Section for Women in Public Administration National Awards Breakfast

Monday, March 12, 2018 | 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. | Centennial E

Brenda Allen is the vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion at the University of Colorado Denver—Anschutz Medical Campus. She also is a professor of communication. Her scholarship focuses on organizational communication and diversity.

Allen was recruited from Howard University to the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) in 1989 as an assistant professor. Since then, she has been promoted to professor and has served as a department chair and associate dean.

Allen assumed her role as chief diversity officer in August 2012. Among her numerous publications is a groundbreaking book entitled Difference Matters: Communicating Social Identity.

Allen has received numerous forms of recognition, including: the first Annual Award for Outstanding Achievement for Commitment to Diversity at University of Colorado Denver; a women in leadership and management award named in honor of Wilma J. Webb, former legislator and Denver’s first African-American first lady; the first Annual Ally of the Year Award from the GLBT Alliance at CU Boulder; and the Elizabeth Gee Award from the University of Colorado system, which honors an outstanding faculty member for efforts to advance women in academia, interdisciplinary scholarly contributions and distinguished teaching.