Membership

Presidential Commission on Interfaith Initiatives

Officers
Name Department Member Type Term
Gwen Gregory, chair University Libraries Faculty 2022-2025; 2025-2028
Awni Alkarzon, vice chair International Affairs Faculty 2021-2024; 2024-2025; 2025-2028
Doreen "Rose" Mace, recorder Orientation and Family Connections Staff 2024-2027
Current Members
Name Department Member Type Term
Sean Farrell Department of History Faculty 2024-2027
Kerry Freedman School of Art and Design Faculty 2023-2026
Sladjana Grbic Student Involvement and Leadership Staff 2024-2027
Cooper Linden Political Science Undergraduate Student 2025-2026
Venkata Sai Darshan Madamsetty Electrical Engineering Graduate Student 2025-2026
Muritala Ogunsij Statistics Graduate Student 2025-2026
Malhar Saheed Administration and Finance Staff 2025-2028
Kurt Thurmaier Public Administration Faculty 2024-2027
Liaisons
Department Name
Student Affairs Kelly Olsen
Academic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Christopher Mitchell
Network of Nations Lisa Dietrich
ACRO Lisa Dietrich

Presidential Commission on Persons with Disabilities

Officers
Name Department Member Type Term
Abdoulaye Diallo, Chair Rehabilitation Counseling Faculty 2023-2026
Dawn Westhoff, Vice Chair World Languages and Cultures Faculty 2023-2026
Vacant, Recorder
Members
Name Department Member Type Term
Natalie Andzik Special and Early Education Faculty 2025-2028
Danica Billingsly Allied Health and Communicative Disorders Faculty 2024-2027
Megan Brown Department of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment Faculty 2022-2025; 2025-2026
Melissa Burlingame Greenhagen Institute for the Study of the Environment, Sustainability and Energy Staff 2024-2027
Rowan Carter Anthropology Graduate Student 2025-2026
Susan Dalton Special and Early Education Faculty 2024-2027
Deidre Dobbels CHHS/AHCD/SLP Instructor 2025-2028
Angela Gray Accountancy Staff 2024-2027
Melanie Griegoliet Career Services Staff 2025-2028
Meghan Harms Nursing Undergraduate Student 2024-2025; 2025-2026
Becca Husar Innovation and Partnership Development Staff 2024-2027
Jeannie Peterson Sponsored Programs Administration Staff 2023-2026
Jeniece Smith College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Staff 2025-2028
Omobolanle Wunuken  N/A Graduate Student 2024-2025; 2025-2026
Liaisons
Department/Role Name
ADA Coordinators Vacant
Disability Resource Center Jennifer Salmon
Library Services for Persons with Disabilities Kimberly Shotick
Student Government Association Vacant
Academic Affairs, Executive Vice President and Provost Kelly Fiala
Finance and Facilities Kelly Schomer
Housing and Residential Services Tim Trottier
Campus Dining Services Brian Schneider
Division of Information Technology Bob Barton
Student Affairs Rachel Boldman
Parking Services Jessica Nunez
Office of the Ombudsperson Sandy Cox
Public Safety Dathan Jackson

Presidential Commission on Race and Ethnicity

Officers
Name Department Member Type Term
Tawanda Paul, Chair Accreditation, Assessment and Evaluation Staff 2023-2026
Jacqueline Mac, Vice Chair Counseling, Adult and Higher Education Faculty 2023-2026; 2026-2028
Alex Pitner, Recorder Student Involvement and Leadership Staff 2023-2026
Recorder Term 2024-2025
Felicia Bohanon, Immediate Past Chair Office of Precollegiate Programs Staff 2022-2025
Past Chair Term 2024-2025
Current Members
Name Department Member Type Term
Chynar Amanova P-20 Center Post Doctoral Fellow 2024-2027
Quortne Hutchings Counseling, Adult and Higher Education Faculty 2023-2026
Darius Jackson Center for Latino and Latin American Studies Staff 2024-2027
Joy Mitchell Student Conduct Staff 2023-2026
Sherrill Morris College of Health and Human Sciences Faculty 2023-2026
Linh Nguyen Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning Staff 2024-2027
Philip Terry Human Resource Services Staff 2023-2026
Jui-Ching Wang Music Faculty 2023-2026
Whitney Wells Sponsored Programs Administration Staff 2023-2026
Liaisons
Department Representative
Academic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Vacant
Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Vacant
Ombudsperson Sandy Cox

Presidential Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Officers
Name Department Member Type Term
Randy Caspersen, chair Department of Communication Faculty 2022-2025; 2025-2028
Katie Heinekamp, vice chair Center for the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality Staff/Instructor 2024-2027
Holly Nicholson, recorder University Marketing Staff 2024-2027
Members
Name Department Member Type Term
Jessie Alex Liberal Arts and Sciences Staff 2024-2027
Adriana Aumann-Weyeber Human Resource Services Staff 2025-2028
Kellie Dyslin Research and Innovation Partnership Staff 2023-2026
Deborah Gettemy Ethics and Compliance Office Staff 2024-2027
Danielle Glaab-Lanigan Student Advising Financial Services Staff 2024-2027
Eli Huffman College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Student 2024-2025; 2025-2026
Kathleen Hughes-James Research and Innovation Partnerships Staff 2024-2027
Scott Johansen Orientation Staff 2025-2028
Amanda Littauer Center for the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality Faculty 2023-2026
Hayley Neiling N/A Student 2024-2025
Will Nolan-Lamm Housing and Residential Services Staff 2023-2026
Robert Ridinger University Libraries Faculty 2023-2026
Kelsey Scott Student Conduct Staff 2023-2026
Wesley Swingley Department of Biology Faculty 2023-2026
Liaisons
Department Name
Center for the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality Katy Jaekel
Counseling and Consultation Services Brian Pillsbury
Gender and Sexuality Resource Center Molly Holmes
Housing and Residential Services Will Nolan-Lamm
Ombudsperson Sandy Cox
Prism Treyvon Crigler

Presidential Commission on the Status of Women

Officers
Name Department Member Type Term
Aubrey Hense, chair Student Wellness, Counseling and Consultation Services Staff 2020-2026
Rhiannon Luft, vice-chair Disability Resource Center Staff 2019-2025
Vicki Wronkowski, recorder Human Resource Services Staff 2020-2026
Blythe KitnerAllied Health and Communicative DisordersFaculty2019-2025
Current Members
Name Department Member Type Term
Amelia Gericke Sociology Graduate Student 2025-2026
Kate Hagenbuch Accountancy Staff 2024-2027
Holly Hansen Campus Sustainability Staff 2025-2028
Emma Hastings Chemistry and Biochemistry Undergraduate Student 2025-2026
Susie Horton Operations Management and Information Systems Staff 2025-2028
Kari Mongold Psychology Graduate Student 2025-2026
Gudrun Nyunt Counseling and Higher Education Faculty 2020-2023; 2023-2026
Dee Anna Phares Libraries Faculty 2020-2023; 2023-2026
Megan Pitner College of Engineering Staff 2023-2026
Mariana Ricklefs College of Education Faculty 2023-2026
Ursula Sullivan College of Business Faculty 2023-2026
Carrie Zack Institutional Effectiveness Faculty 2023-2026
Liaisons
Department Name
Provost's Office Shannon Becker
Gender and Sexuality Resource Center Sam Glaab-Lanigan
Athletics Lynsey Bernardy
Student Affairs Jorie O’Brien

Presidential Commission on Well-Being

Officers
Name Department Member Type Term
Alan Clemens, co-chair Illinois Interactive Report Cards Staff 2023-2026
Brian Smith, co-chair Human Resource Services Staff 2022-2025; 2025-2026
Christine Lagattolla, vice chair Office of the Provost Staff 2022-2025; 2025-2026
Sarah Moskal, recorder Student Wellness Staff 2023-2026
Members
Name Department Member Type Term
Kristen Borre Southeast Asian Studies Faculty 2024-2027
John Boswell Campus Dining Service Staff 2024-2027
Heidi Carlson Holmes Student Center Staff 2023-2026
Suzanne Degges-White Counseling, Adult and Higher Education Staff/Faculty 2025-2028
Shaine Henert Kinesiology Faculty 2023-2026
Lynn Herrmann Health Studies Faculty 2024-2027
Yvonne Johnson Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning Staff 2024-2027
Raj Mahida Development Operations Staff 2024-2027
Randy McCarthy Psychology Faculty 2024-2027
Eduardo Monk Jr. Political Science Graduate Student 2025-2026
Scott Mooberry Environmental Health and Safety Staff 2023-2026
Shanthi Muthuswamy Engineering Technology Faculty 2025-2028
Madeleine Olejnik Psychology Undergraduate Student 2025-2026
Nancy Prange Health Studies Faculty 2025-2028
Savili Ngovo Williams Human Resource Services Staff 2023-2026
Erin Reid College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Staff 2024-2027
Laurel Rigertas Law Faculty 2023-2026
Jordyn Saddler N/A Student 2024-2025
Lise Schlosser Women, Gender and Sexuality Staff 2024-2027
Menelek Shah Public Safety Staff 2024-2027
Tanya Tanzillo Nursing Faculty 2023-2026
Liaisons
Department/Role Name
Academic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Sandy Lopez
Angelica Mendoza
Ombudsperson Sandy Cox
Student Affairs Clint-Michael Reneau
Community Member Amanda Rajendran

Contact Us

Presidential Commissions
commissions@niu.edu