We are a collective of top-notch tutors and counselors who have more than 50 years combined experience working in college admissions, counseling prospective high school and college students, and tutoring for the SAT, ACT, and college essays.
We encounter students and families during a critical time of life – one often full of stress. If it is possible to be both laid back and incredibly serious – that’s us. We know what we are doing and we know that it works.
We have all spent countless hours with students and families just like yours. We offer one of the most deeply resourced and experienced teams in the world of test prep and college admissions. When you sign up to work with the Breakaway team, the future will retain its sense of possibility. We look forward to helping you find your way to your future.
Sharman Bonus
Sharman Bonus graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Economics and pursued a Masters of Arts in Literature at Northwestern University. Her career in working with prospective students through the admissions process dates back to the 1980’s, (though thankfully her hairstyle no longer does), when she held various positions in the Offices of Admissions and Financial Aid at Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management and University of Chicago’s Graduate (now, Booth) School of Business. After a detour in corporate and freelance communications and training, Sharman returned to admissions at a co-educational day school in Marin County. There she reconnected with many of those MBA candidates she evaluated in the ‘80s as they navigated the competitive private school admissions process for their children. She now enjoys helping teens and their parents demystify the high school and college admissions process and test prep, guiding clients to present the best version of themselves in their applications.
A native Jersey girl, Sharman made her way to Marin County via South Bend, Chicago, San Francisco, and London. She misses boardwalk pizza from The Shore, bike rides on hot summer nights in Chicago, football season in South Bend and the 10-mile run around the Hyde – Green – Saint James Park loop in London. She is grateful for the weather and the cornucopia of locally grown food in the Bay Area, Cal and WashU baseball, summer reunions with her Notre Dame family, and (last on this list, but first and foremost) her two sons.
Amy Monaghan
Amy Monaghan has been an educator in the greater Seattle area for more than 20 years, teaching and coordinating one of the largest International Baccalaureate Diploma programs in the Pacific Northwest. Amy has counseled scores of students on their academic plans and their college applications and written hundreds of letters of recommendations. Amy is well aware of just how challenging and time consuming the Common Application can be and is looking forward to helping Breakaway Prep students get it done so that busy seniors can better focus on their coursework and extracurricular interests.
A native New Yorker, Amy made her way out West and for the most part never returned, though she does miss her family, decent bagels, good cannoli, and the Great South Bay. Amy is a proud graduate of the State University of New York at Binghamton where she majored in History and Literature and Rhetoric. She received her M.Ed from Western Washington University and is certified to teach History and Social Studies 4 -12 in the State of Washington. Amy serves on the Board of the Northwest Association of IB World Schools. She is currently pursuing a Certificate in College Counseling through UCLA.
When she’s not working with high school students, she’s cheering her Seattle Seahawks or Sounders or out hiking.
Kelly Vendetti
Passion for education runs deep in Kelly Vendetti's family: between Kelly, her 2 sisters and their father, they have more than a century of experience teaching kids and adults of all ages!
Kelly graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business with a Masters in Business Administration in Finance. She tutored students at both schools and was an adjunct professor at Northern Wyoming Community College.
Throughout her career in corporate America, Kelly taught hundreds of classes in writing, presentation skills, finance and leadership. She opened the Park City office of Breakaway Prep in 2016 to help college-bound students reach their potential. She is currently pursuing a Certificate in College Counseling through UCLA.
Jack Daly
Jack graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Engineering Physics. He has been a lab assistant and currently works as a freelance tutor and middle school and high school volleyball coach. Jack’s clients rave about the support he offers in all levels of high school math, physics and chemistry.