About Us
The iDegrees Graduate Business Association (iGBA), a new University of Illinois registered student organization (RSO) exclusively for currently enrolled iDegrees graduate students. Access to the iDegrees
Graduate Business Association (iGBA) Constitution, a foundational document outlining policies, operational framework, and governance principles.
History
- 2018 – Founded as iMBA Student Council
- 2021 – Rebranded as iDegrees Student Council
- 2022 – Onboarded first iMSA and iMSM members
- 2022 – Received RSO Status
Purpose
- Advocate for the iDegrees student body to enhance experience
- Advise Gies Online administration on student wants and needs
- Drive or Support student-led initiatives
MISSION
- Represent the interests of all currently enrolled online graduate students in the Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign through the iDegrees Graduate Business Association (iGBA).
- Serve as the official liaison between online graduate students and College and University administration to advocate for curriculum enhancement and improved student experience, facilitated by the iGBA.
- Promote professional development and foster a sense of community among online graduate business students through various activities, programs, and initiatives administered by the iGBA.
VISION
The iGBA is the official voice for iMBA, iMSA, and iMSM students, replacing the iDegrees Student Council. Committed to Professional Development, Degree and Program Development, Student Experience, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), we aim to enhance the student journey and advocate for our community's needs.
Board of Directors
List of Services
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Dalton Joy, President
Position: Director of Sales and Operations
Company: ProCura iot
2nd year iMBA December 2025 expected graduation
About me:
• I am very excited to provide a voice for our student body and give back to the program that has given me so much already!
• I have a degree in Psychology from the University of Louisville, but after my undergraduate went directly into the business world. In my role, I am responsible for all processes of our business. I am focused on optimizing the efficiency and simplifying how we do business.
• I am excited to say my wife and I are currently expecting our first child! We also have a 2-year-old Weimaraner that loves to go on walks or runs. In addition to building our young family, I spend a great deal of my time watching or playing sports. I am an avid Illini, Louisville, St. Louis Cardinals, and golf fan. I love to play golf, basketball, tennis, or any other type of game.
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Chelsea Doman, EVP, Student Experience
West Bend, WI
Program: iMBA
Graduation: December 2024
Career: Over 20 YOE in data, analytics, operational optimization, and building global teams in education and the energy industry.
About me:
- I am excited to continue working in the iGBA in an expanded role. This organization facilitates so many great things among the students and helps to better the overall iDegrees program.
- I currently live in Wisconsin but am a native to Illinois. I have also lived in Utah, California, and Japan.
- When I'm not shuttling my 4 kids, I love learning new languages, practicing yoga, reading, finding new restaurants, traveling, and going to concerts.
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Meghna Sahay, VP, Social EngagementList Item 2
Lawyer, Author, Law Professor
Giridih, India
Program: iMBA
About Me:
- I am a lawyer, author, and law professor from India. I moved to the US in 2020 and am currently navigating a career transition in Chicago. I work in the healthcare industry within Procurement and love the intersection of law and business at work.
- Beyond academics, I enjoy organizing events, weight training, and traveling, especially to the mountains. I also dabble in amateur painting. Recently, thanks to my husband's influence, I've become a bit of a movie buff! (Fun fact: despite not being a swimmer, I recently snorkeled with sharks in the Bahamas!)
- I joined iGBA to contribute to building impactful engagements within our community. My goal is to create meaningful connections through diverse events and initiatives within the student community, crafting memorable experiences that enrich the overall iDegrees journey for everyone.
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Robert Wallace, VP, Finance
Tax Project Manager –Incentives
Source Advisors
National Market
2nd-Year iMSA
Spring 2026 Expected Graduation
VP, Finance
About Me:
- My goal is to create functional, realistic, and robust financial reporting and projections to aid iGBA’s vision for student empowerment.
- Having completed my undergraduate B.S. in Petroleum Engineering, I have of course spent my entire career enamored and enthralled by tax and accounting. I serve technical businesses of all sizes in determining various credits and incentives meant to help spur investment from within.
- I am married to the love of my life whom I met in my undergraduate program. We have also welcomed our first edition to the family May 2024 – a baby girl. Lucky for me, they seem to love my singing and numbers forward analytics on game night (our daughter is a default of course).
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Lisa Ephraim, VP, Marketing & Communications
Palos Hills, IL
Program: iMBA
Graduation Date: May 2025
About Me:
- I previously attended the Gies College of Business for my undergraduate degree, and am so thrilled to back apart of the Gies College of Business now once again – completing the iMBA program.
- I am really excited to be apart of the iGBA, and am looking forward to working with student peers to facilitate and coordinate iDegrees student programming and events to foster student engagement.
- Outside of the iMBA coursework, I really enjoy traveling – after completing the Singapore & Malaysia travel immersion capstone this Spring: I highly recommend taking part in the iMBA international immersion capstone project, as apart of the program!
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Stephanie Pirie, VP, Membership
Urbana, IL
Program: iMBA
Graduation Date: May 2025
Career Background: Nursing, Hospital Administration, currently working as a Quality, Safety, and Regulatory Coordinator
About Me:
- I have lived in central Illinois my entire life and am a U of I undergraduate alum.
- I love reading, cooking, working out, and enjoying the outdoors with my husband and two dogs.
- I am passionate about expanding the iGBA’s reach and involvement in the iDegrees student community and providing meaningful resources to students.
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Haemi Jung, VP, Professional DevelopmentList Item 4
St. Louis, Missouri
Program: iMBA
Graduation Date: December 2025
Career Background: Business Intelligence Manager at Wolters Kluwer, Enterprise Legal Management Software Company
About Me:
- Originally from New Jersey, our family of three moved to Missouri three years ago. I'm a mom to a 9 year old daughter who loves to dance.
- I love reading, cooking Korean food, and traveling to the Caribbeans.
- I want to serve as VP of Professional Development at Gies because I am passionate about empowering my cohorts to reach their fullest potential. In this role, I aim to create and facilitate webinars by leveraging my connections with industry leaders and helping each of us to achieve our career aspirations and contribute positively to our professional development.
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Ines Weitgasser, VP, International OutreachList Item 1
Los Angeles, CA
Program: iMBA
Graduation Date: Fall 2025
Career Background: Audio & Video Editor, Project Manager
About me:
- I'm an Austrian native passionate about reading, traveling, history, learning new languages, playing music, and writing. My curiosity and interests span many topics. I’m also a long-time Bob Dylan enthusiast.
- As a volunteer English teacher, I enjoy helping others improve their language skills.
- I want to connect iDegree students from around the world, fostering a culturally enriched and inclusive community. My goal is to promote the exchange of knowledge and cultivate impactful relationships
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Amanda Browning, VP, DEIList Item 3
Highland Park, NJ
Program: iMBA
Graduation Date: May 2025
Career Background: Principal Statistical Data Analyst for a non-profit, educational research & measurement organization.
About Me:
- I live in central NJ with my partner of 21 years and our extremely spoiled Persian cat. Hailing from Illinois, I am a lifelong Chicago Bears fan. In my free time, I love to travel, hang out with friends and family, watch bad movies, and spend time outdoors playing softball, biking, disc golfing & birding.
- I am happy for the opportunity to serve on the iGBA board and work with a team dedicated to facilitating greater connection and belonging for all students in the iDegrees programs.
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Imran Sheriff, VP, Technology
Senior Technology Program Manager, Toronto
Program: iMBA
Expected graduation: Fall 2025.
About me:
- I am a Senior Technology Program Manager passionate about all things data and AI
- Prior to MBA, i did my Masters in Technology (Data Science & Engineering).
- I chose the iMBA program to enhance my business acumen and leadership skills, aiming to connect the dots of the wisdom acquired over my career and build a comprehensive toolkit for innovative problem-solving.
- As a technologist, I am delighted to serve the iGBA board as VP Technology, supporting the tech backbone of iGBA and MarTech.
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Chuck Pe Benito, VP, iMBA Program Affairs
Director of Operations, Ambrosia QSR, Oregon and Washington Market
iMSM Graduate, 2nd-Year iMBA
Summer 2025 Expected Graduation
- I hope to represent the views, ideas, and recommendations of iGBA that would further improve the iMBA program’s learning and social experiences. I also look forward to sharing my years of real-world business experience to my peers and the Gies Community.
- The 35 years of my career have been in the food industry, mostly in Operations, but also in other roles supporting the restaurants as a Financial Analyst and Ops Services Director. I am currently a Director of Operations overseeing 35 restaurants in the OR/WA markets.
- I am a father of 4, a grandfather of 2, and happily married to my loving wife for 32 years. I like the outdoors when the Pacific NW weather permits it, and I also love to paint, enjoy music, or just hang out with my little angels (grandkids).
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Katrina Church-Chmielowski, VP, iMSM Program Affairs
Copper Center, Alaska
Program: iMSM & iMBA
Graduation date: iMSM Summer 2024 & iMBA Spring 2026
Career Background: Entrepreneur (AirBnB and small construction company), 19+ years higher education, Alaska Native tribal services
About Me:
- I am from Alaska and we live on my parents’ homestead in a very small, rural community.
- My husband and I are proud parents of three contributing adults: one foreign service graduate student interning in Tajikistan, one geology graduate, and one industrial electricity tech school graduate.
- We have two retirement small businesses that keep us busy in the summer season.
- I’m passionate about education of all kinds and at all levels, from children to adults. We use our businesses to help teach young people trades and life skills. Giving back to the community is vital to me.
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Meera Kumar, Member at Large
Austin, TX
Program – iMSM and iMBA
Graduation – Spring 2026
Career – Over 16 years of experience in digital transformation, solution architecture, product management in the Semiconductor and Supply Chain domain
About me:
• Excited to be part of iGBA. My goal is to be the functional part of the organization, engage with the student community to facilitate events establishing learning and networking opportunities.
• When I am not working or studying I enjoy cooking, hiking ( on a mission to hike prominent trails in all national parks. Done with 30 NP more to go), designing jewelry and travelling with my family