Director of College Counseling Services

Sierra Leickert

Home / Meet The Team / Sierra Leickert

Meet Sierra

A veteran teacher and counselor, Sierra Leickert has accumulated nearly a decade of experience guiding students through their educational journeys. She taught math and science at high-performing charter schools in New Orleans and Washington, DC, and now serves as an independent counselor in the DMV area. As Director of Counseling Services at Moxie, Sierra is deeply committed to empowering students as they navigate high school and the college admissions process.

Sierra’s philosophy as a counselor is all about reducing stress – for her students and their families. She believes every student has a unique story, and high school is an exciting time to start exploring and shaping those narratives. Whether it’s discovering hidden passions or finding the right academic path, Sierra guides students through the process with empathy and individualized support.

Through a student-centered approach and collaborative planning, Sierra helps students create a clear roadmap with achievable checkpoints. This transforms the admissions process from daunting into a meaningful journey, allowing students to find value and enjoyment in the process.

Ultimately, Sierra’s goal is to help students submit applications that they’re proud of and that maximize their results. Her dedication centers on helping students identify match institutions, understanding that a happy student is a thriving student. Sierra particularly enjoys the writing process and views the college essay as a powerful tool for students to tell their stories and showcase their individuality. She excels at guiding students to uncover their strengths and articulate their experiences in a way that highlights their full potential.

Education & Career

Sierra attended the University of Virginia, where she studied Psychology and Youth & Social Innovation. Her passion for access to higher education and educational equity ignited there, leading her to earn a Master of Public Policy degree. Originally from Virginia Beach, Sierra currently resides in Arlington. Outside of work, Sierra is an avid athlete, competing as an Olympic weightlifter.

Sierra Leickert

Sierra Leickert

Director of College Counseling Services

Sierra is a Member Of:

National Association for College Admission Counseling
Higher Education Consultants Association
Independent Educational Consultants Association

Experience Working With Sierra

Working with Sierra Leickert for our daughter’s college application journey was a godsend… [read more]2025-02-06T04:50:42-05:00

Working with Sierra Leickert for our daughter’s college application journey was a godsend for our family. We all felt a lot of trepidation around the entire process, especially given how competitive the DC area is – the students all feel a tremendous amount of pressure.

Sierra’s calm demeanor, and her experience and expertise were all incredibly reassuring. After our initial meetings, we felt inspired to get more excited about the whole process. She got to know our daughter and was able to recommend a number of schools that weren’t on our radar, but that would be a good fit.

Sierra’s work with our daughter on her essay was amazing. She asked a lot of questions to draw our daughter out, and helped her truly shine in her essay. I remember Sierra said “We want her essay to be something that only she could write.” And Sierra helped her accomplish that! They worked together on it over the course of the summer and we as parents didn’t get involved at all. It was a really positive experience for our daughter – she was proud of her essay, and we were really impressed by the finished product. Our daughter’s personality and personal experience really came through. Best of all, our daughter was very happy that she had her essay “final” by September of her senior year, while most of her classmates hadn’t started theirs. (She actually said “I’m so glad you found Sierra to work with me!”)

Sierra’s assistance throughout the entire application process, staying in touch with our daughter to check her progress, was super helpful. It meant that we as parents didn’t have to “oversee” it, which helped our daughter feel more autonomous (and decreased potential family stress). The whole experience was so much easier thanks to Sierra, and we would highly recommend her for anyone looking for support with this process!

~ Parent of Bishop O’Connell Student ’25

Can’t say enough positive things about working with Sierra! She was knowledgeable and attentive… [read more]2025-03-31T14:30:22-04:00

Can’t say enough positive things about working with Sierra! She was knowledgeable and attentive, efficiently working with our daughter to guide her to craft a standout essay. Her personal approach helped our daughter stay calm during a very stressful time. She was a constant source of encouragement throughout the process. We highly recommend Sierra!

~ Parent of Berman Hebrew Academy Student ’25

Thank you, Sierra, for all of your guidance, encouragement, and support of our daughter throughout the college application… [read more]2025-10-24T07:14:04-04:00

Thank you, Sierra, for all of your guidance, encouragement, and support of our daughter throughout the college application process. We truly appreciate your expertise and the way you motivated her to stay on track with her tasks each week. It has been wonderful to watch her confidence grow and so rewarding to celebrate her first college acceptance—complete with a merit scholarship—in October! Our daughter has shared how much she enjoyed working with Sierra. Sierra helped her learn how to break down what once felt like overwhelming projects into clear, manageable writing steps.

~ Theodore Roosevelt High School Parent ’26

Sierra was an absolute delight and overall incredible throughout my entire application process… [read more]2026-01-28T20:59:34-05:00

Sierra was an absolute delight and overall incredible throughout my entire application process. She was not only extremely dedicated and detail-oriented, but also genuinely kind and supportive, which made the experience feel exciting instead of stressful. From essay writing to college preparation and helping me refine my top choice, she kept me motivated and confident every step of the way. She helped me finish my application before some of my friends even thought about what schools they would apply to. Her diligence kept me ahead of the game, and because of her guidance, I was accepted into my dream school with a scholarship. I am incredibly grateful for her ongoing support and would highly recommend her to anyone navigating the college admissions process.

~ Student of Langley High School, 2026

Sierra and the Moxie team could not have made this process easier or more affirming for our child… [read more]2026-01-28T20:53:37-05:00

Sierra and the Moxie team could not have made this process easier or more affirming for our child. From start to finish, he felt supported and encouraged, which boosted his confidence and motivation. Thanks to their guidance, he’s excited and ready for his next steps! We’ve already been recommending Moxie to others, and we can’t say enough about the positive impact they’ve had on his experience.

~ Parent of School Without Walls, 2024

Our family has had such a positive experience working with Sierra, and she truly… [read more]2026-01-23T11:59:45-05:00

Our family has had such a positive experience working with Sierra, and she truly was one of the most reassuring parts of my college application journey. From the very beginning, she made me feel supported and confident about the entire process. She helped me with every step, ensuring that I was never overwhelmed or taking on more than I could handle. Thanks to her support, I was able to get accepted to my top choices, which I truly couldn’t have done without her. I am incredibly grateful for everything Sierra has done for me, and I would wholeheartedly recommend her to any student who is navigating the college admissions process.

~ Student of Langley High School, 2026

Embrace your journey

Learn about our experience and great results.

Embrace your journey

Learn about our experience and great results.

Go to Top