As is often the case with those who find academia to be their true calling, Amy Rogan-Mehta grew up enjoying school in a family that prioritized education.

“Three out of four of my grandparents were immigrants, and one of their proudest accomplishments was sending my parents to college, as they were the first in their families to attend university,” says Chapman University’s Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff, who manages a wide range of areas that shape Chapman’s strategic direction, enhance the student experience and raise the university’s profile.

Rogan-Mehta’s mother was also in education, working as a speech therapist and later at a local high school as a community liaison.  Her father was involved in the local school board where they lived in Mundelein, a suburb of Chicago.

While in junior high, she had her first taste of college life at a summer camp program hosted by a small college in southern Illinois.  “We chose our classes on a variety of topics.  It was a wonderful experience with other curious and interested kids,” she says.

Journey to Academia

Though the academic arena would be her final career destination, Rogan-Mehta started as a fine arts major.

“At a certain point, I realized that though I might have talent, it wasn’t enough for a long-term, successful career in the arts,” she says.  “I had always had a sense of fairness and wanting to help others and spoke with some folks who had gotten into a social work program.”

This prompted her to transfer to Saint Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Social Work, Cum Laude.  “It was a wonderful experience, and in hindsight, it was the same kind of personalized education with small classes we offer at Chapman,” says Rogan-Mehta, who also met her future husband, Minev Mehta, while in Minnesota.  He went with her to New York when she next earned a Master of Science in Social Work from Columbia University.

As a social worker, Rogan-Mehta worked with different populations, including new immigrants, children in the foster care system and teenage mothers.  Although she enjoyed the people, she grew frustrated by the slow pace and bureaucracy that often stood in the way of helping them.  Her perspective shifted when she began participating in court hearings for foster families.  There, she saw how the legal system could drive change more efficiently and decisively—leading her to pursue a law degree.  She went on to earn her Juris Doctorate (JD) from Marquette University Law School, graduating first in her class.  She then began her career practicing transactional law at a firm in downtown Milwaukee.

“Though I wasn’t at the firm long, I found it intellectually stimulating to work with brilliant attorneys,” she says.  After a short time, she was asked to join the administration at Marquette Law School.  “That was 2013, and I haven’t looked back.”

At Marquette, her role focused on helping students with the academic aspects of a successful law education.  “I learned students have high expectations of those leading their programs, as they absolutely should.  Working directly with students taught me to communicate more clearly, to listen and understand where others are coming from, and to find ways to support others while gently challenging them to stretch and grow.  These lessons have been valuable as I have taken on new roles.”

Joining Chapman University

In 2017, Rogan-Mehta joined Chapman University’s Fowler School of Law as Associate Dean for Administration, overseeing all administrative areas, including career services, admissions, operations, marketing, events and student affairs.  Under her leadership, the school enrolled its strongest classes in history and achieved consecutive records in graduate employment.  She also fostered a culture of engagement and volunteerism—founding the Center for Student Engagement—and implemented best practices for recruiting top staff and administrators.

In 2022, she stepped into the role of Vice President of University Advancement at Chapman, helping the division reach new heights.  Under her leadership, Chapman set records for alumni engagement and employer participation in student interviews for two consecutive years, all while consistently closing the budget under target.  She has also been instrumental in raising more than $400 million toward the university’s $500 million comprehensive campaign goal.

“In that role, I got to see how profoundly the university changes lives over generations, such as with endowed scholarships,” she says.  “When students earn a degree, they improve their lives, and the lives of their families and the community.  It was also inspiring to see how Chapman’s supporters care deeply about our students by giving their time, talent and treasure to help them.”

On September 2, she assumed her role as Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff.  In addition to serving as chief adviser to President Matt Parlow, Amy oversees a portfolio that builds on her current responsibilities, including Athletics, Career and Professional Development, the Hilbert Museum of California Art, Special Events and Strategic Marketing and Communications, Enrollment Management and Student Affairs.  She also helps to lead board relations with the Board of Trustees, Board of Governors and President’s Cabinet, serves as a liaison to board committees and represents Chapman at internal and external events.

Commitment to University Goals

According to Parlow, who has worked with Rogan-Mehta for 12 years, the offer of her current position was an easy decision.

“Amy shines in seeing opportunities for excellence and then devising strategies and building teams to achieve those goals and seize those opportunities.  In every position in which she has served, she has led with distinction, integrity and authenticity, surpassing goals, setting records (both qualitatively and quantitatively) and deepening the mission of the university.  As our colleagues will attest, it is a joy to collaborate and work with her, as she engages with care and authenticity, and brings out the best in others.  She cares deeply about Chapman and lives out our personalized approach to education and the Chapman Family ethos, both in her approach as a leader on campus and in her individual work with students and colleagues.”

Rachel Berns graduated from Chapman with a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences in May 2024 and is currently in her first year of a PhD program studying Biokinesiology at the University of Southern California (USC).  When she was the 2023/2024 Student Body President at Chapman, she had the opportunity to serve on a few committees with Rogan-Mehta, including the search committee for a new Vice President of Marketing and Communications and a planning committee for a Student Success Center.

“After the introductory meeting of our VP search committee, I was so glad hers was the voice in the conversation,” says Berns.  “In my eyes, every comment or opinion she shared with the group was impressively thoughtful and blew any other talking points out of the water.  In the Student Success Center committee, I saw every recommendation she made perfectly balance student needs with institutional goals.

“Amy is someone who deeply understands the university and has the institutional fluency to break through high-level barriers and enact meaningful improvement,” continues Berns.  “I’ve gotten to see the effects of her contributions most closely as an alum, with several new alumni engagement initiatives taking flight under her leadership.”

Rogan-Mehta recently finished chairing the Presidential Transition Advisory Committee, which involved the planning and implementation of inauguration events aimed at highlighting students’ talent and success, building on the university’s academic excellence, supporting interdisciplinary collaborations, fostering community engagement and deepening commitment to free speech and civil discourse.

“President Parlow is an inspiring leader with clarity of purpose and vision.  He exemplifies a compassionate style of leadership that is so effective,” she says.  “I’m excited to take on this new challenge with him as we build a team to take Chapman to continued success.”