Leadership

Dr. Aisha El-Amin (she/her) has nearly three decades of dedicated experience in education. A passionate advocate for student success and equity, she is committed to ensuring that universities are pathways to opportunities for people of all backgrounds. Throughout her career, Dr. El-Amin has developed innovative programs and initiatives that have significantly improved retention and graduation rates, particularly for first-generation and non-traditional college students.

Dr. El-Amin currently serves as the Executive Associate Vice Provost for Student Success and Belonging at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). In her role, she oversees a team of student success units in their effort to foster a culture of inclusive academic excellence for UIC’s nearly 36,000 students. Before assuming her current position, Dr. El-Amin held various university leadership positions, including Associate Vice Chancellor for Equity and Belonging, Associate Provost/ Chief of Staff, and Chief Student Affairs Officer.

In addition to being a higher education administrator, Dr. El-Amin is also a scholar of education. She holds a Ph.D. in Policy Studies of Urban Education from the University of Illinois, a master’s degree in Teaching and Learning from DePaul University, and she secured her bachelor’s degree in Management Studies while stationed abroad in the US Army. Her research focuses on ensuring equitable outcomes for diverse student populations. With dozens of publications, keynote addresses, and conference presentations, Dr. El-Amin has established herself as a recognized authority in higher education.

Throughout her career, Dr. El-Amin has managed budgets exceeding $200 million and grants exceeding $16 million. She has received numerous accolades for her leadership and contributions to education, including Crain’s Chicago Business “2024 Notable Black Leaders Award” and the Rainbow PUSH Coalition’s “Educator of Excellence Award.”

Dr. El-Amin believes in teamwork, honest communication, and that an organization’s greatest resource is its people. A Chicago native, Dr. El-Amin has been married to her best friend for 24 years and is the proud parent of 3 amazing adult children.

Dr. Aginah M. Muhammad, Assistant Vice Provost for Student Success at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), is an advocate for student success. With over 25 years of experience in public service and education, Dr. Muhammad is passionate about ensuring that students have the necessary tools to achieve success and a sense of belonging. An alumna of UIC, Dr. Muhammad began her career at the university in 2013 and has held various leadership positions, including Executive Director of the Council on Teacher Education, Inaugural Director of the Office of First Year Initiatives, and Assistant Director of the Office of Undergraduate Research and Summer College.

Dr. Muhammad is a servant leader who is committed to her community and has received numerous awards and recognition, both internal and external to UIC, including the 2023 Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Those Who Excel Community Volunteer Award of Excellence, the 2022 UIC Chancellor’s Committee on the Status of Blacks History Makers Award, the 2021 PLAN4Success Community Image Award, and the 2020 UIC Award of Merit.

Dr. Muhammad earned her BA and MEd from UIC and PhD in Organizational Leadership from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. For Dr. Muhammad, the core principles for success are gratitude, integrity, and persistence.

Dr. Felicia Keelen is the inaugural University Innovation Alliance Associate and Fellow at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC).  Felicia has worked to empower students for over 30 years at higher education institutions serving marginalized and underserved populations.  Felicia’s experience spans various university divisions, including academic affairs, enrollment services, finance and administration, and student affairs.  Prior to working at UIC, Felicia worked at Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) for approximately 20 years in the student union and with student transition and success programs.  Felicia also worked at Virginia Commonwealth University for 11 years before joining NEIU.

Felicia is a double alumna of Bradley University, where she received her Bachelor of Science in Public Relations and her Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership, Higher Education Administration.  She also has a Master of Science in Educational Leadership, Higher Education Administration from The University of Connecticut.

Dr. Angela Walden serves as the Special Advisor on Native Students within the Office of Student Success and Belonging and the Native American Support Program. Dr. Walden is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. Dr. Walden is an award-winning, creative, and highly effective leader with extensive expertise in community engagement and partnerships; academic research; strategic planning in public institutions and community settings; and program development, oversight, and evaluation. Her career has focused on increasing meaningful representation, participation, and belonging for underrepresented communities within the areas of higher education access and success and community health and well-being.

Dr. Walden earned her Ph.D. in Clinical and Community Psychology from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign and completed her internship and postdoctoral training at UIC. She has held faculty appointments at UIC in the departments of Psychiatry, Medicine, and Psychology. She also served as Assistant Vice Chancellor for Diversity Initiatives in UIC’s Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Engagement, where she launched the Native American/Indigenous Inclusion and Belonging educational initiative. Dr. Walden also served as a Scientific Program Director for the Native Collective Research Effort to Enhance Wellness (N CREW), an innovative and collaborative multi-institute initiative at the National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Walden’s work has been recognized by several awards, most recently the 2022 Cherokee Phoenix Seven Feathers Award for her contributions to education. She believes in the transformational power of relationships and the importance of recognizing and building upon strengths.