Council on Governmental and External Relations

Purpose

The mission of the Council is to support the University of Illinois System by building and sustaining effective partnerships with the state, federal, and local governments. The Council coordinates and shares advice and expertise with relevant units across the System. It works to engage with stakeholders in alumni relations, the private sector, think tanks, associations and other external parties. COGER plans and oversees effective outreach and advocacy campaigns targeting elected and other high-level government officials. Current members include:

Chair

• Jennifer Creasey, U of I System Office of Governmental Relations, Senior Director of State Relations

Members 

• Paul Weinberger, U of I System Office of Governmental Relations, Director of Federal Relations, Vice Chair
• Melissa Haas, U of I System Office of Governmental Relations, Associate Director of Federal Relations
• Nolan Drea, U of I System Office of Governmental Relations, Assistant Director of State Relations
• Angelica Alfaro, U of I System Office of Governmental Relations, Assistant Director of State Relations
• Grace Hart, U of I System Office of Governmental Relations, Federal Relations Specialist
• Marissa Brewer, U of I System Office of Governmental Relations, Associate Director of Advocacy
• Mitch Dickey, U of I System Office of Governmental Relations, Advocacy Coordinator
• Theresa Thomas, U of I System Office of Governmental Relations, Visiting Advocacy Specialist
• Marty Gutierrez, UIC Office of Public and Government Affairs, Senior Director of Community and Government Relations
• Joan Sestak, UIS Campus Relations, Director of Community Relations
• Robert Filder, Urbana Office of the Chancellor, Director of Community and Government Relations
• Stephen Wald, U of I Extension, Senior Coordinator of Government Affairs
• Tom Hardy, U of I System Office of University Relations, Executive Director
• Ben Taylor, U of I System Office of the Vice President for Economic Development and Innovation, Assistant Vice President
• Kathy Sullivan, Illinois Institute of Government & Public Affairs, Assistant Director
• Jamey Dunn,  Illinois Institute of Government & Public Affairs, Senior Coordinator of Strategic Communications
• Emily Gibellina, UI Health, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs Advocacy and Government Relations
• Lauren Messmore, UI Health,  Assistant Director for Health Affairs Advocacy and Government Relations

Ex officio members

• Dr. Timothy Killeen, U of I System, President
• Dr. Barb Wilson, U of I System, Executive Vice President and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Advocacy Guidelines

There are many ways in which university employees engage with government officials and their staff in the course of their work–from inviting officials to campus to testifying at legislative hearings to visiting legislators in their offices. COGER has established a set of guidelines to help coordinate advocacy efforts for the U of I System. If you are planning on advocating on behalf of the U of I System, please review these guidelines and contact the Office of Governmental Relations with any questions.