Let's Talk

Each year, our Admission Staff makes contact with schools, counselors, students, and families around the globe, all to find the students for whom F&M is the right fit—and who are a good fit for F&M. Find your regional representative below, and connect with us whenever you are ready.

Please note: regional representative assignments are determined by the location of your high school.

International students: please scroll through to Hannah Kim, Associate Director of International Admission and Leah Hoffman, International Admission Counselor.

For information about the Franklin & Marshall Admission Network (FAN): please scroll through to Mary Manacher below.

To find your representative, enter the full name of your state in the search field (below):

  • Jimmie Foster Jr.

    Vice President for Enrollment Management

    Jimmie Foster Jr, Vice President for Enrollment Management
    B.A.: Government and Politics, George Mason University
    M.S.: Higher Education Administration, Drexel University

  • Matt Arant

    Assistant Director of Regional Admission - TX/South Central United States

    Matt Arant

    B.A.: University of the Ozarks, M.P.A.: University of Kentucky

    Originally from Austin, TX, Matt graduated from the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, AR in 2012 with degrees in History & Literature and Sociology. While at Ozarks, Matt was heavily involved on campus, including being team captain of the varsity tennis team and holding other leadership roles within student government and residential life. He also received a M.P.A. with a concentration in Higher Education Policy/Administration from the University of Kentucky in 2016. 
    Prior to joining F&M, Matt worked in education policy at two national nonprofit organizations, The Council of State Governments and Women In Government and most recently served as a policy consultant to gubernatorial and Congressional campaigns in Arkansas. Matt is thrilled to work towards improving college access from the school perspective and as part of a university that strongly values improving educational accessibility and attainability for all students.  
    Territories:
    • Alabama (AL)
    • Arkansas (AR)
    • Kansas (KS)
    • Louisiana (LA)
    • Mississippi (MS)
    • Missouri (MO)
    • Nebraska (NE)
    • New Mexico (NM)
    • Oklahoma (OK) 
    • Tennessee (TN - Memphis Area)
    • Texas (TX)
    • Homeschooled Students

  • Samantha Armstrong

    Assistant Director of Admission Visits

    Headshot of Samantha Armstrong

    Samantha essentially grew up on Franklin and Marshall’s campus. A Lancaster native, her mom has been a professor at the college for over 30 years. She moved away for a few years to study Cognitive and Behavioral Science, but she couldn’t stay away for long. She decided to come back to her second home in Lancaster and join the Admission Office at F&M! On the weekends you can find her hiking, kayaking, reading or seeing a show at the Fulton Theater; her favorite place in town. Her favorite genres of music include pop and jazz and her favorite foods include tacos and pierogies. She also loves getting ice cream in the city, so if you see her, come say hi!

    samantha.armstrong@fandm.edu

     

  • Julia Belser

    Admission Representative 

  • Kim Bryan

    Associate Director of Admission Visits & Events 
    Kim Bryan

    kbryan@fandm.edu

     

  • Christine Cahill

    Associate Director of Admission 

    Christine Cahill
    Though new to the F&Mily, as the Associate Director of Admission, she is not new to higher education.  After her graduation from Siena College in 1998, she began her admission career at Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, NY.  

    In 2001, she moved on to Iona College in New Rochelle, NY.  Twelve years at Iona College proved to be very successful for Christine.  Iona provided her with multiple promotions and a Master of Arts degree in Corporate Communication in 2011 as well! 

     After Iona College, she moved on to what those of us in the business say “to the other side” of the desk for eight years to be the Director of College Counseling at The Harvey School in Katonah, NY.  While at The Harvey School, Christine became very familiar with the F&M community and culture.  

    During her tenure at Harvey, she had many of her high school students attend F&M. “I loved how the F&M experience shaped my past students, the growth they made over their four years.  F&M made my students stronger individuals, independent learners, more critical thinkers, and problem solvers.”  When given the opportunity to join this amazing community and more specifically the admission team this past August, she jumped at it!  

    Christine is excited to start this new chapter of her life- a new home (having relocated from Bronx, NY to Lancaster, PA), new friendships, and another community to grow with and learn from!  “I cannot wait to explore all that Franklin & Marshall, Lancaster City, and Lancaster County has to offer!!!”

    Favorite food - As a New Yorker, I love my NY foldable pizza, bagels, and NYC “dirty dog” street vendor carts- don’t forget the kraut, mustard only, and hold the ketchup!  But I am falling in love with how “foodie” Lancaster and surrounding areas are!  The options are so much more than I expected, it will take me a while to experience them all but excited for the food adventure.  I have a new found love for pretzels- especially German pretzel sticks and rolls!

    Territories:
    • Illinois (IL)
    • New Jersey (NJ - Atlantic, Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Essex, Gloucester, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Salem, Sussex, Union, Warren)
    • Pennsylvania (PA - Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin,  Lebanon,  Perry, Philadelphia,  and York Counties)
    • Transfers

  • Jen Carriere

    Assistant Director of Regional Admission - California and Western United States

    Jen Carriere Headshot

    A Southern California native, Jen graduated from the University of California, San Diego, with a B.A. in Sociology. After living in New York City and traveling the world as a Pan Am flight attendant for four years, Jen decided to return to education, completing the Teacher Education Program at the University of California, Davis. She has taught all grades from kindergarten through 12th grade, most recently being a high school math and computer science teacher in California’s agriculturally rich Northern Sacramento Valley.

    Jen always found the college admissions process interesting and began helping underrepresented students with their applications when her own children started looking at colleges. It was here that she found her true passion. Jen completed her Certificate in College Counseling from UCLA in December of 2020 and came on board with Franklin & Marshall the following August. She is committed to helping all students gain access to college and achieve their academic goals.

    When not taking care of F&M business, Jen loves to travel with her husband (Bill), visit their three children (Stephanie in Colorado, Sean in Arizona, Christina in Los Angeles), seek out new sushi restaurants, and attend as many college sporting events as she can fit in. 

    Territories:
    • Alaska (AK)
    • Arizona (AZ)
    • California (CA)
    • Colorado (CO)
    • Hawai'i (HI)
    • Idaho (ID)
    • Montana (MT)
    • Nevada (NV)
    • Oregon (OR)
    • Utah (UT)
    • Washington (WA)
    • Wyoming (WY)

  • Nina Castillo

    Admission Representative 
    Nina Castillo headshot

  • Barbara Conner

    Director of Recruitment

    Barbara Conner Photo

    Barbara Conner grew up as an Army Brat and moved eleven times from birth through college graduation. Having lived all over the world, she is excited to make Lancaster her new home as she assumes her new role as Director of Recruitment. She already loves exploring the Central Market and has attended a few programs and concerts in the region!

    Barbara is a graduate of Sweet Briar College, BA in Political Economics as well as the University of Virginia, where she earned her MEd. in Social Foundations of Education.

    Prior to working at F&M, Barbara spent twelve years as Director of College Counseling at Foxcroft School in Middleburg, Virginia and before that served as College and Career Center Specialist at West Potomac High School (Fairfax County Public Schools) in Alexandria, Virginia.

    Barbara is active in a number of professional organizations including NACAC, PACAC, PCACAC, NEACAC and is a frequent speaker on topics related to college admission and ethical practices in college admission. She created the Five First-Choice Colleges approach which reduces stress and improves outcomes in the college admission process, which was featured in the Journal of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, (Spring 2015).

    Barbara loves spending time with family. Her daughter, Maggie, lives with her family in Richmond, Virginia and Barbara’s son, Kit, lives in New Hampshire with his amazing St. Bernard/Boxer-cross, named Pilot! Barbara enjoys live music and has attended hundreds of concerts. She looks forward to exploring all the area has to offer!

    barbara.conner@fandm.edu

     

  • Stephen Costello

    Admission Counselor 

    A Pennsylvania native,  Stephen hails from New Castle, PA which is about an hour north of Pittsburgh. Stephen graduated from Lancaster Bible College with a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies. His passion to work in Higher Education began when he was Resident Assistant and a student worker. Being able to help each and every person adapt to a new area is important since that is what he experienced. He is excited to be a part of the Admissions team and bring in prospective students. In his free time, Stephen enjoys going to the gym, hanging out with friends and listening to all types of music. He is always willing to have a conversation and just understand someone else's story from a different perspective. 

    Territories:
    • New York (NY)
    • Ohio (OH)
    • Pennsylvania (PA - Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Blair, Bradford, Butler, Cambria, Cameron, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Juniata, Lawrence, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Potter, Snyder, Somerset, Sullivan, Tioga, Union, Venango, Warren, Washington, Westmoreland Counties)

     

    stephen.costello@fandm.edu

     

  • Lucy Deren

    Admission Counselor 

    Territories:

    • New Jersey (NJ - Mercer and Somerset Counties)
    • Pennsylvania (PA - Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Lackawanna, Lehigh, Luzerne, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, Pike, Schuylkill, Susquehanna, Wayne, Wyoming Counties)

    lucy.deren@fandm.edu

     

  • Taylor Ebersole

    Admission Counselor 

    Originally from Dillsburg, PA, Taylor is a first-generation college graduate from Susquehanna University with a degree in Creative Writing and English. Taylor’s passion for working with students began during her time at Susquehanna, where she joined the Student Activities Committee, volunteered as a Peer Mentor to incoming students, and worked as a Writing Consultant. She is very excited to begin working in admissions with prospective students!

    In her down time, Taylor loves to read and write fiction, explore new restaurants, hike, and watch movies with friends.

    Territories:

    • Florida (FL)
    • Georgia (GA)
    • Kentucky (KY)
    • North Carolina (NC)
    • Pennsylvania (Chester and Delaware Counties)
    • South Carolina (SC)
    • Tennessee (TN - Chattanooga, Knoxville, Nashville and Davidson)
    • West Virginia

    tebersol@fandm.edu

  • Hannah Fralinger

    Associate Director of Regional Admission

    Hannah Fralinger headshot

    Hannah is originally from Bridgeton, NJ and graduated from College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina in 2016 with a degree in Middle Grades Education. While at Charleston, she was a part of Delta Gamma sorority and served as her chapter's president in 2015. She was also involved with her college's orientation program, where she found her interest in higher education. Following graduation, she obtained her M.Ed in Higher Education from Northeastern University in 2019.

    Prior to joining F&M, Hannah was a 6th grade math teacher right out of college, then rejoined her alma mater in 2017 as part of the admissions team. She is very excited to be a part of the F&M community and looks forward to working with students and their families through the college process and building connections with counselors in the area. Hannah is regionally located in Alexandria, VA, but will be making trips up to campus in Lancaster frequently!

    When not reading applications, she enjoys traveling, spending time with friends and family, being active, and exploring her new city!

    Territories:

    • Washington, D.C. (DC)
    • Maryland (MD)
    • Virginia (VA)

    hannah.fralinger@fandm.edu

     

  • Hillen Grason Jr.

    Dean of Admission

    Hillen Grason
    B.S.: Commercial/Community RPTM, Pennsylvania State University
    M.Ed.: Higher Education, Pennsylvania State University
    Graduate Certificate: Institutional Research, Pennsylvania State University

    Hillen joined Franklin & Marshall in April of 2019. As a first generation and Pell eligible college student himself, he is passionate about helping prospective students and their families navigate their respective college searches. Growing up in the diverse suburbs between Baltimore, MD and Washington, DC has played a major role in shaping Hillen’s philosophy on the value of immersing one’s self in a community like F&M’s.

    Prior to joining F&M, Hillen started his career in higher education as an Assistant Men’s Basketball coach at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. He went on to spend six years at Albright College.

    When not traveling or reading applications, he enjoys spending time with his wife (Brittany) and two children (Adalee & Cooper). They are avid sports fans, and are excited by the welcome they received when joining the F&M community.

    Favorite Travel Season Food – Crab cake sandwich. As a Maryland native, I try to enjoy good seafood whenever and wherever I can find it!

    Next “Bucket List” Travel Destination – Italy. My wife, Brittany, and I have already started planning how we will eat our way through the various regions of Italy, enjoying the variety of cuisines along the way!

    Favorite Place in Lancaster – Clipper Magazine Stadium. Home of our minor league baseball team, the Barnstormers. This is a great venue to take the family and enjoy a nice summer evening.

    Territories:

    • Pennsylvania (PA - Lancaster County)
    • Delaware (DE)

  • Abigail Haynie

    Admission Counselor 

    Originally from Iowa, Abi graduated with a degree in English Writing Studies from Millersville University of Pennsylvania. Being a first generation college student, Abi is very excited to help potential students find their home at Franklin and Marshall. Prior to joining the Admissions team at F&M, Abi spent time in digital marketing, the service industry, and retail management. 

    Though she grew up in the Midwest and visits family often, Abi has come to love the East Coast, especially living in the City of Lancaster. Some of her favorite spots include Central Market, Rachel’s Cafe & Creperie, Cocina Mexicana, and Issei Noodle.

    When she isn’t working, Abi enjoys backpacking with her partner, traveling, reading, and playing video games.

    Territories:
    • Connecticut (CT)
    • Indiana (IN)
    • Iowa (IA)
    • Maine (ME)
    • Massachusetts (MA)
    • Michigan (MI)
    • Minnesota (MN)
    • New Hampshire (NH)
    • North Dakota (ND)
    • Rhode Island (RI)
    • South Dakota (SD)
    • Vermont (VT)
    • Wisconsin (WI)

    abigail.haynie@fandm.edu

     

  • Leah Hoffman

    International Admission Counselor 
    Leah Hoffman

    A Lancaster native, Leah graduated from Millersville University Honors College graduating with a dual major in Spanish Language and Culture and English with a concentration in Writing Studies. She will tell you that her most impactful experiences were those related to all things international. She volunteered as a Global Ambassador working with her international peers, and spent the majority of her time on campus working in the international office working as an international student support staff member. Her own experience studying abroad in Cusco Peru was very impactful. Her experience was, in fact, so impactful that after spending some time living in Lancaster city, she returned to Cusco. She earned her TEFL certificate and went on to teach English at an institution in Cusco.

    When it was time to move back to United States, Leah kept her love for travel and connecting with other cultures alive by joining the Franklin and Marshall International Admissions team. She’s passionate about helping students learn about their post-graduation options, and welcoming international students into the vibrant global community on, and off, campus.

    The only competition for her love of travel is her equally strong love for slushys, which has been her lifelong favorite drink. You can often find Leah walking, whether that’s around campus on her lunch break, or trekking through the Andean mountains, and her philosophy is that you don’t have as far to fall when you’re not wearing shoes.

    Territories:

    • Bangladesh
    • China
    • India
    • Nepal
    • Pakistan
    • all of Latin America

  • Hannah Kim

    Associate Director of International Admission

    Hannah Kim headshot

    B.A. Muhlenberg College; M.Ed. University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign

    Originally from Hershey, PA, Hannah graduated from Muhlenberg College with a double major in English and Media & Communication. Hannah’s passion for education and for helping students began at Muhlenberg when she became a Writing Tutor as well as a Writing Assistant for various First-Year Seminar classes. Always having a love for travel, Hannah studied abroad in Dublin, Ireland in a Communication Studies program, and after graduation, she moved to Seoul, South Korea where she taught English for four years and moved into a Faculty Manager position.

    While living in South Korea, she completed her M.Ed. in Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership with a concentration in Global Studies in Education through the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign. When finally returning to the United States, Hannah used her passion for education leadership and for working with international students to begin an International Admissions Counselor role at Notre Dame of Maryland University, an all-women’s college located in Baltimore, MD.

    After traveling to dozens of countries all over the world, she is excited to have come full circle back to south-central PA and is proud to be a part of the diverse global community at F&M.

    When not reading applications, Hannah loves to travel, scuba dive, hike, explore new restaurants around the city, and spend time with her husband and their two cats.

    Territories:  

    • International (all except Bangladesh, China, India, Nepal, Pakistan, all of Latin America, which are covered by Leah Hoffman)
    • U.S. Territories

    hannah.kim@fandm.edu

     

  • Helen Long

    Admission Representative 

  • Mary Manacher

    FAN Program Manager & Senior Advisor to the FAN Board

    Mary Manacher headshot
    Volunteer alumni and parents from around the nation serve as ambassadors for the College as part of the Franklin & Marshall Admission Network (FAN), which builds community among past, present and future students and parents of F&M and promotes the benefits of an F&M education to prospective students and their parents.  Learn more here.