B.J. Hopper, M.Ed

Member, Independent Educational Consultants Association

Certified Educational Planner

BJ Hopper has been an independent educational consultant since 1986.  As an educational consultant Ms. Hopper is able to assist families in making decisions regarding their child’s school placement.  In addition to helping families determine the most appropriate educational placement for their child, Ms. Hopper also works with families to assist them in developing a full understanding of their child’s academic strengths and weaknesses. Ms. Hopper is able to provide recommendations for boarding schools, special purpose programs, and colleges throughout the United States and abroad.

Ms. Hopper has been active in the fields of counseling and education for more than 20 years.  She has taught grades three through twelve and has been employed by both public and private schools.  While in the Atlanta area, Ms. Hopper has been employed by Cobb County Schools and the Walker School.  In addition, Ms. Hopper has experience in working with students who possess special needs.  For seven years she was a teacher and the guidance counselor at Mill Springs Academy in Alpharetta, GA.  Ms. Hopper has also held the position of Child and Education Consultant and therapist for Northside Hospital’s Mental Health Center and worked as a family counselor at the Roswell United Methodist Counseling Center.

Ms. Hopper is a member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association, a national organization of consultants with 500 members across the United States, Asia, and Europe.  She is past Vice President of the organization and chair of the Ethics Committee.  She has also served on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the organization.  She is past Chair of the Membership Committee and the Principles and Practices Institute.  She is a Certified Educational Planner, and has conducted training workshops for prospective educational consultants in various cities in the United States.  Ms. Hopper has served on the Advisory Board of the Brown/Cedu Schools in California and Idaho, and of Auldern Academy in North Carolina.

In order to remain current in her knowledge of schools and programs, Ms. Hopper spends about twenty-five percent of her time traveling and visiting schools and programs in the United States and abroad.  She attends professional conferences and workshops on a regular basis in order to increase her knowledge of trends in education, admissions, and various social issues that affect young people.

Ms. Hopper received her B.S. in Education at the University of Memphis and her M.Ed. in Counseling and Psychological Services at Georgia State University.

Rosemary G. Tippett, M.A.

Educational Consultant

Rosemary Gagliano Tippett has spent approximately 30 years assisting adolescents struggling with behavioral issues and academic weaknesses.  She has worked in both the public and private sectors of the adolescent treatment field, working directly with adolescent groups and parent groups, providing individual counseling, and conducting staff training and development.  Ms. Tippett recently joined B.J. Hopper in her educational consulting practice. 

Ms. Tippett served as Program Director at an adolescent treatment facility for 10 years before moving to Atlanta in 1991.  She spent the next 15 years working for a private adolescent treatment company specializing in addressing the needs of adolescents with behavioral, academic and related issues.  

Ms. Tippett was a founding Board Member of the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP) and remained on the Board as a Volunteer for 8 years before joining the NATSAP staff as  Director of Member Services. Ms. Tippett most recently served the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) as its Outreach Coordinator. 

Ms. Tippett feels that her time working directly in adolescent treatment programs and schools, combined with her experiences at both NATSAP and IECA, has given her a unique ability to assist families in making decisions regarding the needs of their children.

Ms. Tippett has applied for membership with IECA and continues to attend workshops and professional conferences in order to maintain current knowledge of schools and programs. Ms. Tippett visits schools and programs throughout the United States on a regular basis in order to stay current.

Ms. Tippett received her B.S. in Social Work from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and her M.A. in Counseling from the University of Alabama-Birmingham.