College Counseling

Jillian Mountford
Jillian Mountford

Jill Mountford

Athletics Associate for Operations and Varsity Lacrosse Coach

Jill Mountford

860-408-4203

B.S., Bentley University

Julie Relyea

Assistant Director of College Counseling

Julie Relyea

Bethany Davis

College Counseling and Testing Coordinator

Bethany joins Walker’s College Counseling team as an administrative assistant. While earning her B.S. in Aviation Business Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Bethany helped manage top private golf course pro-shops, golf tournaments and women’s leagues and later transitioned back to Embry-Riddle to work in the registrar’s office as an academic evaluator. Upon her return to Connecticut, she joined the College Counseling Office at The Master’s School where she worked as the college counseling assistant/student data coordinator. Bethany’s love for horses began right here at Walker’s at the age of 5 when she attended the Summer Riding Experience, which led to getting her first horse and she has been riding ever since.

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Clarissa Basch P'15

Director of College Counseling, Co-Director of Community Partnerships

Clarissa Basch P'15

860-408-4215

B.A., Bates College
M.Ed, Harvard University

Clarissa Basch has served as Walker’s Director of College Counseling since February 2004, where she guides students through the process of investigating, applying to, and selecting colleges.

Before joining Walker’s, Clarissa spent 17 years as a college admissions officer at Drexel University, Endicott College, and Hampshire College. She was lured to “the other side of the desk” because of the opportunity to work directly with students on their post-Walker’s plans, and to be part of this vibrant boarding school community. With professional colleagues at colleges and universities all over the country, she loves to welcome them to Walker’s when they come to meet with her students in the fall.

Clarissa is an avid exerciser who swims and helps guard at the Walker’s pool on weekday mornings. She is an active volunteer for numerous organizations in the greater Hartford area and at Walker’s serves as one of the faculty advisors to the Community Partnerships program. Clarissa put her college counseling know-how to use with her daughter (Walker’s Class of 2015), and both survived the experience intact. Following graduation, her daughter enjoyed a wonderful gap year in England as an English-Speaking Union Scholar before enrolling at Susquehanna University, from which she graduated in 2020. Her son graduated from UConn in 2023. Clarissa lives on campus with her husband.

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