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As the National PTA CEO, Byron V. Garrett possesses the same vision and passion that drove the PTA founders to speak up for every child for the first time. Throughout his career, he has been an agent of progress—valuing people of varying perspectives and backgrounds, and promoting the idea that everyone has an obligation and opportunity to serve the best interests of our youth.
He brings to PTA a unique combination of experience from both the non-profit and governmental sectors, most recently serving as the chief of staff for the Office of Public Affairs at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency (part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security). Prior to this, Garrett was a national program leader at the National 4-H Headquarters at the U.S. Department of Agriculture—overseeing three mission areas (healthy living; citizenship; and science, engineering, and technology) for the program’s 7 million participants and 50,000 clubs. He is currently also the co-chair of the Smart Television Alliance, a trustee of the America’s Promise Alliance, and a member of the advisory boards for both Parenting magazine and the.News (a non-commercial news outlet for middle and high school students).
Earlier in his career, Garrett spent a decade in Phoenix as an education advocate and community leader. He served as a policy advisor for faith and community initiatives for Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano; prior to that role, he was the director of the governor’s Division for Community and Youth Development, where he administered multiple boards and commissions, including the Commission on Service and Volunteerism and the Statewide Youth Development Task Force. Garrett is also a former K-8 school principal.
Formerly, Garrett served as a columnist for the Arizona Informant and author of several books including The ABC’s of Life. An accomplished speaker, Garrett is one of the most compelling voices of our time, having delivered presentations all across the U.S., Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean. He has also been a guest on the "Dr. Phil Show," and been featured in a number of publications, such as the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Jet. In 2009, Ebony named Garrett to its “Power 150,” an annual list of “The Most Influential Black Americans.”
He was born, raised, and attended public schools in the Carolinas. He holds a bachelor’s degree in human relations from High Point University, a master’s in organizational management from the University of Phoenix, and has completed doctoral coursework at Pepperdine University in their educational leadership, administration, and policy program.
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