Kim Allen
Kimberly Allen is Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs at Virginia Tech. She is responsible for advancing faculty success through leadership development, community building, and initiatives that foster belonging, growth, and professional fulfillment across the academic career span.
Dr. Allen joined Virginia Tech with extensive experience in academic leadership and program development. Prior to her current role, she served three years as Interim Associate Dean and two years as Associate Director of Academic Programs in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at North Carolina State University, where she held a tenured faculty position in family science in the Department of Agriculture and Human Sciences. Earlier in her career, she served as a Human Development Extension Specialist and Director of the Center on Adolescent Sexuality, Pregnancy and Parenting at the University of Missouri. In addition to her academic roles, she has professional experience as a marriage and family therapist and coaching psychologist. She was the owner and CEO of Sweet Gestalt, LLC and co-creator of Family Life Coaching Association, a non-profit membership organization.
Dr. Allen’s scholarly work draws on her training in family science and coaching psychology. While her early research focused on family systems, interpersonal relationships, and family life coaching, her current work centers on best practices in leadership development, supporting senior academic leaders, and guiding organizations through change. Her work emphasizes strengths-based approaches to resilience, thriving, and human potential, along with the development of programs that advance effective leadership and inclusive excellence in higher education.
Dr. Allen is the author of three books, including Theory, Research, and Practical Guidelines for Family Life Coaching and the Family Life Coaching Handbook. She has published more than 100 scholarly and extension publications and has presented her work around the world.
Dr. Allen holds a Ph.D. in Psychology with a specialization in Family Science. She is a Board Certified Coach (BCC), a Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE), and a Certified Family Life Coach (CFLC, Expert Level). She is also a certified Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT), a CliftonStrengths Certified Coach, and an MBTI Certified Administrator.