Project Leadership

Meet the leadership of Encompass.

Leadership Structure

Encompass Leadership

Nearly 300 employees from across campus are working behind the scenes to bring Encompass to life. Meet the project leaders guiding this transformational effort and helping drive progress every step of the way.

Executive Sponsors

Senior leaders who serve as the primary champions for the initiative. They provide strategic oversight, advocate for the project at the executive level, and ensure alignment with institutional goals. They help remove obstacles and secure resources as needed.

Steven Holley

Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer

Noel Wilkin

Provost & Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Professor of Pharmacy Administration and Research Professor in the Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Committee Co-Chairs

Individuals who jointly lead a key governance or advisory committee. They facilitate meetings, guide decision-making, and ensure committee contributions are aligned with project objectives and timelines.

Tony Ammeter

Director of Outreach & Continuing Studies, Associate Provost, Dean of General Studies and Associate Professor of Management & Management Information Systems

Andrea Jekabsons

Deputy Chief Human Resources Officer

Alex Langhart

Director of University Health Services

Joy Shideler

Controller

Facilitator

The Facilitator plays a pivotal role at the intersection of technology and strategy by providing perspective, framing issues for decision, and helping the initiative stay focused on the broader vision and institutional priorities.

Vicki Farnsworth

Chief Information Officer

Sr. Executive Director

A senior leader with operational responsibility for major aspects of the initiative. This role bridges strategy and execution, ensuring that plans are carried out effectively and that teams remain aligned with overall priorities.

David D Allen

Interim Sr. Executive Director for Project Encompass, Professor of Biomolecular Sciences, and Research Professor in the Research Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences

Change Management, Communications & Training

This team leads the human side of change. They develop and deliver messaging, training, and support to prepare stakeholders for new systems, processes, and ways of working. Their work ensures awareness, understanding, and adoption across the campus community.

Emily Ferris

Associate Director Outreach and Interim Change Management Lead for Project Encompass

Lisa Stone

Vice Chancellor of Marketing and Communications

Madison Trayser

Communications Specialist III

Andrea Jekabsons

Deputy Chief Human Resources Officer

Jessica Hughes

Employee Engagement and Communications Manager

Melissa Howe

Project Support Assistant

Steering Committee

A leadership group that provides high-level guidance, makes critical decisions, and helps resolve major issues. They ensure that the initiative stays on track, aligns with institutional priorities, and reflects the needs of key stakeholders.

Desha Ferguson

Director of Payroll and Operations

Julie Glasco

Assistant to the Provost and Interim Registrar

Al Ling

Director of Business Applications and ERP Support

Jody Lowe

Director of Admissions

Chris Reichley

Director of Application Development & Integration

Jennifer Simmons

Assistant Provost

Leaders who are responsible for overseeing the Banner portion of the initiative. They coordinate efforts across functional and technical teams, manage scope and timelines, and ensure successful delivery of Banner-related outcomes.

Tony Ammeter

Director of Outreach & Continuing Studies, Associate Provost, Dean of General Studies and Associate Professor of Management & Management Information Systems

Chelsea Bennett

Director Luckyday Programs

Chris Reichley

Director of Application Development & Integration

Jennifer Simmons

Assistant Provost

Operational leads who manage the day-to-day planning and execution of Banner-related workstreams. They oversee timelines, tasks, risk mitigation, and collaboration among team members.

Ben Carlton

IT Project Manager

Meredith Fleming

IT Project Manager

Subject matter experts who are responsible for designing and implementing Banner functionality. Functional leads focus on how the system supports business processes, while technical leads handle system configuration, data, and integration.

Will Anderson

Ellucian Experience/Web Developer

Bradley Baker

Interim Assistant Vice Chancellor and Dean of Students

Beau Bourgeois

Manager Basis Administration

Robin Bourgeois

Assistant To the Dean, Graduate School

Laura Diven-Brown

Director of Financial Aid

Katie Busby

Director of Institutional Research, Effectiveness and Planning, Accreditation Liaison, and Instructional Assistant Professor of Higher Education

Jordan Easley

Software Developer II

Kyle Ellis

Director of the Center for Student Success and First Year Experience and Instructional Assistant Professor of Higher Education

Richard Forgette

Associate Provost and Professor of Political Science

Julie Glasco

Assistant to the Provost and Interim Registrar

Brian W. Hopkins

Deputy Chief Information Officer for Academic Technology

Mike Littrell

Deputy Chief Information Officer/Chief Information Security Officer/Director of Technical Services

Jody Lowe

Director of Admissions

Edward Ratliff

Bursar

Kaleb Robbins

Software Developer III

Errol Sayre

Associate Director for Application Development and Integration

Kurt Smith

Business Manager

Ed Stuart

Systems Analyst II

Caelan Talmadge

Software Developer III

Brenteria Travis

Data Warehouse Manager

Beth Whittington

Assistant to the Dean Academic Support

Chris Zhao

Ellucian Ethos/Integration Developer

Workday Project Directors

Leaders who are responsible for the Workday side of the initiative. They oversee cross-functional collaboration, ensure delivery against objectives, and manage alignment between Workday and institutional priorities.

Andrea Jekabsons

Deputy Chief Human Resources Officer

Desha Ferguson

Director of Payroll and Operations

Al Ling

Director of Business Applications and ERP Support

Joy Shideler

Controller

Workday Project Manager

The individual who manages the day-to-day progress of the Workday implementation. This role coordinates workstreams, manages timelines, and ensures that deliverables stay on track.

Caitlyn Wakefield

Encompass ERP Project Manager

Workday Functional & Technical Leads

Experts who are guiding the design and implementation of Workday processes and systems. Functional leads focus on aligning Workday with institutional needs, while technical leads manage system configuration, data conversion, and integrations.