Giving

Alphabetized

Karla Aho

Karla Aho

  • Assistant Vice President for Advancement and Gift Planning
  • Corporate Secretary, Michigan Tech Fund

People could reach out to me for:

  • Fundraising strategy
  • Charitable giving tax law and policy
  • Michigan Tech Fund policy and procedures
  • Advancement and FSO/MTF policy and procedures
  • Fundraising productivity and campaign progress reports
  • Donor pipeline and engagement
  • Advancement and Gift Planning operations
Joanne Anderson

Joanne Anderson

  • Director for Charitable Giving

Specialties

  • Meet with alumni & established donors to secure major gifts valued at $25,000 or greater
  • Identify and develop key potential alumni/friends/donors as top prospects within portfolio 
  • Meet with prospects to determine their affinity and readiness, introduce strategic opportunities, and discuss gifting options for their consideration
Carol Argentati

Carol Argentati

  • Senior Administrative Aide, Alumni Engagement

Specialties

  • Provides administrative support for Alumni Engagement 
  • Manages and responds to alumni inquiries and assists visitors
  • Assists with planning campus visits for key donors/alumni and special events for Alumni Engagement and Advancement
Jennifer Biekkola

Jennifer Biekkola

  • Associate Director for Alumni Engagement

Specialties

  • Responsible for the planning and execution of alumni & student engagement programs hosted locally.
  • Manage and execute key annual giving stewardship programming.
  • Provide support and represent professional staff for the Alumni Board of Directors.  
  • Serve as the primary staff partner to the R&R committee.
Jessica Comfort

Jessica Comfort

  • Executive Director for Advancement Services and Operations
Wes Frahm

Wes Frahm

  • Director for Advancement & Alumni Communications

Specialties

  • Directs marketing and communications efforts for Advancement and Alumni Engagement
  • Creates content for all projects and media including writing, graphic design, photography, and videography
Eric Halonen

Eric Halonen

  • Assistant Vice President for Principal Giving
Christina Hatman

Christina Hatman

  • Senior Administrative Aide
Damon Huotari

Damon Huotari

  • Director for Charitable Giving
Kevin Kainulainen

Kevin Kainulainen

  • Director for Advancement and Alumni Engagement Information Systems
Tyler Kinnunen

Tyler Kinnunen

  • Associate Controller
Marney Kloote

Marney Kloote

  • Executive Director for Charitable Giving

Specialties

  • Oversees Directors for Charitable Giving as the University's major gift frontline fundraising team
  • Maintains a portfolio of alumni and donors to secure major gifts valued at $25,000 or greater
  • Coordinate and approve travel for frontline fundraising team
  • Collaborate with campus partners to understand initiatives and strive for best donor outcomes
  • Meet with prospective donors to gage capacity and interest in supporting university initiatives
  • Offer strategic coaching to the frontline fundraising team to accelerate the donor's journey/experience
  • Manage onboarding of new employees to implement best practices for frontline fundraising team 
Morgan Laajala

Morgan Laajala

  • Assistant Director of Advancement & Alumni Communications
Debra Linn

Debra Linn

  • Senior Administrative Aide for Gift Administration

Specialties

  • Supports the Advancement and Gift Planning Team
  • Processes Corporate Gifts-In-Kind
  • Assists in processing gifts, biographical updates and donor correspondence
  • Manages the Alumni House, assists with routine inquiries and visitors
Jennifer Lucas (Jung)

Jennifer Lucas (Jung)

  • Assistant Vice President for Alumni Engagement & Annual Giving
Cyndi Martin

Cyndi Martin

  • Business Systems Analyst/Data Visualization Specialist
Suzanne Morin

Suzanne Morin

  • Executive Director of Financial Services & Operations and Controller
  • Controller's Office
Carrie Nielsen

Carrie Nielsen

  • Principal Giving Associate
Mike Olson

Mike Olson

  • Associate Director for Strategy and Market Development
Kari Price

Kari Price

  • Research and Donor Records Manager
Meredith Raasio

Meredith Raasio

  • Director for Charitable Giving
William Roberts

William Roberts

  • Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Engagement
  • Vice President, Michigan Tech Fund
Julie Seppala

Julie Seppala

  • Associate Vice President for Finance
  • Treasurer, Michigan Tech Fund

Links of Interest

 

Specialties

  • Bond issuance and compliance
  • Treasury Management
  • Facilities and Administrative Rate (F&A) and Fringe Benefit rate proposal submissions and negotiations
  • Utilizes LEAN/continuous improvement principles and tools for process improvement initiatives

About Julie

  • For the first 20 plus years of Julie’s career at Michigan Tech was in research administration, where she was provided the opportunity to participate in providing administrative and compliance guidance to the dedicated faculty and staff regarding post award and pre-award activities. During her time in research administration Julie has participated in: a 4-year national pilot program to implement a new certification of payroll expenses, which resulted in revisions to federal grant and contract regulations to allow universities across the nation to implement project payroll certifications to document time charged federal grants and contract; the Lean Facilitator training program and was an early adopter of the Lean principles and methods; the finance software conversion; the development of Universities first Disclosure Statement, a federal requirement to document the accounting system for direct and indirect costs on externally funded research. Seppala is a native of the Copper Country and when not working, she enjoys spending time at the lake with her family and friends.
Jordan Shawhan

Jordan Shawhan

  • Assistant Director for Advancement & Alumni Communications
James Shortt

James Shortt

  • Director for Charitable Giving

Specialties

  • Meet with alumni & established donors to secure major gifts valued at $25,000 or greater
  • Identify and develop key potential alumni/friends/donors as top prospects within portfolio 
  • Meet with prospects to determine their affinity and readiness, introduce strategic opportunities, and discuss gifting options for their consideration
  • Present gift proposals that best represent the donor's intention and capacity
Mary Stevens

Mary Stevens

  • Assistant to the Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Engagement

Specialties

  • Supports the VP for Advancement and Alumni Engagement
  • Manages VP’s calendars and meeting schedules
  • Manages budgetary and human resources operations for Advancement and Alumni Engagement
  • Processes travel reimbursements for AVPs
  • Department, Space, and Equipment Coordinator
  • Assist with website updates
Tayler Tankersley

Tayler Tankersley

  • Associate Director for Alumni Engagement
Joan Tapani

Joan Tapani

  • Donor Relations Coordinator
Lorraine Thoune

Lorraine Thoune

  • Associate Director for Gift and Estate Administration
  • Lean Facilitator

Specialties

  • Leads the gift administration team, who ensures the correct entry, designation, and acknowledgement of all gifts to the University
  • Leads the gift proposal and documentation process in support of the advancement team, preparing proposals and gift agreements
  • Leads the management of the planned gift registry and related files and oversees the recording, acknowledgment, and realization of planned gifts
  • Leads a personalized and donor-centric advancement multi-channel marketing and outreach program, with special emphasis on education 
Cera Trevino

Cera Trevino

  • Senior Administrative Aide for Gift Administration
Karin Van Dyke

Karin Van Dyke

  • Director for Charitable Giving

Links of Interest

Specialties

  • Meet with alumni and established donors to secure major gifts valued at $25,000 or greater
  • Identify and develop key potential alumni/friends/donors as top prospects within portfolio
  • Meet with prospects to determine their affinity and readiness, introduce strategic opportunities, and discuss gifting options for their consideration
  • Present gift proposals that best represent the donor's intention and capacity
  • Assist in the gift process, follow up, and stewardship of secured gift
    Represent CSA, CFRES, and Graduate School as areas of special concentration
Bryant Weathers

Bryant Weathers

  • Director for Charitable Gift Planning

Specialties

  • A front-line fundraiser as a certified Specialist in Planned Giving
  • Possesses maintains, and shares expert knowledge in the field of gift planning with a special emphasis on acquiring and staying current with technical expertise in the tax and legal aspects of charitable giving
  • Provide help to others with planned giving inquiries, stewardship resources, front-line fundraising strategies and collaboration
Linda Wittbrodt

Linda Wittbrodt

  • Advancement & Alumni Engagement Business Systems Analyst