Background. After a career in her 20s as a model and on-camera talent for ABC-TV, Pamela Donnelly answered the call to become an educator. As a first generation student, she decoded the process necessary to gain admittance to Columbia University in New York City, where she graduated summa cum laude in 2.5 years with her BA in Literature/Writing and Secondary Education. She went on to earn her MA in English.

State-certified 3x–in NY, VA, and CA–in her early years as a professional educator she worked in public and private schools as an English teacher and college counselor. Between her school employment and opening her businesses, she became an in-demand tutor supporting the SAT, ACT, and AP level courses for high profile families.

She opened her first LA-based academic services business, Valley Prep Tutoring, in July 2012. She built her reputation as a go-to academic expert trusted by parents through her books SWAT Team Tactics for Getting Your Teen Into College and 4 Keys to College Admissions Success. She went on to found two other educational services companies as well, GATE College System and Pamela M. Donnelly Consulting LLC.

Current Focus. Pamela will complete her PhD in Global Leadership and Change at Pepperdine University in Malibu CA in 2021. Having become a specialist in strategy related to all aspects of the higher education space, she offers services in both corporate consulting for institutions, and student mentorship for those aspiring for admissions. 

In her corporate consulting practice, Pamela supports transitioning teams toward clearly defined goals and a fully articulated mission. Data-driven, she offers leadership aligning people and resources to consistently deliver exceptional results. Having built a solid network of influential stakeholders across federal, state, and local educational entities, her expertise in global leadership and organizational change is values-based and founded in research and theoretical understanding. With particular fluency in leveraging digital technology, her commitment ensures students, colleges, companies, and nonprofit organizations in the higher ed space ensure sustainable success. 

Connect now. Pamela’s staff welcomes correspondence on her behalf via the contact form on this website, and she also welcomes you to connect via LinkedIn, where she maintains an active profile and shares her recent research.