Conference Chair

Penelepe Hunt
Vice Chancellor for Development
University of Illinois at Chicago

Penelepe Hunt is a professional fundraiser, trainer, management consultant and executive coach, with over twenty years of experience in the development field. As vice chancellor for development, she is the chief development officer for the University of Illinois at Chicago. She heads a comprehensive program that includes seventeen schools and units, including the university hospital, and a central development office.

Since she arrived at UIC in 2004, she has instituted a monthly deans' training program, led the colleges and units in a development assessment and planning program and spearheaded the campus' preparations for its $650 million campaign. Prior to joining UIC, Hunt spent thirteen years at Northwestern University, where she directed the university's $1.5 billion comprehensive campaign. While directing the campaign, she also managed the major gift operations of seven schools and the university art museum. In previous assignments at Northwestern, she directed the "Campaign for Scholarships" and managed the university annual giving program.

Before joining Northwestern, she was director of development for the Des Moines Art Center and has been acting director of development for the Illinois Arts Alliance and director of annual giving for Pomona College. In her private consulting practice, Hunt specializes in training, executive coaching and professional development for boards, presidents, deans and other senior leaders, and development staff.

She serves as a principal with the Woolbright Group, a development consulting firm. She is a frequent faculty member for CASE, and has been awarded the Crystal Apple for excellence in teaching.

Hunt earned a bachelor's degree in English from Pomona College, and a master's in business administration degree with distinction from the Kellogg School at Northwestern.

Faculty

Donald Casey
Dean, School of Music
DePaul University

Donald E. Casey became dean of the School of Music at DePaul University in 1995, assuming the helm of a school that was on a trajectory toward becoming one of the highest-ranking music schools in the nation. Since that time, four of the school's major ensembles have joined the ranks of the best in the country.

Casey helped elevate the image of the school through an expansion of the already active recording program for faculty and ensembles and through the creation of a noteworthy annual magazine, Con Brio. Under his direction, the number of endowed scholarships grew from 14 to 50 and all undergraduate and graduate curricula for the school were revised.

Although his academic background is in music education, Casey also is an accomplished conductor, arranger and scholar. He is the author of numerous articles in professional journals and has produced papers, workshops and other presentations. He has made more than 100 appearances as a music festival guest conductor or adjudicator in 20 states and four Canadian provinces. He is a member of several professional associations and has been widely sought as a consultant.

He was a music education design consultant and a member of the board of directors for Harmonic Vision Inc., a music education software company that produces software to foster musical learning for children. Casey led the design team that produced products that have garnered more than 50 awards and honors and are used by more than a million children.

Casey attended the Eastman School of Music and received his bachelor's and master's degrees in music education from Northwestern University, where he was associate professor of music education, coordinator of music education, and director of undergraduate studies in music education before joining DePaul. He earned his doctorate in music education from the University of Illinois School of Music.