Bryant O. Best

Tennessee Summer Research Fellow

Bryant O. Best is a third year doctoral student in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Vanderbilt University. Bryant is pursuing a PhD in Justice & Diversity in Education under the tutelage of Dr. Rich Milner. Bryant’s research interests revolve around asset mapping in marginalized communities. At The Education Trust in Tennessee, Bryant will conduct research and analysis on the impact of COVID-19 on students and schools in Tennessee and help produce a report that outlines how Tennessee can move forward by centering equity and opportunity for every student. Prior to Vanderbilt, Bryant served at the Council of Chief State School Officers and the American Council on Education, where he supported education leaders in K-12 and higher education, respectively, finding solutions to some of the nation’s most pressing questions of policy and practice. Bryant lives in Antioch, Tennessee.