diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/admin/+page.svelte b/frontend/src/routes/admin/+page.svelte
index a2acab4..61f45c5 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/admin/+page.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/admin/+page.svelte
@@ -28,12 +28,22 @@
       return;
     }
     try {
-      await loadStats();
-      feedback = await getJSON('/api/admin/feedback');
-      candidates = await getJSON('/api/admin/candidates');
-      wpPool = await getJSON('/api/admin/word/pool');
-      clientErrors = await getJSON('/api/admin/client-errors');
-      wsThemes = await getJSON('/api/admin/wordsearch/themes');
+      // Load all panels in PARALLEL — these were sequential awaits, so the page
+      // paid the (uncached, origin) round-trip six times back-to-back. One batch
+      // instead of a chain.
+      const [, fb, cand, wp, ce, ws] = await Promise.all([
+        loadStats(),
+        getJSON('/api/admin/feedback'),
+        getJSON('/api/admin/candidates'),
+        getJSON('/api/admin/word/pool'),
+        getJSON('/api/admin/client-errors'),
+        getJSON('/api/admin/wordsearch/themes'),
+      ]);
+      feedback = fb;
+      candidates = cand;
+      wpPool = wp;
+      clientErrors = ce;
+      wsThemes = ws;
     } catch {
       error = "Couldn't load stats.";
     }
diff --git a/goodnews/api.py b/goodnews/api.py
index 954edab..959153b 100644
--- a/goodnews/api.py
+++ b/goodnews/api.py
@@ -1676,11 +1676,17 @@ def create_app() -> FastAPI:
 
     @app.get("/api/brief", response_model=BriefResponse)
     def brief(
+        response: Response,
         date: str | None = Query(None),
         limit: int = Query(10, ge=1, le=50),
         prefs: str | None = Query(None),
         exclude: str = Query("", description="comma-separated article ids the reader has dismissed"),
     ) -> BriefResponse:
+        # The default highlights are global (date-keyed, no session) → edge-cacheable
+        # so a new visitor's "Gathering the good news…" resolves from their POP, not
+        # a pull to the residential origin. Personal filters stay private.
+        shareable = not prefs and not exclude.strip()
+        response.headers["Cache-Control"] = _EDGE_FEED if shareable else _PRIVATE
         fp = prefs_from_json(prefs)
         now = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
         excl = {int(x) for x in exclude.split(",") if x.strip().lstrip("-").isdigit()}
diff --git a/tests/test_api.py b/tests/test_api.py
index f977e3b..ade11db 100644
--- a/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/tests/test_api.py
@@ -107,3 +107,10 @@ def test_feed_cache_boundary(client):
     assert client.get("/api/feed", params={"following": "true"}).headers.get("cache-control") == "private, no-store"
     assert client.get("/api/feed", params={"prefs": json.dumps({"mute_topics": ["science"]})}).headers.get("cache-control") == "private, no-store"
     assert client.get("/api/feed", params={"exclude": "1,2"}).headers.get("cache-control") == "private, no-store"
+
+
+def test_brief_cache_boundary(client):
+    # Default highlights are global → public; personal filters → private.
+    assert "public" in client.get("/api/brief").headers.get("cache-control", "")
+    assert client.get("/api/brief", params={"prefs": json.dumps({"mute_topics": ["health"]})}).headers.get("cache-control") == "private, no-store"
+    assert client.get("/api/brief", params={"exclude": "3"}).headers.get("cache-control") == "private, no-store"