The Throughline Approach
Think of us as your guides at life's crossroads, helping you make choices that feel truly aligned with who you are.
Throughline Guidance has gone through many iterations - and different names - in its 13 years. It’s easy to remember how old the company is because it’s the same age as my daughter. Gosh, I wince when I think about bouncing her on a yoga ball as I registered the business and prayed it would all work out - that the dream could turn into something real.
Some of you may not know why we now go by Throughline Guidance. You see, when I first started this work, it was just me, and I was exclusively working with high school students planning their futures. It was - and is - incredibly fulfilling work to be a cheerleader for a young, optimistic person. But here’s the thing: I always had my eye on the world of work. While I love helping young people dream up future career possibilities, I was equally as interested in how people make changes later in their lives. I wanted to understand how to prepare people for job hopping, market upsets, and mass displacements due to technology. I wanted to build a company that would stand alongside people throughout their lives, reminding them of their gifts and giving them permission to use them, no matter what the world threw at them.
As my high school students became college students and then young adults, ready to graduate into the job market, they came back to me for guidance. This was an honor and a privilege, but I knew I couldn’t do it all myself - nor did I want to! I knew there was talent out there that would complement my own, and I began putting together a dream team.
Today, Throughline Guidance really does offer a suite of services to meet people where they are on their education and career journeys.
Starting with Aptitude Review sessions, where we give you an overview of your natural talents and make a plan to use them effectively at school and work, we then offer guidance services appropriate for every age and stage. In high school, that means starting out with broader guidance to help younger students explore and engage in meaningful ways, all the way through the nitty-gritty of college applications.
To continue enhancing our high school programs with their individualized and aptitude-driven approach, we’ve brought on the talented Liz Benson. As head of Throughline’s high school program, Liz is passionate about serving students navigating the major crossroads of completing high school and discovering their bright futures. Liz works as a counselor, supporting students through the college discovery and application journey. She strives to help all students thrive with personal guidance in strengthening academics, exploring extracurriculars, and tackling the often-stressful application essay process.
With a career journey that began as a high school science teacher and continued in a variety of corporate roles in strategic partnerships and business development with major companies in Silicon Valley, Liz brings a breadth of experience to share with students. Before joining Throughline Guidance, she also ran her own college counseling practice in the Bay Area and is an admissions reader for the University of California, Santa Cruz. Liz graduated from San Jose State University with a degree in Biology and holds a certificate in College Admissions and Career Planning from UC Berkeley. When not spending time with her students, Liz loves exploring hiking trails and volunteering in the local community.
As students graduate high school and prepare for the transition to college, we’ve found that many students, especially those who might be going to very large colleges or who are navigating their education with learning differences, could use a guide on the side—someone in their corner rooting for them, showing them the way, and offering tips for success. Our new College Freshman Concierge program offers exactly that. For the first year of college, students meet monthly with their “concierge” as they navigate the unfamiliar terrain of the university. We also offer College Crossroads for anyone who finds themselves stuck, looking for direction around choosing or changing their major or transferring schools. Fun fact: Did you know everyone on our team at Throughline was a transfer student?!
We also know that college seniors are at a different kind of crossroads as they discern their next move. For those planning to go straight to work, and for those rethinking, retooling, or rebuilding their careers, we offer Career Crossroads. Whether you’re 22 or 92, our Career Crossroads guidance package offers customized and actionable recommendations based on natural talents, work styles, and proclivities.
Because the best-laid plans often disintegrate when we struggle to execute, we brought on Nikki Roderman, whose superpower is supporting those of us who can use a little boost in the executive functioning department. Nikki joins us with expertise from Barnard College, where she served as an Accommodations Coordinator, specializing in supporting students with disabilities in transitioning from high school to college and throughout their higher education. Focusing on supporting students through this crucial developmental stage and beyond, and having worked in teaching, coaching, and other support roles throughout her career, Nikki uses her experience to guide students and professionals at a crossroads to examine and achieve their goals.
Nikki is our executive functioning specialist, supporting students and professionals in achieving their goals while maximizing their aptitudes and natural gifts, helping individuals move from friction to flow and optimize educational and career opportunities. These skills are applied directly in her role at Throughline, where she guides students to—and through—college.
Nikki earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Special Education, and Elementary Education from Marist College and began her teaching career in West Windsor, NJ. She furthered her expertise by obtaining a master’s degree in Special Education from Vanderbilt University.
Her passion and dedication are centered on helping individuals succeed academically and personally, making meaningful contributions within the educational community. In her free time, she enjoys reading, exploring new coffee shops, and baking.
Even the best services can’t be delivered without organized administration and customer service. That’s where Anna Floyd comes in. Anna Floyd recently joined Throughline Guidance as a Client Experience and Operations Coordinator, where she focuses on supporting seamless client experiences and day-to-day operations. She is currently a senior at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Marketing.Through her academic experience, Anna has developed a strong interest in understanding how thoughtful systems and supportive services can help individuals grow and succeed. She is especially excited to see students gain clarity and confidence through the use of Throughline Guidance’s services, and to play a behind-the-scenes role in supporting their journeys.
Anna lives in San Luis Obispo, California. Outside of work and school, she enjoys baking, exploring all kinds of crafts, learning anything she can, staying active, and spending time with friends and family.
If you worked with us under a different name or rendition, we hope you’ll consider our us as every turn of the ongoing unfolding of your one beautiful life.