Meet Our Team
Our people are our greatest strength and asset. Meet the Granite Edvance team.Counselors and Advising Staff
Our education and career counselors are here to help you discover and navigate your postsecondary path — whether that be higher education, career, or both.
![Meet a member of our team, Karen Collins a Senior College and Career Counselor with Granite Edvance.](jpg/karen-c.jpg)
Karen Collins
College Access Specialist![Meet one of the college and career counselors with Granite Edvance, Chris Cox.](jpg/chris-c.jpg)
Chris Cox
Education & Career Specialist![Meet a member of our team, Celina Heyliger a College and Career Counselor with Granite Edvance](jpg/celina-h.jpg)
Celina Heyliger
North Country Pathways & Funding Specialist![Meet a member of our team, Shaw Kithcart, a College and Career Counselor with Granite Edvance](jpg/shawn-k.jpg)
Shawn Kithcart
Education Funding Specialist![Meet one of the college and career counselors with Granite Edvance, Eric L.](jpg/eric-l.jpg)
Eric Lofstedt
Education & Career Specialist![Meet Lily O'Connor. a College and Career Counselor with Granite Edvance](jpg/lily-o.jpg)
Lily O’Connor
College Success SpecialistExecutive Leadership Team
![Christiana Thornton, President and CEO of Granite Edvance](jpg/christiana-headshot-2021-3.jpg)
Christiana Thornton, President & CEO
Christiana, a New Hampshire native, understands firsthand the difficulty some students face on their postsecondary pathways. The first in her family to attend college, she credits her high school guidance counselor with helping her to identify her path and then navigate the college application process. While in college, and challenged in her ability to cover the full cost of her tuition, she relied on a private student loan to fill her funding gap. Post college, she benefited from loan repayment assistance through an employer. Christiana’s vision for New Hampshire includes accessible postsecondary planning and funding support and resources for all residents — ultimately contributing to more vibrant communities and a more robust state economy.
![Scott Rogers, Chief Financial Officer of Granite Edvance](jpg/24755_portrait-photography_w1120-1-1.jpg)
Scott Rogers, Chief Financial Officer
In his role as chief financial officer, Scott Rogers is committed to supporting young people in their postsecondary journeys. Scott traces his vision back to his own youth, when a counselor at his high school encouraged him to aim high. The youngest of several siblings, he knew his parents couldn’t help much in paying for college, but he took a chance and applied to Columbia University. To his surprise, he received scholarships that, combined, covered all his costs.
![John Flanders the Chief Strategy and Lending Officer for Granite Edvance](jpg/24755jf_portrait-photography_w1120-1-1.jpg)
John Flanders, Chief Strategy & Lending Officer
With deep roots in the Granite State, John Flanders is passionate about helping the people and communities of New Hampshire thrive. While at Dartmouth College, he watched his classmates angle for jobs on Wall Street but set his sights on working for a NH community bank. After graduation, he went door to door at local banks until he persuaded someone to give him a job as a credit analyst.
Board of Directors
Granite Edvance’s Board brings a wealth of experience in higher education, financial services, nonprofit management, and legal services.