Dr. Kathleen Yang-Clayton joined the Department of Public Administration faculty of the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) in 2017 after extensive experience in legislative advocacy and voter education, engagement, and mobilization. She served as Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at her college from 2021-2023, leading initial efforts to implement racial equity plans for her department by focusing on developing a prematriculation program for first-generation students.
She is a Senior Research Fellow at the Great Cities Institute and a member of several national initiatives that integrate public administration and racial equity, including the Kettering Foundation, the National League of Cities, and the International City/County Management Association. Her current work focuses on the operationalization of racial equity practices inside of large public organizations. This work aims to increase the public’s trust in government and improve government performance, especially but not exclusively in historically marginalized communities.
Prior to joining UIC, she led voting rights and voter mobilization work for Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Chicago, where she helped to pass landmark legislation expanding voting rights and strengthening election systems in Illinois. Dr. Yang-Clayton graduated from the University of Chicago with her undergraduate degree in political science and doctorate in sociology and is a proud graduate of the Chicago Public Schools.