Alison Bender Email & Phone Number

Chicago, Illinois, United States

As a senior member of the dean’s immediate office, led and coordinated priority projects on strategic initiatives, operations, communications, and stakeholder engagement. Key accomplishments: • Strategic planning – Developed and oversaw strategic planning process including collaborating with leadership to develop annual implementation plans, monitoring and documenting progress against goals, and producing reports for the president and the board of trustees.• Communications and marketing – Created and launched a quarterly newsletter distributed statewide that, now in its 5th year, consistently achieves a 25% – 30% open rate; conceptualized and authored the annual impact report; partnered with faculty to develop messaging for collateral; coordinated with graphic designers and web developers to produce deliverables. • Events and webinars – Established and organized webinar and event series to build brand awareness and stakeholder engagement resulting in 10% increase in alumni attendance at annual events.• Website redesign and implementation – Audited, conceptualized, and restructured the college’s website based on extensive market research; managed new website buildout and launch; authored content for 70+ webpages.• Operations – Led a task force responsible for assigning offices in new workspace and managed the multi-campus office move of 40+ faculty and staff; negotiated short-term facilities rental contracts with external partners; coached and mentored new staff hires.

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Engaged in research, analysis, relationship building, and problem-solving to support the new dean in leading significant strategic and cultural change. Key accomplishments: • Initiated and led a college-level communications team; interviewed stakeholders to assess communication platforms and identify opportunities for improvement; developed and implemented a plan that increased efficiency and engagement. • Supported partnerships with education organizations to co-design and recruit for degree programs including a teacher residency model that has expanded to offer 5 concentrations in 4 districts. • Created and launched collaborative data management system to document and track qualitative impact data, event information, and faculty scholarship activity enabling improved coordination and information sharing across college units and university departments. • Established a process to document standard operating procedures resulting in increased productivity, consistency, and cross-functional training.

Provided high-level administrative support for a vice president and managing director. • Managed calendars, travel, and day-to-day operations.• Coordinated offsite events and meetings.• Cultivated relationships with portfolio companies’ management teams to foster partnership with the firm.

College Of Agriculture And Environmental Sciences, Office Of Global Programs

Organized and promoted international scholarship and research, partnerships, and funding. • Coordinated events including study abroad fairs, guest lectures, and partner visits.• Developed study abroad and international certificate program marketing materials.• Organized travel, accommodations, and orientation for visiting researchers and Borlaug Fellows.• Supported the preparation of grant proposals to secure funding for international agricultural research. • Established and authored study abroad newsletter.

Bowling Green, Ky

Coordinated Global Encounters series programming reaching thousands of students annually and developed communication materials.

Merida, Mexico

Supported study abroad program operations and collected ethnographic research that led to articles and presentations.

Collaborated with administrative leaders and the Board of Trustees to execute strategies to optimize and expand sources of giving, enrollment, and communications. Served as webmaster. • Organized solicitation and donor recognition events that contributed to the successful completion of a $2.5M capital campaign. • Co-developed annual fund materials and coordinated events that raised 120% of annual fund goals, increased 120 families giving levels by 15%, and generated 100% parent participation.• Implemented alumni engagement program that increased alumni annual fund gifts by 155%.

Ma, Folk Studies And Historic Preservation

Ba, Anthropology

Activities and Societies: Kappa Kappa Gamma, collaborative research assistant, volunteer service

High School