College Counseling

List of 4 members.

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  Steve Soud 

  Director of College Counseling

  504-896-6313

  Bio

  With a career spanning nearly 40 years at both the secondary and postsecondary levels, Steve Soud arrived at Newman in 2019 as Director of College Counseling.

   

  Steve has engaged in extensive professional service. He currently serves on the Southern Regional Council of the College Board, and prior to that role, served on the Board of Directors of The Common App.  Over his many years in the field, Steve has served in multiple leadership roles for SACAC, worked on the College Board’s Task Force on Admissions in the 21st Century, and been named to the Counselor Advisory Boards at Florida State University, Georgia Tech, Muhlenberg College, Princeton University, Tulane University of Louisiana, the University of Alabama, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and the University of Georgia. He regularly presents at regional and national professional meetings, most recently on recommendation-writing at the 2019 ACCIS Summer Institute in San Francisco and on a panel about college counseling programming at the 2023 SACAC convention. In 2015 ACCIS honored Steve with the Marty Elkins Award for Excellence in College Counseling.

   

  Steve came to Newman from The Bolles School in Jacksonville, Florida, where he served as Director of College Counseling for 17 years. Prior to that Steve was an Associate Professor of English at Maryville College in Tennessee. Before going to graduate school, Steve worked as a College Counselor at Bolles, and as an Admission Counselor at Davidson College in North Carolina.  Steve holds a B.A. in English from Davidson, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in English from the University of Florida. Steve has two adult children, Natalie and Paul, and a granddaughter (Clementine).  Among the activities he enjoys are cycling, reading, and yoga. An avid music buff, Steve loves Jazz Fest, and as a food and wine lover he especially enjoys the New Orleans dining scene.
• 

  Alex Gonzalez 

  Associate Director of College Counseling

  504-896-6333

  Bio

  Alex joined the Newman community as Associate Director of College Counseling in 2020.  After graduating from Tulane University, she served as an admission counselor in the undergraduate admission office, gaining valuable insight into the world of higher education. She then transitioned to the secondary level,  spending over ten years working as a college counselor and in varying administrative positions at independent high schools across the country, including Scheck Hillel Community School in Miami, Florida, St. Thomas Episcopal School in Houston, Texas and Josephinum Academy in Chicago, Illinois. 
  
  

  Additionally, Alex is an active member in NACAC (the National Association of College Admission Counseling) and SACAC (the Southern Association for College Admission Counseling), having served as a Dry-Run faculty member, selected to train new admission counselors in the field.  She has attended the Harvard Summer Institute on College Admissions, the Stanley King Institute, and has her Certificate in College Counseling through UCLA’s Extension program. 
  
  

  Fluent in Spanish, Alex has lived in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Bogota, Colombia.  While travel is one of her family's favorite hobbies, New Orleans is the city that holds their hearts. When she isn’t spending time with her husband Diego, and their two children, Amelia and Mateo, she’s running, baking, or enjoying a good book or podcast.
• 

  Raynette Lumas 

  Assistant Director of College Counseling and Testing Accommodations Coordinator

  504-896-6404

  Bio

  Raynette is a New Orleans native and a graduate of Loyola University New Orleans where she received her Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Management and Marketing.  After graduating Cum Laude, she went on to receive a Master of Business Administration from the University of New Orleans. Raynette has over nineteen years of experience working in enrollment management and college admissions. Her career in higher education began at Dillard University where she served as an Admissions Counselor. The next 10 years were spent at her alma mater where she was Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions. After spending years in college admissions, she decided to switch sides of the desk to become the first dedicated College Counselor at Holy Cross School. In her seven years in the role, she implemented the school’s first college counseling program. Professionally, she is a member of NACAC and SACAC and serves on the Loyola University New Orleans Counselor Advisory Board. 

   

  Raynette is excited to work alongside her husband, Juan Lumas, who coaches and teaches in the middle and upper school at Newman. When she isn’t busy attending sporting events with their twin sons, Maddox and Caleb, she enjoys traveling, live music, and exploring new restaurants with family and friends. 
• 

  Anita Hedgepeth 

  Registrar/College Counseling Assistant/AP Coordinator

  504-896-6324

  Bio

  While serving as Registrar and College Counseling Assistant, Anita Hedgepeth earned a Certificate in College Counseling (with Distinction) through UCLA Extension’s well-regarded online certification program. She is a Cum Laude graduate of the University of New Orleans and received her Master of Education from University of Missouri in Educational and Counseling Psychology with an emphasis on Mental Health Practices in Schools.
  
  In addition to her roles as Registrar and College Counseling Assistant, Anita is Newman’s AP Coordinator and an Upper School Advisor. She also served as Class Dean for the Classes of 2015 and 2019. She is such a well-respected and beloved member of the Newman community that during her 17 years at Newman, the yearbook has twice been dedicated to her, most recently by the Class of 2015.  That dedication read in part, "Thanks to her love, support and hard work, the Class of 2015 leaves Newman feeling accomplished and proud, yet truly sad to say goodbye."
  
  Anita was born in Knoxville, Tennessee but grew up in New Orleans.  She is the mommy of two old, loud, rambunctious dogs - Archie Manning and Harry.