Karen Baynes
J.D., University of California-Berkeley
Associate Director
Governmental Services and Research
706.542.6242
baynescviog.uga.edu

Karen Baynes serves as the associate director for the Institute's Governmental Services and Research Division. She also coordinates the University of Georgia Committee on Outreach and Engagement, which brings together the University's schools, colleges, and public service units to create collaborative, multidisciplinary approaches to public service and outreach.

A former Juvenile Court judge, Ms. Baynes combines her experience working with impoverished populations, her first-hand knowledge of the civil justice system, and her current research agenda regarding improving governmental processes through good practice and sound data-driven policy analysis. Since joining the Institute in 2002, Ms. Baynes has conducted various technical assistance projects with the Administrative Office of the Courts, the Department of Human Resources, Prevent Child Abuse Georgia, and other child- and family-serving organizations.

In 2005, Ms. Baynes was appointed by Judge Marvin Shoob to serve as the accountability agent for the DeKalb County Consent Decree in the Kenny A class action lawsuit regarding provision of zealous legal representation for children in foster care. After a highly competitive national process, the Annie E. Casey Foundation selected Ms. Baynes to participate in the 2006 Child and Family Fellowship Program. As a result, she is now working on a national level to impact these issues, including serving on the American Bar Association Commission on Judicial Excellence Standards for the Juvenile and Family Court Judges and participating with the National Commission on Standards for Parent Attorneys in Dependency Matters.

Ms. Baynes earned her B.A. in politics from Wake Forest University and her Juris Doctorate from the Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California at Berkeley.