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Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Vice Chancellor for Advancement Rachel Stack has added seven development staff members during a time when development strategies have never been more important for higher education institutions contending with the economic implications from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Through national searches, Stack named four directors of development (DOD) to manage fundraising and facilitate giving. Divah Griffin will assume the responsibilities for the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior. Lisa Smith will be the DOD for the School of Engineering. Shane Taylor will manage fundraising activities for both the School of Pharmacy, and Library and Information Services. Tad Middleton becomes the first DOD for Intercollegiate Athletics.

“I am extremely excited to welcome these talented and accomplished major gift officers to our foundation staff,” Stack said. “This will make a world of difference as we grow our advancement program to benefit our students, faculty and staff. For the first time in my SIUE tenure, we have a development officer representing  each academic unit and athletics. The SIUE Foundation is now better prepared to fulfill our mission of supporting the University with more scholarships, program support, endowments and capital projects.”

Griffin has spent the past two years as DOD for the McLean County Museum of History in Bloomington. She directed all fundraising initiatives, including annual fund, major gifts, special events, corporate sponsorships, and foundation and government grants.

Griffin’s prior experience includes three years as program coordinator at the DeWitt County Human Resource Center/Platt County Medical Health Center, working with private non-profit organizations providing disability, mental health and prevention services for the two counties. She also served six years as an information specialist and education coordinator for The African American Military History Museum in Hattiesburg, Miss. She earned an MBA from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Smith arrives at SIUE after more than three years at Hospital Sisters Health Systems Hospitals (HSHS) in Breese, Greenville and Highland. She was the HSHS Foundation manager for three years before being named interim director in January 2019. She offers more than 20 years of successful relationship development in a variety of environments.

A Highland resident, Smith’s previous experience includes serving as sales and marketing director for the Hilton Garden Inn & Regency Conference Center in O’Fallon, executive director of the Edwardsville/Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce, and sales and marketing director for the Gateway Center in Collinsville. She earned a bachelor’s in hotel and restaurant management from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

With 20 years of development experience, Taylor arrives at SIUE having spent the past four years as chief development officer for Peter & Paul Community Services (PPCS) in St. Louis. In four years with the ecumenical agency that provides housing and supportive services to homeless individuals, he raised $6.9 million.

Prior to PPCS, Taylor was lead pastor for the LeClaire Christian Church in Edwardsville, served as lead church planter for Common Ground in Maple Valley, Wash., and was the executive director for the Christian Campus Foundation at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He holds a master’s of divinity/leadership from Lincoln Christian Seminary in Lincoln.

An SIUE alumnus, Middleton joins the Department of Athletics staff after serving as general manager of SIUE Cougar Sports Properties for Peak Sports MGMT since 2017. During his tenure, Middleton secured the $2.3 million naming rights agreement for First Community Arena at the Vadalabene Center. He earned a master’s in education/sports management from SIUE.

A Bethalto resident, Middleton’s career experience covers a wide range of responsibilities for Metro East entities since 2004. Prior to SIUE Cougar Sports Properties, he was a donor relations consultant with the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center in Maryville, a treasury management representative with First Clover Leaf Bank in Edwardsville, an account executive for WBGZ Radio in Alton, and program director for the Boys & Girls Club of Bethalto.

In April, Meghan Jamison was named director of prospect research. She moved across campus from the Office of Enrollment Management where she was the business administrative associate, acting as the financial and human resource advisor for all units within the office.

Before arriving at SIUE, Jamison was the director of prospect research for Front Range Source in Boulder, Colo. for more than two years. Her previous experience also includes serving as a corporate recruiter for Advanced Technology Services, of Peoria, and as a human resources executive for Van Meter, Inc. of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She is a University of Iowa alumna with a bachelor’s in business management and organization.

Janine Meyer joined the staff as operations manager in late May after serving the Saint Louis University Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business for 23 years. She was promoted to business manager in 2014 after excelling as an executive assistant in the dean’s office for seven years. Meyer earned an MBA at SLU.

Last fall, Janna Greenwood was named IT manager, bringing more than 19 years of database management to the team. She was the database manager and analyst for Variety, the Children’s Charity, of St. Louis since 2014 before landing at SIUE. Her prior experience includes eight years at Ranken Technical College in St. Louis as the junior database manager, and coordinator of research and records.

Greenwood’s higher education experience includes time at Fontbonne University in St. Louis as a records specialist before being elevated to director of advancement research and information systems. She also progressively moved through the ranks at Barnes-Jewish Hospital Foundation in St. Louis as a prospect research assistant, development research coordinator and operations coordinator during a four-year stint. 

Photo: SIUE Vice Chancellor for Advancement Rachel Stack.