American University School of Public Affairs, Dean

We’re pleased to announce the appointment of Alison Jacknowitz as the next Dean of the School of Public Affairs at American University. Alison will officially begin her role as Dean on June 1, 2026. Her appointment follows nearly three years of service as interim dean.

Jacknowitz’s appointment highlights the strength of American University’s internal leadership and deep institutional knowledge. After earning her doctorate from what is now the Pardee RAND School of Public Policy in Santa Monica, California, she joined the SPA faculty in 2004 and steadily advanced through a series of vital administrative and academic roles.

Her extensive leadership portfolio has included managing crucial faculty and graduate affairs as senior associate dean; serving as both chair and associate chair of the Department of Public Administration and Policy; and guiding future policy leaders as the director of the master of public policy (MPP) program.

Throughout her time in leadership, Jacknowitz has been an essential driver behind SPA’s upward trajectory. Ranked 12th in the nation by US News and World Report for 2026, SPA has now placed among the top 5 percent of public affairs schools in the country for seven consecutive years. SPA also continues its six-year streak as the highest-rated public affairs school in Washington, DC.

Beyond her administrative acumen, Jacknowitz is a celebrated scholar and teacher. An expert on children’s well-being, her research centers on critical issues of food insecurity, poverty, and food assistance.

In her announcement, Wilkins expressed gratitude to the search committee, chaired by Saul Newman, SPA’s associate dean for undergraduate education, as well as the executive search firm Isaacson, Miler for its support of the recruitment efforts.

The full press release is linked here.

Sean Farrell and Pam Pezzoli led this search with Janette Martinez and Drew Chang.