Cari James (she/her) is the Senior Director of Advancement and Chief Advancement officer for Student Affairs at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
In this role, Cari provides leadership in Advancement operations, serving as the head fundraiser for the unit and managing all alumni relations, stewardship, donor relations, advancement communications and related activities.
Cari has held a variety of advancement and development appointments on campus, first at the College of Media and most recently at the Gies College of Business where she served as a major gift fundraiser. Prior to coming to Illinois, she spent more than a decade in the nonprofit sector in marketing, communication, and advancement roles.
Cari earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Illinois State University and has been an active volunteer for many campus and community organizations, focusing on leadership, DEI and philanthropy.
