Why do I coach?

With over 17 years of experience, I coach students because I understand firsthand the challenges of navigating educational pathways, particularly for first-generation and immigrant families. I am committed to helping students find colleges that align with their unique personal and academic goals. My approach focuses on helping students discover what excites them and connecting them to the resources, mentors, and roadmaps they can use to succeed.

Work Experience

Cultural Integration Coach, College Advisor and Lead Teacher

SetSail

March 2018 - Present

Responsible for curriculum development, student assessments, and 10-15 online classes each week. To date, I've had the privilege and honor of working directly with over 500 students. My English Language Arts classes focus on: New Vocabulary Words Descriptive and Narrative Writing Explanatory, Comparative, and Informational Writing Persuasive and Historical Writing Reading Comprehension and Literary Analysis Critical Thinking and Logical Reasoning Active Listening, Empathy, and Effective Communication Practices I also teach three levels of Speech and Debate classes (in English): Beginner Level: Introduction to Critical Thinking, Logical Reasoning, Debate Practice, and Public Speaking exercises. Intermediate Level: In this course, we focus on source credibility and research, crafting arguments, discussing current events, and speaking in front of live and virtual audiences. We also cover: Active Listening, Analyzing Arguments in U.S. Politics, Logical Reasoning, and Debate Practice. Advanced Level: This course aims to help students become skilled readers of a variety of texts and perspectives. In addition, students have numerous opportunities to practice key skills for public speaking and debate. In terms of difficulty, this course resembles an introductory college-level rhetoric curriculum, which requires students to develop evidence-based analyses and arguments. Prior knowledge of the fundamental principles of logical reasoning is a prerequisite for this course. This course is divided into the following sections: The Future Transcendentalism Conformity and Materialism Freedom and War Modern Warfare The Meaning of Life and Death Culture, Ownership, and Identity Social Violence and Post-Conflict Justice The Uncanny American Food Culture Exploring American Identities Conservation and Natural Resource Policy Academic Advising, Academic Research and +9 skills

College Admissions Guest Speaker

Self Employed

2015 - Present

International Speaking Engagements on U.S. College Admissions Since 2015, I have presented at both college admissions webinars and in-person conferences, focusing on U.S. college admissions trends, best practices, and strategies. My global experience spans over 20 countries, with key presentations in cities such as Dubai, Almaty, Barcelona, Madrid, London, New Delhi, Chennai, Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Bangkok, Medellin, and Moscow. Notable Presentations: "College Admissions Workshop with Harvard Graduate & Admissions Interviewer" "2023/2024 Regular Round Insights: Maximize Your Chances to Ivy League Universities" (Online) "Secrets to Top US Colleges" (Spain & UK, 2023) "How to Build a Successful Ivy League University Application" (Philippines, 2023) "College Selection Criteria - How to Find the Right College for IB Students" (Moscow, 2022) "Choose Your Future: Una meta, más de un camino" (Medellin, 2022) Keynote Speaker Highlights: In-Person Events (Crimson Education, Collegewise): Presented to over 3,000 attendees across 20 countries on various U.S. college admissions topics. Global Speaking Tours (2024): Spoke in 20+ cities, including Dubai, Madrid, New Delhi, Tokyo, Jakarta, London, Bangkok, Seoul, and Sydney. Webinars (Crimson Education, Collegewise): Delivered over 50 webinars since 2016, reaching more than 5,000 attendees globally. Recent Webinar Topics: "Applying for the Ivy League with a Harvard Admissions Expert" (Philippines) "ACT vs SAT UAE Webinar" (Dubai) "Cracking the Common App" (Mexico) "Unlocking US Early Acceptance Secrets" (Indonesia) "College Admissions Workshop with Harvard Admissions Coordinator & Graduate" (Global, Collegewise) "Crafting the Perfect Essays" (LATAM) "US University Application Strategies for Arts & Humanities Students" (Japan) "Secrets to Excelling in US University Interviews" (Hong Kong) "College Selection Criteria for IB Students" (Moscow)

Mathnasium Director

Learning A-Z

January 2016 - January 2018

- Responsible for understanding the strategic direction of the company, the target customer, and the competitive landscape, while translating that understanding into promoting the business. - Coordinated and conducted student assessments and post-assessments while creating and updating customized learning plans for each of our 150+ students (covering all math topics from Pre-K to Pre-Calculus and beyond). - Explained the program in person, by email, and by phone to generate a steady stream of new enrollments. - Helped run and manage the day-to-day affairs of the Mathnasium Center, including interacting with parents, and network marketing in both English and Spanish (participated in local marketing events, fostered collaborative relationships with local schools and organizations, met with parents to go over student progress and corresponded with school administrators etc) - Coordinated with math tutors and the franchise owners on a daily basis to keep the Mathnasium center afloat. - Met with parents to follow up and review each student’s assessment and progress throughout the completion of their learning plan. - Occasionally worked with and set daily learning objectives for students; taught and explained new math concepts and graded math worksheets (K-12 and some college students). - Helped foster and create a supportive, challenging, and empowering learning environment for all of our students and instructors. Program Director, Higher Education and +1 skill

HR Rotational Associate

Google

September 2010 - September 2011

Human Resources: Reviewed and processed over $1 million in spot bonuses for outstanding Google engineers. Assisted performance evaluations and calibrations of entry-level employees, managers, directors, and SVPs. Conducted exit interviews and created counter offers. Updated and managed the HR team website with weekly updates, deadlines, and fun facts. Worked with Googlers on a global payment program for Site Reliability Engineers (SREs). Recruiting: Registered 288 summer interns and assisted with onboarding and mentoring. Reviewed hundreds of resumes to select candidates for phone screenings. Used Wordle software to create a Word cloud of all national organizations and clubs represented by summer interns. Created a music video for the University Programs team using Final Cut Pro. Spearheaded Google's recruiting strategy at non-target schools for 2011. Identified potential national diversity partners, including the NAACP and Univision. Registered and helped organize the University Programs Softball team. Worked closely with the Hispanic Googlers Network and attended dozens of Tech Talks, All-Hands meetings, and numerous guest lectures, performances, and presentations held at the Googleplex.

Adsense Acquisitions Intern

Google

June 2009 - August 2009

- Created the first Google Jumpstart Packet for new AdSense publishers while working with Googlers from all over the world. Translated and recorded a Spanish-language radio ad on the Clear Channel network as part of a multimillion-dollar AdSense ad campaign which was aired on Spanish-language stations in 27 cities around the US. Pitched Google AdSense to mid-tier websites (based on Alexa rankings) over the phone.

engEDU Intern

Google

June 2008 - August 2008

- Recorded over 50 Google Tech Talks and produced 25 Tech Talk videos with the engEDU TV Team - Produced the first Google BOLD video about summer interns, which was featured on Google’s internal homepage

Benito was also given offers to work at

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  Facebook

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  Epic

Education

Harvard University

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Cultural Anthropology

2006 - 2010

GPA: 3.56 Activities and Societies: Intramural Sports, Dorm Crew, Tutoring, Non-Profit work, RAZA, Fuerza Latina, Harvard-Radcliffe Asian American Association Mellon Mays Fellow

International Honors Program

Certificate of Completion

2008 - 2008

Grade: 3.85/4.0 Activities and societies: We traveled to and studied in four countries during the fall semester of 2008. Our group started in New York City, NY. From there we traveled to Bangalore, India where we lived with Hindu homestay families. From there we traveled to South Africa, where we lived with Muslim and Christian homestay families in Cape Town and Langa respectively. Our final destination was Buenos Aires, Argentina. I then stayed in Latin America for a few months exploring neighboring cities and countries. Our coursework focused on: - Urban Planning - Sustainable Development - Contemporary Urban Issues - International Politics - Culture - Higher Education

Benito was also personally admitted to

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  University of Texas at Austin

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  Texas A&M University - College Station

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  Yale University

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  Georgetown University

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  University of Texas at El Paso