THETA CHI - Key Persons
Born and raised in Chicago, Angel serves as a Growth Specialist for Theta Chi. He joined Delta Theta Chapter at the University of Toledo and graduated in May 2023 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resource Management and a Minor in Business Law. Throughout his collegiate studies, Angel spent his free time volunteering with Cherry Street Mission to help prepare meals and clothing for those in need. Outside of his work with the International Headquarters, Angel has a passion for the Chicago Cubs and music, specifically ukulele. He'll be working alongside Eric Rys to restart the Eta Delta Chapter at Babson College, located just outside Boston.
As Stewardship Coordinator, Annie manages all gift entry and scholarship needs related to the Development Department and the Foundation Chapter of Theta Chi Fraternity. In her role, Annie enters and maintains a record of all gifts received into the database, ensuring proper allocation of funds during entry.
Annie graduated from the University of Arizona in 2023 with a bachelor's in communication with a minor in film and television. During college, Annie was a member of Alpha Phi Fraternity where she served on the Philanthropy Board as Director of Sweethearts Week.
Outside of work, Annie enjoys spending time with friends, learning to cook new foods, traveling, and watching football every Sunday.
Job Titles:
- Chief Communications Officer
- Chief Communications Officer & Editor of the Rattle
As Chief Communications Officer, Ben provides leadership for the Fraternity's overall communications, public relations, and brand management strategy. He assists in the production and management of all Fraternity print and online publications, including The Rattle.
Ben graduated with a Bachelor of Science in interdisciplinary social science. He joined the International Headquarters staff in June 2002 as a Leadership and Education Consultant and remained in that position for five years. During his time as a Consultant, Ben was able to visit every active chapter and was also able to visit the campus of each inactive chapter. After coming off the road, Ben served on the Fraternity staff from 2007-2015, providing leadership for collegiate services, Fraternity communications and publications, and educational programming.
Ben served as Assistant Director for the Eisenhower Institute at Gettysburg College for more than two years before returning to the International Headquarters staff in May 2018.
As the Chief Housing Officer, Brother Russo is responsible for supporting the work of the Norwich Housing Corporation (NHC), leading and building the Fraternity's housing department, and serving as a resource to our local house corporations.
Bill also assists Theta Chi collegiate chapters and alumni in the development of safe and competitive housing, as well as with best practices for facility management.
From 2002-2009, Brother Russo was Theta Chi's Director of Leadership Development and was responsible for planning the Fraternity's leadership education events.
From 2009-2012, Brother Russo worked as a Community Representative for the American Cancer Society (ACS), where he was responsible for recruiting and managing volunteers on Indianapolis' West Side. He also helped with fundraising efforts and represented the ACS on various cancer committees at local hospitals. In 2011, he was recognized by the ACS with the Star Award as one of the top recruiters in the Great Lakes Division, which includes all of Indiana and Michigan.
From 2012-2017, Brother Russo served the Fraternity as the Chief Programming and Volunteer Officer.
Brother Russo is a huge fan of Pittsburgh Sports and loves a good Primanti Brothers sandwich!
Contact Bill if you have questions about:
The Norwich Housing Corporation
Applying for a Norwich Loan
Chapter facility concerns
Job Titles:
- Director of Chapter Development
As Sr. Director of Chapter Development, Bryan measures chapter success, provides opportunities for continued chapter improvement, and manages a team of Assistant Directors of Chapter Development.
Bryan also leads the Fraternity's collegiate educational program (The Resolute Man) and the Fraternity's pledge education program (The Resolute Journey). Prior to joining the International Headquarters, Bryan taught for 14 years and was an assistant principal for 7 years. He served Alpha Iota as Marshal and Social Chairman and received the Active Chapter Service Award. Bryan has a Bachelor of Science in education from Indiana University and a Master of Science in leadership education from Butler University. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and three children, playing golf with friends, visiting the beach, and watching Indiana University basketball.
Contact Bryan if you have questions about:
The Resolute Man
The Resolute Journey
Marshals Summit
School of Fraternity Practices
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director of Chapter Development
Hailing from Green Bay, Wisconsin, Christian joined the Delta Omega Chapter and graduated from Ripon College with a double major in Economics and Finance. He served as Chapter President and Chaplain during his time with the Delta Omega Chapter. During his time as a collegian, Christian participated in an internship with Ripon College's Lane Library interviewing and documenting the experiences of Ripon college students, staff, and community members during the first year of the Covid-19 Pandemic. While in school, Christian took part in an internship with Hilltop Trucking and Excavating as a Project Coordinator. In this role, Christian helped with the administration of project finances as well as participating in on-site operations.
Outside of his work with Theta Chi, Christian has a passion for Music and Theater. Christian plays the Tuba and bass guitar. He enjoys going out to see live performances from such acts as Hamilton, James Taylor, and Rammstein. Christian also has a deep appreciation for the outdoors. You can catch him backpacking on a mule deer hunt out in South Dakota as well as salmon fishing on Lake Michigan.
Job Titles:
- Membership and Event Specialist
- Specialist for IHQ
As Membership and Event Specialist for IHQ, Colin oversees the member registration process, supports event logistics, and provides general support to the ChapterSpot/Greekbill system.
Colin previously served the Fraternity as an Administrative Assistant.
Colin joined Theta Chi Fraternity's International Headquarters staff after leading the Indianapolis area's PGA Tour Superstore as their Operations Supervisor. Working as Operations Supervisor, Colin developed their services department into one of the top services teams in the company and helped achieve one of the highest ecommerce fulfillment rates company-wide, all while assisting the team with turning a $6.8 million store into a $10 million store in one year.
After attending Ivy Tech Community College (2016-2018), Colin's new goal is to return to school and work towards earning a business degree. In his spare time, Colin enjoys spending time with his family, weightlifting, fishing with his son, and building golf clubs. His passion for sports-specifically golf-truly shines with his affinity for building and tinkering with golf clubs.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director of Chapter Development
Job Titles:
- Director of Health and Safety
Edna joined the International Headquarters staff in February of 2016. Previously, she worked for GTE, Verizon, and Frontier as an administrative assistant. Edna retired from the telecommunications industry after nearly 30 years, and worked in child care prior to her current role with Theta Chi. When she is out of the office, Edna enjoys reading as well as keeping up with her nieces and nephews. She also teaches classes at church on Sundays.
As Director of Engagement for Theta Chi Fraternity, Erik VanDenBerghe works to recruit and support alumni in their duties as mentors and advisers to the Fraternity's collegiate brothers.
Above all, Erik's real passion in life is helping others. He hopes to give back to those who have not had the same experiences he has had throughout his collegiate journey and alumnus career.
Working for Theta Chi came after an extensive career in professional sports hospitality, where Erik assisted multiple professional organizations like the Boston Bruins, Boston Celtics, Baltimore Orioles, and the Carolina Panthers. A veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, Erik also worked overseas for the Department of Defense as a linguistic intelligence coordinator.
Erik's collegiate journey actually began at Norwich, the home of our Alpha Chapter. He later transferred to the University of New Hampshire where he worked to reinstall Zeta Chapter and became a Rechartering Member. Erik earned a degree in history with a focus on European nationalism and revolution from the University of New Hampshire.
When not working, Erik enjoys spending time with his dog Murphy, fly-fishing, and socializing with many of his team's supporter groups.
Job Titles:
- Director of Communications
Greg joined Theta Chi's staff As Director of Communications in June 2023. In his role, Greg assists in the execution of strategic communication, public relations and brand management strategy along with management and production of social media and online and print publications. He also assists with the creation of creative content to further strategic goals and Theta Chi's mission. Prior to his role at Theta Chi, he has worked at Delta Sigma Pi Business Fraternity in Oxford, OH as a Communications Coordinator and at Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity in Indianapolis as a Digital Communications Specialist.
Greg grew up in Winston Salem, NC and is a 2018 alumnus of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He is a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, and, following graduation he served as an Expansion Consultant from 2019-2021, establishing four chapters of his organization throughout the U.S. He remains an active alumni volunteer, serving on the Chapter Advisory Board for the Phi Delta Theta Chapter at IUPUI. In his free time, his favorite things include television, film, comic books, and creative writing.
Job Titles:
- Director of Standards and Accountability
Jackie joined Theta Chi as the Director of Standards & Accountability in July 2023, through IHQ's relationship with Manley Burke. In this role, Jackie manages the undergraduate conduct process, leads investigations, facilitates the adjudication process, helps to manage sanctions, and serves as the IHQ liaison for University conduct processes.
Jackie received a B.A. in Social Work from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and a M.S. in Human Resource Development for Educational Leadership from Towson University. She is a member of Phi Mu Fraternity. As a highly driven professional, Jackie is currently a HESA doctoral student at Indiana University-Bloomington. Jackie is a seasoned investigator with ten years of experience in student conduct and organization conduct, including working as a campus-based professional, fraternity headquarters staff member, and now as an Investigator with Manley Burke. She has a wealth of experience in leading investigations, including hazing, sexual misconduct, verbal and physical violence, and conduct related to drugs and alcohol. Jackie's experience also includes responsibility for facilitating hearings, developing educational outcomes for individual and group cases, and policy creation and review.
Jackie calls Baltimore, MD home. She is a fan of baseball concessions, trying new restaurants with friends, spending time outside, and making detailed travel itineraries for trips of any length!
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director of Chapter Development
Jacob serves Theta Chi Fraternity as an Assistant Director of Chapter Development where he is the main point of contact for a portfolio of chapters from around the nation. While earning his bachelor's degree in environmental engineering from Louisiana State University, Jacob worked closely with an esteemed biology professor at LSU to grow algae that could be transformed into bioplastics for use in mardi gras beads-a biodegradable solution.
Outside of his work at the International Headquarters, Jacob has a passion for following his New Orleans Saints and Chicago Blackhawks. In his free time, you'll catch him picking the guitar, playing the newest video game titles, and enjoying the latest and greatest TV series on streaming platforms.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director of Chapter Development
Jacob is originally from Kansas but spent his time growing up in southeast Louisiana. Jacob attended Southeastern Louisiana University where he obtained his bachelor's in Supply Chain Management in December of 2023. While at Southeastern Jacob was a member of the Iota Delta chapter where he served as Chaplain, Treasurer, and President for two consecutive terms. During his time as a collegiate he was also involved in organizations such as Auxiliary Services Student Advisory Board, Supply Chain Club, and Order of Omega. With Order of Omega, Jacob served as Vice-President and President, where he had the opportunity to put on the first Greek Week in 3 years because of the COVID-19 Pandemic. For his contributions to his campus community he was awarded IFC Fraternity Man of the Year 2023 at the Division of Student Affairs Student Awards Convocation at Southeastern Louisiana University.
Outside of his work with Theta Chi, Jacob has a passion for music and traveling. Jacob likes to spend his time surrounded by friends, family, and most importantly his German Shepard, Stella. Wherever he goes, Stella is not too far behind him with the biggest smile you've seen from a dog. You can catch him always making the most of his time surrounded by the people he loves.
Job Titles:
- Chief Housing Officer
- Housing Support Specialist
Jen Martin assists the Chief Housing Officer with daily operations as Housing Support Specialist. Jen spent several years in the Property Management, Design Build, and Facilities industries before joining the International Headquarters staff. Jen's inspiration for fraternities came from her Dad who was a proud brother of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity at Central Michigan University where he met and cherished his life-long friends. Jen keeps busy with her two children-a 29-year-old daughter and a 19-year-old son. She has a black spaniel named Daisy who loves to kayak with her. Her favorite hobbies are watching movies, biking, concerts, kayaking and practicing her cartoon character voice over skills.
Job Titles:
- Director of Annual Giving
- Director of Annual Giving to the Foundation Chapter
Jill Zager began her new role as Director of Annual Giving to the Foundation Chapter in October 2023. She is responsible for overseeing all stewardship and annual giving, as well as marketing, communications, and branding, for the Excellence Fund.
Jill is an alumna of Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority and served Tri Sigma in a variety of roles including as Housing Adviser, Chapter Adviser, and Alumnae Relations Advisor for their chapter at Illinois State. At the International level, she served as a convention chairman and in various alumnae chapter leadership roles.
Jill holds a bachelor of science from Southern Illinois University and is currently pursuing a fundraising certificate from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
Job Titles:
- Associate Executive Director
- Chief Financial Officer
After an 18-year career in bank finance, Brother Powell, well-known in the Fraternity as "JP," joined the staff in May 2001 as the Director of Financial Services. Jim served as Interim Executive Director from November 2006 to July 2007 and currently serves the Fraternity as the Associate Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer. He is also the Assistant Treasurer for the Norwich Housing Corporation and assists the Foundation Chapter in their financial operations.
Brother Powell was initiated into the Alpha Iota Chapter at Indiana University in 1977 and later transferred to Delta Pi Chapter and graduated from Indiana State University in 1981.
Jim has received two Citations of Honor, including one for his efforts in obtaining the current International Headquarters building in Carmel, IN. He also received the George T. Kilavos Alumni Award from the Grand Chapter as well as the Norwich Housing Corporation. In 2021 at the 165th Anniversary Celebration in Lexington, KY, Jim was presented the Earl D. Rhodes Theta Chi for Life Award.
Contact Jim if you have questions about:
Finances, financial records, and payment plans
Theta Chi's insurance coverage
Tax ID information
Job Titles:
- Chief Administrative Officer
Joel serves as the Chief Administrative Officer and provides supervision to the administration of the International Headquarters office and its support staff. He manages the new member registration, awards, and other membership-related processes. He also works closely with ChapterSpot and Greekbill. He is also responsible for the logistical planning for all regional and international leadership events.
Prior to joining the Headquarters staff, Joel was the Foundation Relations Manager for the Indiana Repertory Theatre in Indianapolis, where he managed grant programming by securing private and public funding for education programs and general operations. Previously, Brother Wendland worked at the Indiana University School of Medicine as a development specialist, managing the foundation database to build donor portfolios for the IU Simon Cancer Center. He had also previously worked in Venice, CA as a project director for L.A. Theatre Works, where he managed promotional marketing and fundraising projects and launched the organization's first national touring program.
Contact Joel if you have questions about:
Membership information data
Membership records and statuses
ChapterSpot and Greekbill
Ordering Ritual books
Suspension and expulsion procedures
Theta Chi forms and fees
Event Logistics/Registration
Job Titles:
- Chief Development Officer
As Chief Development Officer, John leads all advancement activities and serves as staff liaison to The Foundation Chapter Board of Directors. He oversees the scholarship awards programs, leads the development staff, and is responsible for all annual giving, capital campaigns, and planned giving.
Prior to joining Theta Chi's staff, John spent more than 20 years as a trusted adviser in business development to Fortune 500 companies. His background includes leading teams of project managers and solution architects as well as managing his own business and involvement in the selling of a start-up. John graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in communications from Purdue and held various leadership positions in Alpha Delta Chapter.
Outside the office, John loves spending time with his family and friends and is a proud supporter of Purdue University. He actively competes in triathlons, distance running, and other outdoor events and has completed 24 triathlons (including six Half Ironman), 30 Half-Marathons, and one Marathon.
As Executive Administrator, Maddie manages all administrative and clerical functions related to the Development Department and the Foundation Chapter of Theta Chi Fraternity. In her role, Maddie oversees state registration and distribution of all Chapter Funds and works with the Foundation's scholarship program. She also assists with event coordination, reports, vendor contracts, marketing, and all special events and fundraising strategies.
A 2022 graduate of the University of Indianapolis, Maddie obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing, with a minor in political science, where she served as president and founder of Her Campus at Indy, a UIndy student organization. Before joining the International Headquarters staff, Maddie worked as an HR assistant at the Village of Avon Health and Rehabilitation.
Outside of her work at Theta Chi, Maddie enjoys spending time with her friends and family, traveling, crafting, and attending sporting events and local events in her community.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Member of the Fraternity Executives Association
Michael Mayer has served as Theta Chi Fraternity's chief executive since May 2010. In this role, he is responsible for the management of the International Headquarters staff and the day-to-day operations of the Fraternity.
Immediately following the completion of his undergraduate degree, Mike joined the International Headquarters staff as a Leadership and Education Consultant during the 2004/2005 and 2005/2006 academic years. Following his employment on the Fraternity's Field Staff, Mike became a Capital Campaign Consultant with Pennington & Company, a fundraising firm based in Lawrence, KS. He returned to the International Headquarters staff in October 2007 as Associate Executive Director.
In 2004, Mike received Theta Chi's Reginald E.F. Colley Trophy, the award given annually to the Fraternity's most outstanding collegiate member. He has also received the Fraternity's Alumni Award and Citation of Honor. Mike is a 2005 recipient of the North-American Interfraternity Conference's Award of Distinction.
Beyond Theta Chi Fraternity, Mike is a member of the Fraternity Executives Association (FEA) and American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). He currently serves as the President-Elect on the Board of Directors of the Fraternity Executives Association (FEA). From 2014 to 2016, he served as Co-Chairman of FEA's Annual Field Staff Conference.
In the community, Mike serves on the Stewardship Council at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Roman Catholic Church in Carmel, IN. He also previously served on the Board of Directors of the Muscular Dystrophy Family Foundation.
Mike received his Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Central Missouri. He also has a Master of Public Affairs Degree from the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs at IUPUI.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director of Business Services
Nick Hoke first joined the headquarters staff in June 2015 as a Field Executive, where he served for a year and a half and worked with over 40 chapters and colonies across the East Coast and Midwest. Along with chapter operations, Nick assisted with the rebuilding of Alpha Tau/Ohio and the (re)installation of Beta Zeta/Michigan State, Epsilon Eta/IUP, Kappa Beta/Long Island-Post, and Kappa Epsilon/SUNY Oswego. After a brief hiatus, he rejoined the headquarters staff in April 2017 as the Director of Communication and Assistant Editor of The Rattle. In July 2021, he was promoted to Senior Director of Business Services. In this role, he oversees the Alumni Corporation Recognition Program, accounts receivables, Form 990 completion by chapters, and provides other support to the business/finance department.
Brother Hoke was born and raised in Bloomington, IN, and remained in his hometown to attend Indiana University, where he joined the Alpha Iota Chapter in spring 2011. He served the Chapter as Brotherhood Chairman, Formal Chairman, and as a member of Standards Board Committee. He received the IFC Unsung Hero Award during his senior year. He's the recipient of Theta Chi's David E. DeVol Award and the George T. Kilavos Alumni Award.
Nick considers himself a sports fanatic and enjoys staying up to date with the Indianapolis Colts, Chicago Cubs, and Indiana Hoosiers. Besides this, Nick enjoys weightlifting, playing golf, and trying new foods.
As Director of Growth, Sam will be responsible for all efforts that drive the growth of the Fraternity including assisting in supervising the Growth Specialists, colony and chapter development, and university/college interest groups.
During the 2022/2023 academic year, Sam worked as a Growth Specialist, helping to reestablish Gamma Sigma/Durham, NC and Eta Upsilon/Texas A&M.
Hailing from the Jacksonville-area, Sam Terry obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography from the University of North Florida. Sam has worked for over three years using his skills and talents on various freelance and contract work related to visual media marketing.
Job Titles:
- Financial Operations Assistant
As Theta Chi's Administrative Assistant, Shannon Bull assists the Fraternity with a variety of administrative tasks as she supports the Fraternity's daily operations. Shannon spent 17 years at FedEx Office/Kinkos and another six as a preschool teacher before joining the International Headquarters staff. Shannon obtained her bachelor's degree in business management from the University of Phoenix after attending IUPUI. Married for 13 years, Shannon keeps busy with her three children-a 26-year-old son, a 12-year-old son, and a 10-year-old daughter. Her favorite hobbies (when she has free time) are reading, watching movies, baking, and playing with her kids.
Job Titles:
- International Vice President
Zack graduated in May 2023 from the University of Rhode Island. He double majored in communications and media studies. Throughout college, he found himself working on media pieces regarding marketing, sustainability and exploring the outdoors. Additionally, Zack joined the Rhody Men's lacrosse media team as a content creator for two years, documenting back-to-back continental championship wins. Within the Eta chapter, he served as the Public Relation Chairman and as the Recruitment Chairman. In his free time, Zack enjoys skiing, hiking and time by the water.
As a Growth Specialist, Zack will be traveling to Seattle to assist in the revitalization of Alpha Rho chapter at the University of Washington.