Deans and Administrators

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Karen Symms Gallagher

Emery Stoops and Joyce King-Stoops Dean
Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California

Dr. Karen Symms Gallagher is the dean of the University of Southern California's Rossier School of Education, having been appointed to the post in 2000. Dr. Gallagher also holds a professorship in the School's Division of Education Policy and Administration.

Prior to joining USC, Dr. Gallagher served as dean and professor of educational policy and leadership in the School of Education at the University of Kansas. At Kansas she strengthened the school's programs and boosted its national rankings. She has also held administrative positions at Purdue University, University of Washington, Montana State University, Loyola University of Chicago, and the University of Cincinnati. In addition, she has taught language arts, social studies and speech and served as principal in the public school system in Washington State and North Carolina.

A much-respected speaker and presenter, Dr. Gallagher has given addresses to national and international audiences on subjects ranging from teacher training and development to shaping state and federal education policy to leadership style. She is also professionally active in a number of educational organizations, including currently serving as president of the Association of Colleges and Schools of Education in State Universities and Land Grant Colleges and Affiliated Private Universities. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education.

She is the author of Shaping School Policy: A Guide to Choices, Politics and Community Relations and edited the Politics of Education Yearbook: The Politics of Teacher Preparation Reform. She has written many scholarly articles in publications ranging from Educational Policy; Research in Higher Education; Review of Higher Education; College and University; the National Forum of Educational Administration and Supervision Journal, and Early Education and Development.

She received her B.A. in political science from Western Washington University, her M.Ed. in communications from the University of Washington and her Ph.D. in educational administration from Purdue University.