Katie Harrell is the Senior Director of Strategic Planning and Organizational Development at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. An MBA-educated advancement leader, she brings a proven record of driving organizational change in complex, matrixed environments. Katie operates at the intersection of data, systems, and people—building infrastructure that empowers teams to perform at their highest level.

Katie’s work is guided by her commitment to building healthy, human-centered organizations where people thrive—because when individuals are supported, they fuel the future of the institution.

With a background spanning analytics, business operations, and fundraising strategy, Katie bridges the gap between technical implementation and strategic execution. Her work translates data into action and centers the individual contributor experience to drive institutional results.

Katie earned her MBA from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and her Bachelor of Music from the University of Louisville.