EPI Board of Trustees

Dr. K. L. Allen has served as chancellor of WGU Ohio, the state affiliate of the online, nonprofit Western Governors University since May 2020. 

Dr. Allen has close to two decades of higher education experience, ranging from launching and leading collegiate departments of business development and veteran affairs to being a professor in business, economics, and education. He is also a veteran of the Army National Guard.  

Dr. Allen is an advocate for socioeconomic equality, education, and entrepreneurship, as illustrated by his 60-plus published op-eds. A native of North Carolina, Dr. Allen is passionate about removing social and economic barriers so that individuals may pursue educational opportunities that can help improve their chances to overcome those barriers. As Chancellor of WGU Ohio, he has championed the university’s mission of changing lives for the better by creating pathways to opportunity.  

Dr. Allen earned a B.A. in criminal justice, an M.B.A. in global management, and a doctorate in educational leadership, where his research focused on employee engagement, socioeconomics, and leadership. He is an active member of Kappa Alpha Psi and sits on several boards in Ohio such as the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, Ohio Chamber of Commerce, Dayton Chamber of Commerce EPI foundation, and the Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.