Carolyn Warner

Carolyn Warner was best known for her service as Arizona’s Secretary of Public Instruction.  She was the first non-educator to hold this position and did so for an unprecedented three terms. During her tenure, Arizona’s public education system was one of the nation’s best: funding levels, including teachers’ salaries, were above national average, test scores were on the rise. Among her achievements was establishing Jobs for Arizona’s Graduates (JAG);  thanks to the program, some 40,000 students graduated from high school and went on to rewarding careers.  Appropriately, during her tenure there was increased involvement of the business community in education policy.

Carolyn was Co-founder and Chair of Corporate//Education Consulting, Inc. , a national-scope consulting firm. An acclaimed public speaker and author, she led delegations to Austria, Germany, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Spain, and China.  She held appointments by four Presidents (Ford, Carter, G. W. Bush, and Clinton), advising them on such issues as skill standards, paperwork reduction, small business and education finance.  Through the strength of her character, Carolyn Warner made Arizonans more focused on education and student achievement. A strong advocate for women,  she founded Charter 100 AZ and the AZ Chapter of the International Women’s Forum.