Dr. Braun is an award-winning educator who has designed and taught more than fifty undergraduate and graduate courses at Michigan State University and the University of South Florida. An expert in international education and inclusive learning, she has authored thirty peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters and served as a research consultant for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Her community-based research and service-learning work has taken her to more than a dozen countries across Africa, Asia, and Europe.

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After leaving academia and working five years in the private college admissions industry, Dr. Braun saw an opportunity to redefine how families experience the college application process. Drawing on her research background and curriculum design expertise, she founded EssayU to bring greater integrity, clarity, and impact to college admissions coaching.