HFC welcomes Leonard Poole, Admissions Associate

HFC Admissions Associate Leonard Poole was a news producer “for a hot minute,” but soon found his true calling as an educator.

"I’ve taught everything from kindergarten to college," said Poole, of Novi. "I realized I had a passion for helping people and making a difference in their lives. I had some great teachers when I was in school who positively impacted me. I wanted to make that same impact on the next generation like my teachers did for me."

Poole was born in Norton Shores, near Muskegon, and earned his bachelor’s degree in communication arts and theatre from Adrian College. He later earned both his master’s degree in education and his P-3 teaching certification from Western Michigan University. He also completed coursework at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and at Boston University, where he served as a teaching assistant.

Poole served as a substitute teacher, and taught kindergarten at Rogers Elementary School in Pontiac. In early 2026, he joined the Admissions and Recruiting team at HFC, where he reports to Director of Admissions and Recruiting Niko Kanagawa.

"Leonard is a great addition to the Admissions and Recruiting Team," said Kanagawa. "His unique blend of experience and technical know-how has allowed him to settle in quickly to our fast-paced work environment. I've appreciated his energy and enthusiasm for higher education and desire to do what is best for our students. He's certainly driven by the ‘how' and 'why' when it comes to this work, aspects that will continue to serve him well as the team continues to evolve. It feels like Leonard has been a part of this team all along, with his passion for higher education and effervescent personality complementing the rest of the team well."

Helping students through the enrollment process in more efficient ways

Poole’s duties include:

• Processing applications and admissions-related documents
• Fraud detection
• Analyzing data to inform processes and procedures
• Supporting events and the team's work

"I loved my college experience. Now I’m impacting students but in a different way. Working at HFC allows me to work with different populations. That’s what attracted me to the College in the first place. I get to help students through the enrollment process in more efficient ways, having been through it myself not long ago. The opportunity for growth at HFC has also been attractive," explained Poole.

HFC Admissions Recruiter Angie Church, who has been with the team for just over a year, called Poole a wonderful member of their team.

"From the moment Leonard joined the team, he has brought a sense of calm, collegiality, and genuine enthusiasm," said Church. "He approaches every task with curiosity and a readiness to learn, quickly immersing himself in our systems and processes. It is clear that he cares about building strong relationships, and he engages with others in a thoughtful way. He does not shy away from new challenges; he actively leans into uncertainty with an open mind and a willingness to explore solutions. His positive energy and adaptability have made working with him a pleasure. We are excited to see how Leonard continues to grow and flourish at HFC, and we are thrilled to have him as part of our Admissions and Recruiting team."

On-campus Recruiter Alayna Kondraciuk agreed with Church.

"Leonard comes from an education background, so it’s been exciting introducing him to the behind-the-scenes work of admissions," said Kondraciuk. "He’s picked up our processes incredibly quickly and is already bringing forward thoughtful ideas for improvement. It’s been great having a fresh set of eyes on the team. He’s also a great fit for our energetic group. It feels like we skipped the usual ‘getting to know you’ phase and he’s been part of the team all along. We’re very happy to have him and excited to see him grow!"