Announcing Alanna O’Connor as chief of staff for the Office of the Provost and VCAA

Dear colleagues,

It is my pleasure to announce that Alanna O’Connor will be joining the Office of the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs as chief of staff effective June 16, 2023, pending approval by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees.

Alanna joins the Office of the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs from the College Business Administration, where she has served as the assistant dean for student recruitment since 2017. Previously, from 2002 to 2017, Alanna held a variety of roles in the Office of Academic and Enrollment Services, progressing from assistant to the executive associate provost to the director of operations for the vice provost’s units, before joining the College of Business Administration. In total, Alanna has more than twenty years of combined experience as an accomplished administrator in higher education, with a focus on student recruitment and admissions, human resources, strategic planning, and project management.

As a leader with 21 years of experience at UIC, Alanna carries a unique breadth of institutional knowledge and not only has the experience to deftly navigate the unique structure of UIC amidst ongoing transitions, as well as a vast network of cross-functional professional relationships to leverage in support of the work of the chief of staff, she is also experienced in implementing and realizing abstract visions to meet institutional goals.

Alanna is a two-time alumna of UIC where she earned a master’s degree and a Bachelor of Arts in English literature.

I would like to thank the search committee, chaired by Mike Stieff, vice provost for faculty affairs, for their work in conducting this critical search.

I am elated that Alanna will join the Office of the Provost and have the utmost confidence that she will be a remarkable addition to our team.

Sincerely,

Karen J. Colley
Acting Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs