Dear colleagues,
I am very pleased to announce that Brooke Weisenbeck has been appointed to the newly created role of chief of staff for the Office of the Executive Vice President and Vice President for Academic Affairs (OEVP/VPAA).
Currently the vice president of presidential development initiatives for the University of Illinois Foundation (UIF), Brooke will begin her role effective April 1, pending formal review and approval at this month’s meeting of the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.
In recent years, the OEVP/VPAA has expanded considerably in scope and complexity. In this new position as a member of the OEVP/VPAA leadership team, Brooke will serve as a senior advisor and strategic partner in advancing the system’s mission. She will be responsible for overseeing operational and administrative functions to ensure that the office can focus on high-level leadership and strategic decision-making.
This will include times when Brooke will represent the office, extending OEVP/VPAA engagement across the system and the universities, as well as with external partners. If it sounds like broad responsibility, it is!
At UIF, Brooke oversaw strategic planning and implementation of advancement efforts in furtherance of the vision and strategic priorities of system President Tim Killeen and UIF President and CEO James H. Moore Jr.
If you have had occasion to work with Brooke in her capacity at UIF, you most likely share my confidence that she will do an outstanding job as OEVP/VPAA chief of staff.
Prior to joining UIF in 2022, Brooke was the assistant dean of advancement for the College of Natural Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Before that, she served in international advancement roles at the University of Illinois Urbana‑Champaign, concentrating on fundraising in priority international regions.
Brooke also has worked in advancement roles at the Quinlan School of Business at Loyola University, the Steppenwolf Theater Company, and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. She earned a bachelor’s degree and a Master of Public Administration from DePaul University.
Please join me in welcoming Brooke to the OEVP/VPAA team!
Nick Jones
Executive Vice President and Vice President for Academic Affairs
University of Illinois System