Lorna Bryant
Pearson
San Diego, CA USA
"When you consider things that you know feel interesting and right to you, even if they’re scary or different than you expected, you can have an amazing life"
Career Roadmap
Lorna's work combines: Education, Technology, and Teaching / Mentoring
See more careers and stories that connect to your interests.
Take Roadmap Quiz
Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
I was the first in my family to finish high school and my parents had always told me that if I was going to be successful, I needed to become a lawyer or a doctor. So I went to college thinking I was going to pursue law. However, when I got to the U.S. for college, I met a great community of teachers and decided to go into education. I've since built a successful and fulfilling career in education.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
English/Language Arts Teacher Education
Arkansas Tech University
Graduate Degree
Education
Arkansas Tech University
Doctorate
Educational Leadership and Administration
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
I was born and raised in South Africa and moved to the U.S. for college as an exchange student.
2.
My parents had always told me that I should become a doctor or lawyer, so I initially went to college with the intention of pursuing law.
3.
I met an incredible community of teachers and decided to pivot to pursue education, earning my bachelor’s degree in English and language arts teacher education and my master’s degree in education.
4.
I then built a great career in education, working in a variety of roles, including classroom teacher, cross country coach, and administrator.
5.
I taught for about 13 years and then became interested in technology and how it could bridge gaps and provide access and equity.
6.
I joined an organization that builds virtual schools and blended learning models.
7.
In 2022, I stepped into my current role at Pearson where I head up the college and career readiness solutions for our full-time online K-12 schools.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Parents:
You need to be a doctor or lawyer in order to be successful.
How I responded:
I was the first in my family to finish high school and my parents had always told me that if I was going to be successful, I needed to become a lawyer or a doctor. So I went to college thinking I was going to pursue law. However, when I got to the U.S. for college, I met a great community of teachers and decided to go into education. I've since built a successful and fulfilling career in education.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
When I took a different step in my career, I felt completely inadequate. I felt like my peers were smarter and more adept than me. My husband convinced me to give it some time and I eventually learned more, felt more comfortable, and made it work.