Colleen Menichini

Colleen’s journey to University Counseling has not been linear, and this has given her a unique
perspective for conversations regarding tertiary education and life beyond secondary school. With a
Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Western Washington University in Washington State,
she taught 5th-grade general education for five years in the United States before taking a hiatus from
teaching to raise her two children, Joseph and Natalie.

Colleen returned to the classroom to teach English, Maths, and Science with the Abu Dhabi Education
Council in Al Ain in 2011 and worked there for two years while supporting Emirati student teachers
complete their final year of teaching practice. This inspired Colleen, along with the completion of her
Master’s Degree in Adult Education in 2012 to make a move to Ras Al Khaimah to work in the
Education Department at the Higher Colleges of Technology as a faculty member who supported
student teachers in their final year of their education.

In 2017 Colleen moved to the IB Curriculum to work as a University Counselor in Dubai and found her
niche working with senior students and their families to make informed decisions for their futures.
She is now the head of Careers and University at NLCS Dubai and working with colleagues to support students
make the exciting transition from secondary school to whatever they might dream of.