Who can tell me more?

Your admissions counselor may be the first person you meet at VES. We'd like to tell you a little bit about ourselves, so that you can get to know us better. If you'd like to meet us in person, we'll help you arrange a campus visit, or you can see if we'll be visiting your area.



Katherine Saunders
Director of Admissions
Phone: 434.610.2261
Email: ksaunders@ves.org

Kate Saunders is the Director of Admissions at VES. She is a boarding school graduate from Tabor Academy in MA. She attended Lynchburg College and earned a BA in French and Theatre Design Technology. She has over 10 years of experience in college and independent school admissions. Kate serves as the dormitory head for the freshmen boarding girls. She and her husband and two children live on campus in the new dormitory. Kate loves the boarding school way of life and is proud to be a part of the VES community.


Pamela Barile
Director of Financial Aid
Phone: 434.385.3601
Email: pbarile@ves.org

As Director of Financial Aid at VES, Pam oversees the admissions staff and the entire admissions process, in addition to recruiting students around the world. She holds a bachelor's degree in business management from Lynchburg College in Lynchburg, Virginia. One of her favorite aspects of VES is the "warmth of the community. It makes VES a special place for students to become the best they can be."


Margaret Lyle Jones ('95)
Associate Director of Admissions
Phone: 434.385.3602
Email: mjones@ves.org

Margaret Lyle Jones (VES '95) received a B.A. in Spanish and Government with a certificate in Latin American & Caribbean Studies from Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina. As Associate Director of Admission, Margaret Lyle is responsible for identifying and recruiting prospective students in the states of Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. She is thrilled to be back at VES!


James Stikeleather
Admission Counselor
Phone: 434.385.3815
Email: jstikeleather@ves.org

After studying English and History at the University of Mississippi, James lived and worked in Asheville, NC and Jackson Hole, WY. Originally from Richmond, he was thrilled to join the VES community in August of 2007. In addition to helping out the admissions department, James lives on campus and serves as an assistant coach to the cross country, basketball, and lacrosse teams.