Rena Cotsones

Northern Illinois University

https://www.niu.edu/outreach/about/leadership.shtml

Biographical Abstracts

Bringing people and organizations together for mutual benefit has been a lifelong passion for Rena Cotsones.

As vice president and chief engagement officer for Northern Illinois University (NIU), Cotsones leads the Division of Outreach, Engagement and Regional Development, advancing the university’s public mission and providing leadership, partnership, and support for faculty, staff, and students as they engage with the broader region. Her portfolio includes NIU’s Center for Governmental Studies, Center for P-20 Engagement, Northern Public Radio, and the university’s regional centers. She leads the team ensuring the continuation of NIU’s classification as a Carnegie Engaged Institution.

“Centering Engagement, Driving Impact” is the theme for Cotsones’ action plan to transform community engagement at NIU. This work has included the establishment of NIU’s first Engagement Roundtable, professional development for faculty and staff, and leadership and support for partnerships to address regional challenges and maximize opportunities. One example: NIU Engineering @ RVC, a community-based, industry-integrated workforce development collaborative led by Cotsones, expanded the engineering talent pipeline in Rockford, Illinois. The initiative garnered a University Economic Development Association Award for Excellence in Talent Development. 

Cotsones is a former chair of the Executive Committee of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities Council on Engagement and Outreach and serves as Executive in Residence for the national Engagement Academy for University Leaders. Cotsones has a Ph.D. in political science and is an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Public Administration at NIU.

Areas of Expertise

• Collaboration
• Strategic Doing
• Building impactful narratives