Ferne Garrett

Education:
B.A., Berea College, Berea, Kentucky
M.S., Butler University, Indianapolis, Indiana
Ed.D., Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois
C.A.S., Roosevelt University, Chicago, Illinois

Dr. Garrett brings a diverse range of experiences to the J.F. Smith Group. She had professional assignments in six states including teacher, principal, assistant superintendent, and interim superintendent. She recently retired from Auburn University where she served as Director of the 21st Century Leadership Academy in the Truman Pierce Institute. She served as an assistant professor of education at Oglethorpe University and as the Assistant to the Dean at Butler University.

Her publications and research have centered in the area of professional development, strategic planning, motivating personnel and leadership enhancement for schools. She led the development of the Professional Evaluation Program for the nine areas required by the Alabama State Department of Education. The teacher evaluation component served as the model for the Alabama Teacher Evaluation Program. Additionally she spearheaded the revision of all the major curricular areas for Auburn City Schools in the eight years that she served as the associate superintendent. She served as the inside facilitator for the system-wide strategic plan for Auburn City Schools. Thirty-eight action plans were developed and implemented during her tenure.

Dr. Garrett has made numerous presentations and workshops throughout her career. These have included dispute resolution, leadership assessment, curriculum auditing, strategic planning, accountability and academic guarantees, site based decision-making and budgeting, and building teams to restructure education.

She is married to Nevil M. Garrett. They have two daughters, five grandchildren, and one great grandson. They are members of Auburn United Methodist Church where Dr. Garrett is serving a lay ministry for a terminally ill mother and her preteen son. She has also participated in Auburn 2020, the construction of Hickory Dickory Park, and numerous civic and social organizations and fundraisers.