JACKSON, Miss. (October 30, 2025) – Neel-Schaffer is pleased to announce the addition of two new Project Managers to help expand the firm’s new office in Oxford, MS.

Sara Hopper, PE, and Trey Hopper, PE, have joined the firm and recently relocated to Oxford.

Sara has six years of experience, with a background in designing and managing site development projects. Trey also has six years of experience, with a background in designing and managing water and wastewater projects. Both will manage projects and assist in business development and client management for our growing client base in north Mississippi.

“Trey and Sara are a great addition to our growing Oxford Office,” said Kevin Stafford, PE, Neel-Schaffer’s North Mississippi Operations Manager. “We have had Project Engineers who work in different disciplines in that office for a couple years, working mainly on projects around our footprint but not in Oxford. We are now going to have two new Project Managers working in Oxford and developing relationships and business throughout the community and helping Neel-Schaffer become a part of the community in the same way we are in so many of our other offices.”

This is a homecoming for Sara and Trey, who met as engineering students at the University of Mississippi. Both hold Bachelor of Science degrees in Civil Engineering from Ole Miss, and they have been married since 2021. Additionally, Sara grew up in Oxford and still has family in the city.

Since graduation, Sara has worked for an engineering consulting firm based in Fort Worth, Texas. She has extensive experience in land development, including feasibility studies for preliminary site plans, and design for paving, erosion control, storm drain, sewer, water, electrical and other utilities. She also has experience in working with hydraulic modeling and environmental teams to design grading plans for detention ponds and valley storage areas for floodplain reclamation projects.

Trey worked for two years for a firm in Texas and has worked for the last four years for a Birmingham-based firm. The couple has one young child.

“I am excited to return to my hometown with my family,” said Sara. “Oxford is such a special place, and I am excited that my child will experience growing up here. I also look forward to engaging with the School of Engineering at Ole Miss.”

“Professionally, my goal is to solve problems of all magnitudes and help ensure that Mississippi continues to prosper economically. I believe in service, so I’m enthusiastic about serving my state and community on a personal and professional level, and I’m confident that I can do that with the Neel-Schaffer team behind me.”

Trey has extensive experience providing engineering design and construction management services for water and wastewater plants for municipalities and private entities. His services begin with project inception/scoping through design, construction administration, and project closeout. Trey has also assisted in the development of master plans for water and wastewater systems for populations ranging from several thousand to over 1 million users.

“After spending the past several years working on engineering projects across the Southeast, I’m thrilled to settle down in North Mississippi, a place that has given me some of the most meaningful moments of my life,” said Trey. “Oxford holds a special place in my heart, and I’m excited about the opportunity to live, work, and raise a family here. I believe I was put on this earth to love God and love people, and I see engineering as a way to serve both. I look forward to collaborating with community leaders to help the area grow in a way that enhances the lives of its citizens, students, and visitors for the years to come.”