Alumni

Are you looking for a meaningful way to get more involved with the College of ACES? We invite you to consider serving on the ACES Alumni Association Board of Directors! This is a great opportunity to give back, share your expertise, and help guide the future of the college.

 

The ACES Alumni Association Board is currently seeking nominations for the following positions:

  • Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences (NRES) Vocational Director
    Graduate of NRES or its predecessor department(s),
    OR employed in a profession that aligns with NRES’s course of study.

  • District 2 Regional Director
    Residing or employed within Cook, DuPage, or Lake County.

  • District 5 Regional Director
    Residing or employed within Adams, Brown, Cass, DeWitt, Logan, Macon, Mason, Menard, Morgan, Moultrie, Piatt, Pike, Sangamon, Schuyler, or Scott County.

  • Chicago Young Alumni Director
    Under the age of 30 (as of Jan. 1, 2026) and residing in Cook, DuPage, or Lake County.

 

Review the ACES Alumni Board member expectations document (above) and gather these items for your application:

  • Resume
  • Letter of Interest/Cover Letter
  • 1 Letter of Recommendation
  • 2 additional names the nominating committee can contact if needed
  • Email all of the above to acesalumni@illinois.edu.

This is your chance to contribute to the College of ACES in a meaningful way, connect with other passionate alumni, and help drive our shared mission forward.

We look forward to receiving your application!

Executive Board

The ACES Alumni Association Board of Directors is led by an Executive Board of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Past President.

rocky

President
Rocky Lacey-Nelson, Champaign, IL
B.S. 1997 Ag Science
Current Profession: Managing Partner; Inneraq Consulting LLC.

lyndsey

Vice President
Lyndsey Ramsey, Bloomington, IL
M.S. 2013 Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences 
Current Profession: Director of Strategic Engagement; Illinois Farm Bureau

mike

Secretary
Michael Gunderson, Mahomet, IL
B.S. 2001 Agribusiness, Farm, and Financial Management
Current Profession: Chief Credit Officer, Farm Credit Illinois

Jim

Treasurer
Jim Dougherty, Tunnel Hill, IL
B.S. 1979 Agriculture
Current Profession: Retired, Archer Daniels Midland Company

 

trudy

Past President
Trudy West, Harrisburg, IL
B.S. 1981 Agricultural Communications
Current Profession: Substitute Teacher; Marion Unit 2

District Directors

Each district director is responsible for representing ACES alumni who reside within a specific geographic region in Illinois. He/she communicates the needs and concerns of constituents in their district to the ACES Alumni Association Board of Directors. The director also coordinates at least one social or professional event in his/her district every other year.

View the District Map (pdf)  View the District Counties (pdf)

Beth

District 1
Beth Mullins Hanson, Dekalb, IL
B.S. 1984 Agricultural Economics
Current Profession: Forest Therapy Guide, Peace in Nature Forest Therapy Walks

Alison

District 2
Alison Coughlin, Chicago, IL
B.S. 2008 Agricultural & Consumer Economics
M.P.P. 2010 (University of Chicago)
Current Profession: Director, Commodity Research and Product Development, CME Group

Kelsey

District 3
Kelsey Litchfield, Bloomington, IL
B.S. 2017 Agricultural Communications
Current Profession: Agronomic Outreach Specialist, Illinois Soybean Association

Kenna

District 4
Kenna Rathai, St. Anne, IL
B.S. 1993 Agricultural Communications
Current Profession: Public Relations, broadhead

District 5
Position Vacant

Mike

District 6
Michael Gunderson, Mahomet, IL
B.S. 2001 Agribusiness, Farm, and Financial Management
Current Profession: Chief Credit Officer, Farm Credit Illinois

Becky

District 7
Rebecca Doyle, Gillespie, IL
B.S. 1975 Agricultural Communications
Current Profession: Doyle Associates Consultant and Hickory Grove Pork Farm

Jim

District 8
Jim Dougherty, Tunnel Hill, IL
B.S. 1979 Agriculture
Current Profession: Retired, Archer Daniels Midland Company

Vocational Directors

Each Vocational Director represents one of the eight different departments of the College of ACES.  They have majored in or pursue a vocation or profession of their respective department.

Joshua

Agricultural & Biological Engineering
Joshua Kempel, Bettendorf, IA
B.S. 1998 Agricultural Engineering
Current Profession: Business & Portfolio Manager, John Deere Construction & Forestry Division

Carol

Agricultural & Consumer Economics
Carol Wallace, Bloomington, IL
B.S. 2008 Agricultural Economics- University of Zimbabwe
M.S. 2013 Agricultural and Applied Economics
Current Profession: Senior Program Coordinator, Resourced

Theresa

Agricultural Leadership, Education & Communications
Theresa Miller, Gridley, IL
B.S. 1996 Agricultural Communications
Current Profession: Self-Employed, Prairie View Farms

Mike

Animal Sciences
Mike McCully, South Bend, IN
M.S. 1999 Agricultural Economics
Current Profession: President/Owner, McCully Consulting

Loren

Crop Sciences
Loren Goodrich, Saint Louis, MO
B.S. 2014 Crop Sciences
M.S. 2017 Crop Sciences
Current Profession:  NA Application Technology Expert, Bayer

William

Food Science & Human Nutrition
William A. Becht, Oldsmar, FL
B.S. 1976, M.S 1977 Food Science & Human Nutrition
Current Profession: Technical Sales Performance Coach, Oars Forward Coaching & Consulting

Meagan

Human Development & Family Studies
Meagan Roloff, Arlington, VA
B.S. 2011 Human Development & Family Studies
Current Profession: Director of Member Services & Engagement, National Association for Gifted Children

Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences
Position Vacant

Liaison Directors

Liaison Directors serve as the link between their respective expertise and the ACES Alumni Association.

Amanda

Extension Director
Amanda Taylor, Monticello, IL
B.S. 2004 Agricultural Communications
M.S. 2007 Agricultural Communications
Current Profession: Assistant Director; Extension Field Operations

Rachel

Young Alumni Director
Rachel Rosentreter, DeWitt, IA
B.S. 2019 Agricultural Leadership
Current Profession: Regional Training Manager; Bayer CropScience

 

Molly

Chicago Young Alumni Director
Molly Messner, Chicago, IL
B.S. 2018 ACE- Public Policy & Law
Current Profession: Procurement Manager; PepsiCo

Stay Connected!

Online social networking is a great tool to stay in touch with alumni and friends from the College of ACES!