Our Team

Beth H. Gelles

Partner and Co-Founder

Beth graduated from Harvard College in 1990 with a BA in English and American Literature. For over twenty years, she was an alumna interviewer for Harvard in both NYC and in Silicon Valley, CA. She has conducted hundreds of evaluative interviews on behalf of the university and through this experience, she acquired intimate knowledge of the college admissions and selection process. Beth received her MBA in Marketing from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management in 1997. For over 15 years, Beth worked in advertising, public relations, and marketing for consumer products companies and start-ups. Her love of writing and speaking often inspired her to help others with their own presentation skills -both on paper and in person. From 2002 to 2011, Beth lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, and she was a member of the Board of Trustees for both The Carey Elementary School and the Bay Area Discovery Museum.

Beth has worked extensively with under-served students in need of college guidance through a Westchester County non-profit organization that provides college counseling services to Yonkers high school students. Beth (and Nancy) also conduct pro-bono workshops on various aspects of the college process for students and high school teachers in Yonkers, New York.

A resident of Scarsdale, Beth is a dedicated school and community volunteer. Beth has chaired teams for the Scarsdale Young Writers Workshop, the Scarsdale High School Speech & Debate team, and various search committees and events at her synagogue.

Beth has completed the New York State Association of College Admissions Counseling (NYSACAC) Summer Institute and the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) Summer Training Institute. She is a member of the National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) and the New York State Association for College Admission Counseling (NYSACAC).

Beth’s interests include singing, playing piano, indulging in musical theater, hiking, and reading contemporary fiction. She and her husband Jeff reside in Scarsdale where they have raised three children — all graduates of Scarsdale High School. Her son graduated from Harvard University and is currently pursuing a PhD in Physics at Princeton University. Her daughter graduated from Washington University in St. Louis and is currently pursuing a Masters in Social Work from New York University. Her youngest daughter is currently attending Harvard University.

Nancy S. Stuzin

Partner and Co-Founder

Nancy graduated from Cornell University in 1988 with a B.S. in Economics and was involved with Cornell Admissions for over 20 years. After practicing law for many years, Nancy finally pursued her true passion of assisting students and families with the college admissions process and established Acceptance Ahead. During her two decades of involvement with Cornell Admissions, Nancy had numerous responsibilities including interviewing prospective candidates, presenting information at college fairs, organizing events for admitted students and coordinating over 700 alumni interviewers. She was Chair of Cornell’s College Fair Committee for NYC and was selected to become Co-General Chair of the Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network of NYC. Working closely for many years with the Deans, Associate Deans and officers in Admissions has deepened Nancy’s understanding of the admissions process and has provided her with invaluable insight and knowledge of the application process at selective colleges and universities throughout the U.S. Nancy and Beth also run pro-bono workshops on various aspects of the college process for students and teachers in Yonkers, New York.

A committed and involved member of the Edgemont and Westchester communities, Nancy served three terms on the Executive Board of the Edgemont PTA and Edgemont PTSA in addition to chairing numerous committees over two decades. Nancy is a founding Executive Board Member of Impact 100 Westchester, a women’s not-for-profit charitable organization. Nancy held several Advisory Council positions at Cornell University. Nancy has completed the New York State Association of College Admissions Counseling (NYSACAC) Summer Institute, the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) Summer Training Institute and a Seminar Series on Financial Aid Counseling. She is a member of the National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) and the New York State Association for College Admission Counseling (NYSACAC).

An avid skier, runner, chef and traveler, Nancy resides with her husband, Randy, in New York City, after raising her three children in Westchester County, NY. All of her children graduated from Edgemont High School, in Scarsdale, NY. Her oldest child is a graduate of Cornell University and Columbia University Teachers College and teaches English at Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan. She has a son who is a graduate of Columbia University and another son who is currently a student at Colgate University.