• Aliza Gilbert
     Aliza Gilbert
    Aliza Gilbert has been a College Counselor at Highland Park High School since 1998. Prior to arriving at Highland Park she was Associate Director of Admissions at Lake Forest College. She has served on the Outreach Advisory Committee for the Common Application and the Counselor Advisory Board for the University of Illinois. Aliza is a member of the Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling (IACAC) and has held multiple positions on the IACAC Executive Board. She is also a member of the National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) and is a past Chair of the NACAC Committee on Inclusion, Access and Success Access. 
     
    Aliza holds a B.A. in Elementary Education from the University of Illinois at Chicago, a M.Ed. in College Student Personnel from Loyola University Chicago and a Ph.D. in Higher Education from Loyola University Chicago. Aliza is a recipient of the NACAC Human Relations Award and the City of Highland Park Humanitarian Award. In 2017 she was recognized with a Counselors That Change Lives Award. 
     
    E-mail: agilbert@dist113.org
    Phone: 224-765-2055
     
    William MorrisonBill Morrison

     
    Mr. Morrison has spent the last twenty years of his educational career in College Counseling.  In addition to working at Highland Park High School as a College Counselor since 2000, he has also worked at Benet Academy in Lisle, IL as a Senior Counselor and as an Admissions Counselor at St. Xavier University in Chicago.  Mr. Morrison also belongs to numerous professional associations and is the past-Chair of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for the National Association of College Admission Counseling (NACAC).
     
    In addition to working with all students, Mr. Morrison specializes in working with students with learning differences and prospective student-athletes.  He holds a B.A. in Political Science from The University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, an M.A. in Educational Policy from St. Xavier University, and a Ph.D. in Cultural & Educational Policy Studies from Loyola University Chicago. 
     
    E-mail: wmorrison@dist113.org
    Phone: 224-765-2056
     
    Jennifer PendergastJen Pendergast
    Jen Pendergast joins the Highland Park High School Postsecondary Counseling team this year, her twelfth year serving high school students. She has most recently served as a Guidance Counselor at Maine South High School and as a College Counselor at Loyola Academy prior to that.  She brings a background in marketing, promotions and teaching to this role and has a passion for helping students as they explore and then decide on their life path after high school. Jen also had the honor of serving as an ombudsman for military families from 2001-2003. She is a member of the Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling (IACAC), participating on several committees over the past ten years, and is a member of the National Association for College Admissions Counseling.  

    Jen holds two bachelor degrees, a B.S. in Business Administration -     Marketing from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a B.S. in  Elementary Education from the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond Oklahoma.  Additionally she has an M.A. in School Counseling from Concordia University - River Forest and completed training from The Academy for College Admissions Counseling in 2012. 

    Email: jpendergast@dist113.org

    Phone: 224-765-2044

    Rob BeckerBecker
     
    Mr. Becker is the Counseling Resource Center (CRC) Coordinator at Highland Park High School.  Prior to arriving at HPHS in 2012, he spent the last ten years in College Admissions, most recently as the Midwest Regional Director of Admissions for Northeastern University in Boston, MA.
     
    In addition to coordinating college visits and the other activities of the CRC, Mr. Becker specializes in working individually with students on all aspects of the college search, application, and funding process.  Among other things he is available to assist students with researching colleges, filling out applications, mock interviews, scholarship searches, and completing financial aid forms.  Mr. Becker holds a M.A. in Higher Education Administration from DePaul University in Chicago and a B.A. in English from Northern Illinois University. 
     
    E-mail: rbecker@dist113.org
    Phone: 224-765-2057