Garber-Miller
Park University has appointed Karen Garber-Miller, Ph.D., as dean of the College of Education and Health Professions. Garber-Miller began her role at Park earlier this school year.
As dean of the CEHP, Garber-Miller will oversee the University’s School of Education and the School of Behavioral and Health Sciences, which includes the departments of nursing, social work, and psychology and sociology. She is responsible for the curricular, personnel, budgetary and administrative affairs of the CEHP while providing visionary leadership, strategic thinking, creative planning and a determined management style to address opportunities and challenges.
Prior to joining Park, Garber-Miller served as the dean of the School of Education at Avila University in Kansas City, from 2012-18 and as dean and chair of the School of Education and Psychology from 2001-03. While at Avila, she held the faculty rank of professor and also held faculty positions as associate professor, assistant professor and lecturer. In addition, Garber-Miller served as chair of teacher education at MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe, Kan. Earlier in her career, she served as an instructor at Johnson County (Kan.) Community College and as a high school teacher at Olathe South High School and Piper (Kan.) High School.
Garber-Miller has been engaged in international education and advocacy for more than 20 years. She was instrumental in Avila receiving a grant from the U.S. Department of Education and the Fulbright-Hays Projects Abroad group study program in Rwanda. In addition, she has served as chief academic officer of the Educate for Opportunity Institute, as a board member of the Greater Kansas City Sudanese Lost Boys Foundation, and various leadership roles with educational organizations in Missouri.
Garber-Miller earned a dual doctoral degree in educational leadership and policy studies, and language and literacy education from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She earned a Master of Arts degree in English education from Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, Okla., and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English education from MidAmerica Nazarene University.