Meet the Recruitment Team

Ranjan Daniels

Senior Associate Dean of Student Recruitment and Global Outreach

Ranjan is responsible for student recruitment and admissions, financial aid, executive education, new program development, and international partnerships. Ranjan has twenty years of experience building relationships and products, opening new markets, and driving innovation at the University of Chicago, Kaplan, Berkshire Hathaway, the Tribune Company, and the City of Chicago.

“We have a global student body who are united by a passion to make a difference in their communities and countries—from the South Side of Chicago to New York City to Delhi to Mexico City. They all share a common sense of curiosity, desire to make an impact, and drive to take on the big questions and challenges. Hearing their individual stories and what motivates them to make a difference is inspiring.”

Read More | Email | Follow on Twitter

Devon Reber Drehmer

Senior Director of Student 
Recruitment 
and Operations

As Senior Director of Student Recruitment and Operations, Devon strategizes new ways to reach and cultivate prospective and admitted students, builds a pipeline of diverse students, leads a team of recruiters in their outreach, and ensures timely delivery of admission decisions and essential information to prospects. 

Devon is passionate about diversity and inclusion and has considerable experience working with graduate students committed to social impact. She spent nearly four years as the Director of Social Work Field Education at Wheelock College, where she was responsible for 150 students’ community-based internships and community outreach building. Prior to that, Devon was in leadership roles for almost 10 years at the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship, a national nonprofit that develops service leaders to meet the health needs of underserved communities. She started her career as a development assistant at the community-based nonprofit Transition House.

“I’m passionate about helping students find their path to doing good work in the world. Right now, it feels particularly valuable.”

Read More | Email

Jessica Gagle

Director of Recruitment and Outreach Management

Jessica is the Director of Student Recruitment. She enjoys assisting prospective students as they navigate the admissions and application process. She is passionate about matching students with programs that will enable them to achieve their personal and professional goals and being an active partner through each individual’s educational journey.

She has over ten years of experience in admissions and student services, most recently at the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business at DePaul University. She completed a BA in history at Ohio University and an M.Ed. in Higher Education at Loyola University Chicago.

“I am excited to work with such a bright, engaged group of students. It is invigorating to discuss their future goals and the various ways in which they hope to positively impact their industry, organization, and society. Now is the time for smart leaders driven by data and science, and this is an area where Harris students and faculty excel. I am humbled and honored to be working in such a dynamic environment.”

Read More | Email

Jay Landau

Director of Recruitment Analytics and Marketing

Jay leads analytics and marketing strategy for the Student Recruitment & Global Outreach team at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. He manages a team responsible for digital marketing, communications, lead generation, and data analysis for degree and non-degree programs. Jay works to develop a diverse and talented pipeline of students who are prepared to take on some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

Jay’s work focuses on building program visibility and interest, improving diversity and selectivity of students, exceeding application targets, and analyzing data to predict and strategize admissions and enrollment. He is passionate about responsibly advancing the field of data science to make an impact in the education, nonprofit, and public sectors.

"As someone with experience in the NGO and non-profit sector I have seen firsthand how important it is to have committed and rigorous public policy practitioners. It’s a real privilege for me to be able to contribute to the Harris mission every day and get to know truly impactful people and learn about their meaningful work."

Read More | Email

Blake Edwards

Senior Associate Director of Marketing and Communications

Blake develops and implements cohesive marketing and communications plans designed to drive student enrollment. He collaborates with his colleagues in Enrollment Management, Marketing, and Student Recruitment to deliver consistent voice, tone, and messaging across multiple platforms. Prior to joining Harris, Blake served as Project Manager and Marketing and Advertising Coordinator for Governors State University and Senior Editor and Project Manager for The University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Blake also has taught English and literature at community colleges throughout the Chicagoland area. Blake earned a dual bachelor’s degree (English and Creative Writing) from University of California, Riverside and an MFA in Creative Writing (fiction concentration) from Brown University.

"I enjoy working at Harris because I am a strong believer in evidence-based solutions, and I thrive in a collaborative environment where those solutions are often realized."

Read More | Email

Rebecca Hou

Associate Director of Student Recruitment & Global Outreach

Rebecca Hou is the Associate Director of Student Recruitment & Global Outreach and her primary goal is to ensure a positive and personalized prospective student experience unique to Harris. She serves as the initial point of contact for prospective students, organizes the execution of recruitment events, and oversees collection of application and enrollment documentation.

She has over seven years of experience in program coordination and student services. Prior to joining Harris, Rebecca worked at Illinois Tech as a Senior Enrollment Advisor for the Office of Graduate Admissions.

“It excites me everyday knowing that the work I’m doing provides opportunities for people who will grow and make a lasting impact on the world. Here at Harris, students are constantly encouraged to listen, share, research, and reflect. I hope everyone can come to embrace the top-notch education, feel the passion and motivations that our students have, and join them in their respectful and intellectual discussions with renowned faculty within a community that promotes active learning, open minds, diversity, and inclusion.”

Read More | Email

Lexi Hughes

Assistant Director of Student Recruitment

Lexi is the Assistant Director of Student Recruitment at Harris, where she shapes the prospective student experience from first contact to application. She leads efforts to reach and engage diverse, purpose-driven individuals through personalized outreach and inclusive strategy. Previously, Lexi held admissions and diversity-focused roles at the University of Iowa, developing programs and mentoring student leaders. She brings a deep commitment to equity, connection, and access in higher education. Lexi holds a B.A. in Business Studies from the University of Iowa and is recognized for her thoughtful, student-first leadership.

"What I love most about working at Harris is meeting people who are passionate about making change. It’s exciting to hear their stories and help them see how their goals can really take shape here."

Sam Johnson

Associate Director of Marketing and Communications

Sam writes and edits recruitment marketing communications including blog posts, student profiles, emails, event descriptions, and website updates. One of her main goals as a writer is to bring out the student voice in university communications.

In order to better understand the student experience, Sam completed the Persuasive Writing Credential Program and the Data Analytics Credential Program at Harris.

Prior to joining Harris, Sam worked as a copywriter in both Advancement and Marketing at Governors State University (GSU), where she earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in English. She is glad to continue making a difference through writing at Harris. 

"My favorite part of my job is interviewing students for profiles. Hearing about the work they do to enhance policy on a global scale gives me so much hope for the future."

Read More | Email

Karen McCleary

Senior Associate Director of Student Recruitment

In her role as Associate Director of Student Recruitment, Karen connects with prospective students to show them all of the amazing opportunities available at Harris. Following the principles students learn at Harris, she loves using data-informed methods to find best-fit students for each program.

Prior to her time at Harris, Karen worked in the undergraduate admissions offices at the California Institute of Technology and Barnard College. Karen holds a Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics from Carleton College and a Master of Education in Higher and Postsecondary Education from Teachers College, Columbia University.

“I find it so invigorating to interact with students and colleagues who are so passionate about the most pressing public policy issues of our time. No matter their area of interest, our students are going to change the world, and it’s an honor to be a part of their journey.”

Read More | Email

Roni Raulwing

Associate Director of Marketing

Roni Raulwing joins as an Associate Director of Marketing, SRGO. Roni is a California native now thriving as a Chicago transplant, and her career in digital marketing spans more than 15 years. Her professional journey encompasses pivotal roles at educational and healthcare institutions, including Stanford Medicine Children's Health and Stanford Graduate School of Business, where she held the position of Associate Director of Marketing for degree and certificate programs. Roni's expertise also spans working with startups and renowned companies like Adobe, Druva, and VMWare.

Read More | Email

Hillary Werner

Associate Director of Student Recruitment

Hillary Werner is an Assistant Director of Student Recruitment who assists prospective students in the application process and create personalized experiences for them.

Hillary have been working in higher education since 2018 in a variety of roles across graduate programs. Prior to coming to Harris, she worked as the Admissions Counselor for Outreach and Recruitment at Rush Medical College, specializing in the recruitment and admissions of underrepresented students. From 2018 until 2021, she worked at Northeastern University School of Law in hybrid admissions and financial aid positions. Hillary began her career as a first-grade teacher in Boston, MA before making the change to higher education.

Hillary earned her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Boston University in 2017 and her Master of Education from Northeastern University in 2021.

Email

Madison Zaccardelli

Assistant Director of Marketing

Madison is the Assistant Director of Marketing. She works closely with her colleagues to align on a distinct and consistent voice and tone across marketing efforts for Student Recruitment and Global Outreach team. She works to nurture leads and deliver marketing materials to prospective students. Prior to joining Harris, Madison worked as the Marketing Coordinator for the Chicago-based stationery store, Paper Source. Madison graduated from DePaul University in 2017, with a B.S. in Digital Marketing.

"It is easy to market a product you believe in and I wholeheartedly believe in an education from Harris School of Public Policy. The passion at Harris is contagious—from faculty to staff, to prospective and current students. I look forward to seeing each cohort grow and evolve into policymakers and proponents for change!"

Read More | Email