New London — Higher Edge, the New London-based nonprofit that guides low-income and first-generation students through the process of applying to and attending college, has appointed a new executive director this month.

Katie Hallisey, who started as a volunteer with Higher Edge when it was founded in 2011 and now serves as the group’s college access program manager, was the unanimous pick of the organization's board of directors. She is scheduled to start her new position this week.

Hallisey will replace Executive Director Theresa Armendarez, who has led the organization for the past three years and is leaving to become the next executive director of Port Discover, a youth science center in North Carolina.

“It has been a privilege to work with an amazing team, and board of directors, to serve New London and Windham students aspiring to attain a college degree,” Armendarez said in a statement. ”Higher Edge has had some tremendous accomplishments in its ten-year history. Katie’s commitment to the community, perspective and experience will build upon these successes, increase its impact, and move the organization forward in its next phase of development.”

Hallisey, who lives in New London with her husband and three children, has 20 years of education and guidance experience and formerly worked as a special education teacher and career and college counselor for the city's school system. As college access program manager for High Edge, she is credited with implementing new ideas to enhance the program’s effectiveness and solidifying community partnerships to better serve students.

“I am beyond excited. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to lead an organization which has inspired me, both professionally and personally - it is quite humbling,” Hallisey said in a statement. “Our students exemplify success and determination and our staff is knowledgeable and caring. I’m excited to serve as Higher Edge’s next Executive Director - to expand our community reach; to broaden our impact; to build upon our foundation. But mostly, I’m excited to share our students’ stories and accomplishments - because they are at the forefront of Higher Edge’s success.”

Higher Edge serves students from 10 high schools and Hallisey said she looking to expand the organization's reach.

Kristi Kelly, president of the Board of Directors of Higher Edge, said in a statement that Higher Edge is thriving because of the innovations and ideas Armendarez implemented during her time there.

“Our students, staff and organization, as a whole, are grateful to Theresa not for simply sustaining Higher Edge, but for advancing our mission and enriching student’s lives through the challenging pandemic era. The Board is confident that the appointment of Katie Hallisey to the helm of Higher Edge will bring many years of success to both our students and the organization, and we are excited to get to work. Katie’s energy and dedication to college access is precisely the right fit,” Kelly said in a statement.

Higher Edge, founded by former state representative Chris Soto, provides support and resources for students from college enrollment through graduation. It served 55 high school students and 155 college students over the past academic year from its New London and Willimantic offices. Higher Edge is now accepting applications for rising seniors for its 2021-2022 College Access Program, a program that collectively applied to 252 colleges and universities and collected more than $450,000 in institutional aid over the past year.

Earlier this month, Higher Edge announced that 17 students in its Success Program graduated from college in 2021.

To learn more visit higheredge.org.

g.smith@theday.com