Pace University has named Alison Carr-Chellman, Ph.D., as its next provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. Her appointment follows a national search, and she will begin her role on January 20, 2026.
Carr-Chellman brings over 25 years of experience in higher education leadership and scholarship. She most recently served as dean of the School of Education and Health Sciences at the University of Dayton. In that position, she managed a $29 million budget, increased external research funding, improved the school’s national ranking, and achieved full placement rates for undergraduates in teacher education and health sciences. She also led initiatives focused on equity, inclusion, and student outcomes.
“Provost Carr-Chellman stood out in this search for her strength as a scholar, her clear and confident communication, and her ability to build strong relationships with faculty and academic leaders,” said Pace University President Marvin Krislov. “She brings a strategic vision shaped by a genuine commitment to student learning and institutional progress. We’re excited for the leadership she will bring as Pace continues to strengthen its academic reputation, expand scholarly productivity and support the success of our faculty, students, and programs.”
Carr-Chellman’s appointment comes at a time when Pace University is making significant investments in its infrastructure. The university is transforming its campus at 1 Pace Plaza in Lower Manhattan. It is also investing in cyber range facilities and artificial intelligence labs while adding new degrees in artificial intelligence at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Planned upgrades are also underway for the Center for Healthcare Simulation in Pleasantville.
Before joining Dayton, Carr-Chellman was dean of the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences at the University of Idaho. She spent more than two decades at Pennsylvania State University holding various faculty and administrative roles focused on instructional design, systems thinking, and organizational change.
A prolific scholar with seven books and over 175 publications to her name—and more than 14,000 citations on Google Scholar—her research covers systems theory, instructional design, organizational transformation, and learning technologies. She has secured over $8 million in external research funding as principal or co-principal investigator.
“Pace has a unique mission rooted in access, excellence and opportunity, and that resonates deeply with me,” Provost Carr-Chellman said. “I’m excited to bring my experience in academic innovation, collaborative leadership and student-centered learning to a community so clearly dedicated to helping students excel and create lives they are proud of.”
Carr-Chellman is recognized nationally and internationally as a speaker with presentations delivered across several countries including China, Norway, Brazil, France, Japan, and Qatar. Her TED Talk titled “Gaming to Re-engage Boys in Learning” has been viewed more than 1.5 million times.
Throughout her career she has emphasized collaborative leadership styles aimed at improving academic quality while broadening access to high-impact learning experiences such as program development accreditation efforts experiential learning online/hybrid education initiatives community-engaged scholarship strategic planning budget management cross-campus partnerships leading complex organizations through change
She holds a Ph.D. from Indiana University Bloomington along with master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Syracuse University.
As provost Carr-Chellman will serve as chief academic officer overseeing academic strategy faculty affairs research development major initiatives advancing university-wide excellence across all campuses
Since its founding in 1906 Pace University has provided degree programs across multiple disciplines serving about 13 600 students on campuses located in New York City Westchester County
