Karis Clarke

Biography

Degrees

• B.A., Florida A&M University
• PB, Florida State University
• M.A.T., College of Charleston;
• Ed.S., South Carolina State University;
• Ed.D. South Carolina State University

About Karis

Karis L. Clarke is an accomplished higher education leader whose career spans more than fifteen years of service to students, faculty, and academic institutions across the United States. She currently serves as a Dean of Instruction at Bakersfield College, where she provides academic and operational oversight for the Education, Child Development, Culinary Arts, Nutrition, and Hospitality Departments, as well as the Child Development Center and the Tutoring Center. In this role, she leads strategic planning, program development, accreditation efforts, and faculty support services that directly impact student success and institutional effectiveness. Her work at Bakersfield College reflects her long-standing commitment to access, equity, and high‑quality instruction across diverse educational settings.

Prior to joining Bakersfield College, Karis served as a Professor, Director and Assistant Dean in the College of Education and Health Sciences at Touro University California.  In these roles, she provided academic leadership to graduate‑level teacher preparation and educational leadership programs, guided accreditation processes, strengthened community partnerships, and supported faculty development. Her leadership helped shape innovative curriculum models, enhanced the quality of clinical practice experiences, and reinforced the mission‑driven priorities of the institution.

Across her career, Karis has consistently worked to meet the educational needs of students locally, nationally, and internationally.  Her professional trajectory reflects a deep commitment to preparing educators and leaders who are responsive to the evolving demands of schools, communities, and global societies. With more than fifteen years of experience in teacher education and educational leadership, she has influenced program development, accreditation alignment, and instructional quality at multiple levels of higher education. Her expertise includes curriculum planning, instructional strategies, program evaluation, and the design and implementation of training programs that support faculty, pre‑service teachers, school leaders, and education professionals.

As a leader and mentor, Karis fosters dynamic, inclusive, and high-performing instructional environments that enhance the student experience and promote persistence and retention. She believes in cultivating academic cultures rooted in collaboration, reflective practice, and continuous improvement. Throughout her administrative career, she has worked closely with faculty, staff, and external stakeholders to advance institutional goals while centering student learning and success. Her collaborative approach allows her to bridge operational needs with strategic direction, strengthening programs while upholding institutional vision and mission.

Karis is highly credentialed, holding multiple teaching and administrative licenses across several states. She is a certified early childhood teacher, elementary supervisor, elementary principal, and superintendent in South Carolina.  In Georgia, she holds certifications as an elementary education teacher (P–5) and as an administrator with an Educational Leadership Tier II credential. In California, she holds a multiple subject teaching credential and an Administrative Services Credential. These credentials reflect her broad expertise in P–12 education and her ability to navigate varied state-level policy landscapes while preparing educators who can do the same.

Her early career as a classroom teacher in the Beaufort County School District in Beaufort, South Carolina, shaped her understanding of the diverse needs of young learners. She taught pre-kindergarten, second grade, and third grade, experiences that deepened her commitment to early childhood and elementary education. These formative years in K–12 classrooms inform her leadership philosophy today, grounding her decisions in firsthand knowledge of teaching environments, student needs, and the complexity of instructional practice.

Following her work in public schools, Karis transitioned into higher education, where she has held a series of influential faculty and administrative positions. She served as an instructor and university supervisor at Winthrop University, supporting teacher candidates through coursework and clinical field experiences. She later joined Morris College, where she served as Assistant Professor, Coordinator, Title III Activity Director, and Interim Director of Teacher Education. These roles allowed her to oversee accreditation activities, manage federal grant initiatives, and strengthen pathways for teacher preparation at a historically Black college.

Her leadership continued to expand when she became Director of Teacher Education at Columbia College, followed by service as Associate Professor and Department Head of Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education at Anderson University. She later served as Associate Professor and Department Chair of Educational Leadership at Clark Atlanta University, where she oversaw advanced leadership programs designed to prepare principals, district administrators, and educational policymakers. These roles further demonstrate her depth of experience across multiple institutional types, including public universities, private colleges, and faith-based institutions.

She also continues to contribute to the field as an education consultant, providing expertise in accreditation, program design, leadership development, and organizational improvement to institutions and agencies.

Karis’s academic credentials further illustrate her dedication to educational excellence. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Florida A&M University and a Master of Arts in Teaching in Early Childhood Education from the College of Charleston. She later earned both an Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) and Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Administration from South Carolina State University, where she developed advanced expertise in organizational leadership, school improvement, and P–20 educational systems. In addition, she completed post‑baccalaureate coursework at Florida State University, enriching her scholarly and professional preparation.

Across all roles, Karis remains committed to creating meaningful, student-centered educational experiences that empower learners and strengthen communities. Her leadership is characterized by a blend of strategic vision, collaborative practice, and unwavering dedication to academic excellence. Whether guiding faculty, shaping policy, mentoring emerging leaders, or expanding program capacity, she consistently advances initiatives that improve outcomes for students and support institutional growth.

Through her extensive experience, strong academic foundation, and passion for educational transformation, Karis L. Clarke continues to serve as a respected leader in higher education—one who remains dedicated to shaping the next generation of educators, leaders, and lifelong learners.