University of Illinois | 150 Years & Beyond

Craig Hella Johnson

Grammy-winning conductor, composer​

Artistic director, Conspirare​

Petros Ioannou

USC Professor of Electrical Engineering Systems

Director, Center for Advanced Transportation Technologies

Aaron Kaplan

Orchestra director

Glenbrook North/South HS

Shaila Kotadia

Director of Culture and Inclusion

Stanford School of Medicine

Art Kramer

Beckman Institute director, 2010-16

Professor/center director, Northeastern University

Chris Landreth

Award-winning animator

2004 Oscar for ‘Ryan’

Avis (Sampson) LaVelle

Former press secretary to Chicago Mayor Richard Daly

Executive director, Business Leadership Council

Ang Lee

Movie maker

3 Oscar wins with 3 movies

Lou Liay

2023 honorary doctorate recipient

Namesake of UIAA's Lou Liay Spirit Award

Frederick Marx

Oscar-nominated filmmaker

Made 1994’s ‘Hoop Dreams’

Brendan McGinty

Director of Industry

National Center for Supercomputing Applications

Pablo Mendoza

Chief diversity officer

University of North Georgia

June Panagakos Podagrosi

Founder, executive director

Child’s Play Touring Theatre

Chuck Pelletier

TV/film veteran

Director, Princess Cruises

Erin Peters-Burton

Donna R. and David E. Sterling Endowed Professor in Science Education

George Mason University

Reese Reynolds

Director, Human Resources

Lockheed Martin Space

Shozo Sato

Founding director

Japan House

Sarah Seiler Watson

Executive director

Looking for Lincoln and Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area

Jenna Shelton

Director

Illinois State Water Survey

David Sidney

Executive director

Transform Rockford

Noah Spiegel

Managing director

Nashville Children’s Theatre

Ryan Suffern

Head of documentaries

Kennedy/Marshall Co.

Tammie Walker

Director, School of Music

University of Iowa

Marty Weiss

Writer/director

Formerly of Amazon Studios