Vita
Springville, Utah
drbryanbowles@gmail.com · 385.499.9279
Download the vita (PDF)
Education
Ed.D., Educational Leadership and Policy
University of Utah
2003
M.Ed., Educational Administration
University of Utah
1996
B.S., Speech Communication and Theatre
University of Utah
1974
Post-doctoral study, Education as a Business
Stanford University
2006
Appointments
Interim Executive Director
Rockwell Charter High School
2025 · Eagle Mountain, Utah
Shared interim appointment with Cynthia Phillips.
Professor, Educational Leadership and Foundations
Brigham Young University
August 2016 – July 2025 · Provo, Utah
Adjunct Professor, Educational Leadership and Policy
University of Utah
August 2004 – April 2022 · Salt Lake City, Utah
Intermittent, as requested.
Superintendent of Schools
Davis School District
July 2002 – August 2016 · Farmington, Utah
Led the district through the 2008–2009 recession without job losses. By 2016, Davis served more than 72,000 students across 87 schools and reported a 93% graduation rate.
Principal
Bountiful High School
July 2000 – June 2002 · Bountiful, Utah
Curriculum Supervisor
Davis School District
July 1997 – June 2000 · Farmington, Utah
Assistant Principal
Millcreek Junior High School
July 1995 – June 1997 · Bountiful, Utah
High School English teacher
Bountiful High School
July 1992 – June 1995 · Bountiful, Utah
Consultant
Shipley Associates
August 1991 – December 1992 · Bountiful, Utah
Vice President
Polynesian Cultural Center
June 1984 – August 1991 · Laie, Hawaii
High School teacher
Bountiful High School
July 1974 – June 1984 · Davis School District, Utah
License
Utah Administrative/Supervisory License, expires 2035.
Honors
- Nancy Peery Marriott Outstanding Teacher Award
McKay School of Education
- Legacy Award
Davis Chamber of Commerce
- Utah Superintendent of the Year, 2007
American Association of School Administrators
- Jewell Bindrup Award
Utah Association of Gifted Children
- Leadership Award
Northern Utah Curriculum Consortium
- Principal of the Year
Utah Association of Student Councils
- Karen J. Ashton Award
Weber State University Storytelling Festival
- Honorary Commander
Hill Air Force Base
- Utah's Ethical Leader of the Year
Richard Richards Institute
- Lifetime Achievement Award
Northern Utah Curriculum Consortium
Professional service
- Chair, 2022–2025
Utah State Charter School Board
- Vice Chair, 2020–2022
Utah State Charter School Board
- Board member, 2018–2020, Governor Herbert appointee
Utah State Charter School Board
- Member, 2016–present, Utah State Board of Education appointee
Utah Competency-based Advisory Board
- Board member and president, 2006–2014
National Federation of Urban/Suburban School Districts
- Board member, 2007–2012, and chair of the Development Committee
WestEd
- President, 2003–2007
Utah School Superintendents Association
- Board of Trustees, 2007–2013
Weber State University
- Chair, 2006–2010
Lakeview Hospital Board
- Board member and president, 1995–1999
Utah Council of Teachers of English
University service
- Phi Kappa Phi, board representative
2021–present
- Awards Nomination Committee, chair
2020–2025
- Faculty Advisory Committee, member
2017–2021
- Search committee, recruitment and marketing specialist
2017
- 3-Minute Thesis Contest, judge
March 4, 2021
- Jordan Associates
McKay School of Education
- Peery Film Festival, panelist
October 20, 2016
Courses
- Leadership for Change
- Leadership for School Improvement
- Foundations of Education
- Instructional Leadership
- Human Resource Management
- Education Policy
- Organizational Behavior
Dissertations
- Buck Ekstrom (EdD, completed 2021)
- Jared Wright (EdD, completed 2020)
- Kami Alvarez (EdD, in process)
- Michael Anderson (EdD, completed 2021)
- Deon Leavy (EdD, completed 2022)
- Sydney Dickson (EdD, completed 2007)
- Steve Christensen (PhD, IP&T, completed 2020)
- Scott Harris (PhD, IP&T, completed 2020)
- Lisa McLachlan (PhD, EIME, completed 2020)
- Darryl Denhalter (EdD, completed 2020)
- Jaynie Mitchell (EdD, completed 2022)
- Suzanne Kimball (EdD, completed 2022)
- Liz Darger (EdD, completed 2022)
- Rebecca Gerber (EdD, in process)
- Matthew Greene (EdD, in process)
- Jefferey Hamm (EdD, completed 2023)
- Joseph Hao (EdD, completed 2025)
- Kyle Hoopes (EdD, completed 2026)
- Kyle Patterson (EdD, completed 2026)
- Tom Sherwood (EdD, completed 2025)
- Richard Stafford (EdD, completed 2025)
- McKenzie Staples (PhD, IP&T, completed 2024)
- Stephanie Patton (EdD, completed 2024)
- Koby Willis (EdD, completed 2025)
- Nate Marshall (EdD, completed 2026)
- Joel Coleman (EdD, in process)
- Momilani Tu'ua (EdD, in process)
- Heather Balli (EdD, in process)
Scholarship
Nerdin, M. W., Baum, D. R., Hallam, P. R., and Bowles, W. B. (2024). Successful Impoverished Schools: What Are the Existing Conditions in High Poverty Schools that Have a Higher Than Average Proficiency Rate? In J. Zajda and P. Hallam (Eds.), Globalisation and Leadership in Schools (pp. 55–89). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-53223-8_4
Bowles, W. B. and Smith, R. W. (2023). Utah School Finance. In Thompson, D. C., Wood, R. C., and Neuenschwander, S. C. (Eds.), Money and Schools (7th ed.). National Education Finance Academy.
Bowles, W. B. and Smith, R. W. (2020). Utah School Finance. In Thompson, D. C., Wood, R. C., and Neuenschwander, S. C. (Eds.), Money and Schools (6th ed.). National Education Finance Academy.
Pounder, D. G., King, D. K., Hausman, C., and Bowles, W. B. (2005). The Complexity of Gender-Role Stereotyping Effects in High School Principal Selection, pp. 265–300. In W. Hoy and C. Miskel (Series Eds.), Educational Leadership and Reform. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing.
Leavy, D., Baum, D., Calvert, I., Bowles, B., Erickson, H., Owens, M., and Ashcraft, J. (2024). The Unique Professional Journey of Female High School Principals in Utah. Education Sciences, 14(5), Article 445. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14050445
Wright, J. G., Hallam, P. R., and Bowles, W. B. (2023). Learning-Centered Leadership: Exploring How Distinguished Learning-Centered Principals Apply Key Processes of Learning-Centered Leadership. NASSP Bulletin, 107(2), 93–119. https://doi.org/10.1177/01926365231179967
Fauske, J. R. and Bowles, W. B. (2003). A Battle over Mountain Middle School's English Curriculum. Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership. University Council for Educational Administration: St. Louis, MO.
Bowles, W. B. (Summer 2018). Show them how much you care. The Leader. Utah Association of Elementary School Principals.
Bowles, W. B. (Summer 2018). Take control of your time. Impact Journal, 19(2). Utah Association of Secondary School Principals.
Bowles, B. (1995). Haere Mai. Utah English Journal, 23. Utah Council of Teachers of English: Salt Lake City.
Presentations
Bowles, B. and Crow, G. (2003). Supervision of Substitute Teachers: A Critical Segment of our Teaching Staff. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the University Council for Educational Administration. Portland, OR.
Crow, G., Matthews, J., Bowles, B., and King, D. (April 2000). Preparation of Qualified Candidates for the Principalship. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association. New Orleans, LA.
Bowles, W. B., King, D. K., Hausman, C. S., and Pounder, D. G. (2000). High school principal selection: Examining the effects of gender and role conception. Paper presented at the University Council for Educational Administration conference, Albuquerque, NM.
Galvin, P., King, D., Bowles, B., and Sheperd, P. (1998). Pipeline Study: Is There a Principal Shortage? Paper presented at the annual meeting of the University Council for Educational Administration. St. Louis, MO.
- Utah Charter School Directors
2022 · Accountability
- Utah Charter School Directors
2022 · Providing meaningful feedback to teachers
- ABC 4 News
2020 · Examining education ballot initiatives
- Education Funding Study, Utah State Board of Education
2019
- National Summit on Dual-Mission Institutions: Sparking Success, Weber State University
2019
- KBYU/NPR panel
September 14, 2018 · NCLB and ESSA: contrasting and comparing
- USBE webinar for Utah school counselors
March 14, 2018 · Supporting our transgender students
- KBYU/NPR panel
March 9, 2018 · Teacher burnout and retention
- Learning Edge Conference
November 14, 2017 · School Leadership: It's Opening Night!
- Rater re-certification design committee, Utah Leadership Model, Utah State Board of Education
October 12, 2017
- Utah Kiwanis Club
August 10, 2017 · Utah education issues
- LDS Educators Association annual conference
July 15, 2017 · Feeding the Shepherd
- School leadership policy, Utah State Legislature Education Interim Committee
December 19, 2016
- KUER radio interview, representing the McKay School
October 17, 2016 · Utah's high school graduation rates
- National Association of Gifted Children national convention
November 3–6, 2011 · Advancing Potential