Rachelle Anne Feldman is a nationally respected leader in higher education, with over 35 years of experience shaping enrollment strategy, financial aid policy, and student success initiatives across some of the nation’s most prominent public universities. A visionary and collaborative executive, Feldman currently serves as Vice Provost for Enrollment at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she oversees a comprehensive portfolio that includes Undergraduate Admissions, Scholarships and Student Aid, the Carolina College Advising Corps, the University Registrar, and the Carolina Financial Wellbeing Center.
In her role at UNC-Chapel Hill, Feldman is a key member of the university’s senior leadership team, advising the Chancellor, Provost, and Board of Trustees on matters of student access, enrollment growth, institutional reputation, and financial sustainability. Under her leadership, Carolina has implemented transformative initiatives including the expansion of the Carolina College Advising Corps to 82 schools—making it the largest program of its kind in the nation—and the creation of integrated, data-driven enrollment strategies aligned with the university’s mission and fiscal goals. Feldman also led strategic responses to national legal decisions on admissions, helping Carolina transition to race-neutral, place-based recruitment while upholding diversity and inclusion values.
Prior to her tenure at Carolina, Feldman served in multiple leadership roles at the University of California, Berkeley, where she was instrumental in designing the Middle Class Access Plan—an innovative financial aid model that inspired state-level policy in California. She also helped launch the Cal Dream Scholars Program for undocumented students and co-founded the UC Financial Aid Leadership Institute, contributing to leadership development across the UC system. At Berkeley, she managed financial aid programs distributing more than $650 million annually, all while improving efficiency, expanding student support services, and increasing access for underrepresented students.
Feldman’s impact extends beyond campus borders. She is a highly engaged contributor to national higher education policy and reform efforts. She has served on numerous federal committees, including the U.S. Department of Education’s Negotiated Rulemaking panels, and has provided expert testimony before both the U.S. Senate HELP Committee and the House Higher Education Subcommittee on issues such as FAFSA simplification and college affordability. Her leadership roles include serving as Chair of the Higher Education Loan Coalition (HELC), the Coalition of State University Aid Administrators (COSUAA), and committee appointments with the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), the College Board, and NEFE, where she currently serves as Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees and Audit Committee Chair.
Feldman is a passionate advocate for education access, financial literacy, and institutional innovation. Her leadership is marked by a deep understanding of policy, data, and people, and a sustained commitment to transforming systems to better serve students from all backgrounds. With a unique blend of strategic insight, operational acumen, and values-driven leadership, Rachelle Feldman brings exceptional qualifications to board and advisory roles across higher education, EdTech, and mission-aligned nonprofit sectors.
A lifelong lover of the arts, Feldman’s academic background in Dramatic Art Dance reflects her deep personal passion for artistic expression and the transformative power of creative disciplines. She continues to support the role of the arts in education and community life, recognizing their critical value in fostering empathy, innovation, and human connection—values that also underpin her professional work.
She holds a Master of Science in Economics from Golden Gate University and a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Dramatic Art Dance from the University of California, Berkeley. Her professional development includes executive leadership programs through UC Berkeley and a certificate in Enrollment Management Fundamentals from NASFAA.
Whether in the boardroom, the classroom, or in conversation with policymakers, Feldman is driven by a clear purpose: to expand opportunity, strengthen institutions, and ensure that all students—regardless of background—have the tools and support they need to succeed.
Character: Rachelle Feldman is a principled and values-driven leader, deeply committed to equity, access, and student success across diverse populations.
Knowledge: With over 35 years of experience, she possesses deep expertise in higher education policy, financial aid strategy, and institutional enrollment management.
Strategic: Feldman excels in designing and implementing innovative, data-informed solutions that align institutional priorities with long-term growth and sustainability.
Communication: She is an effective and trusted communicator, regularly advising senior leaders, engaging national policy audiences, and fostering collaboration across complex stakeholder groups.
