Jamaican-born Dr Karren Dunkley has been appointed as a advisor for america Division of Justice (DOJ), with the duty of overseeing the implementation of a four-point programme to finish racial discrimination and harassment within the Davis County faculty district within the state of Utah.
As one in every of solely two Black consultants for the DOJ, Dr. Dunkley has been tasked with specializing in 4 areas: skilled studying, particularly on coaching in the complete Davis County Faculty District; engagement with households, workers, college students and the neighborhood; altering the varsity tradition by eliminating the local weather of racial harassment; and combating discrimination.
Not new to esteemed positions, in 2019 Dr. Dunkley was voted because the consultant of the North East United States on the Global Jamaica Diaspora Council (GJDC).
Learn: Philly Educator Dr. Karren Dunkley Is JA Global Diaspora Rep for NE USA
Humble beginnings in Jamaica
Dr. Dunkley was born and raised in Jamaica, in Ensom Metropolis, St Catherine to be actual, and attended the Dunrobin Major and later St Catherine Excessive Faculty.
After finishing highschool, she labored a number of jobs earlier than migrating to america on a scholar’s visa in 1992.
Monetary constraints led to her not with the ability to attend Howard College, the place she had first utilized. However she later utilized for and was accepted at St John’s College in Queens, New York, the place she accomplished a bachelor’s diploma in authorities and politics, minoring in schooling, after which a grasp’s in worldwide legislation. Dr. Dunkley went on to earn an MA in Worldwide Regulation, then obtained a second MA in Schooling, and a PhD in Group and Management at Columbia College.
With a ardour for kids and schooling, Dr. Dunkley served in a number of positions all through her profession, together with trainer, principal, city district deputy superintendent and coach, all whereas persistently working in direction of advancing academic alternatives for kids and their mother and father.
She has held varied high-level management positions in varied faculty districts, turning round failing faculties, impacting the lives of scholars, lecturers and fogeys.
Dr. Dunkley gained nationwide consideration in 2011 when she addressed a standing-room-only crowd on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on the Congressional briefing on the Household Engagement in Schooling Act, concerning the significance of household engagement in reworking city faculties and growing scholar achievement.
She captured the highlight once more in 2016 when she obtained the celebrated Christian R and Mary F Lindback Basis Principal’s Management Award. She was acknowledged as one of many seven finest principals in Philadelphia, the eighth-largest faculty district in america.
She was additionally a member of the schooling transition group for Eric Adams following his election as mayor of New York Metropolis.
Dr. Dunkley has additionally obtained quite a few awards all through her profession together with the Tuskegee College Schooling Advocacy Award, Omega Psi Phi Schooling Achievement Award, Philadelphia OIC’s Influence Award, and the Crew Jamaica Bickle Neighborhood Educator Award.
