Our Team
Below you will find a list of staff organized by office. If you are looking for someone and you can’t find them, please try searching the Illinois campus directory.
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
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 300-5671
bensonb@illinois.edu
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Susan Lee
Senior Associate Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement
Associate Vice President, UIF
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 300-3486
leese@illinois.edu
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Alex Schmidt
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Advancement, Campaigns and Strategic Engagement
1817 S. Neil St., Suite 102
Champaign IL 61820
(217) 265-5711
kaschmid@illinois.edu
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Jennifer Neubauer
Associate Vice Chancellor for Alumni Relations
President, UI Alumni Association
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
jln5@uillinois.edu
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Melissa Engel
Director of Internal Operations for Institutional Advancement
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 244-6647
engelm@uillinois.edu
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Heather Clay
Executive Director of Advancement
3016 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 300-4083
hclay@illinois.edu
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LEADERSHIP SUPPORT
Kate Wax
Administrative Assistant
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 300-3486
kwax@illinois.edu
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Caroline Jandeska
Office Administrator
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 300-3489
cjandesk@illinois.edu
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Kari Wallace
Office Manager
3005 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-4087
kjwallac@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Jennifer Kresin
Budget Analyst I
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 300-3487
jkresin@illinois.edu
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Elizabeth Erwin
Office Support Associate
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-4752
eerwin@illinois.edu
ANNUAL GIVING
The Annual Giving Office oversees the solicitation and stewardship of thousands of alumni and friends who support Illinois with their generous recurring gifts. This group is part of the Strategic Engagement team headed by Alex Schmidt, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Advancement, Campaigns and Strategic Engagement.
Christy Moss
Senior Director of Strategic Engagement
1817 S. Neil St., Suite 102
Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 333-6358
chrmoss@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Kristin Burnette
Director of Annual Giving
1817 S. Neil St., Suite 102
Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 300-4454
klang2@illinois.edu
Jason Quackenbush
Associate Director of Annual Giving Communications
1817 S. Neil St., Suite 102
Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 333-5686
jvq@illinois.edu
Lisa O’Banion
Associate Director of Annual Giving Programs
1817 S. Neil St., Suite 102
Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 333-9174
lobanion@illinois.edu
Kelly McCleary
Office Manager
1817 S. Neil St., Suite 102
Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 333-9174
mcclery2@illinois.edu
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Justin Brauer
Office Support Associate
1817 S. Neil St., Suite 102
Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 300-3698
brauer4@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
FOUNDATION RELATIONS
The Office of Foundation Relations is dedicated to securing support from private foundations for the institution’s academic and public engagement programs. Read more.
Janelle K. Weatherford
Director of Foundation Relations
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 244-6566
jwthford@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Barlow LeVold
Associate Director of Foundation Relations
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 244-8146
jbl@illinois.edu
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Rajeev Malik
Director of Foundation Relations
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-8085
rmalik@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Julie Elzanati
Director of Foundation Relations
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 244-1206
elzanati@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
Marketing & Communications focuses on engaging our passionate alumni and friends to ensure Illinois is a top philanthropic priority. This group is part of the Strategic Engagement team headed by Alex Schmidt, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Advancement, Campaigns and Strategic Engagement.
Kim Schmidt
Director of Storytelling
1817 S. Neil St., Suite 102
Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 265-6391
kimsch@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Abigail Bobrow
Assistant Director of Storytelling
1817 S. Neil St., Suite 102
Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 244-0847
abobrow@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Joe Brumleve
Art Director
1817 S. Neil St., Suite 102
Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 244-0847
jtbrumle@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Katie Miller
Coordinator of Graphic Design
1817 S. Neil St., Suite 102
Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 300-2575
ktmill@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Matt Wszolek
Senior Executive of Marketing & Media
Office of the Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement and Office of Public Affairs
(312) 575-7842
mwszolek@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
REGIONAL OFFICES
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.
REGIONAL DIRECTORS
Deanne Johnson
Sr. Director of Development for Regional Programs — Team Lead
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
Territories: Arizona, Illinois (East Central; plus the Quad Cities), Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming
(217) 333-0752
jhns@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Erin Marker
Assistant Director of Advancement
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(415) 227-4040
emarker@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Vlad Petkovich
Director of Development
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
Region: Northeast
(217) 300-0302
vp9@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
ILLINI CENTER CHICAGO
Michelle Kundrat
Administrative Aide
Office of the Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement
200 South Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606
(312) 575-7926
mkong5@illinois.edu
INTERNATIONAL
Brooke Eisenmenger
Director of International Advancement
Office of the Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement
(217) 300-3160
beisen1@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
REGIONAL SUPPORT STAFF
Penny White
Office Support Associate
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 300-0285
pfwhite@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
STEWARDSHIP
The Stewardship Office seeks to build and maintain practices across campus that ensure responsible, ethical administration of gifts and celebration of our donors through meaningful engagement and impactful communication. This group is part of the Strategic Engagement team headed by Alex Schmidt, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Advancement, Campaigns and Strategic Engagement.
Jamie McFarling
Director of Stewardship and Donor Relations
1817 S. Neil St., Suite 102
Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 244-3755
jmp@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Ashley Gorman
Assistant Director of Stewardship & Donor Relations
1817 S. Neil St., Suite 102
Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 300-1916
agorman3@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
EVENT STRATEGY
In collaboration with the Office of the Chancellor, the Event Strategy team is responsible for envisioning, planning, and strategizing event programming, content, and messaging for events to drive engagement and steward our vast audience of alumni, donors, and friends.
Audrey LeGrande
Associate Director of Event Strategy
1817 S. Neil St., Suite 102
Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 300-1783
alegrand@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
TALENT MANAGEMENT
The Talent Management Office partners with colleges and units on campus to attract, retain and engage top-level employees in Advancement at Illinois.
Theo Long
Senior Director of Talent Management
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 300-5289
tflong@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Katie Walker
Associate Director of Talent Management
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 300-7178
kweisen3@illinois.edu
Julia Sullivan
Associate Director of Talent Management
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 300-3731
juliams@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
Sherry Clayborn
Office Support Assistant
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 300-2441
sclaybor@illinois.edu
ADVANCEMENT ASSOCIATES
Katie Harrell
Associate Director of Talent Management
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-7312
harrell8@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Vanessa Faurie
Director of Advancement for Research Initiatives
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-1477
v-faurie@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Julie Jackson
Director of Development, Principal & Major Gifts
3003 Alice Campbell Alumni Center, MC 079
601 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 300-1736
filip@illinois.edu
LinkedIn
Susan Fitzgerald
Development Associate
1817 S. Neil St., Suite 102
Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 300-3912
sfitzge@illinois.edu
LinkedIn