Dear colleagues,
We are delighted to announce the 2024-25 President’s Executive Leadership Program (PELP) Fellows. The selection process this year was very competitive; we received close to 80 nominations from across the University of Illinois System and our three universities for the limited number of slots available. Diversity of background and experiences, as well as a balanced university representation, were factors in the selection process.
PELP is a unique professional development program designed to broaden participants’ understanding of higher education issues and to strengthen their leadership skills related to overseeing a public institution at the university or system level. The program consists of four multi-day seminars in Chicago, Urbana-Champaign, Springfield, and Washington, D.C.
Please join us in congratulating the following individuals selected for the 2024-25 program:
Chicago
- Ana Bedran-Russo, associate dean for research, department head and professor, College of Dentistry
- Elizabeth Fulmer, chief of staff, Office of the Chancellor
- Nicole Gastala, senior director of research, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs
- Miiri Kotche, associate dean for undergraduate affairs, Richard and Loan Hill Clinical Professor, College of Engineering
- Jonathan Inda, department chair and professor, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Rohan Jeremiah, associate dean for global health and associate professor, College of Nursing
- Maria Varelas, department chair and professor, College of Education
Springfield
- Tyrone Dooley, interim dean, College of Public Affairs and Education
- Shipra Gupta, department chair and associate professor, College of Business and Management
- Layne Morsch, interim associate provost online, professional, and engaged learning professor, College of Health, Science, and Technology
Urbana
- Imad Al-Qadi, Grainger Distinguished Chair and ICT director, Grainger College of Engineering
- Mark Cohen, dean, Carle Illinois College of Medicine
- Gioconda Guerra Perez, executive associate vice chancellor for diversity
- Ronaldo Maghirang, department head and professor, College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences
- Reuben May, department head and professor, Florian Znaniecki Professional Scholar, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Jamelle Sharpe, dean, College of Law
University Senates Conference
- Jeffrey Eric Jenkins, professor and chair of theatre studies, Urbana
U of I System Offices
- Kelly Block, senior associate vice president and CIO, Administrative Information Technology Services
- Karen Greenwalt, assistant vice president for budget and business operations
- Julie Zemaitis, executive director of university audits
Thank you to all who participated in the process, either as nominators or as candidates. We are fortunate to be part of a community with so many dedicated leaders who are interested in furthering their skills and enhancing our institution. We strongly encourage the many talented individuals who were not selected this year to apply again in the future.
Sincerely,
Timothy L. Killeen
President
University of Illinois System
Nicholas P. Jones
Executive Vice President and Vice President for Academic Affairs
University of Illinois System