Dr. Lionel E. Allen, Jr. is a proud South Side Chicago native and graduate of Chicago Public Schools who serves as Vice Chancellor for Engagement at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). In this role, he provides strategic leadership to advance community engagement, equity, and diversity across the university, strengthen partnerships throughout Chicago, and align engagement efforts with UIC’s mission to expand access, advance knowledge, and serve communities.

With more than two decades of experience in K–12 and higher education, Dr. Allen has served as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, chief academic officer, and higher education administrator. Prior to his current role, he served as interim Vice Chancellor for Equity and Diversity, Clinical Associate Professor of Educational Policy Studies, and co-coordinator of UIC’s Urban Education Leadership Program, where he prepared aspiring leaders to advance educational equity and organizational improvement.

Dr. Allen made history as the nation’s first turnaround principal, an experience he reflects on in Fighting the Good Fight: Narratives of the African American Principalship. He is the founder of ed Leaders Matter (eLM), LLC, and co-creator of the Aspire Fellowship, which supports teacher leaders of color pursuing school leadership opportunities.

He holds degrees from Northwestern University and UIC and is the author of Lead with C.A.R.E. Outside of work, he is a devoted husband, proud father of three young men, and an enthusiastic fan of the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bears.