Director of the University of Georgia Gwinnett Campus
Dr. Karen Bryant serves as the Director of the University of Georgia Gwinnett Campus, a professional education campus that provides access to top-ranked graduate and non-degree programs for working adults in the metro-Atlanta region. The campus also promotes economic and community development through business and community partnerships, training programs, and events.
Prior to joining the graduate faculty at UGA, Dr. Bryant worked for 30 years in K-12 education, serving as a classroom teacher, assistant principal, principal, district director of curriculum, district director of federal programs, and district leadership development mentor. She has held leadership positions in the Mary Frances Early College of Education, including Educational Administration and Policy Program Coordinator and Department Head of Lifelong Education, Administration, and Policy.
Dr. Bryant has taught numerous school and district leaders in Georgia through Educational Leadership degree and certification programs in the Mary Frances Early College of Education. She chairs doctoral committees for candidates who are working toward the EdD in Educational Leadership. Her research interests include collaborative partnerships between school districts and educator preparation programs, action research as a tool to prepare effective scholar-practitioner leaders, and effective school leadership. She has served as a consultant working with school districts in Georgia, Texas, and Pennsylvania on leadership development, strategic planning, and school improvement. She has facilitated reviews of principal preparation programs at Ohio State University, Morgan State University, and San Diego State University.
Dr. Bryant received a bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, in elementary education, a specialist degree in educational administration, and a doctoral degree in educational leadership, all from the University of Georgia. She also received a master’s degree in early childhood education from Mercer University. Dr. Bryant was recognized by the Georgia Association of Educational Leaders with the Dr. Jimmy Stokes Distinguished Service Award in 2025. She has been recognized by the University of Georgia Career Center from 2015-2023 for contributing to the career development of graduates.
