Meet the Team
Staff of the UIS Office of Development
The UIS Development team encourages and administers private gifts to support the campus. Our core values include quality, professionalism, service, integrity, caring, and unity. We are here to serve you, our donors, colleagues, and alumni.
Jeff Lorber
Vice Chancellor for Development, UIS
Senior Vice President, University of Illinois Foundation
Phone: 217.206.6058, jlorber@uis.edu
Dr. Lorber comes to UIS from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale where he was Associate Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement and Executive Director of Deveolpment at the SIU Foundation. He was at SIU Carbondale since 2005 and served as the Campaign Director for SIU's first comprehensive campaign, a successful $106 million effort.
Jeff is a native of Muscatine, Iowa, and has also held development positions at Indiana University Northwest, the University of Tennessee, Northern Illinois University, Butler University, the University of Northern Iowa, and Washington University in St. Louis. He earned his doctorate in educational administration and policy studies from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. He has a master's degree in college student personnel from Western Illinois University and a bachelor's degree in communications/public relations from the University of Northern Iowa.
Directors/Major Gift Officers
Sarah Jennings
Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations
Major gift officer for the Center for State Policy and Leadership and Sangamon Auditorium
Phone: 217.206.6058, jennings.sarah@uis.edu
Prior to joining UIS, Sarah served as Vice President of Corporate and Foundation Relations and Grant Development for the American Lung Association of the Upper Midwest. She has a bachelor's in fine art from Culver-Stockton College and a master's in Community Arts Management and a graduate certificate in Management of Nonprofit Organizations from UIS. She has held a Certified Fund Raising Executive credential since 2007.
Lisa Whelpley
Director of Annual Giving/Major Gift Development
Major Gift Officer for Brookens Library
Phone: 217.206.6058, whelpley.lisa@uis.edu
Lisa earned an M.S. degree in Leisure Studies from the University of Illinois and her B.S. and B.A. degrees from Miami University in Ohio. Before starting at UIS, she served as Development Director for the Central Illinois Foodbank for 4-1/2 years. She oversees all requests for the UIS Fund, manages annual fundraising, and oversees UIS' very successful Faculty and Staff Campaign each year.
Ron Wojcicki
Director of Development
Major Gift Officer for the College of Business and Management, College of Education and Human Services, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, College of Public Affairs and Administration, Student Affairs, and Athletics
Phone: 217.206.7075, wojcicki.ron@uis.edu
Ron works with donors for all four colleges and Student Affairs. He has a bachelor's in Music Education and Piano Performance from MacMurray College and a Master of Music Education from the University of Illinois. Before joining UIS, Ron was Director of Development at Sacred Heart-Griffin for nine years, and also worked in the IT industry and music education.
Additional Staff Members
Jeanne Boyle
Event Coordinator
217.206.6058
jboyl1@uis.edu
Jeanne works with the development and campus staff to plan events for alumni and friends of the University.
Marilyn Kok
Assoc. Director of
Grants, Marketing, and Communications
217.206.6058
kok.marilyn@uis.edu
Marilyn writes grants to private foundations and corporations, oversees the Development websites, writes stories about students and donors, and contributes to other marketing and communications. She has a degree from Wheaton College and a master's from Texas A&M in Composition and Rhetoric.
Matthew Roberts
Data Specialist
217.206.6058
mrobe4@uis.edu
Matthew helps to manage the Office of Development data needs. He runs financial reports, creates mailing lists, and helps to identify donor prospects and maintain the data base of people with ties to UIS. He graduated from UIS with a degree in computer science in 2007.
Teresa Szabo
Associate Director of Business and Stewardship
217.206.6058, tszab1@uis.edu
Teresa oversees the business operations of the office, stewardship of gifts and coordination of the private donor scholarships award process, and the annual scholarship luncheon. Before starting at UIS in 2000, she was the Director of Research and Records for Alumni and Development at Millikin University in Decatur. She holds a bachelor’s from SIU Carbondale and a master’s from UIS in Health Services Administration.
Administrative Staff
Cathy Snopko
Office Administrator
217.206.6058
csnop1@uis.edu
Cathy serves as assistant to the Associate Chancellor for Development/Senior Vice President of the University of Illinois Foundation. She also coordinates the office support, processes gifts, and reviews and monitors office accounts and fiscal transactions. She has been with the Office of Development since 1999.
Mindy Reynolds
Office Support Specialist
217.206.6058
mreyn5@uis.edu
Mindy provides support to the Office of Development staff, helping with events, publications, and many other tasks.
Pat Ruestman
Office Support Specialist
217.206.6058
prues2@uis.edu
Pat provides valuable support to Office of Development staff, helping with business functions, the office's many events, and publications. She has a psychology degree.
Sangamon Auditorium
Brandy Stabler
Development Assistant for Sangamon Auditorium
217.206.6150
bstab1@uis.edu
Brandy manages the fundraising efforts for Sangamon Auditorium, making sure that individuals and businesses in the Springfield community are informed of their opportunities to support the performing arts through the Auditorium.
WUIS
Randy Eccles
General Manager, WUIS
Phone: 217.206.6516, reccl2@uis.edu
Randy grew up in the South Suburbs of Chicago and graduated from North Central College in Naperville with a degree in Speech Communication/Theatre. He has worked at several radio stations, including long stints at WGN in Chicago and KTAR in Phoenix. He is thrilled to be a part of WUIS' efforts to enhance the Central Illinois community.
Myra Kuhn
WUIS Business Development Officer
Phone: 217.206.8380, kuhnm@uis.edu
Myra, who joined WUIS in 2012, meets with representatives of the Springfield business community who are interested in supporting WUIS through sponsorships. Learn more about WUIS sponsorships.
John Wallenstein
WUIS Business Development Officer
Phone: 217.206.6410, jwall3@uis.edu
John meets with members of the business community who are interested in supporting WUIS through sponsorships. Learn more about WUIS sponsorships.
Meet the Team
Donor Recognition
