Search Committee for Chief of Staff for the Office of the Provost

Mike Stieff
mstieff@uic.edu
Search Committee Chair
Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs
Professor of Chemistry
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Mike Stieff joined the Provost's Office in June 2022 after serving as co-director of the UIC Learning Sciences Research Institute (LSRI). He is a professor of chemistry and learning sciences, an Honors College faculty fellow, a Humboldt Fellow, and he holds an Honorary Professorship of Learning Sciences in the School of Education at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom.

Lunaire D. Ford
lford@uic.edu
Assistant Dean
Graduate College

Lunaire D. Ford is the Assistant Dean for Diversity and Recruitment at the UIC Graduate College. Lunaire has over 20 years of experience in leading efforts related to diversity, recruitment, and educational programming. He serves as the College’s Diversity Officer and as such takes leadership in advancing the college’s strategic diversity goals and initiatives. Lunaire partners with faculty and staff across campus to attract and enhance the success and well-being of academically talented minority graduate students at UIC. He is also UIC’s institutional liaison to several local, state, and national organizations working to diversify graduate education and the professoriate.

Kristy Kuzmuk
kuzmuk@uic.edu
Associate Vice Chancellor for Innovation
Office of the Vice Chancellor for Innovation

Kristy Kuzmuk, chief of staff to the Vice Chancellor, oversees programs to foster innovation and entrepreneurship, communications and outreach and general operations, including financial, business and budget administration. Previously, she served as an assistant vice president for economic development and innovation for the UI System.

Sherri McGinnis-Gonzalez
smcginn@uic.edu
Associate Vice Chancellor for Strategic Marketing & Communications
Office of Strategic Marketing & Communications

Sherri McGinnis-Gonzalez joined UIC in 2001 and is an experienced reputational and emergency crisis strategist who has manged various reputational crisis and emergency situations on campus. She is an experienced strategic communications and media relations professional who frequently collaborates with senior leadership, faculty, staff and communicators across campus to elevate the profile and reputation of UIC through content development, storytelling, media relations and social media.

Margaret Moser
mlmoser@uic.edu
Executive Director, Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs Administration & Operations
Office of the Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs

Margaret Moser is chief of staff to the Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs and is responsible for the day-to-day office operations, including finance, human resources, administrative support, facilities, communications, strategic initiatives and special projects. Prior to joining UIC in 2005, she was a district sales manager for Coca-Cola Enterprises in Detroit and Chicago.

Jacob (Jay) Mueller
jmueller@uic.edu
Assistant Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff
Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Engagement

Jacob (Jay) Mueller has been at UIC nearly 28 years, holding leadership positions for several vice provosts, the Honors College, the College of Medicine and as chief of staff to the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Engagement. He directs the operations for the units, including the Centers for Cultural Understanding and Social Change, the Early Outreach Program, the newly opened UIC Neighborhood Centers and the Community Engagement offices. These duties include responsibility for budgeting, finance, HR, grants/contracts, advancement, special projects and facilities management. With extensive experience in mediation, LGBTQI issues, and as a DEI educator, he contributes to the campuswide DEI strategy and mission.

Tyler Nielsen
pniels2@uic.edu
Executive Assistant to the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Office of the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

Tyler Nielsen joined the Office of the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs in March 2022 after serving as the Program Coordinator and Assistant to the Dean in the UIC Honors College since 2016. Tyler obtained his BFA and Certificate in Nonprofit Management from UIC and he is a certified associate in Project Management (CAPM) with the Project Management Institute (PMI). He is responsible for providing management support and advice to the Provost; the coordination of the Provost Office’s work activities and priorities including the management of task forces and committees; the production of all semesterly, annual, and special events including the annual Provost’s Leadership Retreat with over 300 senior administrators and faculty; and the general management of the office including office projects, supply procurement, and the supervision of our student employee(s).

Tremayne (Tre) Price
tremayne@uic.edu
Deputy Chief of Staff
Office of the Chancellor

Tremayne (Tre) Price has served as an adviser to the Chancellor and Chief of Staff since 2021. He represents university leadership in assigned projects and initiatives and serves as the UIC liaison to the Board of Trustees. Previously, he was the Assistant Director for Innovation at UIC, where he managed a portfolio of high-level projects and had responsibility for data tracking and communication related to commercialization, entrepreneurship and economic development, including oversight of the UIC Technology Innovation Lab business incubator. He also previously served as the Special Assistant to the UIUC Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives, and he was a visiting special project liaison to the UI System President. He received a Master's in Educational Administration and a Bachelor's in Public Policy and Management from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Albany and is currently working on his doctorate in Public Administration at UIS.

Susan Ramirez
ssramir@uic.edu
Director for Budget and Financial Operations
Budget, HR & Financial Administration

Susan Ramirez oversees operational activities and provides support to the Vice Chancellor and Office of Budget, Human Resources and Financial Administration, including communicating policies and practices to senior administrators and college and department representatives. She also oversees property management of facilities and supports management of university space needs.