Dr. Burks is a career educator who, since 1993, has served independent schools, public schools and institutions of higher education as a teacher and principal, adjunct professor, and school district administrator. In 2002 Dr. Burks became the founding principal of North Carolina’s first early college high school, and he was a founding board member of the North Carolina New Schools Project. In 2006 he was appointed Director of Magnet and Choice Schools, supporting 44 schools in Guilford County, NC.
With the San Diego Unified School District from 2008 to 2011 Dr. Burks held several leadership positions including Area Superintendent, Secondary School Improvement Officer, and Executive Director for Atypical and Charter Schools.
Dr. Burks earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy with Honors from Morehouse College, a Master of Education degree in Educational Leadership from Trevecca Nazarene University and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from The University of North Carolina—Greensboro. A fellow of the British-American Project, Dr. Burks has thrice participated in Fulbright Programs in Thailand, Jordan and Japan.