Dr. Ruth Cowan holds a bachelor’s degree in English/Speech from Trevecca University in Nashville, TN., a Masters degree in Elementary Education from Georgia State University, and a doctorate in Educational Administration from Nova University.  She holds certification in English/Speech, Elementary Education, and Educational Administration.  She has 30+ years experience in public education with 20 of those years as Gifted Program Coordinator in Gwinnett County Public Schools.  For 17 years following retirement, she taught the gifted education endorsement courses for UGA, North Georgia College and University, West Georgia University, and Pioneer RESA.  She has done consulting for school districts all over the State of Georgia.  She was Competition Coordinator for United States Academic Decathlon, a national competition for high school students, for nine years.  She was State Director for Georgia Academic Decathlon for fourteen years. 

Dr. Cowan and her husband, Dr. Raymond Cowan, have been married for fifty years.  Together they have two adult daughters and four grandsons.  The Cowans reside in Cleveland, Georgia, on the banks of the Chattahoochee River.

“The happiest people are those who discover that what they should be doing and what they are doing are the same things.  That’s why I’m here at GMCA.”