Meet Our Leadership Team

Committed to educational access, equity, and excellence

As a leadership team and as a division, the work we do is grounded in educational equity, institutional responsibility, and holistic student success. Beyond UC Santa Cruz, our team is involved in numerous professional organizations and highly engaged in the local community.

Learn about our divisional priorities

Akirah Bradley-Armstrong, Ed.D. (she/her)

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Success

Akirah Bradley-Armstrong was appointed to the position of Vice Chancellor for the Division of Student Affairs and Success effective May 16, 2022. She came to UC Santa Cruz from the University of Colorado Boulder, where she supported student success since 2016, most recently as Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. She was also a faculty affiliate in CU Boulder’s Masters in Higher Education program.

Akirah has a wealth of experience in supporting student retention; providing safe space and community for underrepresented students; supporting freedom of speech; ensuring student wellness; and providing for student development and basic needs.

Over the course of her career, Akirah has held leadership positions in student affairs at CU Boulder, UC Berkeley, the University of Vermont, and Semester at Sea. She earned her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from UC Davis, where she conducted dissertation research on crisis response and support systems in higher education administration. A first-generation college student, she also holds a master of education degree from the University of Vermont and a bachelor of science in Business Administration from Mansfield University. Akirah is a dedicated student affairs professional with more than 18 years of experience in the field.