Leadership

Proudly Representing DU Staff

Our leadership is dedicated in their advocacy and committed to ensuring the interests of each and every member of the DU staff is represented to the fullest.

SAC Leadership Team

Dr. Nathan Willers, President

Nathan Willers web

Currently Director of Communications at DU's College of Natural Sciences & Mathematics, Nathan has worked in nonprofit administration for over 15 years. Prior to working in science communications, he was in marketing and communications for performing arts, including positions at DU's Newman Center for the Performing Arts, the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, and the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center.

Nathan holds an EdD in Higher Education from DU and an MA in Arts Management from Columbia College Chicago. His research agenda includes analysis of higher education through the lenses of discourse analysis and poststructuralism. Rankings regimes, public funding, and authenticity in communications efforts are all areas of interest.

Noelle Strom, Vice President

Noelle Strom Image

Noelle Strom is a Grant and Contract Administrator in the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP). She holds an MBA from the University of Denver and an MM in Music Performance from CU Boulder. She is also a doctoral student in Morgridge's Higher Education EdD program. Her research focuses on research administration management and effectiveness. Noelle joined SAC in 2021 and was elected Vice President in May 2022.

Helen McGrath, Co-Secretary

Helen McGrath web

Helen has a background in STEM holding a BSc (hons) Marine Biology & MSc Marine Ecology & Environmental Management. Helen has worked in project management roles before moving to the US in 2017. Joining DU in September 2019, Helen is a grant coordinator for the division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Helen joined SAC in early 2020 and became Co-Secretary Summer 2021 and is excited about the direction SAC is going and being in a position that can help with that.

Theresa Woelk, Co-Secretary

Theresa Woelk web

Theresa is the grant person for the GSPP. She came to DU in early 2018 from UC Anschutz where she worked in all facets of grant management and development for almost 10 years from compliance management in CU Office of Grants and Contracts to grant development, writing, and submissions as a departmental grant manager. She started in grants as a PI/grant writer & project developer in Alaska with her own federally funded projects. She came to grants from a short career in journalism and a stent as the spokesperson for the Alaska Attorney General. She loves research and community programming. Grant work allows her to keep my hand in those areas. Her favorite part of grant work is strategic planning and project/program development.

Treasurer

Currently Vacant

Building

Committees

Our Committees play an essential role in an array of decision-making capacities. Each committee has a chair responsible for the budgetary, administrative and project coordination of all committee functions.

The Staff Advisory Council committees and initiatives are currently being updated at transitioning due to the end of the academic year. Please check back in late June for updates. 

  • Executive Committee

    The Executive Committee is the administrative body that oversees the functions and operations of the Staff Advisory Council (SAC). The Committee is responsible for addressing any proposals for policy/procedure changes submitted by the SAC Staff Issues Committee, and also oversees the Elections ad-hoc Committee.

    Members:

    • Nathan Willers, President
    • Noelle Strom, Vice President
    • Helen McGrath, Co-Secretary
    • Theresa Woelk, Co-Secretary
    • Treasurer (Currently Vacant)
  • Communications Committee

    The Communications Committee maintains SAC's websites, prepares and sends the quarterly newsletter and other announcements, works with other committees to promote events and create reports, and maintains the SAC social media presence.

    Members

    • Lisa Westendorf, Co-chair
    • Shaunda Norman
    • Nithya Ramu
    • Lynzi Patton
    • Sarah Adams
    • Sarah Mooney
    • Zachary Nickel
  • Community & Events Committees

    Our Community & Events Committees focus on how the SAC can promote trust, teamwork and pride among staff members and strengthen the entire DU community.

  • Staff Action & Resource (STAR) Committee

    The Staff Action and Resource Committee keeps track of action items that surface during SAC meetings, assigns them to committee and council members, and works to ensure each item is addressed appropriately. The STAR Committee also drafts proposals to add/change/amend any DU policies and procedures affecting the well-being and productivity of the staff, as determined by the Council.

    Members

    • Michelle Fryer, Co-chair
    • Joseph Ponce, Co-chair
    • Hema Visweswaraiah
    • Olivia Olson
    • Amy Hilt
    • Ethan Taylor-Pierce
    • Jon Andersen
    • Katie Pettet
    • Yoshie Matsubara
  • Outreach Committee

    The Outreach Committee works to keep the website and flyer information up to date and provide new content for the website. They also represent the SAC at events like orientation or the benefits fair, and works to recruit new SAC members.

    Members

    • Michael Furry, Co-chair
    • Meghan Montelibano, Co-chair
    • Rosalynn Feagins
    • Renee Carvalho
    • Catherine Kelley
    • Alexandria Vasquez Parnell
    • Theresa Gomez
  • Strategic Committee

    Members

    • Garret Glass
    • Alexandria Vasquez Parnell
    • Ingrid Weyher
    • Olivia Olson