Dr. Kermit Gilliard, Jr. is a native of Grady County. He is a 1985 graduate of Cairo High School, 1989 graduate of Valdosta State College with a Bachelor’s degree in Special Education. Dr. Gilliard received his Master’s degree from Georgia State University in Special Education with a concentration in Severe and Profound Disabilities in 1992. He returned to Valdosta State University for his doctoral studies in Education Leadership and graduated in 2010.
Dr. Gilliard is beginning his 33rd year as a Public School Educator; he taught three years in Gwinnett County at North Gwinnett High School and 29.5 years in the Grady County School System; two years as a teacher, 12 years as Director of Special Education, three years as Eastside Elementary School principal, four years as Washington Middle School principal and two years as Assistant Superintendent of Operations and Leadership.
In September of 2014, he was named Interim Principal of Cairo High School while maintaining his duties as Assistant Superintendent. On July 1, 2015, he became the Superintendent of the Grady County School System. Dr. Gilliard retired October 30, 2021 and began work with the Georgia Department of Education as the Senior Program Manager of REI on November 1, 2021.
He and his wife Cristie have two children, Anna, a Senior Mechanical Engineering student at Florida State University and Owen, a welding student at Southern Regional Technical College in Thomasville.
