Women's History Month Convocation

Anne L. Bryant, Ed.D

As executive director of the National School Boards Association, Anne L. Bryant heads a federation of state and territorial organizations dedicated to advancing education through citizen governance of public schools.  The federation reaches over 14,890 school districts involving 95,000 school board members. She directs a 151 person staff in Alexandria, Virginia, implementing policies to help the state associations and local school boards provide leadership for today’s children in order to develop tomorrow’s leaders.

A native of greater Boston, Massachusetts, Bryant is an experienced association executive and brings to NSBA a strong background in education.  She has written widely on K-12 education, volunteer-staff leadership issues, and the role of the federal government in education.  Bryant testifies before Congress, carrying the message that the education of our public school students is the nation’s top priority.  She serves as a spokesperson for NSBA to the news media and national organizations, forging new partnerships to guarantee every child an equal opportunity for a high quality education.

Bryant is a Trustee of Simmons College and is a past chair of the Board.  She is also Vice Chair of the Schools & Libraries Committee of Universal Service Administrative Company (which includes oversight of the $2.25 billion technology discount fund for schools and libraries, known as the E-rate).  Bryant recently served as a member and co-chair of the CEO Forum on Education and Technology, an organization of 20+ high technology CEO’s assembled to report to the nation on progress in technology and education.  She is also, until June, the Board Chair for the Learning First Alliance, an alliance of 17 education organizations, and a member of The Center for Association Leadership’s Council of Thought Leaders, an advisory group of globally recognized, visionary thinkers in the areas of leadership, management, and organizational development.  Bryant is also on the Steering Committee for Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools, a coalition of more than 40 advocates, educators, practitioners, officials, and organizations dedicated to promoting civic learning in America’s schools.

Prior to joining NSBA in July 1996, Bryant was executive director of the American Association of University Women, a national organization advancing equity for women and girls in education, the workplace, and the family.  From 1974 to 1986, she was vice president of the Professional Education Division of P.M. Haeger & Associates, a Chicago association management firm.  She holds an Ed.D. degree from the University of Massachusetts and a B.A. from Simmons College.