Meet the Team
Boston Interview Prep is co-founded by Eden Self and Tarah Breed. Both have substantial experience in the admission world. In addition, Tarah and Eden’s experiences at their respective secondary schools, Groton School and St. Mark’s School, has familiarized them with the unique benefits of the independent school experience. Their professional and educational backgrounds have given them a precise understanding of the preparation necessary for applicants to stand out in the admission process.
Tarah Donoghue Breed
Tarah Donoghue Breed’s professional background uniquely positions her to bring out the best in students’ interview skills. Tarah’s experience is a fusion of her time in a sophisticated admission office and a prominent career in political media training. She most recently served as an admission officer at Fay School, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious junior boarding school, where she sat on the Admission Committee and conducted hundreds of interviews with both international and domestic applicants. At Fay School, Tarah coached middle school field hockey and lacrosse for several seasons.
Prior to Fay, Tarah worked in national-level political media – training and preparing candidates for interviews. She served as White House spokesperson for several years to Mrs. Laura Bush, former First Lady of the United States. While at the White House, Tarah prepared the First Lady for media interviews, responded to the press on her behalf, advised on communications strategy, and accompanied Mrs. Bush on international and domestic travel. Tarah coordinated media coverage for the former First Lady in more than 25 countries, and was responsible for planning and executing Mrs. Bush's media events. At the White House, she was also a member of the confirmation teams for the nominations of Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court of the United States, working primarily in the area of communications and rapid response.
Tarah received her B.A. degree, cum laude, in Government and Art History from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. At Georgetown she played Division I lacrosse, following a successful career as a high school All-American midfielder. She graduated from St. Mark’s School in Southborough, MA, and returned to campus in 2009 to deliver the School’s 144th Commencement Address. She is a graduate of Fay School in Southborough, MA as well.
Eden Self
Eden Self brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from her years of working in admission offices. She was first a student at Groton School, an independent boarding school in Groton, MA. It is here she first began to understand what it took to be successful at an independent school.
After Groton, she went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in sociology at Hamilton College, a liberal arts college in Clinton, NY. While at Hamilton, she was a four-year varsity field hockey and ice hockey player. She captained the women’s ice hockey team her senior year and lead the country in short-handed goals. She holds the college’s records for number of assists in a career.
She eventually earned her Master’s degree in Learning and Instruction, with a focus on educational leadership, from Northeastern University in Boston, MA. She has worked at Perkiomen School in Pennsburg, PA and Fay School in Southborough, MA. Her roles have included Assistant Director of Admissions, Director of Financial Aid, English teacher, advisor, coach, dorm parent, and SSAT coordinator.
It is her combined ten years of experience at these schools, a secondary school and a junior boarding school, where she developed a precise understanding of the preparation necessary for applicants to stand out among other applicants in the admission process.