Meet the Admissions Staff

"At girls' schools, we believe that single-sex education is not merely a matter of separating girls and boys. It's about making sure girls take center stage, while drawing upon all that we know about the way we grow and learn. It's not just the classroom. It's the combination of the community, the culture and the climate girls' schools offer that makes all-girl education such a powerful and transformative experience."

-National Coalition of Girls Schools NCGS Information

Debbie Young '79 (dyoung@gps.edu)
GPS Director of Admissions
B.S. University of Tennessee Knoxville
(423) 634-7645

Debbie Young has been a part of GPS since her days as a student here. After college, she worked full time at GPS as a physical education teacher, volleyball, and track coach, moving to part-time employment after the birth of her first child. She and her husband Carter are the parents of three boys, with whom they enjoy attending many sporting events, especially college football, and any outdoor activity.


Barbara Hodges (bhodges@gps.edu)
Assistant Director of Admissions
B.F.A. University of Georgia
(423) 634-7647

Barbara brings over 15 years of experience to the Admissions office at GPS. She and her husband Glynn moved to Chattanooga in 1980. Their daughter Alice is a 1993 graduate of GPS, and their son Matt is a 1989 graduate of the McCallie School. During her daughter’s years as a GPS Bruiser, Barbara became a full-time member of the Admissions staff. She and her husband can be found on the river or lake almost every weekend as they enjoy their new hobby, boating.


Ryan Kirk Kopet '00 (rkirk@gps.edu)
Assistant Director of Admissions, Golf Coach
B.A. University of Tennessee Knoxville
(423) 634-7648

After working as Assistant Director of Golf at Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Florida, Ryan returned to her alma mater in 2006 as head coach of the GPS golf program. A former GPS and University of Tennessee golfer, Ryan is proud to be a part of the program that contributed to her golfing success. As Assistant Director of Admissions, Ryan hopes to welcome girls to the wonderful opportunities at GPS. She lives in Chattanooga with her husband Brian.


Christie Collins (ccollins@gps.edu)
Admissions Assistant
(423) 634-7644

Before coming to GPS in the summer of 2007, Christie served as Sales Account Team Specialist with CUNA Mutual Group in Chattanooga, assisting several Account Managers across the Southeast. She is excited to be a part of the GPS team and considers it an honor to assist the Admissions staff and all the wonderful girls and families at GPS. Christie lives in Rossville, GA, with her husband Brent and two sons, Cameron and Kevin.