Diane Cottle

During her 30 years as counselor at Piedmont High School, Diane Cottle counseled over 2,500 students and their families in their preparation for college and the achievement of their personal goals. In 1984, she founded the “School Climate Program” at Piedmont and coordinated that program for 20 years. During that time period she coached over 300 students in leadership roles, which resulted in over 120 events and programs, and the program also became a model for other California schools. Many of her students went on to leadership positions in college and in their respective career fields. The program received national recognition, and on the occasion of her retirement in 2004, she received a commendation from the United States Senate.

Following her 30 years at Piedmont, Diane developed a private consulting business for teens and young adults, providing self-assessment tools, life skills coaching, essay development, interview practice, application preparation, and college/career preference advising. Throughout her career she has been a member of numerous consulting organizations and personally visited over 80 colleges and universities.