Kirsten Smith

As an Associate Director at Spark, Ms. Kirsten Smith combines more than fifteen years of college admissions experience with a warm, encouraging, and highly organized approach to student advising. In addition to working directly with students and families, she leads professional development and training for new Spark consultants, ensuring that all Spark students receive thoughtful, high-quality guidance.

Ms. Smith excels at guiding students through what can feel like an overwhelming process, reducing stress on families and building students’ confidence. Ambitious students thrive with her encouraging and transparent advice, expert recommendations, and ability to create actionable plans to help each student reach their individual goals. The trust she builds with students and families leads to applications that genuinely reflect each student’s strengths and aspirations.

Before joining Spark, Ms. Smith earned a master’s from Cornell University, where she served as a Fellow at the Center for Teaching Innovation. Ms. Smith lives in Massachusetts, where she enjoys spending time with her husband and two children and can often be found hiking, cooking, or curled up with a good book.