About IIRA -> IIRA Personnel

IIRA Personnel

For individual staff profiles, please click on the name.

Administration
Christopher D. Merrett Ph.D.	IIRA Director and Professor	(309) 298-2281
Timothy Collins Ph.D	Assistant Director	(309) 298-3412
Karen Poncin, MBA	Research & Instructional Consultant	(309) 298-2622
Kristi Kupka BB, CPA	Planning and Finance Manager	(309) 298-1500
Carol Harper	Publications Manager	(309) 298-2637
Kathleen Peterson	IIRA Secretary	(309) 298-2354
Sandy Wittig	IIRA Secretary	(309) 298-2237

Data Analysis and Technical Assistance (DATA) Center
Lori Sutton, MA	Manager, DATA Center	(309) 298-2968
Robin Hanna, MA, MPA	Project Manager, Rural Economic Technical Assistance Center (RETAC)	(309) 298-2372
Bill Westerhold, MA	Project Manager, Business and Geographic Information Services (BGIS)	(309) 298-2576
Danielle Rogers, MA	Data and Compliance Specialist, Survey and Data Analysis Unit	(309) 298-2374

Marketing and Entrepreneurship
Adee Athiyaman Ph.D.	Professor of Marketing	(309) 298-2272
Norman Walzer, Ph.D	Professor of Economics and Director Emeritus	(309) 298-1031

Rural Transit Assistance Center (RTAC)
Ed Heflin, BB, CCTM	Manager	(309) 298-3392
Jacqueline S. Waters, BS	Transit Specialist	(309) 298-3319
Mable Kreps, MBA	Transit Specialist	(309) 298-2141
Dawn Piper, MS	Transit Coordination Specialist, ICCT	(309) 298-2255

Illinois Center for Rural Education Studies (ICRES)/MAPPING the Future of Your Schools
Bob Hall, Ph. D	Research Fellow	(309) 298-2961
Timothy Collins, Ph. D	Researcher	(309) 298-3412

MAPPING the Future Programs
Gisele Hamm, MA	Manager	(309) 298-4019
Frank Antonucci, MA	Economic Development Specialist	(309) 298-3069
Christina Davis	Economic Development Specialist	(309) 298-2647
Sharon Herbst, B.S.	Secretary	(309) 298-3070

Illinois Value-Added Sustainable Development Center (IVASDC)
Roger Brown, MBA	Manager	(309) 298-1453
Erin Orwig, MBA	Faculty Assistant	(309) 298-3467
Heather McIlvaine-Newsad, Ph.D.	Research Fellow	(309) 298-1264
Brock W. Terry, MA	Faculty Assistant/GIS Technical Analyst	(309) 298-1566
Erin Wherley	Secretary	(309) 298-2684

Housing and Rural Sociology
Cynthia Struthers, Ph.D.	Associate Professor	(309) 298-2282
Ruth Thompson, MA	Housing Outreach Specialist	(309) 298-3098

Health Resources
Mary Jane Clark, RN, MS, CHES	Manager	(309) 298-2253
Tara Chenoweth, MA	Health Resources Technical Assistant	(309) 298-2304
Robert Intrieri, Ph.D.	Research Fellow	(309) 298-1336

Peace Corps Fellows Program
Karen Mauldin-Curtis, MA	Manager	(309) 298-2706
Cynthia Sutton	Administrative Liaison	(309) 298-2268
Karen Peitzmeier, MS	Internal Coordinator	(309) 298-2268

Rural Technology
David Connelly, Ph.D	Research Fellow	(309) 298-1465

Public Policy
Norman Walzer, Ph.D	Professor of Economics and Director Emeritus	(309) 298-1031
Burton Witthuhn, Ph.D.	Professor of Geography	(309) 298-2237
Keith Boeckelman, Ph.D.	Research Fellow	(309) 298-1261
Bob Hall, Ph.D	Research Fellow	(309) 298-1270

Midwest Community Development Institute
John Gruidl, Ph.D.	Professor of Economics	(309) 298-2984

Western Illinois Entrepreneurship Center
Sarah Shike, MBA	Manager	(309) 836-2767
Janet Marlette, BA	Public Information Specialist	(309) 836-2705
Catherine Swanson, MA	Secretary	(309) 836-2702

Illinois Small Business Development Center
Daniel Voorhis, BB	Director	(309) 836-2640
Donna Corrie, BA	Administrative Clerk	(309) 836-2640
Carol Stombaugh	Faculty Assistant	(309) 836-2640

Illinois Procurement Technical Assistance Center of Central Illinois
Mary Turner	Director	(217) 223-5636