About Us
Barbara Tipton
Leadership With Deep Roots in Education and Industry
Ms. Tipton brings a unique combination of academic leadership and executive search expertise that sets TIS apart. As former Director of Career Planning and Placement at three Southern California colleges, she built her career at the intersection of education and industry—understanding both worlds intimately.
Her family's legacy in higher education spans 14 decades, with family members founding colleges and serving as major donors to educational institutions and technology initiatives. This isn't someone who learned about higher education from the outside—it's in her DNA.
That foundation proved invaluable when she transitioned into executive search. She maintained 100% placement rates during the 90's recruiting for the "For Profit" sector in Southern California—not through volume, but through precision. Her relationships with IBM, Bose, Paramount Studios, JPL, and major law firms weren't transactional—they were built on consistently delivering candidates who succeeded long-term.
What makes Ms. Tipton exceptional is her ability to deliver high-volume projects without sacrificing quality. She's quick-thinking and decisive in high-pressure environments, yet technically discerning enough to assess complex requirements in technology, life sciences, and engineering roles. She's equally comfortable developing candidates, cultivating client relationships, and negotiating complex placements in cost-conscious, technically demanding environments.
When we transitioned to become a third-party vendor for major education institutions and a contract technical/executive recruiter for Fortune 100 companies, we brought that same commitment to quality over quantity—backed by relationships and expertise that span decades.