Rachel Kennison is an accomplished executive director, educator, and social justice advocate in higher education with over a decade of experience at the University of California, Los Angeles. She holds a PhD in Marine Ecology from UCLA, an MS in Social Work from Columbia University, and a BS in Anthropology from Sarah Lawrence College. Her values of authenticity, integrity, and kindness have been instrumental in creating a culture of inclusion and equity in the field.

As Executive Director of the Center for Education, Innovation and Learning in the Sciences (CEILS), Rachel leads a team of educators and experts to bring evidence-based pedagogy, data analysis, and education scholarship to the forefront. Rachel and her team work closely with administration, faculty, staff, graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and undergraduates to create a climate of reciprocity, a community of accountability, and a place where everyone’s voice is heard, valued, and respected.

Rachel’s extensive experience includes serving as Associate Teaching Professor, Senior Associate Director of Professional Development and Student Engagement, Adjunct Faculty, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Research-Sciences, Program Administrator Undergraduate Research Center-Sciences, Instructor Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Co-Director COSEE-West at UCLA, and Postdoctoral Researcher at UCLA.