As Vice President for Communications at the University of Chicago from 2007-15, Peterson was responsible for transforming the external visibility and reputation of the university among a broad range of audiences in the United States and around the world. Her work helped to elevate the university in the U.S. News rankings from 15 to 4, more than triple student applications to the College, strengthen faculty recruitment, and dramatically increase fundraising. The university’s homepage (www.uchicago.edu), developed under her creative leadership, won two prestigious Webby awards in 2014. She led the communications for the university’s successful bid to win the Barack Obama Presidential Library to Chicago’s South Side.

Before joining the University of Chicago, Peterson served as interim vice president for communications at the University of Michigan, overseeing all aspects of both internal and external communications. As associate vice president for media relations and public affairs at Michigan from 2000 to 2007, she managed emerging public issues, guided communications for university strategic priorities and initiatives, and became a senior adviser to the president and executive leadership team, providing critical leadership for a number of important challenges including the Michigan affirmative action lawsuits that went to the Supreme Court. Prior to that, she served 6 years as the news director at the University of Michigan and 10 years at Indiana University as managing editor of the news service and as a public relations representative for the business school.

Peterson holds a BA in journalism and psychology with high distinction from Indiana University and an MBA in marketing research from IU’s Kelley School of Business. She has taught in the University of Chicago Civic Leadership Academy and Chicago Booth’s Advanced Management Program as well as its Executive Program for Emerging Leaders.

She is a member of the Public Relations Society of America, the American Marketing Association, and the Higher Education Roundtable. She has served on the UChicago Diversity Leadership Council, the public affairs committee of the Association of American Universities, the public issues committee of the Consortium on Financing of Higher Education, and the founding council of Futurity.

As an executive officer at the University of Michigan, Rudgers was a member of the cabinet-level leadership team and served as senior counselor to the president and other executive officers. She directed and managed the global communications division, including marketing, public affairs, internal communications, news, social media, photography, and presidential communications as well as the university’s top-ranked public radio station, Michigan Radio.

Rudgers played a crucial role in leading the public outreach messaging and related strategies surrounding the university’s historic defense of its admissions lawsuits up to the U.S. Supreme Court. She directed communication supporting many presidential and university initiatives, including the president’s international delegations to China, Brazil and India. She was one of the creators of the University Research Corridor, aligning the three largest research-intensive universities in the state to spark greater collaboration and economic prosperity. Her communications strategies supported U-M initiatives in diversity and inclusion, entrepreneurship, library digitization, sustainability and the arts.

U-M efforts under her leadership also included revamping the university’s web presence called the Gateway, now with more than 20 million visits each year. She led the development of the Michigan Difference and Victors for Michigan fundraising campaign themes. She established the university’s first global communications initiative including the Global Michigan web portal in five languages and U-M’s Weibo presence. She launched the university’s first social media office and spearheaded a university-wide branding initiative and visual identity program recognized as best in class by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). She has managed several presidential transitions, including the introduction of U-M’s Mary Sue Coleman and Mark S. Schlissel.

Rudgers established her own consulting firm from 2007 – 2011, Lisa Rudgers & Associates, working with university presidents and other key leaders to develop strategic communications plans including institutional positioning, messaging and branding, assessment of in-house communications resources, media relations and issues management. She also held an appointment as special counsel for communications at Michigan Law.

Previously, Rudgers has served as assistant vice president and director of public relations at Michigan State University, marketing director and director of news and communications at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and account executive at Media Logic Inc., a marketing and public relations firm in Albany, N.Y.

Rudgers is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University.

As one of Carnegie Mellon’s nine officers, Kloehn served as an advisor to two presidents, contributed to the university’s strategic plan, and helped set programmatic and budgetary priorities for the institution. He led the first university-wide plan to build global visibility, working with deans, officers, and more than 160 campus communicators to align unit needs with university goals and messaging. He developed and delivered critical communications for the university; initiated and led the in-house redesign of more than 300 websites; directed high-impact digital marketing campaigns and national media campaigns; spearheaded a university branding initiative; and helped drive a dramatic increase in the university’s social media following. That work contributed to a 19 percent increase in undergraduate applications in 2018.

Prior to Carnegie Mellon, Kloehn served for more than seven years as the University of Chicago’s associate vice president for news and public affairs. In that role, he was responsible for content creation and major announcements, issues management, media relations, and communications strategy for a wide variety of university leaders and programs. He led integrated communications in support of faculty Nobel prizes in 2008 and 2013, and helped orchestrate the opening of university centers in Beijing and New Delhi.

Kloehn was an award-winning newspaper reporter, columnist and editor for 21 years, rising from editor of a small-town weekly to deputy metropolitan editor for Sundays and Enterprise at the Chicago Tribune. At the Tribune, he chronicled popes and presidents, and created new teams that specialized in original, in-depth analysis of trends in education and urban affairs.

In 2018, Kloehn was elected to the Higher Education Roundtable and the Seminar, two of the nation’s most prestigious organizations for leaders in public relations. He graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University.

From 2002 to 2014 Coleman was president of the University of Michigan, where she led the defense the University’s affirmative action policies in seminal Supreme Court cases, focused tremendous effort on the state’s economic vitalization including helping to create the University Research Corridor, and oversaw a groundbreaking partnership with Google to digitize the university’s 7 million volume library. In 2010, President Obama enlisted her to help launch the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership and she was named co-chair of the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship. She was president of AAU from 2016 to 2020.

Coleman is currently a member of the boards of trustees of the Kavli Foundation, the Gates-Cambridge Scholars Program, the Society for Science, the University of Denver, and the board of governors of the NCAA. She formerly was a trustee of the Mayo Clinic and a director at Johnson and Johnson, Meredith Corporation, Gaylord Container Corporation, and the Iowa branch of Norwest Bank (now Wells Fargo Bank).

Coleman earned her undergraduate degree in chemistry from Grinnell College and a PhD in biochemistry from UNC. She is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Time magazine named her one of the nation’s 10 Best College Presidents in 2009 and the American Council on Education honored her with its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014.

As vice president, she was responsible for the services, programs, and facilities that supported all aspects of campus life for more than 41,000 students. Her legacy includes a nationally recognized intergroup relations program, a focus on research and assessment of student learning, establishing of a program for students in foster care that is unparalleled in the nation, and launching an adaptive sports program. During her time at U-M, she led two phases of residential life initiatives, revitalizing housing, recreational sports, the student union, and constructing a multicultural center. Harper also guided Student Life’s first fundraising campaign, generating more than $50 million in donations.

Harper holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Michigan and a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania. Before being appointed vice president in 1999, she was senior associate vice president and dean of students. Her previous roles include serving as assistant to the vice president for academic affairs and as assistant to the dean of the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts.

Harper continues to be involved in a number of community activities, serving on the Ann Arbor Board of Education, the board of directors of the Ann Arbor Hands-on Museum, and the executive board of the Ann Arbor branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. She is also actively involved in a number of professional associations, including the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators and the American College Personnel Association and is on the board of several major organizations.

During her time at U-M, Wilbanks leveraged her relationships with legislators across the state to revitalize and renovate campus buildings, including securing substantial investment in the School of Dentistry. She was integral to the university’s efforts on behalf of affirmative action and to gaining permission for embryonic stem cell research. She led the institution’s involvement in the creation of the University Research Corridor, a consortium of Michigan’s three research universities, and served as special advisor to the university president on the development and growth of the corridor, as well as on other economic development activities. Her commitment to creating bridges heightened the visibility of the university and its president.

Prior to joining the University of Michigan, Wilbanks served as a staff assistant for US Representative Marvin Esch from 1973 to 1976, and as a county field representative and then district director for US Representative Carl D. Purcell, from 1977 to 1992. From 1993 to 1995, she was president of Michigan’s Children, a nonprofit organization focused on creating effective public policy for children and families. In 1994, Wilbanks was a candidate from Michigan’s 13th Congressional District.

A graduate of the University of Michigan, Wilbanks holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a secondary teaching certificate. An active member of the community, she has served in leadership roles with nonprofit organizations throughout her career, including her current role on the steering committee for the Center for Michigan, a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank. She has been recognized with multiple honors and awards, including being named among the 100 Most Influential Women in Metro Detroit by Crain’s Detroit Business in 2002 and Woman of the Year by Washtenaw United Way in 2017.

As Assistant Vice President of Creative Communications at the University of Chicago, she built UChicago Creative, a 25-person in-house creative agency that regularly competed with and rivaled outside agencies, increasing net revenue from $250,000 to $1.9 million in three years. She wrote the first identity and messaging guide for the University of Chicago, authored its strategic communications plan, and established the voice of the university through undergraduate admissions marketing communications that contributed to a 42 percent increase in applications and top 10 U.S. News rankings.

As Assistant Vice President for Alumni Relations and Development communications, she reorganized the 35-person team to better meet the needs of alumni, donors, and the university, and injected fresh creativity into the organization, contributing to substantial increases in alumni engagement and annual giving. She was integral to the launch of the university’s $5 billion campaign, leading the teams responsible for the campaign case statement, video, website, annual publication, and live performances at the launch event.

A consultant since 2016, Newquist has provided creative content and leadership for the Association of American Universities, Furman University, Ohio State University, the University of Chicago, and Loyola University of Chicago, where over 11 months she restructured the marketing and communications team, redesigned the alumni magazine, and led university communications in support of the men’s basketball team’s first NCAA tournament appearance in over 35 years.

Newquist began her career as a lifestyles editor for The Star newspaper chain in suburban Chicago, from 1987 to 1991. A feature writer and columnist, she received national first-place awards every year. A first-generation college graduate, she is an alumna of Governors State University.

Ruth began his UChicago career as an editorial intern at the business school and served as the senior writer and strategist during its rebranding as Chicago Booth. He went on to lead UChicago Creative, a 25-person agency consisting of editorial, design, and multimedia teams and a central resource for all university departments. Working with deans and officers from every unit, Ruth led the branding and communications for the university’s 125th anniversary, and he led the rebranding of the Harris School of Public Policy, which since experienced dramatic increases in enrollment and is now the university’s second-largest professional program after Booth.

At One Hope United, Ruth was responsible for all internal and external marketing and communications including media relations and crisis communications. He led a major overhaul of the Wishbook fundraising campaign that resulted in nearly triple year-over-year donations, which led to an invitation to present at the American Marketing Association Nonprofit Conference. As a consultant, Ruth collaborated with Loyola University Chicago senior leadership on their brand-level “We Are Called” campaign and advised the AIDS Foundation of Chicago on the branding and launch of Getting to Zero Illinois, the initiative to end HIV in Illinois by 2030.

He holds a BA with general honors and an MA from the University of Chicago. In 2019, he was named a Notable LGBTQ Executive by Crain’s Chicago Business.

As the managing director of communications for the University of Chicago Becker Friedman Institute, she developed and executed a strategic communications plan that raised awareness of a new institute, building and engaging an audience of more than 14,000 with a robust schedule of e-newsletters, videos, events, and media relations. She played a key role in managing the renaming and rebranding of the institute. Recognizing an opportunity to preserve and promote the rich legacy of University of Chicago economics, she strategized and steered the development and installation of a mini museum highlighting that history.

Toni directed executive communications at the American Osteopathic Association, partnering with the chief executive officer and physician leadership to create and implement key messages, communicate a major market-driven change to a key product offering, and support advocacy. She advised a national working group on crafting messages that more clearly defined osteopathic medicine and co-authored a journal article to disseminate findings from this work.

Toni successfully elevated public relations and media efforts at Erikson Institute, a graduate school in early childhood development, by engaging an online audience and adopting cutting-edge technologies. Previously, in nine years at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, she held various editorial, website management, and marketing roles. A prolific and versatile writer and experienced editor, she managed and published staff and alumni publications at University of Michigan Medical Center and the U-M Law School while handling extensive media relations.A consultant since 2017, Toni has handled change management communications for the University of Chicago Shared Services office and provided marketing and editorial services, web management, research, and analysis for clients ranging from a civic governmental watchdog organization and early childhood advocacy group to an economics research project and a boutique marketing firm.

A former journalist, Toni is a proud alumna of the University of Michigan.

In her role as Director of Alumni and Development Communications, Davis wrote and edited content for the University of Toledo Foundation, focusing on fundraising efforts to support the University. As the sole writer for the UToledo Alumni eMagazine, she raised the University’s reputation by highlighting the institution’s degree programs and how they shaped young students into community leaders. Davis previously worked for 10 years as a journalist and editor with Star Newspapers in Tinley Park, Illinois. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communication studies from Northern Illinois University.

In partnership with senior leadership, Schexnider led the development and implementation of the University of Chicago’s first-ever branding initiative. He was also integral to the launch of the University of Chicago Campaign: Inquiry & Impact, developing the logo and identity for the campaign and overseeing its implementation across media and platforms.

In 2015 Schexnider became Creative Director for Loyola University New Orleans, where he again helped to lead a university rebrand and initiated and launched a revamp of the alumni magazine.

In the summer of 2016, he established his own creative agency, GSC. Current and past clients include the Association of American Universities (AAU), the University of Chicago (including UChicago Communications, Harris Public Policy, UChicagoGRAD, myCHOICE, International House, and Alumni Relations and Development), Silva Content Solutions, Loyola University New Orleans, Hyde Park Refugee Project, Faith In Practice, Citybase, Charge Savvy, and the Illinois Arts Council.

Prior to 1998, he served as Creative Director for Chicago’s Goodman Theatre and various creative agencies in Chicago.

Schexnider received his BFA in Graphic Design from Louisiana State University in 1993 and his MFA from the University of Chicago in 2006. He also holds a certificate in Executive Leadership from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business (2011). He has been recognized by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), the University and College Designers Association (UCDA), and other professional organizations.

Gershman has coached executives and staff at a variety of campaigns, organizations, companies, and agencies. Her clients have included Microsoft, Eli Lilly, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Gulfstream, GDIT, Booz Allen Hamilton, Kaiser Permanente, Hertz, PhRMA, OATH, Govini, The Office of the Secretary of Defense, the U.S. Department of Justice, SBSB, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. General Services Administration, the U.S. Department of Treasury, the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission, One, the World Bank, the Robin Hood Foundation, the American College of Cardiology, ARC, the Red Cross, Washington Women in Public Relations, Finnegan, Women in Technology, KCCT Architects, the Media Trust, Hickok Cole Architects, RAND Construction, HOK, the Truman National Security Project, the Hudson Institute, the Smith Richardson Foundation, WALRAA, WWPR, Perseus, LLC, The Embassy of Canada, the International Republican Institute, the National Democratic Institute, InsideNGO, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, Christopher Consultants, MGAC, and Brookings.

Gershman has a master’s degree in social work from Columbia University and a master’s in Judaic studies from the Jewish Theological Seminary. Gershman received the Wexner Graduate Fellowship and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the Johns Hopkins University.

Diane’s communications career includes two periods at the University of Michigan in media relations and compliance, marketing and outreach roles at a regional financial institution and numerous officer terms on non-profit boards.

While an undergraduate journalism student at Central Michigan University, Diane found a love for media relations while working as a student assistant in the Sports Information office. She then completed her first tour at the University of Michigan as an assistant sports information director, creating the first recruiting materials for U-M women’s athletic teams and assisting in computerizing the football game-day information.

While pursuing a masters in business administration from U-M, Diane turned to a financial career at First of America Bank, ultimately serving as a regional assistant vice president for community outreach and compliance with the Community Reinvestment Act. During her tenure, the bank received high marks during federal compliance reviews, and Diane served as board president for the Housing Bureau for Seniors and Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley. She also co-founded the Washtenaw HomeBuyers Program and the Central Michigan University Honors Program Alumni Advisory Board.

Diane returned to the U-M as the public information officer for facilities and operations, serving as the University’s primary spokesperson for crime, emergencies and construction. Later she became the University’s first Clery Act compliance officer, training hundreds of staff, student employees and faculty regarding their reporting responsibilities. U-M was not assessed any fines for Clery Act non-compliance during her tenure. She also assisted the Clery Center as a freelance trainer for several years.

In recent years, Diane has served as development director for the Wesley Foundation of Ann Arbor, a campus ministry of the United Methodist Church, and a freelance writer for the Michigan Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Her creative projects have included responsive, mobile-friendly websites; CMS implementation; WordPress and blog development; logo design and corporate identity; and marketing and print collateral for a wide range of clients including: MacArthur Foundation, National Center on Domestic violence, Trauma & Mental Health, University of Chicago, Northwestern University, Chicago Foundation for Women, Business & Professional People for the Public Interest, Planned Parenthood, The Wright Foundation, Gannett Company Inc., HS2 Solutions, Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), Wyzant Tutoring, Kapow!, Steve Trautman Co., Closerlook, Metromix, Freedman Seating, Mars Gallery, Valerie Denney Communications.

Previously she was a web designer and developer for Web Services at the University of Chicago, where she successfully managed a wide range of website projects across the campus. Earlier in her career she also worked as a senior designer with DHI Visual Communication, Axis Creative and Ralph Marlin. She studied graphic design at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.