Nico Rose
Senior Director, Assistant Provost
Nico Rose serves as the Assistant Provost and Senior Director of Operations for the Office of Teaching and Technology within the Office of the Provost at the University of Florida. In his role as Assistant Provost, Nico provides leadership to the Center for Online Innovation and Production, Self-Supporting Academic Programs, the Office of Professional and Workforce Development, and the Operational Services Unit, which includes High School Dual Enrollment, GatorFlex and Marketing and Admissions Support Team. Nico is also an Instructor in the Department of Tourism, Hospitality, and Event Management in the College of Health and Human Performance at the University of Florida.
Litza Echeverria Rubio
Director
Litza Echeverria Rubio serves as Director of the Operational Services Unit within the Office of Teaching and Technology. In this role, she provides strategic leadership for the Dual Enrollment Program, the GatorFlex Program, and the Marketing and Admissions Support Team (MAST). Since joining UF in 2015, Litza has been dedicated to advancing student access and academic innovation through collaborative, service-oriented solutions.
A proud triple Gator, Litza earned her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, as well as both her M.Ed. and Ed.S. in Special Education from the University of Florida. She also holds a graduate certificate in Postsecondary Learning Support from UF, further underscoring her commitment to student success in postsecondary settings.
Sara Tilli
Assistant Director, Academic Support Services
Sara Tilli serves as Assistant Director of Academic Support Services in the Operational Services Unit within the Office of Teaching and Technology. In this role, she manages the GatorFlex Program and provides admissions support to partner programs. Since joining in 2019, she has been committed to enhancing student access by providing comprehensive admission support and creating educational opportunities for those interested in furthering their education.
She earned her B.A. in International Trade & Spanish with a minor in Business from Eastern Michigan University. She holds an M.S. in Higher Education Administration from Florida International University and a Graduate Certificate in Instructional Design from the University of Florida. With more than 14 years of experience in higher education, she is passionate about empowering students to achieve their academic goals.
Allison Costa
Senior Dual Enrollment Coordinator
Allison serves as the Senior Coordinator for the University of Florida Dual Enrollment Program and has been with UF since 2015. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Florida International University. With over 16 years of experience in Florida’s higher education system, Allison is especially passionate about supporting students and their families as they navigate the opportunities and challenges of higher education.
William Clouser
Dual Enrollment Coordinator
William serves as an Academic Program Specialist I for the UF Dual Enrollment team. He has been with UF since 2023 and has over five years of experience in higher education. William earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida and master’s degree from Georgetown University.
Marjorie Pither
Administrative Assistant
Marjorie serves as an Administrative Assistant in the Operational Services Unit within the Office of Teaching and Technology. In this role, she provides admissions and registration support for the GatorFlex Program. Additionally, she assists faculty with course management in Canvas and onboarding. She holds an Associate of Arts degree from Santa Fe College. With more than 20 years of experience at UF, Marjorie is dedicated to delivering exceptional customer service, ensuring that students feel supported and empowered in their pursuit of academic success.
Cassie Tidd
Academic Program Specialist
Cassie Tidd serves as an Academic Program Specialist in the Operational Services Unit within the Office of Teaching and Technology. In this role, she provides admission support for partner programs. She engages with students about our online graduate programs and application process. Since joining the team, her goal has been to support students from their initial inquiries through to their acceptance into the program.
She earned her B.S. in Environmental Biology from the University of South Florida. She holds a Master of Science in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation with a concentration in Wildlife Forensic Sciences and Conservation from the University of Florida. With over 22 years of experience in customer service, she is committed to delivering exceptional support and guidance to students throughout their educational journey.
Rachel Cook
Associate Director, Strategic Communications
Rachel is a communications and marketing professional with more than 15 years of experience in higher education, public institutions and media. She leads recruitment marketing strategy and implementation for the Marketing and Admissions Support Team, overseeing digital advertising, content and results-driven automated campaigns. Rachel began her career as a reporter and editor working across the United States. She earned a graduate degree in Mass Communication from the University of Florida and a bachelor's degree in Journalism from the University of Montana.
Sophia Johns
Marketing Manager
Sophia serves as the Marketing Manager for the Marketing and Admissions Support Team, where she supports the planning, execution, and performance evaluation of projects for clients and partner units. Her career spans private and public sectors, with a focus on strategic higher education marketing initiatives and solutions. She is an alumna of the University of Florida's College of Journalism and Communications.
Jamie Brauckmuller
Website Designer
Jamie serves as a Web Designer for the Operational Services Team, where he focuses on site development, content management and lead generation integrations with Pardot/Salesforce. Jamie is a double Gator who holds both a bachelor's degree in Advertising and a master's degree in Mass Communication with a concentration in Web Design from the University of Florida. Jamie joined UF in 2020 and has been working for UF since.
Andres Colmenares
Marketing Automation Specialist
Andres serves as a Marketing Automation Specialist at the University of Florida’s Office of Teaching and Technology. A two-time University of Florida graduate, he holds a Master’s in Mass Communication with a concentration in Digital Strategy and Marketing and a Bachelor’s in English. Drawing on his previous roles in marketing and higher education, Andres focuses on creating solutions that support recruitment goals, increase brand awareness, and drive engagement for the university's academic programs.
McKenzie Wynn
Marketing and Communications Specialist
McKenzie serves as a Marketing and Communications Specialist for the Marketing and Admissions Support Team focusing on social media strategy, content creation, and building connections with online audiences. She earned her bachelor’s in Media Production and master’s in Mass Communications with a concentration in social media and web design from the University of Florida. McKenzie brings a creative, people-first mindset to every project and helps build meaningful connections through engaging, thoughtful content.
Raye Rojas-Zagurski
Marketing and Communications Specialist
Raye serves as a Marketing and Communications Specialist for the Marketing and Admissions Support Team. He brings over 20 years of experience across various industries, combining expertise in brand design, digital strategy, traditional marketing, and print media. With a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida, he is dedicated to crafting clear, thoughtful, and data-informed visual communications that foster connection, boost brand confidence and make information accessible to a broad audience.
Abigail Wynn
OPS Marketing and Communications Specialist
Abigail serves as a Marketing and Communications Specialist for the Marketing and Admissions Support Team, bringing together strategy and creativity to produce engaging social media content while also supporting broader team initiatives. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Media Production, Management, and Technology from the University of Florida. Abigail is a passionate storyteller who brings ideas to life through thoughtful digital content.
Courtney Glancy
Project Manager, Strategy & Branding
Courtney serves as Project Manager, Strategy & Branding for the Marketing and Admissions Support Team's Non-Degree unit. In this role, she directs digital strategy and cross-functional project execution for MAST's non-degree programs, coordinating multimedia initiatives and serving as the connecting link between creative teams, leadership, and project stakeholders. At her core, she's a problem-solver: she loves untangling complex challenges, building systems that make sense, and blending creative execution with thoughtful project management to help ideas move from concept to completion without the chaos.
A double Gator, Courtney earned her bachelor's degree in Public Relations and her master's degree in Mass Communication with a specialization in Web Design and Online Communication from the University of Florida. She also holds a PMP certification through the Project Management Institute.
Kylie Register
Marketing Manager
Kylie Register serves as the Marketing Manager for the Marketing and Admissions Support Team's Non-Degree unit, leading overall marketing strategy for non-degree programs. Her work spans content creation, email marketing, paid advertising and graphic design. With more than 16 years of marketing experience across both the public and private sectors, she has grown from a social media specialist into a brand development and strategy leader. She earned her bachelor's degree in Communication with a minor in Marketing from Concordia University, Irvine. Kylie approaches every project by prioritizing user experience and following the inbound marketing methodology.
Ragan Oliver
Marketing and Communications Specialist
Ragan serves as a Marketing and Communications Specialist on the Marketing and Admissions Support Team. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Advertising from the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications and has a background in higher education marketing through previous roles at the University of Florida. Her work focuses on content creation, social media strategy, and digital communications supporting non-degree education and workforce development initiatives. She is passionate about using storytelling to engage audiences and connect learners, professionals, and industry partners with educational opportunities.
Katie Risher, CMP, CMM
Assistant Director, Conferences
Katie is an experienced event professional and educator with the University of Florida (UF) Conference Department, where she has led the design and delivery of in-person, virtual, and hybrid events since 2015. She brings expertise in event strategy, project management, stakeholder engagement, and creating impactful attendee experiences.
A double UF graduate, Katie holds a B.S. in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism with a specialization in Event Management and an M.S. in Tourism and Commercial Recreation. She also teaches event and hospitality management courses through UF Online, sharing her industry experience with the next generation of event professionals.
An active member of Meeting Professionals International (MPI) since 2015, Katie currently serves as Vice President of Finance for the MPI North Florida Chapter and has held numerous chapter leadership roles, including President. She holds both the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) and Certified Meeting Manager (CMM) designations.
Katie has been recognized with multiple MPI North Florida Chapter awards, including Planner of the Year and the President’s Award, as well as UF’s Division Three Superior Accomplishment Award. In 2025, she and the UF Conference team were honored as Cvent’s Rookie of the Year at the Cvent Excellence Awards.
Alex Cromwell
Event Manager
Alex Cromwell is an Event Manager with the University of Florida Conference Department, bringing more than a decade of experience at UF and a diverse background in event management, logistics, operations, and client service. She began her UF career with the University of Florida Department of Pathology before transitioning to the Conference Department in January 2023, where she manages conferences, educational programs, meetings, and special events from initial planning through execution.
In addition to her work at UF, Alex has been active in the events industry since 2019 and is a Certified Wedding Planner through The CWP Society. She is also a dedicated member of Meeting Professionals International and has served in multiple leadership roles on the MPI North Florida Board of Directors, including Director of Special & Educational Events and Director of Operations. She is now transitioning into the role of Vice President of Education, continuing her commitment to professional development and the advancement of the meetings and events industry throughout North Florida.
Outside of work, Alex enjoys spending time with her family and staying actively involved in her local community. She serves on several community and nonprofit committees and values opportunities to give back, build meaningful connections, and support organizations making a positive impact throughout the surrounding counties.
Jordan Thomas
Event Manager
Jordan Thomas is an Event Manager for the Conference Department at the University of Florida, joining the team in October 2025. He holds a BA in Anthropology from UF. After graduation, Jordan stuck around Gainesville working for the College of Medicine. In his previous role at the Office of Continuing Medical Education, Jordan developed a passion for the event planning space after helping staff several medical conferences, solidifying the path of serving the University of Florida community.
Jordan looks forward to pursuing his CMP (Certified Meeting Planner) credential to better contribute to both the OPWD and the larger scale UF community. He is a member of MPI (Meeting Planners International) and is looking forward to finding new volunteer and career development opportunities.
Outside working hours, Jordan can be found on the golf course or enjoying live music, whether it be at a local jazz bar or multi-day festivals. He takes pride in having the skills for DIY projects and working with his hands. Much like putting together events, seeing the pieces come together is what he likes most.
Tara Mikell
Event Manager
Tara has joined the Conference Department at the University of Florida, Office of Professional and Workforce Development, as an Event Manager in August 2026. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Event Management from the University of Florida. Before joining UF, Tara worked in wedding and event coordination for a local venue, where she discovered her passion for bringing people’s visions to life and watching all the details come together to create memorable experiences. With a love for event planning and creating meaningful experiences, Tara is excited to take her passion to the next level and be part of the University of Florida community.
She is also looking forward to continuing to grow professionally, becoming certified in the event industry, and becoming an active member of MPI as she builds connections and expands her knowledge within the field. A lifelong Gainesville resident and lifelong Gator fan, joining UF is especially meaningful to Tara. She is thrilled to now have the opportunity to call the University of Florida not only home, but her workplace. Go Gators!
Outside of work, Tara enjoys going to concerts, trying new recipes and spending time in the kitchen, and making memories with her family. She also loves spending time with her dog, Harper. When she’s not planning events, you can usually find Tara enjoying a good movie with her family, discovering new music, or looking for the next fun experience to add to the calendar!