Our Team
David Johnston
Founder, Managing Director
Before founding Transcend Admissions Consultants, David accumulated a diverse range of legal, business, government and consulting industry knowledge and experience while clerking for a judge in Philadelphia, working as an attorney/auditor at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington D.C., and acting as a consultant at Deloitte in Taipei. David holds Master in Laws (LLM) and Juris Doctor (JD) degrees from Georgetown University Law Center and Widener University School of Law, respectively. Through applying the analytical thinking and writing skills he developed during his legal education and while publishing judicial opinions, law review articles and industry materials, David and Transcend Admissions have been able to raise the bar for admissions consulting in Asia by helping clients create persuasive yet simple application materials and deliver memorable interview performances that “stick” in the minds of the admissions committee. David is proficient in spoken Mandarin Chinese and is particularly driven to do everything possible to help international applicants navigate the many hurdles standing between them and a successful application.
Specialties: MBA, MS, Law
John Murn
Consultant
John holds BA degrees in Journalism and English Language and Linguistics from the University of Wisconsin. John accumulated significant publishing and advertising experience at global firms in New York and Taipei, and most recently founded a career development and staffing platform to support the internationalization of Taiwan’s workforce. John also has a deep passion for education, having previously worked with a top Thai university to attract students from around the globe and today frequently guest lectures at MBA programs around Taiwan. John looks forward to working together with applicants to polish writing and interview skills until the best stories shine through.
Specialties: MBA, MS, Undergraduate
Wayne Hou
Consultant, Marketing Director
Wayne holds an MBA degree from NYU Stern School of Business and a BA in Economics from USC. Before earning his MBA, he gained trading room experience in international and local financial institutions, managed operations and marketing projects in the med-tech industry, and is a serial entrepreneur who founded a marketing platform dedicated to promoting social media influencers. Born and raised in Taiwan, Wayne has a deep understanding of what it takes for Taiwanese applicants to succeed when applying to top undergraduate and graduate schools. With his analytical thinking, marketing expertise, and enthusiasm, he is ready to guide Taiwanese students through the complicated application process and shine on the international stage.
Specialties: MBA, undergraduate
Mission & Methodology
We take a comprehensive and tailored approach to admissions consulting. Unlike most consultancies in Asia that provide limited client support, we help clients carefully plan an application strategy and generate unique ideas in the front-end of the application process, and then leverage our advanced writing abilities to help clients polish application materials that will make a strong connection with the reader. The strength of our approach is our mentorship — we provide a solid framework for clients to work from which empowers them to create clear and impactful messages that speak directly to the admissions committee at their target schools.
Location
Carol Kleiner: Consultant
Carol holds an MBA from USC’s Marshall School of Business and a BA in English from UC Berkeley. Her previous experience includes working in financial services, a non-profit payments trade association, a consulting firm serving Fortune 1,000 companies, and a consumer application startup. Her expertise is in performance improvement, business analysis, management consulting, and business development. Aside from her professional career, Carol has 10+ years of experience helping others create and edit resumes, cover letters, and personal statements for various jobs and admissions to undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate programs. She values the unique skills and achievements of each individual and strives to showcase these strengths in a compelling story, whether it be for an interview, essay, resume or cover letter. She understands the competitive nature of the admissions process and will make it easier for clients to navigate through the complicated and rigorous process.
Specialties: MBA, Undergraduate
Ariel Chen: Consultant
Ariel received a B.S. in Biology and a Business Foundations Certificate from the University of Texas at Austin and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Human-Computer Interaction and Design from the University of California, Irvine. She previously worked in the field of medical technology, with experiences in UX research, marketing, project management, and customer support. Additionally, she has a particular interest in language and communications, and has worked as an English tutor for non-native speakers. Having lived in Taiwan for many years before moving to the United States, Ariel understands the challenges that often arise due to the culture gap. She is eager to help bridge that gap while helping applicants put their best foot forward.
Specialties: MS, Undergraduate
Daryl Wang: Consultant
Daryl is a graduate of NYU’s Stern School of Business, where he received a B.S. in Finance and Global Business. There, he was also a student-athlete swimmer at NYU where he learned how to balance hard work with academics but most importantly how to work well within a team. Originally an investment banker, his international experiences as a professional and as a student led him to want to become an educational consultant. Daryl has spent the last two years working with students from Asia and helping them achieve their academic goals.
Specialties: MS, Undergraduate