Our Team
As college counselors, we have a unique opportunity to help students on their journey of self-discovery and pride ourselves on our welcoming and inclusive approach to college counseling. Being able to help demystify the college admission process and to form close relationships with students and parents is what keeps us so enthusiastic about the work that we do.
Stacy Richardson, Director of College Counseling
Stacy joined The Potomac School in 2022 as the director of college counseling. Previously, she worked at Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School (DC) for seven years and Gonzaga College High School (DC) for three years. Stacy has held numerous positions within higher education, including Associate Dean and Director of Multicultural Recruitment at The College of William & Mary (VA), Assistant Director of the College Park Scholars-Life Sciences Program at the University of Maryland, and Director of the Future Focus Program at Trinity University (DC). Additionally, she has taught part time at the community college level.
As a member of the National Association of College Admission Counseling (NACAC), Stacy has served as the Faculty Director for the annual Pre Conference workshop, Leading a Dynamic College Counseling Program. Stacy is also a member of the Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools (ACCIS) where she helped to create and served as the co-chair of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion committee working to develop programming to educate the membership. She currently serves on the ACCIS Board of Trustees. She is also a member of the Potomac & Chesapeake Association of College Admission Counseling (PCACAC) and the Washington Area Independent School Counselors group.
Stacy graduated from Towson University with a Bachelor's degree in English and she earned an Master of Education in Higher Education Administration from The College of William & Mary. Stacy is married and has a grown son.
Christopher A. Zissi, Associate Director of College Counseling
Christopher joined The Potomac School in the fall of 2015 and serves as a college counselor and academic advisor. Prior to Potomac, he worked in college admissions at several institutions, including Boston University, Emerson College, and American University, where he spent nearly four years guiding students and families through the admission process.
Christopher began his career in higher education after earning a Bachelor’s degree in History from the University of New Hampshire. He later earned a Master of Education in Higher Education Administration from Northeastern University.
Christopher currently serves on the Ithaca College Advisory Board and is a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), the Potomac & Chesapeake Association for College Admission Counseling (PCACAC), and the Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools (ACCIS).
Molly Lachut, Associate Director of College Counseling
Molly joined The Potomac School in 2026 as a college counselor and academic advisor. Before coming to Potomac, she was a senior counselor at Marks Education and, prior to that, the director of college counseling at Saint James School in Hagerstown, Maryland.
Molly graduated from Kenyon College, where she earned degrees in Biology and History and played both field hockey and softball. Following graduation, she moved to Saint James, where she taught American and non-Western history and coached multiple sports. She served as dorm head of a residence hall and joined the college counseling team before directing the college office. During her tenure at Saint James,
Molly earned her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Administration from The George Washington University. Molly is an active member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and the Potomac & Chesapeake Association for College Admission Counseling (PCACAC), where she serves on the Current Trends and Future Issues Committee.
Brad Harlan, Associate Director of College Counseling
Brad joined The Potomac School in 2026 as a college counselor and academic advisor. Prior to Potomac, he worked for several years as a college counselor at St. John's College High School in Washington, DC; Norfolk Academy in Norfolk, VA; and, most recently, Bullis in Potomac, MD. He has also worked on the college side of the desk, serving on the dean staff within the Office of Undergraduate Admission at William & Mary.
Brad graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Michigan with a degree in Microbiology and earned his Master of Education in Educational Psychology through the University of Virginia School of Education and Human Development.
Outside of Potomac, Brad is a member of the National Association of College Admission Counseling (NACAC), the Potomac & Chesapeake Association of College Admission Counseling (PCACAC), the Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools (ACCIS), and the Washington Area Independent Schools (WAIS) counselors group. Brad lives in Vienna, VA, with his wife, daughter, and their pet beagle Mocha.
Karen Lawrence Djorup, College Counseling and Testing Coordinator
Karen has been a member of the College Counseling Office at The Potomac School since 2005, serving as the College Counseling and Testing Coordinator. In this role, she manages AP exam administration, coordinates college representative visits, and provides broad-based support for the counseling team.
Prior to joining Potomac, Karen worked in the corporate sector at a global Fortune 500 company, where she oversaw executive leadership and organizational development training programs.
Karen earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College and studied abroad in England, taking courses at both the University of Reading and Oxford University. She later completed a Master of Science in Applied Behavioral Science from The Johns Hopkins University.
An accomplished former athlete, Karen captained her college field hockey and lacrosse teams. At Potomac, she has coached both sports and raised five children, three of whom are Potomac graduates. Karen finds deep fulfillment in helping students and families navigate the evolving landscape of college admissions.