Guidance & College Counseling

Giuseppe “Joe” Giglio, ’87, P’27 is excited to continue serving the Prep community and his alma mater as Director of Guidance & College Counseling. Mr. Giglio credits the late Fr. Ray Balduf, S.J. with developing his lifelong interest in college admission and counseling. 

Mr. Giglio previously served as Executive Director of Admission and Enrollment Marketing at St. Peter’s College (now Saint Peter’s University).

Mr. Giglio had a 19 year career in college admission. He has been on the Admission team at Fordham University and Stevens Institute of Technology. He served a term as chair of the Council of Jesuit Admission Directors (CJAD) and is an active participant in regional and national professional organizations. Joe “got his start” as the student body elected representative on the Admission Committee at the College of the Holy Cross (MA).

A Hudson County native, Mr. Giglio resides in Maplewood with his wife, son, and dogs, Piper and Barkley and is delighted to be a Prep parent himself.

Grace Morris is a graduate of Fairfield University, earned her Masters Degree from Seton Hall University in Marriage and Family Therapy, and is a is a New Jersey State Certified School Counselor.  Grace joined the Prep Guidance Department in 2011. Currently serving the community as the Chair of the Guidance Counseling Department, Grace has been a contributing member of our community, committed to the Prep mission and supporting our students. Prior to joining the Prep Faculty, she worked as a School Counselor at Immaculate Conception High School, Marist High School and St. Thomas Aquinas High School. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Fairfield University in Connecticut, followed by her Masters degree from Seton Hall University.

Jessica Nordstrom joined the Saint Peter’s Prep community in the 2013-14 school year. She is passionate about helping students develop both personally and in the classroom, as well as preparing them for their future endeavors. Before coming to Prep, Jessica served for five years as the Assistant to the Director of College Guidance at Loyola School in New York. She received her Master of Education degree from Teachers College, Columbia University and her Bachelor of Arts degree from Villanova University. Jessica grew up in Queens and Long Island, New York but now calls Hoboken her home. In her spare time, she enjoys yoga, listening to live music, exploring the greater New York City area, and spending time with family and friends.

Hailing from the Midwest, R. V. “Dan” Sarmiento II is a Michigan State University Spartan, graduating with a degree in Communications with an emphasis on Public Relations. He started his career in college admissions with the Jesuits, working in the Admission Office at Loyola University Chicago. Since then, he has worked at: New York University, where he also earned a Masters Degree in Guidance and Counseling; Morristown Beard School; The Hewitt School; and, most recently, Xavier University. Having engaged with the college admission process from both sides over the past two and a half decades, he is excited to apply and share all that he has learned with Prep students and their families. “We are all connected.”

Living in Manhattan, Mr. Sarmiento enjoys exploring the nooks and crannies of the city, going to the theater, hearing live music, and tasting as much of the latest “must try” foods. He is also still on the hunt for the best slice of pizza.

Maysoon Awwad, P’23 graduated from NJCU with a Bachelors degree in Business Management and worked for a financial institution for the past ten years while she continued working on her Masters degree in School Counseling. She will earn her Masters in December 2020.  She is very passionate about students’ mental health and wellness.  

She lived in Jersey City for almost 15 years, then moved to Union. She has two sons and is a Prep Mom as well as a Mom to her two rescue cats, Frankie and Milo, who rule the house. She enjoys spending her weekends at their restaurant where they have live music and delicious food. 

Yajaira Pons joined our staff in 2024. As a first-generation Latina student, Yajaira brings a wealth of experience and passion to her role. She double majored in Political Science and Spanish, with a minor in Student Leadership Development, at the University of Rhode Island. She also earned a Master’s in Organizational Management and Human Resource Development from Manhattanville College.

Yajaira has over 18 years of experience in higher education, focusing primarily on Undergraduate Admissions and Financial Aid. Her extensive background includes roles in residence life, student employment, EOF, academic advising, and private consulting. For the last nine years she has been a consultant for HESAA-Higher Education Student Assistance Authority.

In addition to her professional achievements, Yajaira has been actively involved in professional development opportunities and advising student organizations. She currently serves as the College Admissions and Financial Aid Director for MAAC – Mindful Awareness Academy for Children, a community-based organization.

Yajaira’s dedication to education, access, and equity is driven by her own experiences and a desire to help students make well-informed decisions about their post-secondary plans. She often reflects, “If I knew then what I know now, I would have made different choices about college and financing my education. I do what I do because I care and want students to make the best decisions for their futures.”

Jessica Nantwi  joined the team in 2025, and is a dedicated, compassionate, and bilingual Spanish-speaking school counselor. With over fifteen years of experience in youth development and college access, she is committed to developing the “whole person,” basing her advisement on a Positive Youth Development model and a strength-based approach that focuses on student potential and growth. Her professional expertise includes program development and directing comprehensive academic and postsecondary programs, including the design of successful workforce development initiatives. Jessica is skilled at community building, creating a safe environment through strong, lasting relationships and providing a powerful blend of compassionate guidance and accountability to support students as they evolve.

Jessica has deep roots in the local community, having lived in Hudson County for most of her life. After spending some time residing in New York City, she moved back and currently lives in the Port Imperial area with her husband and two young children.

 Alison Gorab joined the Saint Peter’s Prep community as part of the guidance team in 2021. Before starting at Prep, Ms. Gorab worked as a school counselor at Staples High School in Westport, CT, and interned at Xavier High School in Manhattan. She received her Master’s in K-12 School Counseling from New York University and her Bachelor of Arts degree from Gettysburg College. She majored in both Psychology and Education, and was captain of the Gettysburg Women’s Lacrosse two-time National Championship team. She traveled abroad to South Africa, where she studied at the University of Cape Town and explored new places, food, culture, and wildlife.

Ms. Gorab grew up in Fairfield, CT and has lived in Manhattan since college. In her free time, she loves to spend time with her family and friends, explore new neighborhoods and restaurants in Manhattan, and play with her westie, Bella. 

 Scott A. Petrillo joined the Counseling team in 2023. Previously working as a school counselor with the Summit Public School District, Mr. Petrillo spent 23 years working with high school students in support of their academic, personal-social, and college/career endeavors.  Additionally, he worked as an Elementary School Teacher as well as having a career with Macy’s in their Executive Buying Line Program.  He is a graduate of King’s College where he earned a Bachelors of Science in Marketing Degree, Seton Hall University where he earned a Masters Degree in Education, and Kean University, earning a Masters Degree in Counselor Education.  He is also a former adjunct professor teaching in the Nathan Weiss Graduate College program at Kean University.

Chris Robinson is an LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) in New Jersey and New York and has his ACSW (Academy of Certified Social Workers) national certification. He received his MSW (Master’s in social work) from Rutgers University in 1992. He is a certified field instructor for graduate social work interns and is a certified clinical social work supervisor. He has raised three adult children; two sons and a daughter who graduated from Catholic high schools in New Jersey. He has provided outpatient counseling services for adolescents and families for 20+ years. His areas of practice include treating people with depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, grief work, substance abuse, anger management, and family issues. He has worked as an adjunct professor at both Yeshiva and Stony Brook Universities’ graduate schools of social work, teaching Psychopathology. He previously worked in the medical social work field for 10 years and is the owner of Relief & Solutions Counseling Center.

Kristen Harris joined Saint Peter’s Prep in August of 2021.  She is a graduate of Northwestern University with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and Theater Arts. Prior to working at Prep, she worked as a Production Stage Manager on Broadway plays and musicals and is grateful to now be a part of the Prep community.