Amalia Pallares serves as the Vice Provost for Inclusive Excellence and is a professor in the School of Transborder Studies. She comes to ASU from the University of Illinois Chicago, where she served as Vice Chancellor of Diversity, Equity and Engagement and professor of political science and Latin American and Latino studies. A scholar of social movements and political identities in Latin America and the U.S., Pallares is the author and editor of several books and other publications. She continues this line of research in the School of Transborder Studies at ASU.
Since 2018, she has served as a key member of the UIC chancellor’s cabinet, initially as an associate chancellor and later as a vice chancellor. In these roles, she played a pivotal part in designing and leading critical initiatives addressing equity and engagement in a diverse public university. Her responsibilities encompassed faculty recruitment and development, student belonging and equity, cultural and experiential programming and education, community collaboration and engagement, legislative advocacy, and strategic planning.
Before this, Pallares was head of the Latin American and Latino Studies Department at UIC from 2013 to 2018. Additionally, she served as associate dean for educational programming and interdisciplinary studies in its College of Liberal Arts and Sciences from 2006-2008. Throughout her research, Pallares focused on the political histories and racial and ethnic identities of social movements with an emphasis on immigrant and indigenous communities in the U.S. and Latin America. She will continue this line of research as a professor in the School of Transborder Studies.
In her role as vice provost, Pallares provides leadership to advance the university’s charter and demonstrate that inclusion and excellence are mutually reinforcing, and necessary, so that individuals from all backgrounds, identities, and perspectives can thrive. Pallares’ work ensures all students, educators and practitioners have broad access to the opportunities, assets, and benefits of ASU, and that all members of the campus community feel they belong and are supported in their success at the university.
Her focus upon joining ASU includes ASU’s role as a Hispanic Serving Institution and larger identity as a Minority Serving Institution.