Dr. Carol G. Puryear currently serves as the Vice Chancellor for Economic and Community Development for the Tennessee Board of Regents – The College System of Tennessee, where she provides vision and leadership in promoting higher education’s role in economic development throughout the state. She serves as the State’s point of contact for private and public entities seeking information and assistance with workforce training.

Previously, Dr. Puryear served as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Instruction and Special Projects for the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology where she worked closely with the Department of Economic and Community Development as well as the Department of Labor and Workforce. Her other professional TBR roles included serving as the Director of the Tennessee College of Applied Technology -Murfreesboro, Assistant Vice Chancellor of the Colleges of Applied Technology, and Coordinator for the TBR’s Regents Online Campus Collaborative, now TN eCampus.

Dr. Puryear has dedicated her career to education, serving more than 30 years in a variety of academic settings, including secondary institutions, universities, technical colleges, for-profit institutions, and non-profit organizations. Dr. Puryear is active with the Council of Occupational Education, serving on the Committee on Accreditation Standards and Conditions and the Committee on Nominations. She is also active on a variety of other professional organizations.

Dr. Puryear earned her Doctorate of Education from Tennessee State University in Administration and Supervision with a concentration in Higher Education. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Technical Education from Middle Tennessee State University.