About CSG

After moving from Europe back to Chicago, with the first child in tow, Ginger did not realize how difficult it was to navigate the pathways of the Chicago School system.  The hours it took to settle in from an international move and also start to look for schools was a bit overwhelming, as was the realization that walking to your local school was out of the question at the time.  After much research and angst, her sons were accepted into a wonderful private school on the North Side where they could walk to school, then to both private and selective enrollment high schools, and her sons are now in college on the east coast and the midwest. She has been very active in the school community, and would like to share her experiences and knowledge with families on their school journeys, especially the ever-changing High School Search.

Growing up in suburban Chicago and attending a small Private College, she knows what a good education should look like and has strived to find the same for her boys.   With a background in marketing, fundraising and sales, and a wide network contacts, Ginger brings her breadth of experiences to understanding the complex world of school admissions.

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Carolyn Gold Aberman

Growing up in a small town in Western Pennsylvania, when Carolyn was having difficulties at her local public school, her parents began researching alternative school options. Ultimately, she and her siblings hopped on a school bus and traveled 45 minutes through the mountains daily to Valley School of Ligonier for grade school and spread out around the country (and the world) for high school.  After graduating from the Madeira School in McLean, Virginia, Carolyn attended the University of Pennsylvania and finally landed in Chicago after attending law school at Northwestern University School of Law and meeting her husband there.  She has three children attending three different private and public schools.  Although occasionally logistically challenging, Carolyn finds many benefits to educating her children, who are very different, in different environments.  Her youngest has attended two outstanding Chicago preschools that were relatively unknown and her oldest is now at college in the midwest.

Carolyn practiced law until 2011 and then joined a legal search firm where she helps attorneys find the right positions for their careers. Carolyn believes that finding the right school or schools for your children, much like finding the right job, is definitely achievable and is excited to help you and your child navigate your way to a terrific Chicago education.

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Mignon Elayda-Fulton

A mother of three, Mignon firmly believes that every child is entitled to a high-quality education and that parents are equal partners in their child’s education. For these reasons and for several years, her two oldest children attended a private Montessori school in Wicker Park before transferring to a public magnet school in Lakeview followed by a top selective enrollment high school and are now at college on the east coast and midwest. Assisting her children to get into these competitive schools was nothing compared to finding the most appropriate educational setting for her third child who was diagnosed with a developmental delay at eighteen months and now receives special education services through CPS at a non-public school. Navigating through the special education maze with its layers of legal issues at the District, State, and Federal levels can make any parent feel lost and defeated. Mignon’s goal is to point you in the right direction so that you can find the right answers to your unique situation and be the best possible advocate for your child. She spent many hours learning the CPS ODLSS policies and procedures, special education laws, and the jargon – all of which allowed her to participate as an effective partner in her daughter’s specialized education. She is happy to share her knowledge and personal experiences with others, however Mignon does not provide direct legal services to parents or to children with disabilities.

Although her family moved to California from the suburbs when she was a teenager, Mignon considers herself a native Chicagoan. She and her husband prefer to raise their children in the City despite its challenges and complicated school system. Mignon’s background is in architecture and interior design. She left the corporate workplace in 2006 for a less rigid schedule which allows her time to better care for and manage her family’s diverse and special needs.

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Stacy Rudd

Stacy had always heard about the intricacies of Chicago’s schools, but it wasn’t until she started navigating the school search for her own children that she learned about the complexities and breadth of the choices available. After a significant effort (and many headaches!) her children are now enrolled in the ideal school for them. Stacy’s recent experiences navigating preschool to elementary options makes her eager to help families feel confident in making the best and most well-informed choices for their children and family.

Stacy grew up attending the public schools in the North Shore of Chicago. She studied Psychology and Sociology at Indiana University, and earned her law degree from Chicago Kent College of Law. She worked in local politics and international government affairs for 10 years before switching fields so she could spend more time with her kids. Stacy is very active in numerous community organizations and her children’s school. She loves connecting with new people and is looking forward to working with you to find the best school for your child!

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