Jamaican-born Dr Karren Dunkley has been appointed as a consultant for the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), with the responsibility of overseeing the implementation of a four-point programme to end racial discrimination and harassment in the Davis County school district in the state of Utah.
As one of only two Black consultants for the DOJ, Dr. Dunkley has been tasked with focusing on four areas: professional learning, specifically on training in the entire Davis County School District; engagement with families, staff, students and the community; changing the school culture by eliminating the climate of racial harassment; and combating discrimination.
Not new to esteemed positions, in 2019 Dr. Dunkley was voted as the representative of the North East United States on the Global Jamaica Diaspora Council (GJDC).
Read: 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 City, St Catherine to be exact, and attended the Dunrobin Primary and later St Catherine High School.
After completing high school, she worked several jobs before migrating to the United States on a student’s visa in 1992.
Financial constraints led to her not being able to attend Howard University, where she had first applied. But she later applied for and was accepted at St John’s University in Queens, New York, where she completed a bachelor’s degree in government and politics, minoring in education, and then a master’s in international law. Dr. Dunkley went on to earn an MA in International Law, then obtained a second MA in Education, and a PhD in Organization and Leadership at Columbia University.
With a passion for children and education, Dr. Dunkley served in several positions throughout her career, including teacher, principal, urban district deputy superintendent and coach, all while consistently working towards advancing educational opportunities for children and their parents.
She has held various high-level leadership positions in various school districts, turning around failing schools, impacting the lives of students, teachers and parents.
Dr. Dunkley gained national attention in 2011 when she addressed a standing-room-only crowd on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, at the Congressional briefing on the Family Engagement in Education Act, regarding the importance of family engagement in transforming urban schools and increasing student achievement.
She captured the spotlight again in 2016 when she received the prestigious Christian R and Mary F Lindback Foundation Principal’s Leadership Award. She was recognized as one of the seven best principals in Philadelphia, the eighth-largest school district in the United States.
She was also a member of the education transition team for Eric Adams following his election as mayor of New York City.
Dr. Dunkley has also received numerous awards throughout her career including the Tuskegee University Education Advocacy Award, Omega Psi Phi Education Achievement Award, Philadelphia OIC’s Impact Award, and the Team Jamaica Bickle Community Educator Award.
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