Lisa Henkel

In this role, Lisa Henkel leads the university’s strategic and operational retention efforts. Henkel is responsible for providing leadership, definition, and organization to the advising and retention functions of the university. In collaboration with the academic community, she implements growth and retention strategies for UMUC to foster optimal continuous enrollment of students. She has a student-centered philosophy, is dedicated to the holistic development of students, and brings enthusiasm to her leadership role. Henkel considers it an honor to be able to give back to her alma mater; she took her first class with UMUC in 1993 while serving on active duty at RAF Bentwaters, United Kingdom.

Henkel has more than 15 years of enrollment management experience, most recently serving as the director of UMUC’s Downrange and Europe Operations. She was responsible for directing UMUC’s enrollment operations across Europe and for meeting the educational needs of warriors serving their country downrange with the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM). Henkel also established the first-ever Afghanistan graduation ceremony, to honor the inspiring accomplishments of servicemembers who finished their degrees while on deployment.

Henkel earned both her master’s degree in management and her MBA from UMUC. In 2009, Henkel received UMUC’s Presidential Award, which recognizes members of the university’s staff who have demonstrated exemplary performance and distinctive contributions throughout their careers.