Dr. Bryant has over 30 years experience working in the field of criminal justice in Michigan, Indiana, and Georgia.  Her God-given passion for the criminal justice system motivated her to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree from Ball State University, a Masters Degree from Saginaw Valley State University, and a Ph.D. from Walden University with a focus on the justice system. 

Dr. Bryant’s experience within the criminal justice system includes counseling juveniles in the Marion County Juvenile system and the Indiana Girls’ School while she was completing her undergraduate and Master degrees.  In 1988 she opened Arete Community Corrections Center, a federal halfway house for non-violent offenders in Saginaw, MI. Following the terminal illness of her mother, Dr. Bryant relocated back to Indianapolis, IN. where she served as the Executive Director for Offender Aid & Restoration, a non-profit organization that provided reintegration services for persons detained in Marion County Jail and individuals with criminal histories who lived in Indianapolis.  Dr. Bryant left the field of offender reintegration and became a noted workshop trainer/facilitator in the related area of substance abuse and mental health.  In 1998 she founded Bryant Educational Seminars & Training, a training and consulting firm known for ‘Delivering the BEST in Training Design and Dynamics and Project Management’.  Some of the contracts she was awarded under BEST included leading the Weed & Seed Offender Reentry Program on Indianapolis’ Westside, serving as the Reentry Director for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana, and later serving as the Community Liaison for Project Safe Neighborhood Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative in Indianapolis. During this time Dr. Bryant earned the honor of being dubbed the ‘Reentry Guru’.   In 2010 she accepted the position of Director of the Mayor’s Office of Re-Entry, City of Indianapolis and expanded the span and effectiveness of that Office exponentially.  In December 2011, Maxine relocated to Savannah, GA and was contracted to serve as the first Director of the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office Work Release Program during its inaugural year of existence under Promised Land, LLC.  Maxine ended that contract to consult with Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) as a facilitator of trauma informed workshops for professionals in mental health, criminal justice, and substance abuse.   Maxine served as the Community Co-chair for the Georgia Prison Reentry Initiative in Savannah and recently served as the Project Manager Consultant for the Savannah End Gun Violence project.  She continues to educate the public through her business as she presents Trauma Informed Care workshops to professionals in corrections, addictions, and mental health and re-entry focused workshops to laypersons.

While educating lay persons via workshops, Dr. Bryant also provided formal education to criminal justice students at Indiana Wesleyan University and at Phoenix University in both Indianapolis and Savannah.  In 2013 she accepted a full-time faculty position in the Criminal Justice Department of Georgia Southern,  Armstrong Campus.  In 2017, when Armstrong and Georgia Southern universities consolidated, she accepted the position of Interim Associated Provost of Diversity and Faculty Development.

Dr. Bryant is a strong advocate for the successful community reintegration of previously incarcerated persons.  To that end she began hosting a free conference for that population with the goal of educating, inspiring, and motivating them in their efforts to successfully navigate the path of reintegration.  From 2008 – 2011 she hosted the conference in Indianapolis, IN and it was called ‘The Second Chance Conference.  After moving to Savannah, she continued this effort with a team of people who gave it a different name – The Annual When Is The Debt Paid Conference’. This unique conference highlights nationally renown speakers who have criminal histories including the late Sheila Raye Charles, Tonier Cain, All of Us Or None, Harold Dean Trulear, and many others. 

Maxine is committed to successfully impacting the path of reintegration for all persons with criminal histories – whether they have been incarcerated or not.  She realizes that the stigma of being labeled an ‘offender’ is equally damaging to all who have traversed the criminal justice system.

From 2016-2017 Dr. Bryant hosted the Dr. Maxine Bryant Show on Tribe Family Internet Radio.  Twice monthly Maxine interviewed persons with criminal histories to provide a platform for them to share their stories and provide valuable advice for newly released persons.   

Most recently, Maxine initiated The Virtual Professor with the goal of ‘changing society one class at a time”.  The Virtual Professor provides the platform to educate lay people via informative videos and blogs.  Additionally, under the Virtual Professor, Dr. Bryant has led efforts to start several groups:   Faces And Voices of Offender Reintegration (F.A.V.O.R.) – a self-advocacy/support group for individuals with criminal histories in Savannah, GA; Loving From the Outside – an online support group for women who have loved ones behind bars; and an advocacy group consisting of persons committed to addressing the needs and concerns of felons in Savannah, GA.

Dr. Bryant is truly a champion for justice!