work is building relationships with and supporting high school students and their families.

CONTACT CLAIRE

Peg Loonam
College Counselor

Peg Loonam has worked with young people for almost thirty years. She is a certified Guidance Counselor and the former Director of Guidance at Ridgewood High School in New Jersey.  After retiring as a school principal, Peg joined Clear Directions.

She spent 15 years, visiting colleges, attending and presenting at annual college conferences and working closely with admissions representatives as she advocated for her students.  She is a member of the New Jersey Association of College Admissions Counselors and Higher Education Consultants Association.  

Peg enjoys “the gift of time” with her clients. After working in a school system for many years,  she sees the benefits of being able to allot as much time as necessary for each of her clients and their families.

Meaghan McNamee
College Counselor and Career Clarity Coach

Meaghan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and a Master of Arts degree in Educational Counseling. As a certified Guidance Counselor, she has extensive experience working with students in both public and private school settings. Meaghan believes that no matter what educational level, there is a college for everyone and she is passionate about finding that perfect fit for each student.

Meaghan has always been fascinated by careers and how and why we choose what we do in this world. As a middle school counselor, she developed a career counseling program from scratch. Later, as a high school counselor, she administered the Myers-Briggs Personality Test every chance she could. As an independent counselor, she thoroughly enjoys the conversations about students’ interests, their possible career choices, and how they relate to their major in college.

Through her work as an educator and counselor, she has developed a proven program of success for helping others find clarity in their careers, no matter what age!

Joseph  Cafaro,
College Counselor
Learning Specialist

Joseph began his career as a special education teacher and has served as a School Psychologist for many years. He has assisted a range of students with special needs and learning differences. Joseph’s understanding of evaluations, 504 plans and IEP’s provides a valuable resource to Clear Directions’ students and families.

Joseph consults at local high schools, and presents workshops to both students and parents about the academic transition from high school to college. Currently, Joseph is an advisor to students at Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Regional Center for Students with Learning Disabilities.  

He knows firsthand what is required for students to succeed with college academics, and the  range of accommodations that may be available for students.  Joseph enjoys encouraging students to persevere and work hard to achieve their goals

Joanne Nora-Trattner,
College Counselor
Athletic Recruitment Specialist  

Joanne’s goal is to help students identify the “best fit” colleges that balance their academic, personal, and athletic abilities, when applicable, and to prepare successful applications to those schools. Joanne is experienced in working with students (and their families) with varying capabilities and interests, assisting in their college search and helping to make the entire process as smooth as possible. As a member of the Clear Directions team for 5 years, she loves working with students as they discover their college aspirations and is honored to be a part of their successful journey.

Joanne has completed the UCLA Certification in College Counseling, an intense, 2 year program that included an internship at Clear Directions. As an intern Joanne assisted in all aspects of the college advising process for a variety of students. This experience prepared her well to join the Clear Directions team. Joanne also participated in a mentorship program with David Stoeckel, President of the College Recruiting Group, which, in addition to coursework, provided her the appropriate credentials to help advise and guide the college-bound student-athlete. Joanne has developed expertise in the recruiting timelines and tasks that vary for each collegiate sport.

Joanne is a member of Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) and NJACAC.

Joanne is a mother of four, providing her with personal experience in the college admissions and athletic recruitment process at all division levels.   

Stephanie Springer
College Counselor

Stephanie joins Clear Directions after working in both private and public high school settings in Northern New Jersey as a certified Guidance Counselor, navigating her students and parents through course selection, career exploration, essay writing, and the college search and application process. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Family and Community services and a Master of Arts degree in School Counseling.

Stephanie is a member of the New Jersey Association for College Admissions Counselors (NJACAC) and continues to tour numerous college campuses, meeting with admissions counselors and keeping up with ever-changing trends in the admissions process.  

Stephanie’s goal as a college counselor is to create a relaxed, organized, and positive experience for students and their families. She hopes all of her clients feel heard and supported during this exciting time in their lives.

Jennifer Hamlet,
College Counselor

After working with students independently for seven years, Jennifer joined Clear Directions while completing her College Counseling certificate through UCLA. Her long career in finance, coupled with her degree in English, are a combination that makes Jennifer well-suited to assist students with analysis and assessment in the search for best-fit colleges, as well as the development of the key writing pieces that are critical to a successful college application. 

Because Jennifer’s own children have attended a flagship state university, and a small liberal arts college, her perspective on the attributes of different types of schools is valuable. A self-proclaimed ‘college research geek’ Jennifer loves discovering the things that make each college unique. Whether through a campus visit, a counselor information session, or simply by reading up on what a particular school has to offer, she enjoys taking the deep dive. And as a parent of a medical student, Jennifer is adept at advising students who aspire to be on the pre-med or pre-health path. 

Jennifer loves working with teenagers, and their families, and helping them chart a course toward achieving their hopes and dreams. 

Melissa Maki
College Counselor

Melissa Maki is a School Counselor in New Jersey with over twelve years experience of guiding students and families through the college admissions process. She brings a strong understanding of the school environment and the importance of working in collaboration with schools and families. She is passionate about fostering a positive experience and her attention to detail leads each student to feel supported every step of the way. Committed to staying current on college admissions, Melissa continues to visit college campuses and works closely with admissions counselors. Melissa was honored as the High School Counselor of the Year in 2023 by the Bergen County School Counselor Association. 

Melissa received her undergraduate degree in Counseling and Human Services from the University of Scranton and her Masters in School Counseling from Long Island University. Melissa is a member of the New Jersey Association for College Admissions Counselors (NJACAC) and the Bergen County School Counselor Association(BCSCA).

Caroline Richards
College Essay Specialist

Clear Directions writing specialist, Caroline Richards assists students plan, write and hone their personal statements. She works with students to develop a rapport, and select topics that best highlight their strengths.  She empowers them to write authentically to create pieces that make students proud as well as advance their application in the admissions process.  

Caroline holds a BA from Bates College and an MA from Columbia Teachers College, and is involved in ongoing professional development. She has been working as an English teacher in top-ranked middle and highschools and as a writing coach since 1998.  Caroline has deep experience across a wide variety of students. She understands how to break tasks down to make them more manageable in order to help students best access their messages.

At Clear Directions we understand the role of essays in the college admissions process. Admissions professionals are reading with the goal of learning the character and spirit of applicants.  Admissions officers always recognize when there has been too much adult “help.” Caroline maintains the integrity of the student voice throughout the drafting and editing process.

Qualified Members of these Professional Organizations*:

*Check the meet our team page to see which counselors belong to these associations.