Full Biography
Adriel A. Hilton, PhD, is an accomplished higher education executive, scholar, educator, and public policy professional with more than 23 years of progressive leadership experience across higher education, government, and nonprofit organizations. Throughout his career, Dr. Hilton has distinguished himself as a strategic and transformational leader committed to advancing institutional effectiveness, student success, organizational excellence, and educational opportunity.
Dr. Hilton most recently served as Vice President of Institutional Strategy and Chief of Staff at Columbia College Chicago, where he served as chief strategic advisor to the President and helped advance institutional priorities related to strategic planning, governance, executive communications, organizational effectiveness, and long-term sustainability. He co-chaired the institutional strategic planning process that resulted in the College’s 2026 to 2029 strategic plan, strengthened Board of Trustees engagement and communications, and helped coordinate executive leadership searches and institution wide strategic initiatives.
Previously, Dr. Hilton served as Vice-Chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management and Associate Professor of Education at Southern University at New Orleans. As a member of the University’s executive leadership team, he provided leadership for enrollment management, student services, student engagement, student conduct, recruitment, retention, and related operations. During his tenure, first year student retention increased from approximately 25 percent to 58 percent through the implementation of data informed enrollment and student success strategies.
His higher education leadership experience also includes service as Dean of Students and Diversity Officer at Seton Hill University, where he led student inclusion initiatives; Director of the Extended Campus, Myrtle Beach Metropolitan, at Webster University, where he served as the campus’s chief administrative officer; and Chief of Staff and Executive Assistant to the President at Grambling State University, where he helped advance presidential priorities, institutional governance, strategic planning, and relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Hilton served as Assistant Professor and Director of the Higher Education Student Affairs Program at Western Carolina University, where program enrollment increased by 67 percent during his leadership; Assistant Vice President for Inclusion Initiatives at Grand Valley State University; and Executive Assistant to the President, Chief Diversity Officer, and Assistant Secretary to the Board of Trustees at Upper Iowa University. Collectively, these experiences have provided him with a distinctive understanding of higher education through the interconnected perspectives of executive leadership, faculty affairs, student affairs, enrollment management, governance, institutional strategy, and administration.
Beyond higher education, Dr. Hilton has extensive experience in government and public policy. He served as Director of Programs, Transition and Youth Success Planning for the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families, providing executive leadership for statewide juvenile rehabilitation programs supporting more than 3,500 young people annually. His leadership contributed to improvements in youth transition outcomes, program completion, service delivery, and organizational performance. Earlier in his career, he served as a Public Policy Fellow with the Greater Baltimore Committee and as a Legislative Analyst with the Florida Senate Committee on Education, strengthening his expertise in education policy, legislative analysis, workforce development, and collaboration among government, education, business, and community stakeholders.
A scholar-practitioner, Dr. Hilton has maintained a sustained commitment to teaching, mentoring, research, and the preparation of future educational leaders. His academic appointments have included faculty and program leadership roles in education, higher education, and student affairs. His scholarly interests include higher education leadership, organizational effectiveness, student success, educational policy, equity, and institutional transformation.
Dr. Hilton earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance, graduating cum laude from Morehouse College; a Master of Applied Social Science in Public Administration from Florida A&M University; a Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration from Morgan State University; and a Master of Business Administration from Webster University.
Across each chapter of his career, Dr. Hilton has remained committed to strengthening institutions and expanding opportunities for students and communities. His professional journey reflects a commitment to developing leaders, building effective organizations, advancing educational access and student success, and translating ambitious institutional visions into measurable results.
Short Biography
Adriel A. Hilton, PhD, is a higher education executive, scholar, educator, and public policy professional with more than 23 years of progressive leadership experience across higher education and government. His career has centered on institutional strategy, executive leadership, student success, enrollment management, governance, organizational effectiveness, and educational opportunity.
Dr. Hilton most recently served as Vice President of Institutional Strategy and Chief of Staff at Columbia College Chicago, where he served as chief strategic advisor to the President, co-chaired the institutional strategic planning process, supported Board of Trustees engagement, and helped advance enterprise-wide institutional priorities.
Previously, he served as Vice-Chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management and Associate Professor of Education at Southern University at New Orleans, where first year retention increased from approximately 25 percent to 58 percent during his leadership. His career also includes leadership and faculty appointments at Seton Hill University, Webster University, Grambling State University, Western Carolina University, Grand Valley State University, and Upper Iowa University.
Dr. Hilton’s experience extends beyond higher education. He served as Director of Programs, Transition and Youth Success Planning for the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families, as a Public Policy Fellow with the Greater Baltimore Committee, and as a Legislative Analyst with the Florida Senate Committee on Education.
A committed scholar-practitioner, Dr. Hilton’s work focuses on higher education leadership, student success, educational policy, equity, and organizational effectiveness. He earned degrees from Morehouse College, Florida A&M University, Morgan State University, and Webster University, including a PhD in Higher Education Administration.
