Admissions Staff Directory
Please feel free to contact us by phone or email
- Phone: (217) 206-4847
- Toll Free: (888) 977-4847
Contact one of our Admission Staff:
Our admission staff are dedicated to helping incoming students navigate the admissions process. We have counselors for incoming freshmen, as well as a dedicated counselor for transfer students and international students.
Click on a name to see more information:
- Sarah Adams (sadam26@uis.edu, 217-503-8840) Admission Counselor
- Aaron Boettcher (aboet1@uis.edu, 217-691-1053) Senior Admission Counselor
- Anna Bradford (alight2@uis.edu, 217-691-8890) International Admission Counselor
- Leigh Brannan (lbran3@uis.edu, 217-741-4079) Assistant Director of Admission
- Marla Johnson (mjohn206@uis.edu, 217-741-0682) Admission Counselor
- Kathryn Kleeman (kklee1@uis.edu) Director of Admission
- Carly Leffel (cweso2@uis.edu, 217-741-2150) Admission Counselor
- Jhonatan Martinez (jmart49@uis.edu, 217-691-5946) Admission Counselor
- Lisa McGuire (lmcgu2@uis.edu) Director of New Student Orientation and Parent Relations
- Benjamin Webb (bwebb4@uis.edu, 217-741-6826) Admission Counselor
Meet our Student Ambassadors:
Sarah Adams
Contact Information: 217-503-8840 (call or text)
Territories: West Central IL, St. Louis Area, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama
Alma Mater: BA History, Quincy University, 2000
Advice for College Students: Think about what is important to you, and choose the school that is the best fit for YOU. Also, take at least once class each semester you know you are going to like. That way you know you always have something to look forward to.
Best Thing About Springfield: Even though it is a smaller city, Springfield always has something to do, especially if you are into the arts or history. While campus has a lot going on, don’t forget to explore Springfield too. There is a lot you don’t want to miss!
Favorite Place on Campus: I love the Student Union, it has such a great energy every time I visit. It truly is the living room of the campus!
About Sarah: I am a Springfield native, I have left several time but home kept calling me back. I am a huge geek, pick a fandom and I am probably a fan. I love to travel and have been to 33 states, and 4 continents.
Aaron Boettcher
Contact Information: 217-691-1053 (call or text)
Territories: City of Chicago, N. Chicago Suburbs, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Montana
Hometown: McHenry, IL
Alma Maters: BA Finance, Millikin University, 2003 / MBA, University of Illinois Springfield, 2005
Advice for College Students: Enjoy it!!! This is your chance in life to get 4 years to really discover where you want to take you passions, interests, and goals in life. There are so many things you will discover about who you are and what is important to you. There is a reason you worked so hard in high school because college is a ton of fun!!!
Best Thing About Springfield: Diversity. There are so many different types of people and so many things to do.
Favorite Place on Campus: The old Student Life Gym, or Assembly Closet as we used to call it when I coached basketball, since that is where I met my wife!
About Aaron: Huge Green Bay Packers and St. Louis Cardinals Fan, played college baseball and coached college basketball, and my biggest weaknesses are spelling and art of any kind.
Anna Bradford
Contact Information: 217-691-8890 (call or text)
Hometown: Woodstock, IL
Alma Mater: BA Linguistics, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, 2009
Advice for College Students: Befriend an international student – explore the globe, a friend at a time! And take advantage of the Study Abroad opportunities.
Best Thing About Springfield: I enjoy downtown Springfield. The Abraham Lincoln sites and the Dana Thomas house are excellent. I definitely recommend going to the Farmer’s Market as well!
Favorite Place on Campus: Campus Lake is a relaxing and peaceful spot to refresh.
About Anna: I lived in Japan for 5 1/2 years teaching English as a Second Language, and I enjoy to travel/explore whenever I can. I love to swap travel stories, hearing food recommendations, and speaking about traditional handicrafts!
Leigh Brannan
Contact Information: 217-741-4079 (call or text)
Hometown: Jacksonville, IL
Alma Mater: BA English, Philosophy, and Religion, MacMurray College, 2004
Advice for College Students: Go to class and sit in the front row!
Best Thing About Springfield UIS!
Favorite Place on Campus: The Shakespeare Garden
About Leigh: I was a gymnast for a long time and was a competitive diver in college, I read around 60 books a year, and I love to workout.
Marla Johnson 
Contact Information: 217-741-0682 (call or text)
Alma Maters: BS Marketing, University of Alabama in Huntsville, 2017
Advice for College Students: Keep your academics first, but don’t forget to get involved in clubs and organizations; you won’t regret it!
Best Thing About Springfield: UIS of course and the Abraham Lincoln sites.
Favorite Place on Campus: The Student Union
About Marla: I was a cheerleader in college. I love traveling, being artistic, and watching documentaries.
Kathryn Kleeman
My hometown: Terre Haute, IN
Alma Maters: BS Business Management, Indiana State, 1997 / MPA University of Illinois Springfield, 2005
Advice for College Students: Get involved in clubs and organizations. You’ll learn a lot and make great connections.
Best Thing About Springfield: Easy to get around but lots of amenities of a larger city
Favorite Place on Campus: The Student Union patio
About Kathryn: I like a cappela (specifically Straight No Chaser); I have traveled to China; like road trips.
Carly Leffel
Contact Information: 217-741-2150 (call or text)
Territories: S. Illinois, Sangamon County, Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Nebraska, and Iowa
Hometown: Naperville, IL
Alma Mater: BA Communication, University of Illinois Springfield, 2017
Advice for College Students: Get involved in as many clubs and organizations as you can.
Best Thing About Springfield: Horseshoes!
Favorite Place on Campus: The Recreation and Athletic Center (TRAC)
About Carly: I played volleyball for 10 years and in college, I love to read, and I love to cook.
Jhonatan Martinez
Contact Information: 217-691-5946 (call or text)
Territory: Chicago Area
Alma Maters: BFA Industrial Design, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2016
Advice for College Students: College is a time to learn and explore your interests. So take advantage of all the resources available on-campus and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Best Thing About Springfield: The small and welcoming community with big city perks.
Favorite Place on Campus: The Student Union because its the social heart of campus and there’s plenty of things to do such as eat, study, or hangout with friends.
About Jhonatan: I have won multiple radio call-in contests and have won some pretty awesome prizes; I like going to concerts and music festivals; I enjoy creating art work and visiting art museums in my spare time.
Ben Webb
Contact Information: 217-741-6826 (call or text)
Territories: Chicago Area, Delaware, Maryland, Washington D.C., West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, and Tennessee
Alma Mater: BA Communication, University of Illinois Springfield, 2016 / MA Communication, University of Illinois Springfield, 2018
Advice for College Students: College is what you make it. Do not be afraid to take risks. Go out and learn new things, meet new people, and enjoy all that UIS has to offer.
Best Thing About Springfield: Although Springfield is a small place, the people you meet are very welcoming.
Favorite Place on Campus: My favorite place on campus is Student Union because it is the hub for all social life on campus. You never know who you might see when taking a trip to the Union.
About Ben: I attended UIS for both undergrad and grad school. I am from the Chicago area. While attending UIS, I became of member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. In my spare time, I love to watch YouTube and do graphic design.
Meet Our Student Ambassadors
