Allison Rief, EdD

Biography

Dr. Allison Rief is the Associate Dean for Ashford University’s College of Education where she works directly with the program chairs of the BA undergraduate programs in education. She previously served as the Program Chair for multiple programs within the field of Early Childhood Education and Child Development. Dr. Rief earned a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership with a specialization in Teacher Education in Multicultural Studies from the University of Southern California; a Master’s of Education from the University of California, Los Angeles; and a Bachelor of Arts in Literatures in English from the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Rief began her career as a mentor and teacher’s aide in schools along the US/Mexico border. The experience made her realize she wanted to become an agent of change and started on her long-term career in education. She taught in the LA Unified School District for a dozen years, earning a National Board Certification in 2006 and a recertification in 2016, and the honor of being named a Los Angeles Unified School District and Los Angeles Country Teacher of the Year in 2010. Dr. Rief currently resides in San Diego, CA with her husband and their daughter and son. When not shaping the minds of her students, she loves traveling to exotic places and spending time outside – running, hiking, and lounging at the beach.