Michelle Baird is a college advisor with over thirteen years of experience in Bay Area independent schools. She loves working with students to develop a vision for their future.

Michelle is responsive to student and parent needs and provides both a calm presence as well as warm support for her students. She partners closely with families to create a college process that dovetails with student interests and aptitudes. Michelle has worked successfully with students pursuing need-based financial aid, students pursuing merit aid, recruited athletes, neurodiverse students, LGBTQIA+ students, and BIPOC students.

Michelle earned her certificate in college counseling from UCLA while working as a college counselor at Marin Academy. She draws on over a decade of experience in academic advising and developing student writing in her previous experience as a full-time history and English teacher at Marin Academy, The Head-Royce School, and Bentley School.

Why Samara?

Samara comes from the scientific name for a maple seed. The winged shape of a samara allows the seed to mature and travel from its original tree in order to create a new beginning. The college process largely mirrors this natural growth cycle of the maple.