Carver Gayton retired as the Executive Director of the Northwest African American Museum in July of 2008. In that capacity, beginning in 2005, he had the lead responsibility for raising over $20 million for the renovation of the old Coleman School in Seattle which houses the Museum as well as 36 low income housing units. The Museum opened in March of 2008 after nearly 30 years of failed attempts to establish an African American Museum at the Coleman site. From 2001 to February 2005 he worked as a human resources consultant and taught at the Evans School of Public Affairs, University of Washington. In 1997 he was appointed by Governor Gary Locke as the Commissioner of the Washington State Employment Security Department and served in that capacity until 2001.He had responsibility for managing unemployment insurance benefits, labor market information and Federal training programs for the state. He also managed 2500 employees, a half billion dollar biennial budget as well as a $ 1.6 billion unemployment insurance trust fund. Previously he was Corporate Director of College and University Relations for the Boeing Company. In that role he was responsible for managing policy development, research, recruitment and contributions programs and activities relevant to Boeing’s interface with colleges and universities throughout the nation. He also served as Director of Training and Educational Relations at Boeing.

Dr. Gayton’s career has involved him in various roles within education, government and private sectors. Prior to coming to Boeing, he was an Assistant Professor of Public Administration at Florida State University in Tallahassee, an Instructor in Political Science as well as Director of Affirmative Action and Staff Training at the University of Washington. He also was a Special Agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and a Teacher of History and English at his alma mater, Garfield High School in Seattle.

Carver has served on a wide variety of national, state and local boards over the years, a few of which