Dr. Alanka Brown has over 20 years of experience transforming institutions, advancing teaching and learning innovation, reforming workforce development infrastructures, and catalyzing student success.
A nationally recognized leader and strategist, Dr. Brown most recently served as CEO of the California College of Arizona State University. Her leadership experience also includes serving as president and CEO of Miami Dade College’s Eduardo J. Padrón Campus and vice president of academic and student affairs at City Colleges of Chicago’s Wright College.
Her contributions include playing an instrumental role in the success of Miami Dade College’s renowned Student Achievement Initiatives and advising/supporting state and national efforts in developmental education redesign, holistic workforce pathways, alternative completions systems, and removing cognitive and noncognitive barriers to postsecondary credential attainment.
Dr. Brown’s expertise includes college and career readiness, large-scale institutional transformation, evidence-driven strategic planning, high-impact leadership and team development, collective workforce partnerships, high-tech immersion, and organizational culture optimization. She has worked across education, business, government, and community-based organizations to connect institutional priorities with community needs. Thus, Dr. Brown’s work reflects her purpose-driven commitment to cultivating welcoming social and collegiate hubs of inquiry, experimentation, and discovery where individuals can learn who they are and how they can impact the world.
Education
Ed.D. (Higher Education Administration) | Nova Southeastern University
M.B.A. & M.P.A. | Nova Southeastern University
M.A. (International Affairs/Relations) | Florida State University
B.S. (Political Science) | Florida A&M University
Graduate Certificate in Education Law and Policy | Peace and Conflict Studies | Nova Southeastern University
Past Experience
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) | The California College of Arizona State University
President and CEO | Miami Dade College, Eduardo J. Padrón Campus
Workforce Equity Coach and Consultant | Illinois Community College Board
Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs | City Colleges of Chicago—Wright College
Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Career Programs | Frederick Community College
How has education changed your life/your family?
Education, particularly higher education, changed the trajectory of my life by giving me something I once needed most: hope. My journey was not always easy or clearly defined. Along the way, I made some wrong turns en route to discover who I really am and finding my purpose in life. Through it all, education, and particularly the faculty who believed in me, provided unwavering guidance, encouragement, and a pathway to possibilities I had not imagined for myself. I chose a career in higher education to give back the hope that was so generously given to me. Thus, regardless of the composition of my journey, it has always been my dream to help others achieve their dreams, knowing that when we transform one life through education, we create possibilities for families, communities, and generations to come.