Education Consultant
Day and Boarding Schools (middle school - high school)
Clare Anderson joined the School Counseling Group in 2002. She received her B.A. from Washington & Lee University and her M.Ed. from the University of Virginia in Counselor Education. Most recently, Ms. Anderson served as Placement Counselor and Director of College Recruitment at Independent Educational Services (IES), a non-profit teacher/administrator placement firm for independent schools nationwide. Prior to IES, Ms. Anderson spent three years as the Upper School Counselor at Providence Day School in Charlotte, North Carolina. She grew up in Texas and Washington, DC, where she attended the National Cathedral School, and graduated from the Pomfret School in Connecticut. Ms. Anderson is a member of the IECA and WISER.
Office and Billing Manager
Lindsay Donnellan came to The School Counseling Group in 2007. Ms. Donnellan attended Montgomery County public schools, graduating from Thomas S. Wootton High School. An alum of North Carolina Outward Bound, she has experienced the many types of programs to which the consultants at SCG refer. Nominated to attend the United States Air Force Academy, Ms. Donnellan opted instead to attend St. Joseph's University, concentrating in Criminal Justice. As a transport professional working with Adolescent Intervention Services she has accompanied students to wilderness therapy programs throughout the country. Ms. Donnellan has also managed the budgets, schedules and staffs of several small, local businesses. At SCG she is the office and billing manager and assistant to the counselors.
Ethna Brennan Hopper, MA, IECA, CEP
Founder
Schools and Crisis Intervention (all ages - high school)
Ethna Hopper has 45 years of experience in the field of education. After receiving a B.A. from University College in Dublin, Ireland she earned an M.A. in Guidance and Counseling from Catholic University in Washington, DC. She has served as the coordinator of Special Instruction at Sidwell Friends School in Washington, and before entering private practice she was a teacher, counselor and Director of Testing at Purnell School, a boarding school in New Jersey. Her sixteen years of teaching include extensive work with learning disabled children. Mrs. Hopper co-founded and is currently a member of WISER.
Education Consultant
Colleges, Universities and Gap Year (high school higher education planning)
Oakes Hunnewell joined the School Counseling Group in 2004 after nine years as an educator. Born and raised in Paris, France, Mr. Hunnewell moved to the United States for secondary school and graduated from Proctor Academy in New Hampshire. Mr. Hunnewell earned a B.A. in Political Science from Syracuse University. He worked for one year in Washington, DC, for Congressman Richard Gephardt before embarking on his career in teaching at Dutchess Day School, in Millbrook, NY, where he taught French, History and Science. He then earned an Ed. M. in School Administration from Harvard University. While at Harvard he worked extensively with Shackleton Schools, an experiential education secondary school in Massachusetts, developing curricula and preparing for its first year of operation. After earning his Ed. M., Mr. Hunnewell spent six years at St. Andrew's Episcopal School in Potomac, MD, where he worked in admissions, advised juniors, coached tennis and taught French. Mr. Hunnewell is an associate member of the IECA.
Education Consultant
Day and Boarding Schools (pre-K - high school)
Leigh Martin joined the School Counseling Group in 2005 as a day school counselor. She received her B.A. from Southern Methodist University and her Ed. M. in Language and Literacy from Harvard University. During her graduate studies, she was an Educational Specialist intern at Children's Hospital in the School Function Clinic. After spending two years at Tower School (in Marblehead, Massachusetts) as a learning specialist, she spent one year at Carney Sandoe and Associates, a teacher/administrative placement firm for independent schools nationwide. Ms. Martin also worked at St. Patrick's Episcopal Day School as a part-time Lower School Resource teacher where she served as a member of the Admissions Committee. Before her move to Boston, Ms. Martin worked in the Washington DC area at Georgetown Day School and Potomac School as a classroom teacher and lower school intern. She is an associate member of IECA, a member of WISER, a member of the Greater Washington Reading Council, and a member of the International Reading Association.
Client Relations Coordinator
Susan Puritz joined the School Counseling Group in 2006. Born and raised in Annapolis, she attended public schools in Annapolis and later received her B.A. from Denison University. Ms. Puritz began her career in sales and marketing and after fourteen years left to raise her children. Ms. Puritz devoted her professional skills to providing active leadership in the school community, serving as PTA President and Head of Fundraising for a Montgomery County elementary school. Mrs. Puritz brings a range and depth of experiences to SCG where she supports and facilitates family and school communications for the director, as well as supporting the overall functioning of the office
Alexandra Ruttenberg, Ed.M., IECA, CEP
University Admissions and Career Counseling
Colleges and Universities
Alexandra Ruttenberg earned her B.A. cum laude from Yale University and her Ed.M. in counseling from Harvard University and is currently a doctoral candidate in education at George Washington University. After spending two years in psychological research and in school admissions, Ms. Ruttenberg joined the School Counseling Group in 1993. For eight years she provided counseling through SCG to the education office at The World Bank and The International Monetary Fund for grades pre-K through college. In addition to her private practice, she has been the Bank and Fund consultant on all college and university placements for children, and a spouse career advisor.
Peter A. Sturtevant, Jr., MA, IECA, NACAC
Director
Schools, Crisis Intervention, Mentoring, and Gap Year
Peter A. Sturtevant, Jr. became Director of the School Counseling Group in 2000, after eighteen years in independent schools. From 1992-2000, Mr. Sturtevant served as Head of School at, first, The Gunston School and, later, Gunston Day School in Centreville, Maryland. Previously, Mr.Sturtevant worked for ten years at the Maret School in Washington, DC, teaching English and humanities, coaching, advising seniors in the college admissions process, and serving as Senior Master of the Upper School. Other than attending Vermont public schools for two years as a child, Mr Sturtevant is a Washington, DC native, having attended the Potomac School and Landon School before receiving his B.A. from Bowdoin College and his M.A. from Middlebury College. He is a member of WISER, ACCESS and NACAC.
Andrew R. N. Walpole, M.Ed., IECA
Education Consultant
Boarding Schools
Andrew Walpole joined the School Counseling Group in 2002. A graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy (NH), Mr. Walpole spent his summers, while a student at the College of William and Mary, working as a counselor at Wolfeboro Camp School (NH). He earned his M.Ed. in Counselor Education from the University of Virginia. His work in admissions began at Cushing Academy (MA), where he also served as math teacher, coach, and dorm parent. Mr. Walpole has also been Director of Admissions at Chatham Hall (VA) and at Blue Ridge School (VA). He currently serves as Director of Admission and Financial Aid at Sanford School (DE). Mr. Walpole has also served as President of Small Boarding School Association from 2000 to 2003. Mr. Walpole also serves on the Board of Nativity Preparatory School in Wilmington, DE, and on the Marketing Committee of ADVIS, as well as being a member of IECA.
Jenney G. Wilder, M.S.Ed.
Education Consultant
Schools and Crisis Intervention (all ages - high school)
Jenney Wilder joined the School Counseling Group in 2005. She received a B.A. from Wheaton College (MA) and an M.S.Ed. from Bank Street College of Education (NY) with New York State teaching certifications in childhood general and special education. She is in the process of transferring her teaching certifications to Washington, DC. While a student at Bank Street, Ms. Wilder taught in two New York City public schools, one in East Harlem and the other in Tribeca. She also privately tutored students in reading and writing. Before earning her special education degree with an eye to becoming an educational consultant, Ms. Wilder spent five years at three successful start-up companies in Silicon Valley. Ms. Wilder is a native of the Washington , D.C. area where she attended public schools in Montgomery County before graduating from the Maret School. Ms. Wilder is an associate member of the IECA and a board member of WISER.
NACAC- National Association of College Admissions Counselors
WISER – Washington Independent Services for Education Resources