Tiffany Richardson joined the Oceanside Collegiate Academy Landshark family in November of 2025, serving in the role of Guidance Counselor. It is not an unfamiliar role for Richardson, who has served as a guidance counselor in the Charleston School District since 2012.
“We are very blessed to have Ms. Richardson here at OCA,” Landsharks Interim Principal Mike Lorenz said. “She has a ton of experience as a high school guidance counselor and a passion for assisting students with their mental health.”
Richardson said she became excited about the opportunity at OCA from the very start.
“When I first learned about the opening at Oceanside, I was eager to find out more,” Richardson said. “After speaking with Mr. Lorenz, my interest in Oceanside only grew. The walk we had through the school really impressed me and the variety and quality of the programs available to the students are outstanding. I am absolutely thrilled to be a part of the Oceanside family.”
Richardson attended Burke High in Charleston where she was involved with the social club while also lettering in basketball and volleyball. She became interested in counseling while assisting the school counselor during the summer.
“Mrs. Lawanda Glears helped me to find an interest in counseling and made a significant impact on me as a student,” Richardson said. “I realized that I was not reaching my fill potential as a student at that time, but she helped me turn things around.”
Richardson went on to attend Morris College in Sumter, SC, where she earned a B.S. in Business Administration in 1999 while also competing as a member of the Hornets’ basketball team. From there she went on to Webster University, which is based in Missouri, earning a Master of Arts in Counseling with a focus on Community Mental Health in 2009. She also attended The Citadel, earning her M.Ed. in Counselor Education in 2012 with a certification as a Secondary School Counselor.
Richardson’s counseling career has included stints with the school districts in both Charleston and Berkeley Counties, the South Carolina Department of Mental Health and the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation. She also worked at James Island Charter as a teacher and at St. George Middle School as a tutor and mentor.
“The most rewarding aspect of my work is witnessing the students achieve their goals and progress toward new opportunities,” Richardson said. “I don’t have a magic wand or a crystal ball or all the answers, but I do have a heart to care, ears to listen, time to give, ideas to share and an open mind.
“I may not be able to fix all your problems, but I can promise that you won’t have to face them along. I am here for you.”
Her most recent position was with the Lowcountry Leadership Charter School in Meggett, SC, where she oversaw school counseling. Those duties included conflict resolution for students, parents and staff over academic and social issues, 504 plan meetings, MTSS planning for student placement and Tier 3 services, enrolling new students as well as class scheduling and IGP meetings for students from 8th grade through senior year.
She served on the schools’ administrative team, assisting with the implementation of all policies and rules governing student life and conduct, both inside and outside the classroom.
Prior to her time at Lowcountry Leadership, she was the school counselor for North Charleston High from 2018-22, bridging the difficult period during the Covid pandemic. She also served as the school counselor for Goose Creek High during the 2017-18 school year.
Prior to her high school counseling career, Richardson served as a clinical counselor and therapeutic assistant at the Medical School of South Carolina in the STAR program, working with children from ages 4-16. She also worked with special needs children for the South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs.
“I honestly believe the people who lift you up change with the different seasons of your life,” Richardson said. “My life has been uniquely beautiful, and I’m grateful for every single moment of it. There are a few moments I wouldn’t mind skipping, but I trust that God’s plan is so detailed, for every moment happens some are blessings, others are lessons, and every lesson somehow teaches you to recognize life’s blessings that come after.”
Richardson is the oldest of five children and has two adult children of her own – Ashley Bryan, a 2025 graduate of South Carolina State, and Mackenzie Bryan, a 2023 graduate of Winthrop University.
In addition to her passion for education, Richardson has coached middle school girls’ basketball and is a fan of Romantic Comedies and old movies. She enjoys reading self-help books as well as books by black authors and enjoys all kinds of music.
