Lori Williamson

I am the associate vice president of development at the University of St. Thomas, where I oversee the areas of major-gift fundraising, college and school fundraising, corporate and foundation relations, and planned giving. I joined the University Development and Alumni Relations staff following more than two decades at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where I served most recently as associate vice chancellor for institutional advancement. In this role, I led the regional gift development team and oversaw the areas of advancement communications, foundation relations, stewardship and data analytics. Other roles I occupied at Illinois included senior director of foundation relations, director of development and communications in international programs and studies, and associate director of the Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER), a center funded by the U.S. Department of Education.


I obtained my Ph.D. in French studies from the University of Illinois and served as assistant professor of French at the University of Tennessee Knoxville prior to returning to Illinois. In addition to serving on numerous campus committees during my time at the university, I served on the board of the public radio and television stations in Champaign-Urbana, including as chair, and on the board of the Champaign Public Library Foundation and the University YMCA.