Allison Dabbs Garrett (born 1964) is an American attorney, inventor, educator, and the former chancellor of the

Oklahoma State System of Higher Education The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education is the state's legal structure for providing public education at the College Level Examination Program, collegiate level. It is a coordinated system of colleges and universities located throughout th ...

. She previously served as the 17th

president of Emporia State University The President of Emporia State University is the chief academic administration, administrator of the university. Each is appointed by and is responsible to the other members of that body, who delegate to him or her the day-to-day running of the un ...

from January 2016 to October 2021. Prior to her time at Emporia State, Garrett served as

Abilene Christian University Abilene Christian University (ACU) is a Private university, private Christian research university in Abilene, Texas, United States. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as an R2 (High Research Spending and Doctorate Production) institutio ...

's executive vice president, a position she held from August 20, 2012, to December 23, 2015. Garrett has held several vice president positions in both education and the private sector.

Biography

Education

Born and raised in

Neosho, Missouri Neosho (; originally or ) is the most populous city in Newton County, Missouri, United States, which it serves as the county seat. With a population of 12,590 as of the 2020 census, the city is a part of the Joplin, Missouri Metropolitan Area, ...

, Garrett graduated from Oklahoma Christian College as an English major in 1984, as well as the

University of Tulsa The University of Tulsa (TU) is a Private university, private research university in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It has a historic affiliation with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Presbyterian Church, although it is now nondenominational, and the campus ...

's College of Law in 1987 with her Doctor of Jurisprudence. Her Master of Laws degree came from the

Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private university, private Jesuit research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic higher education, Ca ...

's Law Center in 1992.

Career

Early and pre-education career

While attending Georgetown Law, Garrett worked at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from 1988 to 1991 as a staff attorney. In 1994, Garrett moved to

Bentonville, Arkansas Bentonville is a city in and the county seat of Benton County, Arkansas, United States. The city is centrally located in the county with Rogers, Arkansas, Rogers adjacent to the east. The city proper had a population of 54,164 at the 2020 Unite ...

to work for Walmart Stores, Inc., where she served as vice president and general counsel for the corporate division and as vice president of benefits compliance and planning. Garrett also holds a U.S. patent for a media disk holder, granted in 2003.

Education

After spending a decade with Walmart, Garrett moved to

Montgomery, Alabama Montgomery is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Alabama. Named for Continental Army major general Richard Montgomery, it stands beside the Alabama River on the Gulf Coastal Plain. The population was 2 ...

to serve as an assistant professor of law at Faulkner University's Thomas Goode Jones School of Law. Three years later in April 2007, Garrett was named

Oklahoma Christian University Oklahoma Christian University (OC) is a private Christian university in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was founded in 1950 by members of the Churches of Christ. History Oklahoma Christian University, originally named Central Christian College, ...

's senior vice president for academic affairs in

Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Oklahoma, most populous city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat ...

Oklahoma Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...

. While at Oklahoma Christian, Garrett oversaw the colleges, the school's library, the Honors program, and various other programs. On August 20, 2012, Garrett began her three-and-a-half-year term at

. While at ACU, Garrett oversaw the financial operations, enrollment, and marketing, as well as the university's facilities. Garrett also worked with academics, advancement and athletics, as well as chairing several university committees. On October 22, 2015, Garrett was named

Emporia State University Emporia State University (Emporia State or ESU) is a public university in Emporia, Kansas, United States. Established in March 1863 as the Kansas State Normal School, Emporia State is the third-oldest public university in the state of Kansas. E ...

's 17th

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

. She began her work as ESU's president in January 2016. During her time at Emporia State, Garrett helped Emporia State achieve increased enrollment in the graduate school, set fundraising records for the university, and helped oversee projects including an aquatic research center, a new house for the university president, a new tennis complex, and a new residence hall. As ESU president, she served as vice chair of the

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...

Board of Governors and as chair of the NCAA Division II Presidents’ Council. On September 24, 2021, she was named the first woman and ninth chancellor of the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education. Garrett led a state system comprising 25 state colleges and universities, 11 constituent agencies, one university center, and independent colleges and universities coordinated with the state system. She reported to a constitutional board whose nine members are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

. Garrett directed 20 statewide scholarship programs, including the Oklahoma's Promise scholarship program, and statewide GEAR UP efforts. She was appointed by Gov.

Kevin Stitt John Kevin Stitt (born December 28, 1972) is an American businessman and politician serving as the 28th governor of Oklahoma since 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he was elected in 2018, defeating Democrat and former state Attorney Ge ...

in November 2021 to serve a three-year term as an Oklahoma designee to the

Southern Regional Education Board The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization based in Atlanta, Georgia, that works to improve education at every level in its 16 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, M ...

(SREB). In April 2024, Garrett was named by

The Journal Record ''The Journal Record'' is a daily business and legal newspaper based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Its offices are in downtown Oklahoma City, with a bureau at the Oklahoma State Capitol. ''The Journal Record'' began publication in 1937, though an ...

as one of Oklahoma's Most Admired CEOs. In November 2024, Garrett received the Oklahoma National Guard's Oklahoma Thunderbird Medal, which is the highest honor presented to a civilian. On July 2, 2024, Garrett announced her intention to retire. Following a national search, she worked with her successor, Sean Burrage, during a "near-seamless" transition. Garrett's retirement took effect December 2, 2024.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Garrett, Allison Presidents of Emporia State University Abilene Christian University faculty Walmart people Georgetown University Law Center alumni University of Tulsa College of Law alumni Oklahoma Christian University alumni Educators from Kansas 1964 births Living people People from Neosho, Missouri American women academics 21st-century American women Women heads of universities and colleges