MechSE Alumni Board

Alumni Board Officers

President: Mark Woodmansee
Affiliation: Dynapower Corporation
Degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: BSME 1994, MSME 1997, PhD ME 1999

Vice President: Meg Grady
Affiliation: University of Kentucky
Degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: MS TAM 2011, PhD TAM 2014

Alumni Board Members

Term Expiring 2025:

Nathan Barton
Affiliation: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: BSME 1996

Sarah Buckius
Affiliation: San Jose State University
Degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: BSME 2001

Abigail Butkus
Affiliation: Johnson Controls
Degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: BSME 2003

Kye Draper
Affiliation: Thyssen-Krupp Automotive
Degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: BSME 2015, MBA 2022

Michael Keller
Affiliation: University of Tulsa
Degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: MS TAM 2003, PhD TAM 2007

Brittany Miriki
Affiliation: Dell Technologies
Degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: BSME 2016

Rahul Panat
Affiliation: Carnegie Mellon University
Degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: PhD TAM 2004

Mike Rutkowski
Affiliation: Burns and McDonnell
Degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: BSME 1989

Mark Santschi
Affiliation: Sargent & Lundy
Degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: BSME 1986

alumni board members standing outside in front of the main doors of Sidney Lu Mechanical Engineering Building — Board members in attendance at the Spring 2024 meeting on campus.

Alumni Board members at the Spring 2025 meeting — Board members in the new MechSE Alumni Board Collaboration Space.

Term Expiring 2027:

Kira Barton
Affiliation: University of Michigan
Degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: MSME 2006, PhD ME 2010

Valeria Laguna
Affiliation: Proctor and Gamble
Degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: BSME 2013

Nicole Reifman
Affiliation: McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff LLC
Degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: BSME 2003, JD 2006

Kendra Sharp
Affiliation: Santa Clara University
Degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: PhD TAM 2001

Kathryn Svoboda
Affiliation: Progress Rail, a Caterpillar Company
Degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: BSME 2011

Thomas McCarthy
Affiliation: Ford Motor Company
Degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: BSME 1987, MSME 1989

Term Expiring 2028:

Michael Pennisi
Affiliation: Northrop Grumman
Degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: BSME 2010, MSME 2012

Venanzio Cichella
Affiliation: University of Iowa
Degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: PhD ME 2018

Fady Najjar
Affiliation: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: MSME 1990, PhD ME 1994

William Profilet
Affiliation: Pro Defense Consulting
Degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: BSME 1984

Board Contributions to Support Educational Equality

The MechSE Alumni Board has successfully raised more than $100K to support specific initiatives in the department -- scholarships and mentoring programs for first-generation students, inclusive academic seminars, and other efforts to provide and support educational equality for all students. This funding will help bring an Illinois education and improved opportunities to more students who share our passion for engineering and innovation.

Funding Goal

$100,000

Goal
$100,000

Progress
$101,279

TOTAL RAISED

$101,279

You can still support our effort!

Give Now

Select the fund option under "DEI Initiatives"