Leadership - Avila University

About

Executive Leadership

Daily operations oversight and strategic planning are conducted by the University’s Administrative Council which is comprised of:

Andy Jett, Ed.D.

Interim President Phone 816-501-3750 Email andy.jett

Mary Jane Pearson, Ph.D.

Interim Provost & Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs Executive Director, Online Program Development & Support Phone 816-501-3759 Email maryjane.pearson

Jody Mitchell

Chief People & Belonging Officer Phone 816-501-3618 Email jody.mitchell

Curtis Burton

Chief Mission Integration Officer & Vice President of Student Affairs Phone 816-501-2465 Email curtis.burton

Abdul Qader Amini

Controller Email abdul.amini

Jeff Chapman

Chief Development Officer Email jeffrey.chapman

Andrew Vogel, Ph.D.

Vice President of Global Strategy and Chief International Affairs Officer, PDSO Phone 816-501-2995 Email andrew.vogel

Paige Illum, Ph.D.

Associate Vice President for Student Success Phone 816-501-3760 Email paige.illum

2025 – 2026 Board of Trustees

Avila University is a private corporation in the State of Missouri under the control of a Board of Trustees.

Ibraheem T. Badejo, ’84, Ph.D, Chair Johnson & Johnson Innovation	Kathleen Thompson Brown, CSJA, Community Advocate	Thomas Burns, Chair Littler Mendelson P.C.
Kenneth V. Hager, DST Systems, Inc. (Retired)	S. Marie Joan Harris, CSJ, Ph.D.,Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet	S. Jeanne Janssen, Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, Province Leadership Team
S. Mary Frances Johnson, CSJ, Ph.D., Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet	Stuart Lindeman ’86 Mission Health Communities	S. Mary Margaret Lazio, CSJ ’70, Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet
S. Shawn Madigan, CSJ, Ph.D., Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet	Ellen S. Martin, Secretary, Freeman Martin McKee LLC	Timothy O’Brien, Vitori Health
Christine Ojile ’82, Kantar Retail Market Insights	Gary D. Smith, USB Financial Services, Inc.	Phillip R. Smith, Dick Smith Ford (Retired)
Rick Weller, Treasurer Euronet Worldwide, Inc	Matthew Mellor	Charles Flynn, President Emeritus / College of Mount St. Vincent
Wendy Guillies	Erica Crenshaw	Lisa Gioia

Founded and inspired by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet (CSJ), Avila University is a Catholic institution with a long heritage in social justice and human rights.