About Dr. Lewis
Built by someone who has sat on both sides of the table.
Dr. Allen Lewis, PhD, is a Grant Readiness Architect™ — a senior institutional advisor with more than four decades of professional experience, including nearly three decades in academic leadership across five universities.
More than four decades of professional experience in academic, research, and institutional leadership, including nearly three decades in academic leadership across five universities; $18M+ in federal grant involvement; 80+ publications and book chapters; 150+ invited and peer-reviewed presentations; nationally Certified Rehabilitation Counselor.
Career overview
Dr. Lewis has served in academic and research leadership across regional universities and academic medical centers, including service as a dean at an academic medical center and department chair roles earlier in his career.
His work spans both sides of the institutional research enterprise — as a principal investigator inside federally funded programs and as a leader responsible for building the systems, governance, and infrastructure that make those programs possible.
That dual perspective enables him to connect executive decisions, research operations, faculty culture, and funding performance without reducing the problem to proposal writing alone.
Research and grants background
Dr. Lewis has been involved in more than $18 million in federal grant funding across research, training, and capacity-building initiatives. He has advised research capacity-building efforts at institutions across the country, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other Minority-Serving Institutions.
Publications and presentations
He has authored more than 80 publications and book chapters and delivered more than 150 invited and peer-reviewed presentations across national and international venues. He is a nationally Certified Rehabilitation Counselor.
A full CV and professional bio are available on the Resources page.
Why he built the LRI
The Lewis Readiness Index™ is the diagnostic Dr. Lewis wishes had existed when he was leading research enterprises. It exists to give executive leaders a defensible, structural way to see readiness — before another cycle of proposals turns into another cycle of explanations.
Work with Dr. Lewis
Start where every engagement begins.
The Lewis Readiness Index™ is the front door to every advisory conversation. It is also useful entirely on its own.
Grant writing is the last 10%. Organizational readiness is the first 90%.
How ready is your institution?