Administration
Allen Renear, Professor and Dean
112A LIS
(217) 333-3281
renear@illinois.edu
Primary administrative duties:
The Dean’s principal responsibility is coordinating the development of the School’s academic and organizational strategies.
Linda C. Smith, Professor and Executive Associate Dean
112E LIS
(217) 333-7742
lcsmith@illinois.edu
Primary administrative duties:
Leadership and administrative oversight for academic affairs, research, engagement, and faculty affairs at the iSchool.
Kate McDowell, Associate Professor and Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
239 LIS
(217) 244-8957
kmcdowel@illinois.edu
Primary administrative duties:
Leadership and oversight for academic programs, including program development, curriculum coordination, and continuous improvement of educational experiences.
J. Stephen Downie, Professor and Associate Dean for Research
213 LIS
(217) 265-5018
jdownie@illinois.edu
Primary administrative duties:
Strategy for project development; research agenda planning; research services and policy development; all other research-services issues and problems, including cost-sharing approval.
Cindy Ashwill, Assistant Dean for Communications
Remote office
(217) 244-4643
cashwill@illinois.edu
Primary administrative duties:
Communications strategy executed through print, electronic, online, and social media; project, personnel, and budget management; publishing and editorial duties as managing editor of Library Trends.
Meg Edwards, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs
121 LIS
(217) 244-3776
mbedward@illinois.edu
Primary administrative duties:
Oversee academic advising for MS and CAS degrees, career services, and student life and development for all iSchool students.
Erik Hege, Assistant Dean for Infrastructure
218 LIS
(217) 333-0636
hege@illinois.edu
Lori Kelso, Director of Human Resources
112F LIS
(217) 244-0418
lkelso@illinois.edu
Primary administrative duties:
Responsible for all human resource activities for the iSchool. Coordinate the human resources operations and serve as the primary contact for questions regarding HR policies and procedures.
Vicki Van Uithoven, Director of Budget and Planning
112D LIS
(217) 239-6080
vlvanu@illinois.edu
Primary administrative duties:
Oversee the business and financial activities of the iSchool.
Moises Orozco Villicana, Director of Enrollment Management
125 LIS
(217) 300-5007
orozco6@illinois.edu
Primary administrative duties:
Oversight for recruitment and admissions operations, managing numerous strategies and programs to attract the most talented and diverse students across the degree programs offered at the iSchool.
Jill Gengler, Director of Alumni Affairs
108 LIS
(217) 265-6252
gengler@illinois.edu
Primary administrative duties:
Develop and manage programs that support iSchool alumni engagement, which includes planning alumni-centered events and designing programming to ensure productive engagement of students and alumni at every stage of their careers. Also oversee iSchool stewardship to ensure that donations are used in ways that support donor intent; thank and recognize donors.
Deborah Stevenson, Associate Professor, Director of The Center for Children's Books (CCB), and Editor of The Bulletin
23A LIS
(217) 244-9305
dstevens@illinois.edu
Primary administrative duties:
Directs The Center for Children's Books, which fosters research on youth media and culture, hosts a variety of youth and book-related events, and houses a special collection of over 16,000 books for youth. Edits The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, one of the nation's premier review journals of books for youth, which is published eleven times each year.
Bertram Ludäscher, Professor and Director of the Center for Informatics Research in Science and Scholarship (CIRSS)
319 LIS
ludaesch@illinois.edu
Nicole A. Cooke, Associate Professor and MS/LIS Program Director
Primary administrative duties:
The MS/LIS program director works to coordinate the overall functioning and success of the program, including curriculum development as well as aspects of recruitment, retention, and advancement of MS/LIS students.
Jana Diesner, Associate Professor and PhD Program Director
304 LIS
(217) 244-3576
jdiesner@illinois.edu
Primary administrative duties:
The PhD program director plays a critical role in the overall coordination of the PhD program, working with other faculty and staff in such areas as recruitment and admissions, curriculum, academic advising, career services, fellowships, and program assessment and reporting. The PhD program director holds regular office hours on site and online.
Michael Twidale, Professor and MS/IM Program Director
336 LIS
(217) 265-0510
twidale@illinois.edu
Primary administrative duties:
Strategic planning for the evolution of the degree; systematizing and developing procedures and options to cope with ongoing growth and changes in technology, employer needs, and the job market. Coordinating with staff, faculty, university units and stakeholders around marketing, recruitment, admissions, visa issues, curriculum development, course scheduling, student success, advising, retention, equity, study skills, professional skills, extracurricular activities, job placement, and alumni career paths.