Meet the UAC East Team

Pamela Kelly Wetzell joined UWCSEA Dover as a University Advisor in 2010 and has enjoyed the challenge of leading the University Advising Centre at East since 2012.  Originally from New York, she practised law in San Francisco before moving to Asia 30+ years ago to found a small international school in Phuket, Thailand.  She came to Singapore in 2008 and shortly thereafter joined UWCSEA’s University Advising department. Pamela served as Community-elected Governor of UWCSEA for six years, and currently serves on the Governing and Nominations (GNC) of the International Association for College Admissions Counseling (IACAC). She has mentored new counselors from around the world as part of IACAC's Counselor-Mentor program. Having raised two daughters in a multicultural environment, Pamela feels strongly aligned with UWC’s mission and believes in the transformative power of education.  

With over 20 years of experience as a University Advisor, Pat is dedicated to student-centered advising, helping students from diverse backgrounds successfully navigate university and college applications worldwide. His approach is built on strong relationships, ensuring each student receives personalized guidance to make informed decisions about their future.  As a global expert in university advising, Pat mentors fellow advisors across international schools, sharing best practices and innovative strategies. He is also a regular speaker at industry-leading conferences, presenting on university admissions trends, advising systems, and transition planning. Beyond admissions, he plays a pastoral role in the boarding house, supporting high school students in their academic and personal journeys. Over the past two years, Pat has focused on developing engaging transition workshops for both students and parents, helping them navigate the shift from high school to post-secondary education with confidence. 

Alex Feinson joined UWCSEA East in 2022 from UWC Changshu China where she was the Deputy Director of University Counseling. Prior to that, she worked in undergraduate admissions at the University of Pennsylvania and in graduate admissions at Harvard Business School and Harvard Law School. Additionally, Alex served as the Director of College Guidance at Minds Matter Boston, a non-profit that supports students from low-income families on the pathway to university. She served five years on the Inclusion, Access, and Success committee of the International Association for College Admissions Counseling (IACAC) and was a founding member of the Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ARDEI) committee at UWC Changshu. Originally from Vermont, USA, Alex's hobbies include dancing, hiking, playing board/card games, and eating ice cream. 

Mala Swaminathan is originally from India where she began her career as a History teacher almost 17 years ago. She came to Singapore in 2008, and worked for three years at UWCSEA East as Gap year and Internship Coordinator from 2012 to 2015, while also supporting the University Advising Centre. In this position she created gap year and internship opportunities for Grades 11 and 12 students by developing and maintaining relationships with local organisations in Singapore, and also developed and implemented  the first FIB work experience program. Mala moved on to work at international and local schools in Singapore as University Advisor. She joins UWCSEA East from NUS High School of Math and Science where she was guiding gifted students of Math and Science to navigate the college application process. With two daughters who graduated from UWCSEA, Mala is happy to be back at East and working as a University Advisor.

Niki Dinsdale is originally from the UK where she began her career in University Advising over 25 years ago. Early in her career, Niki moved to UWCSEA Dover where she taught and also established and led the university advising centre before moving to Sevenoaks School in England to continue her career. Eventually, other international moves beckoned and Niki went on to head the university counselling department at her school in Shanghai before moving back to UWCSEA, but this time to East Campus. Drawn back by the dynamism of UWCSEA, but also by the way the school lives and breathes the mission, Niki joined the UAC team as Gap Year and Internship Coordinator for August 2016 in addition to teaching High School English and Global Perspectives. She is happy to be back at UWCSEA and working as University Advisor.

Rachel Garcia joined us in 2023 from Dulwich College Beijing, where she was the Head of University and Careers Counselling. She is originally from the United States, where she earned her Master’s in Educational Leadership, specialising in student development in higher education. She has also read undergraduate applications for Northeastern University in Boston which has greatly informed her practice. She has presented at global and regional university admissions conferences on topics such as "Evaluating Your Oxbridge Prep Program for Experienced Counselors" and "Counseling Students for Global Careers Beyond University Admission." Rachel believes in the power of experiential learning and finding ways to make an impact. With this in mind, she encourages all of her students to explore their interests through practical experiences before committing to a major. She also believes that success has many different definitions and seeks to make her advice inclusive and unique to each student’s situation. 

Irene Mok, Senior Executive for University Advising, transferred over from Dover Campus where she spent four years in the University Advising department. Irene brings an enormous amount of expertise in processing university applications and organising university-related events. She joined UWCSEA after working in the corporate world for over 30 years. Having brought up two children of her own, Irene still enjoys the company of young people and is very invested in helping students obtain their goals.