Dr. Christina Drale serves as Chancellor for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Prior to this appointment, she was the Interim Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost at UA Little Rock. As the university’s chief academic officer, she oversaw the administration, coordination, and development of all academic functions of the university.
Dr. Drale joined UA Little Rock in 2006 as Associate Dean of the College of Professional Studies before becoming the Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs in 2011. In this role, she was responsible for faculty relations, academic resource management, policy oversight, and general administration.
A native of the Los Angeles area, Dr. Drale earned a Ph.D. in sociology, a Master of Arts in sociology, and a Bachelor of Arts in communications, all from the University of California, San Diego. She took her first academic position at Missouri State University in 1986, where she stayed for nearly 20 years and served as associate professor of media, journalism and film, and associate dean of the College of Arts and Letters.
Additional credentials include participation in Leadership Missouri, a year-long program sponsored by the Missouri Chamber of Commerce, and the Institute for Management and Leadership in Education, a two-week intensive training program at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education. Current memberships include Fifty for the Future, Rotary Club of Little Rock – Club 99, Arkansas Research Alliance Board, and AR Kids Read, Friends of Reading.
Dr. Drale is a recipient of the E. Joseph Savoie Chief Executive Leadership Award, a prestigious honor recognizing transformational leadership in higher education.
The E. Joseph Savoie Leadership Award honors a Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District IV president or chancellor who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to advancement, collaboration, and innovation within their institution.
Under Drale’s leadership, UA Little Rock has achieved its strongest enrollment growth in 15 years, including a 29% increase in freshman students and an 18% increase in transfer students. Her focus on affordability has led to the creation and expansion of high-impact programs like the Half-Off Scholarship and Trojan Guarantee, reducing tuition costs by more than $3.8 million for Arkansas students.
Request Dr. Drale’s Attendance at an Event