About us

Global Reach
Local Knowledge

Each brand is rooted in its local community, understanding its students' and partners' unique needs. Together, our brands deliver the best in education everywhere.
overview

6

Brands in the Guidewell family

900+


Trusted Educational Partners

400+


Educators and Mentors

20,000+

Students in a Guidewell Program
our growth

History and acquisitions

From the beginning, we've sought the most respected brands to join our mission. Our shared values and vision for education drive our growth.
ESM Prep
Joined
2021
Launch Precollege Labs
Joined
2021
Applerouth Education
Joined
2021
Summit Educational Group
Joined
2022
UES Education
Joined
2022
Metro Academic Prep
Joined
2024
company outlook
The market for private educational preparation is highly fragmented, and has historically lacked a key player who examines student and educator needs holistically. Together, the Guidewell Education family of brands has stepped confidently into that role. We provide a full suite of services to meet student needs from elementary school through college, including academic tutoring, college counseling, executive function coaching, and test preparation. By bringing the best that this field has to offer under one roof, Guidewell Education is uniquely positioned to earn and keep the trust of parents, educators, and school and district leaders worldwide, becoming the go-to resource for student-centric expertise, guidance, and educational services.

We are on track to positively impact the educational journeys of hundreds of thousands of students, and are poised to scale dramatically as we expand our educational offerings to include everything from in-home private tutoring to software-based curriculum optimized for major school districts.
our mission

To deliver best-in-class, transformational educational experiences and resources, guiding every student with empathy and expertise.

our values

Student-centered

We see the whole person, supporting that individual and their best interest, and always acting with integrity

Empathetic

We draw on human connection and imagination, and levarage open communication to build relationships and understanding

Expert practitioners

We are grounded in the science of learning and educational psychology, and strive to always be improving. We are outcome and data-driven

Growth-oriented

We enable growth in our students by building their self-belief, and in ourselves by remaining humble, open-minded, and flexible

Social impact
Guidewell feels that education, at its core, is about unlocking opportunity and unleashing potential. It is meant to be a journey of lasting growth and change that equips each individual for long-term success and fulfillment. Sadly, today's fractured landscape can make it difficult for some students to access the myriad benefits a comprehensive education provides. We aim to guide students around these roadblocks.

Traditional educational models can foster competition and comparison, often at the expense of personal growth and confidence. While pursuing short-term achievements is a critical part of development, a singular focus on this can be a threat to mental wellbeing and self-knowledge. Our approach focuses on helping learners build that confidence, hone hard and soft skills, and ultimately achieve long-term academic success and fulfillment. Our priority is to empower students from all walks of life to define and realize their unique goals and aspirations.
Student First

We believe that every student matters and we want them to know it. We want them to recenter their educational journey around developing their own unique strengths, interests, and pathway to success. This is a pathway that transcends comparison and competition.

Changing The Culture

Whether it's one student at a time through mentorship or through large-scale events; our ethos is making a change in the unhealthy achievement culture that has come to overshadow much of the educational space

Virtuous Circle

We support the development of skillful, fulfilled, and successful individuals who will share their gifts back with their communities.

Broad Reach

Our scale allows us to provide the Guidewell Education experience with students in a variety of settings, ranging from private 1-1 to group settings to services delivered across school districts positively impact the lives of more students

The wide-ranging expertise of their staff is always reassuringly evident and their enthusiasm for global education makes this an inspiring rather than intimidating process.

Dr. Rachael Pearson
Oakham School, UK (UES High School Partner)
Leadership and experts

Meet the guidewell team

Founder / guidewell education
Billy Downing
CEO

Billy Downing is the CEO of Guidewell Education, a leading educational services firm with offices throughout the United States and Europe. Having spent over 20 years in the field, Downing’s college admissions expertise and reputation as a straight-talking, caring, and insightful thought leader has fueled the company’s growth.

With a focus on actively recruiting, developing, and retaining top-tier talent worldwide, Guidewell Education has grown into the industry leader, working with 20,000 students in a Guidewell Education program annually. Downing pioneered the student-specific “academic mentorship” model that is used by his team of coaches and mentors for tutoring, admissions consulting, and standardized test preparation. His unique ability to contextualize and explain industry changes has also made him a frequent source for news outlets and an in-demand expert speaker.


By monitoring the latest trends, incorporating best practices, and utilizing data, Downing and his team have empowered thousands of students and families across the globe with strategies, resolve, and peace of mind as they successfully navigate the complex college admissions process. Downing’s most recent book, Million Dollar Degree, focuses on the evolution of higher education and the current public discourse around the true value of college. He examines what this means for families navigating the process and offers practical, actionable information for readers to make informed decisions on the strategies that will work best for them. His first book, College Greatness: A Family’s Guide to the Admissions Process, takes an insider’s look at college admissions and guides families through the process, step-by-step, from discovering the right school to crafting a unique student narrative that results in an acceptance letter.

Downing earned a bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley and a master’s degree from the University of San Francisco. He serves as a board member for College Track, an advisory board member at Santa Clara University Leavey School of Business, and a trustee at Sacramento Country Day School and Jesuit High School. He lives in Sacramento with his wife, Jessaca and their two children.

Leadership / guidewell education
Natalie Gallagher
President
Lawrence Anicete
VP, Corporate Development
Heather Bergnes
VP, Operations
Diana Cohen
VP, Strategy & Marketing
Michael Dean
VP, Academic Services
Eric Diwa
Director of Finance
Katie Levy
VP, Counseling Services & CEO, ESM Prep
Lucas McAdams
VP, Talent
Niall Molloy
Director of Guidewell UK
Ryan Paulsen
VP, Software Engineering
Richard Vigneault
VP, Curriulum
Bob Warren
Controller
Experts / guidewell education
Adam Allouche
SAT & ACT Preparation
Andrea Satariano
College Admissions, College Essays
Drew Heilpern
SAT & ACT Preparation
Jason Smith
U.S. College Admissions for UK Students
Jed Applerouth, PhD
Anxiety, Motivation, Standardized Assessments, SAT & ACT Preparation, Executive Function
Jenna Berk
Pedagogical Strategies for learning differences & ADHD, Executive Function
Jennifer Tongel
School District Partnerships for Student Performance Improvement, High Dosage Tutoring
John Cadenhead
Educator Profesional Development, Tutor Training & Development
Joshua White
Curriculum Development, Pedagogy, AP Exams
Matthew Kiesner
Writing, SSAT, ISEE, & SHSAT Preparation, PSAT Prep, Curriculum Development
Sarah Fletcher
Mathemathics Instruction, Algebra, Calculus, Physics, AP Exams
Whitney Longworth
SAT & ACT Prep, SSAT & ISEE Prep, Boarding Schools
Zdenka Sturm
Mathemathics Instruction, Algebra, Biology, AP Exams
Our brands

In good company

Each of our brands activates our mission in a unique way.

See How

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