Our Team
A world class university demands a world class advancement program. We have embarked on our most ambitious campaign to date in support of our students, faculty, and programs. Our centralized advancement team works in conjunction with advancement professionals throughout the colleges and units on campus. Meet our team below and use the Illinois campus directory to search for anyone on campus.
ADVANCEMENT LEADERSHIP
The Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement works in partnership with the University of Illinois Foundation to manage all aspects of the fundraising operations on the Urbana-Champaign campus.
Barry Benson
Vice Chancellor for Advancement
Senior Vice President for Development, UIF
Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 300-5671
bensonb@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Support: Melissa Engel
Dale Wright
Associate Vice Chancellor for Advancement
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 244-0604
dlwright@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Alex Schmidt
Associate Vice Chancellor of Advancement Operations,
Chief of Staff
Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 265-5711
kaschmid@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Support: Kelly McCleary
Sarah Morris
Associate Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement
Illini Center Chicago
200 S. Wacker Drive, 19th Floor
(217) 300-7120
scm@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Support: Cynthia Lesley
David Bruns
Senior Executive Director of Principal Gifts
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(312) 575-7850
dbruns@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Melissa Engel
Director of Internal Operations for Institutional Advancement
Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 244-6647
engelm@uillinois.edu
LinkedIn
Debi Knight
Administrative Aide
Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-6297
ddknight@illinois.edu
CAMPAIGNS AND STRATEGIC ENGAGEMENT
The Strategic Engagement team leads the strategic efforts in the areas of event strategy, annual giving, stewardship, data analytics, and marketing/communications.
Alex Schmidt
Associate Vice Chancellor of Advancement Operations,
Chief of Staff
Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 265-5711
kaschmid@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Support: Kelly McCleary
Kristen Costello
Associate Director of Strategic Engagement
Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 300-9608
kcostel2@illinois.edu
Kristin Burnette
Senior Director of Advancement Operations
Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 300-4454
klang2@illinois.edu
Jason Quackenbush
Associate Director of Annual Giving Communications
Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-5686
jvq@illinois.edu
Lisa O’Banion
Associate Director of Annual Giving Programs
Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-9174
lobanion@illinois.edu
Kelly McCleary
Office Administrator
Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-9174
mcclery2@illinois.edu
Audrey LeGrande
Associate Director of Event Strategy
Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 300-1783
alegrand@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Rachel Hull
Associate Director of Strategic Engagement
Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 244-9866
rhull3@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Marcus Kelley
Associate Director of Strategic Engagement
Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 300-7841
mkelley7@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Justin M. Brauer
Assistant Director of Strategic Engagement
Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 300-3698
brauer4@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Jamie McFarling
Senior Director of Stewardship and Donor Relations
Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 244-3755
jmp@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Ashley Gorman
Associate Director of Stewardship & Donor Relations
Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 300-1916
agorman3@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Danielle Runyon
Associate Director of Strategic Engagement (HSRI)
Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 300-2952
drunyon@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Nicole Cazley
Assistant Director of Strategic Engagement
Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
npevans2@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Kim Schmidt
Director of Storytelling
Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 265-6391
kimsch@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Joseph Brumleve
Art Director
Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 244-0847
jtbrumle@illinois.edu
Abigail Bobrow
Associate Director of Storytelling
Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 244-8737
abobrow@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Rebecca Schultz
Graphic Design Associate
Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 300-7490
rns18@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Michelle Nguyen
Graphic Design Associate
Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
mnguyen7@illinois.edu
RESEARCH INITIATIVES
Betsy Rodriquez
Director of Advancement for Research Initiatives
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-9713
epowers2@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
REGIONAL AND GLOBAL ADVANCEMENT
The Regional Development Directors serve as a point of contact for alumni, donors and friends throughout the United States. They are assigned different regions and build relationships through personal visits and events.
Sarah Morris
Associate Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement
Illini Center Chicago
200 S. Wacker Drive, 19th Floor
(217) 300-7120
scm@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Olivia M. Koenig
Senior Director of Advancement
Illini Center Chicago
200 S. Wacker Drive, 19th Floor
(217) 244-1412
okoenig@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Kitty Snow
Director of Advancement
Illini Center Chicago
200 S. Wacker Drive, 19th Floor
kesnow@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Erin Marker
Senior Director of Advancement
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(415) 227-4040
emarker@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Mike Nelson
Associate Director of Advancement
Illini Center Chicago
200 S. Wacker Drive, 19th Floor
(217) 300-4409
mjnelsn2@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Joe Melisi
Associate Director of Advancement
Illini Center Chicago
200 S. Wacker Drive, 19th Floor
(217) 333-1044
melisi2@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Cynthia Lesley
Office Administrator
Illini Center Chicago
200 S. Wacker Drive, 19th Floor
clesley@illinois.edu
INTERNATIONAL ADVANCEMENT
Erin Nelson
Senior Director for International Advancement
Office of the Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement
Illini Center, 200 S. Wacker Drive, 19th Floor
enelson8@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Jess Strong
Director of International Advancement
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
jmstrong@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Emily Harrison
Associate Director of International Constituent Engagement
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 300-7424
emilyh@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
PRINCIPAL GIFTS
DAVID BRUNS
Senior Executive Director of Principal Gifts
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(312) 575-7850
dbruns@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Julie Jackson
Director of Principal Gifts Strategy and Communications
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 300-1736
filip@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
SAMANTHA HENDON
Associate Director of Operations and Stewardship, Principal Gifts
Office of the Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement
Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 300-6331
shendon@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
FOUNDATION RELATIONS
The Office of Foundation Relations is a campus-wide resource for faculty and administrators seeking to advance relationships with national and selected regional private foundations.
Elizabeth Birlet
Senior Director of Foundation Relations
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 244-3606
e-birle@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Barlow LeVold
Director of Foundation Relations
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 244-8146
jbl@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
LAURA CLARK
Associate Director of Foundation Relations
Office of the Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement
Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 206-6058
lclar01s@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
People & Culture
People & Culture partners with colleges and units on campus to attract, retain and engage top-level employees in Advancement at Illinois.
Katie Walker
Director of Employee Experience
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 300-7178
walker74@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Roberta Jorge
Associate Director of Employee Engagement and Development
Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-4187
rjorge2@illinois.edu
Brenda Morris
Human Resource Associate
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 300-2704
bcmorris@illinois.edu
Julie Smith
Office Manager
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 300-1686
jsmit@illinois.edu
Jennifer Kresin
Business Manager
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 300-3487
jkresin@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Zsayla Brummett
Recruitment & Onboarding Associate
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
zbrummet@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
Katie Harrell
Senior Director of Performance Management Operations
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-7312
harrell8@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Trevor Jennings
Director of Data Management, Visualization & Analysis
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 300-2879
trevor@uillinois.edu
LinkedIn