IIN - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Visiting Assistant Director for Digital Equity, Inclusion, and Navigation / University of Illinois System / IIN Broadband Lab

Aneta Thomas Lee is an altruistic, forward-thinking leader and a staunch advocate for community empowerment. Aneta serves as a champion for the cause of digital equity and inclusion in every setting she finds herself in. Her journey began in 2015 when she was selected to the inaugural Digital Inclusion Fellowship sponsored by Google Fiber and managed by the Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN). Since that initial service, she has had the opportunity to work for and partner with a variety of organizations and industries - to include Google, EveryoneOn, Inspiredu of Atlanta, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the Microsoft Airband Initiative to name a few. Before joining Illinois Broadband Lab, Aneta completed service as an executive fellow focused on digital equity with FUSE Corps in the City of Birmingham's Mayor's Office - all in the pursuit of closing the digital divide in our country. Aneta is a native of Metro Atlanta, Georgia. She spent her childhood in New Orleans, Louisiana, where her family heritage lies. She is graduate of Clayton State University in Morrow, Georgia, with Bachelor of Science degrees in psychology and human services.

Job Titles:

• Associate Director for Economic Development and Innovation / University of Illinois System / IIN Broadband Lab

As an Associate Director for Economic Development and Innovation, Ben Taylor develops and executes strategic initiatives for the Vice President for Economic Development and Innovation (VPEDI) office. He manages a comprehensive, strategic communications plan that tells the story of the University of Illinois System's innovation pipeline and economic development efforts, and also acts as the office's liaison between Illinois-based corporate, government, community, and university stakeholders to enhance connections, drive economic development and foster entrepreneurship. Previously, Ben was an Advanced Media Specialist in the College of Applied Health Sciences, where he executed digital and social media strategies that advanced the college's reputation and recruitment efforts. Before that, Ben was a Media Communications Specialist in the College of Engineering. There, he developed and executed marketing strategies for the college's graduate and online programs, while also finding creative ways to tell the college's story through digital and print media. Before his stint in the College of Engineering, Ben was an Assistant Director of Athletics Communication where he coordinated publicity for a number of Fighting Illini teams. He worked with the 2008 Rose Bowl football team, the 2013 NCAA runner-up men's golf team and the 2011 baseball squad that reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 11 years. Ben is an alumnus of the University of Illinois, with a bachelor's degree in journalism and a master's degree in recreation, sport and tourism.

Job Titles:

• Director of Research and Program Development / University of Illinois System
• Research Administrator

Brian Rogers is an experienced research administrator. As Director of Research and Program Development, his primary focus is to support large-scale and interdisciplinary proposals for the Illinois Innovation Network. He also assists with key OVPEDI initiatives, including the identification of external funding opportunities for the Illinois Innovation Network, the Office of the Vice President for Economic Development, and the University of Illinois System. Brian began his research administration career in the Office of Contracts and Grants as a proposal analyst at the University of Colorado Boulder. In 2013, he moved to the Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA) office at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). In SPA, he served multiple roles including senior award negotiator and associate director of proposals. Brian was a frequent presenter in the Sponsored Programs and Research Compliance (SPaRC) and SPaRC'Ed programs at UIUC as well as national and regional National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA) meetings. He received his bachelor's degree in industrial engineering at Iowa State University, and his MBA and JD from the University of Iowa. Brian is a Certified Research Administrator (CRA) from the Research Administrators Certification Council (RACC). Brian also is licensed to practice law in Colorado and Illinois.

Job Titles:

• Director of the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs / Western Illinois University / Secretary
• Is Director and Professor

Christopher D. Merrett is director and professor in the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs (IIRA) at Western Illinois University. As IIRA director, Merrett oversees a university-based research, outreach, teaching, and policy development unit comprised of 20 community development faculty and professionals. In addition to his management role, he teaches courses in Principles of Community Development, Non-metro Planning, and Philosophy and History of Geography. He also serves on the Governor's Rural Affairs Council, is current Chairperson of Rural Partners, and has raised over $6 million in external grant funding to support community and economic development outreach and research. His current research focuses on cooperatives and community development. Merrett co-edited two books on this topic, including A Cooperative Approach to Local Economic Development (2001) and Cooperatives and Local Development: Theory and Applications for the 21st Century (2003). He has also published in a range of journals on topics such as value-added agriculture, cooperatives, rural land use, social justice, and rural community and economic development. He received his Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Iowa, with a focus on regional development and international trade.

Job Titles:

• Co - Chair / Specialist of Alternative Credentials and Grant Development

Job Titles:

• Associate Vice President
• Associate Vice President for Research & Graduate Studies / Illinois State University

Craig McLauchlan became associate vice president for research and graduate studies in July 2020 after serving as department chair/interim department chair of chemistry since 2013. McLauchlan has served as a mentor to over 40 students (B.S. and M.S.) in his time at ISU. His research, which has been supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and the American Chemical Society, spans bioinorganic chemistry, materials chemistry, structural chemistry, and catalysis, often involving vanadium-containing complexes. He has served on the International Advisory Board for the International Vanadium Symposium since 2010. McLauchlan earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Harvard University and master's and doctoral degrees from Northwestern University. He began his career at Illinois State in 2002 as an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry.

Job Titles:

• Chairman / Associate Director of Operations, Enterpriseworks

Job Titles:

• Provost & Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs / Southern Illinois University Edwardsville / Vice Chair

Denise Cobb has served as SIU Edwardsville's provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, following a two-year stint as interim provost. Prior to that appointment, she was assistant provost for academic innovation and effectiveness, and then associate provost for academic affairs since June 2012. Cobb joined the SIUE Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice Studies in 2003 as an assistant professor in sociology and was promoted to professor in 2015. As a faculty member committed to interdisciplinary scholarship, she has co-authored and co-presented with colleagues from a wide variety of disciplines on such topics as capstone experiences for college students and LGBT issues in criminal justice education. She has been integrally involved in numerous externally funded research projects with the SIUE Graduate School and is dedicated to broadening participation and success of under-represented student and faculty populations in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) graduate programs. An Arkansas native, Cobb earned a bachelor's in sociology from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 1993 where she was a Donaghey Scholar. She earned a master's degree in 1995 from the University of Central Arkansas and a doctorate from Tulane University in 2003.

Job Titles:

• Regional Dean

Dr. Alex Stagnaro-Green became the regional dean of the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford in 2014. A renowned clinician-scientist, Dr. Stagnaro-Green is a Professor of Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Medical Education. A 1983 graduate of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Dr. Stagnaro-Green performed his residency training in internal medicine at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and completed a fellowship in Endocrinology and Metabolism at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Throughout his career he has been a passionate healthcare leader, in research, education, and medical school administration. An internationally known researcher in the field of thyroid and pregnancy, Dr. Stagnaro-Green has published the seminal article linking thyroid antibody positivity to a doubling of the rate of spontaneous pregnancy loss. In 2011, he was the chair and lead author on the American Thyroid Association's clinical guidelines on thyroid and pregnancy. He has led a national initiative advocating that all pregnant women receive prenatal vitamins with iodine and is currently working to ensure that all pregnant women in the United States are tested for thyroid disorders. Dr. Stagnaro-Green has led comprehensive curriculum change at three medical schools and has served on over a dozen Liaison Committee on Medical Education site visits. He has published numerous articles on medical education in diverse areas including core entrustable professional activities, medical student research and curricular innovation. Given his dedication to medical education and leadership, he obtained a Master of Health Professions Education in 2005 and a Masters in Healthcare Administration, both at UIC. As regional dean in Rockford, Dr. Stagnaro-Green has been a strong advocate for the students, staff and faculty of the College of Medicine Rockford. He led the development and implementation of a five-year strategic plan, oversaw a campus expansion project to accommodate the new first-year medical students, and has enhanced donor and alumni relations. He has developed strong ties with the Rockford community and has become a community leader in health, education and service.

Job Titles:

• Office Support Associate
• Office Support Associate / University of Illinois System

Hailey Waugh-Hettinger is an office support associate in the Office of the Vice President for Economic Development and Innovation. Performing a wide variety of secretarial functions, she supports the Illinois Innovation Network (IIN) Working Committees, which includes scheduling meetings, calendar coordination and travel arrangements. Hailey provides office administrative support as needed to various OVPEDI operations to ensure daily responsibilities are met. Hailey joined the OVPEDI team after previously serving as an administrative coordinator at ZS Associates in Chicago. She was responsible for providing support to the Chicago Office Managing Principal, planning annual office events and assisting with high-level meeting coordination for her team of managers and consultants. Hailey holds an associate's degree in science from Parkland College.

Denise Cobb has served as SIU Edwardsville's provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, following a two-year stint as interim provost. Prior to that appointment, she was assistant provost for academic innovation and effectiveness, and then associate provost for academic affairs since June 2012. Cobb joined the SIUE Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice Studies in 2003 as an assistant professor in sociology and was promoted to professor in 2015. As a faculty member committed to interdisciplinary scholarship, she has co-authored and co-presented with colleagues from a wide variety of disciplines on such topics as capstone experiences for college students and LGBT issues in criminal justice education. She has been integrally involved in numerous externally funded research projects with the SIUE Graduate School and is dedicated to broadening participation and success of under-represented student and faculty populations in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) graduate programs. An Arkansas native, Cobb earned a bachelor's in sociology from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 1993 where she was a Donaghey Scholar. She earned a master's degree in 1995 from the University of Central Arkansas and a doctorate from Tulane University in 2003.

Job Titles:

• University of Illinois' Vice President for Economic Development
• Vice President for Economic Development and Innovation / University of Illinois System

Jay Walsh became the University of Illinois' Vice President for Economic Development and Innovation in May 2020. He is a professor of bioengineering at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. Dr. Walsh oversees the Illinois Innovation Network, a collaboration among the state's 12 public universities that drives inclusive and integrated research, innovation, and economic development across Illinois; he also serves on the executive committee of the Great Lakes Higher Education Consortium, a collaboration among six universities in the U.S. and Canada that promotes academic excellence, innovation, research, and education to inclusively enhance the public good for all people and areas of the Great Lakes. Dr. Walsh currently serves on the Board of Directors at MxD, the Board of Governors at Argonne National Laboratory, the Board of Directors for Current, the Board of Visitors for Vanderbilt's Engineering School, and he chairs the Board of the Chicago Council on Science and Technology. Previously, Dr. Walsh was chair of the University Industry Demonstration Partnership (UIDP) Board and he served on the Board of Directors at Fermi National Laboratory, the Illinois Governor's Innovation Council, the Naval Research Advisory Committee, and the U.S. Secretary of Navy Advisory Panel. He was the Northwestern University Vice President for Research from 2007 to 2019. During his tenure, the University's external sponsored awards grew 91% from $417M in 2017 to $798M in 2019, one of the largest increases of any university in the US during that time period. In his dozen years as the VP for Research, Dr. Walsh grew the number of university-wide institutes and centers from fewer than 20 to more than 50 - each with significant external funding. Dr. Walsh joined Northwestern in 1988. He was a professor of biomedical engineering at the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, where he later served as associate dean for graduate studies and research, and then senior associate dean. In 1997, he was recognized as the Engineering School's Teacher of the Year, and in 2005, he was selected as the Advisor of the Year. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and his Ph.D. in medical engineering from a joint Harvard Medical School - MIT program.

Job Titles:

• Associate Vice President for Workforce Development and Community Engagement / University of Illinois System

Jeannette Tamayo possesses significant experience deploying data-based, high-impact resources in communities experiencing disinvestment or underinvestment. She brings a unique federal, state, local, and community perspective to addressing entrenched inequities that divert from the state's unique capacity to be a global leader, serve its diverse residents equitably, and provide a stellar talent pipeline to grow its economy. She joined the University of Illinois System to advise on inclusive economic development, equitable workforce development, and economic resiliency and recovery. During her tenure with the federal government, Jeannette established a coalition of federal agencies to leverage joint funding and increase community impact in economically distressed communities. Jeannette received the 2017 National Federal Chair of the Year Award, one of the few times it was awarded in the Midwest for leadership of a multi-agency Federal Executive Board, and was honored by throwing out the first pitch at a Chicago White Sox game. In 2016, she received the U.S. Department of Commerce Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor, for co-leading the development of a new national application process to remove application cost barriers and improve customer response time for economically distressed communities. Joining the federal government after a long and successful career working in non-profit organizations and state government, Jeannette previously held both attorney and program leadership roles as an executive or in management at state agencies and non-profit organizations addressing safety net, workforce development, and economic development issues. She started her career as an attorney with Legal Aid Chicago, representing residents of public housing, persons experiencing economic instability, and families seeking critical safety net services. Her diverse experience spans developing strategic plans, building robust partnerships, supporting organizational capacity-building, and leading policy initiatives on economic resilience, education, workforce development, and criminal justice. Jeannette earned a bachelor's degree in Latin American studies and a minor in women's studies from the University of Illinois Chicago, and a juris doctor degree from DePaul University College of Law. She is a graduate of the Kennedy School of Government program on leadership for the 21st century and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service Mediation Skills Program. Jeannette currently serves on the Board of Know Your Chicago, a partnership with the Graham School of General Studies at the University of Chicago, where she co-led experiential learning tours on economic development and gangs, forensic investigations, and opioid addiction intervention services. She is a graduate of the FBI Chicago Citizens Academy and serves on the Board of the Special Agents Association, as well as on her church council. Her multiple positions reflect a deep knowledge of the intersection between economic and workforce development, structural barriers, community revitalization, and multi-faceted partnerships in policy development, systems, and program design.

Job Titles:

• Chairman

Job Titles:

• Office Manager
• Office Manager / University of Illinois System

Kathleen Townsley-Samuel is an office manager in the Office of the Vice President for Economic Development and Innovation. She handles a variety of administrative functions related to the Illinois Innovation Network, including scheduling meetings, compiling meeting minutes, and communicating with IIN leaders. Kathleen provides high-level administrative support to members of the VPEDI team, managing their calendars and coordinating with other offices, staff, and external stakeholders to facilitate the scheduling of meetings and oversight of projects. Kathleen previously served as an office support associate in the Purchasing and Contracts Management Office at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She also has held positions in retail and food service, bookkeeping and landscaping. She currently serves as a volunteer fire fighter and emergency medical responder for the Fithian-Muncie-Collison Fire Department. Kathleen earned her bachelor's degree from UIUC in operations and general management, with a minor in food and agribusiness management.

Job Titles:

• Executive Director
• Associate Vice President for Economic Development and Innovation / University of Illinois System
• Executive Director, Illinois Innovation Network / University of Illinois System

Kyle serves as executive director of the Illinois Innovation Network, where he is responsible for managing and growing the IIN, including development and management of working groups and program development. He also is an associate vice president for economic development and innovation at the University of Illinois System, which serves as administrative agent for the IIN. Prior to joining the U of I System, Kyle served as executive director of the Office of Innovation and Economic Development at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. During that time, he also served as executive director of SIU Research Park, a university-related organization. Kyle started his professional career in banking. Kyle earned a bachelor's degree in business from the University of Northern Iowa, a master's degree in business administration from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and a doctorate in workforce education and development from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. His dissertation title was Assessing the Impact of Small Business Training of Nascent Entrepreneurs in the State of Illinois.

Job Titles:

• Vice Chair / Dean of the College of Business & Technology

Job Titles:

• Executive Director of Innovation and Opportunity / University of Illinois

Rob Kerr is the Executive Director of Innovation and Opportunity at the University of Illinois Springfield. He is leading the development of the university's downtown innovation center, which will serve as the regional hub of business and social innovation, economic development, public policy advancement, and professional training. Programs that will be part of the innovation center include Innovate Springfield, the university-led business incubator, the ION Professional eLearning Program, and the Office of Continuing and Professional Education. Rob previously served as the Deputy Director for Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Technology at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Dean of Enrollment and Career Programs and Registrar at Richland Community College, and the Director of Career and Technical Education at the Illinois Community College Board. In addition, he spent 20 years as an adjunct professor at UIS and Benedictine University. Rob holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Loyola University Chicago and an MBA from Benedictine University. He is completing his doctorate in public administration at UIS with an emphasis in public policy. He is currently working on his dissertation, exploring the impact of social networks on venture growth funding outcomes for underrepresented entrepreneurs.

Job Titles:

• Chairman / Director of Technology Transfer

Job Titles:

• Communications Coordinator With the Illinois Broadband Lab
• Program and Communications Coordinator / University of Illinois System / IIN Broadband Lab

Robbie McBeath serves as a Program and Communications Coordinator with the Illinois Broadband Lab, where he helps lead the Accelerate Illinois and Illinois Connected Communities programs and authors the bi-weekly Illinois Broadband Connections newsletter. He is the author of an upcoming guidebook on Pathways to Digital Equity & the Role of Philanthropy. Robbie began his career in communications policy in 2014, starting as a Writing Associate with the Benton Institute producing Benton's renowned Headlines and Weekly Digest of communications policy news. Previously, he interned at the Federal Communications Commission and served as an AmeriCorps VISTA with the Open Media Foundation in Denver, Colo. Robbie graduated in 2013 from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a bachelor's degree in media studies.

Job Titles:

• Vice Chair / Director of Research Development

Job Titles:

• Co - Chair / President

Job Titles:

• Member of the Chicago Council
• Vice Chancellor for Innovation / University of Illinois
• Vice Chancellor for Innovation for the University of Illinois Chicago

Previously, Augustine served as Associate Vice President for Economic Development and Innovation for the University of Illinois System where he was responsible for providing strategic leadership in identifying potential public-private partnerships and enhancing connections among internal and external stakeholders to foster innovation and technology commercialization. Prior to returning to the University of Illinois, he served as a Technology-to-Market Advisor and Acting Deputy Director for Commercialization at the Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA-E) where he helped prepare breakthrough energy technologies for transition from the lab to the marketplace. While at ARPA-E, he helped craft the agency's commercialization strategy, particularly focusing on a number of programs targeting biological production of transportation fuels. Augustine also served as Special Assistant to Secretaries Steven Chu and Ernest Moniz at the Department of Energy, where he acted as the Secretary's principal liaison to senior staff in the areas that included energy technology development, environmental management, and national security. Prior to the Department of Energy, he worked as an OSA/SPIE/AAAS Science and Technology Fellow in the office of Senator Richard Durbin, developing legislative strategies and serving as an advisor for energy and environmental policies. Augustine is a member of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs Emerging Leaders program. He earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and a master's degree in public policy and a Ph.D. in chemistry from Stanford University. TJ Augustine is the Vice Chancellor for Innovation for the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), where he coordinates the technology commercialization and entrepreneurship activities that are part of UIC's innovation ecosystem, and a professor in the Department of Chemistry. The units reporting to Dr. Augustine include ACCC, Extended Campus, and a new office focused on corporate relationships.

Job Titles:

• Chairman / Director Institute for the Study

Tom Skuzinski Chair Director Institute for the Study of the Environment, Sustainability, and Energy Northern Illinois University