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Malesia (Lisa) Fuller
Founder and
Lead Counselor
Hello, I'm Lisa Fuller. I am an Independent Educational Consultant (IEC), aka a private college advisor.
I provide busy parents and motivated students with personalized education and admissions advice.
My superpowers include guiding students to assume control of their plans for the future and helping parents feel confident and relaxed during the application process. I encourage families to clarify their goals and needs and focus on finding educational options that offer excellent academic, personal, and financial support.
The bonus of my work is getting acquainted with fascinating students. I enjoy engaging them in defining their goals, highlighting achievements, identifying interests, planning, organizing, standing up and out in essays and admissions applications, and applying to schools that match them.
Meet the Counselor
More about the founder
Before founding College Primed, I had an award-winning 20-year IT sales and marketing career with IBM. After the birth of my second child, I transitioned from that career to volunteering at my kids' schools and with nonprofits that support youths. I also served as a recruiter for my alma mater, Spelman College.
My interest in college admissions developed when I chaired the Junior Summer Internship Program at St. Catherine's School in Richmond, Virginia. I interacted with college counselors in that role, helped students see their strengths to develop compelling resumes, and matched and facilitated experiential learning, job shadowing, and internship experiences across various career fields. When some students reported a loss of attraction to a primary industry of choice following the internships, I applauded their self-awareness; I appreciated how such early discoveries could help the students pursue more appropriate majors and apply to match-fit colleges.
We do the best we can with what we know, and when we know better,
we do better –Maya Angelou
When my oldest daughter and her classmates applied to colleges, I asked them clarifying questions, offered application strategies, and edited their essays and resumes. I also supplied snacks, pep talks, and lots of hugs. The concept of building a “balanced” list of colleges (from a wide range of choices) that best aligned with my daughter academically, personally, and financially intrigued me.
Hooked on the nuances of the modern college application process, I became a QuestBridge mentor and a ScholarMatch counselor. I earned a Specialized Certificate in College Counseling from the University of California, San Diego (2016) and an Advanced Certificate in College Advising from Teachers College, Columbia University (2017).
My college admissions knowledge, first-hand experiences, professional background in tactical marketing, and project management skills have informed my work with families to alleviate stress and achieve fantastic admissions results.
Since college admissions change every cycle, I stay updated on the evolving landscape by visiting 10-15 college campuses yearly, attending and presenting on weekly webinars and at annual professional conferences, and networking with child psychologists, educational specialists, tutors, and financial aid advisors.
I am a professional member of the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA), the Potomac & Chesapeake Association for College Admission Counseling (PCACAC), and the Southern Association for College Admission Counseling (SACAC). I serve as a HECA Regional Community Coordinator for Virginia and on the Marketing and Communications Committee. I also moderate several Facebook groups for parents planning for college admissions and colleagues interested in professional development and networking.
I reside in Midlothian, Virginia, with my husband and our beloved miniature poodle, Ms. Carly. In my free time, I enjoy visiting farmer's markets, indulging in acrylic painting, and spending time with our daughters. Our oldest daughter graduated from Columbia University in New York (Class of 2019), while our youngest daughter graduated from Johns Hopkins University (Class of 2022).
