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 Admissions Staff:

Our admissions 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 (call or text) – West Central IL & St. Louis Area
Aaron Boettcher (aboet1@uis.edu) – 217-691-1053 (call or text) – City of Chicago/N. Chicago Suburbs
Anna Bradford (alight2@uis.edu) – 217-691-8890 (call or text) – International Admission Counselor
Leigh Brannan (lbran3@uis.edu) – 217-741-4079 (call or text) – Assistant Director of Admission
Marla Johnson (mjohn206@uis.edu) – 217-741-0682 (call or text) S. and W. Suburbs and City of Chicago
Kathryn Kleeman (kklee1@uis.edu) – Director of Admission
Carly Leffel (cweso2@uis.edu) – 217-741-2150 (call or text) -S. Illinois and Sangamon County
Jhonatan Martinez (jmart49@uis.edu) – 217-691-5946 (call or text) – Chicago Area
Lisa McGuire (lmcgu2@uis.edu) – Director of New Student Orientation and Parent Relations
Benjamin Webb (bwebb4@uis.edu) – 217-741-6826 (call or text) Chicago Area

Sarah Adams

You can call me:

Sarah

Alma Maters:

Quincy University

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

You can call me:

Coach B, Aaron

Hometown:

McHenry, IL

Alma Maters:

BA Finance, Millikin University, 2003

MBA University of Illinois at 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

You Can Call me:

Anna

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

You Can Call Me:

Leigh

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

You can call me:

Marla

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 Heather:

I was a cheerleader in college. I love traveling, being artistic, and watching documentaries.

Kathryn Kleeman

You Can Call Me:

Kathryn

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

You Can Call Me:

Carly

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

You can call me:

Jhonatan

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 on my spare time.