O'Neill NetWORKed

Before his current role as General Counsel at Stantec GS Inc., Neil served as Assistant General Counsel and Company Secretary for Rolls-Royce North America and legal counsel for the Department of Defense, worked with the Indiana Office of the Commissioner of Agriculture, the Department of Workforce Development, and the Office of the Lieutenant Governor. He also served as an Indianapolis City-County Council appointee to the Indianapolis Board of Public Works. Neil has also recently served on the Board of Directors of the Association of Corporate Counsel – Indiana Chapter.

Neil has served as the President of the O’Neill School’s Alumni Board of Directors with dedication, vision and passion. Under his leadership, the Alumni Board established the Women’s Empowerment Summit at the O’Neill School. During his tenure, gifts to the O’Neill Alumni Association endowed scholarship met the threshold to support a fifth O’Neill Alumni Association scholarship. He was instrumental in the creation of the O’Neill Future Fund that celebrates the school’s 50th anniversary in 2022 and its 100th in 2072. He also recruited board members to help expand diversity that better reflects O’Neill’s alumni population.

Neil frequently attends IU and O’Neill events, has spoken at O’Neill commencements on both the IU Bloomington and IU Indianapolis campuses, and regularly sends internship and job opportunities to O’Neill for students.

Dan Bortner earned his Batchelor of Science Degree in Public Affairs from Indiana University’s O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs in 1987. Prior to coming to state government in 2005, Dan Bortner spent the first 18 years of his professional career in the private sector in various HR and Leadership positions. He is a Human Resources Professional by Trade and still maintains his Professional Certification as a Senior Certified Professional in Human Resources.

He began his career with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources in March 2005 when he was hired as the Agency Human Resources Director by Governor Mitchell Daniels. In July of that year, he was asked to lead the Division of State Parks, where he served for the next 15 years. In 2020, he was asked to lead the Agency as the 23rd Director of the Department of Natural Resources. At the end of his tenure, he held the distinction of being the longest serving Director in Indiana State Parks history. During his time leading Indiana State Parks, Dan served on the Board for both the National Association of State Park Directors, where he served as President of that organization, and the America’s State Parks Foundation.

During his time with the DNR, Dan was asked to serve by 4 different Governors: Governor Mitch Daniels, Governor Mike Pence, Governor Eric Holcomb, and Governor Mike Braun.

Dan retired from the Agency in May of 2025 and today serves as the CEO of both the Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce and the Lawrence County Economic Growth Council.

Eric D. Boyle is Managing Principal for Strategy & Business Development at The Asia Group, advising multinational companies on geopolitical and market strategy. Formerly a senior executive at ICF, he is a Eurasia Foundation trustee and an Indiana University O’Neill School alumnus leader and mentor.

I am a research and evaluation leader focused on strengthening communities through data-informed strategy and collaborative impact. Currently serving as Research Manager at the Indy Chamber, I bring more than a decade of experience in philanthropy, public policy, and nonprofit leadership.

I am a graduate of Indiana University Bloomington, where I earned a Master of Public Affairs in Nonprofit Management and Policy Analysis. My academic training sharpened my expertise in performance measurement, policy analysis, and strategic decision-making—skills I continue to apply in advancing equitable, evidence-based initiatives.

Throughout my career, I have focused on helping communities thrive by strengthening organizations, building capacity, and advancing strategic, data-informed solutions. I leverage research, strategy, and strong partnerships to create measurable, lasting impact. Outside of work, I love to travel and read, always seeking new perspectives and ideas.

Dan recently joined the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation as a Sr. Program Officer where he is focused on workforce and education initiatives. Dan has experience in the nonprofit, private, and public sectors with past roles at the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, Storie Co., and Enroll Indy. Dan is a lifelong Hoosier focused on making Indiana a better place to live, work, and play for all Hoosiers.

Steve is a human resources leader with nearly 40 years of experience across manufacturing and healthcare, including serving as CHRO at Beacon Health System. He has led HR, risk management, performance improvement, and communications, and now works as an adjunct faculty member, executive coach, consultant, and mentor.

Cathy Ferree serves as president and CEO of ISMHS. Cathy has put relevancy at the forefront for the museum system and developed a strategic framework including refreshed mission, vision, values, goals and priorities. Permanent visitor-centric experiences have opened under Cathy’s leadership including the reimagined Ancient Seas, the new Gallery One, and Firefly Landing, a special space for young children. Significant changes have also taken place at T.C. Steele State Historic Site with the opening of a new welcome center and reimagined visitor experience and at Angel Mounds State Historic Site with a transformed interpretive center experience involving collaboration with federally recognized tribes.

Cathy has served in leadership roles at Conner Prairie, The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis and The Children’s Museum of Atlanta and has over 40 years of experience in the museum industry.

She obtained her BA and Master of Public Affairs in Nonprofit Management from Indiana University..

Cole is a Manager in Crowe LLP's Municipal Advisory practice, where he has spent five years advising a wide range of state and local governments on public finance. His work focuses on budgeting and financial planning for cities and towns, along with bond issuances and economic development.

Abby Hanson is the Controller for the City of Indianapolis. In this role, she serves as the chief financial officer for the City, creates and implements a $1.7 billion dollar budget for more than 30 city agencies and county departments, and leads the Office of Finance and Management (OFM). OFM oversees the City’s human resources, budgeting, purchasing, risk, grants, and accounting functions with a team of 90 employees. Abby was on the budget team in OFM for the majority of her professional career before taking on her current role. Abby earned a Master of Public Affairs with a concentration in public finance through Indiana University’s O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs in 2018 and a Bachelor of Arts from Butler University in 2014.

"Cardell Johnson is the Managing Director of GAO’s Strategic Issues team, where he leads enterprise-wide oversight that helps Congress address some of the nation’s most complex governance, fiscal, and performance challenges. He oversees cross-government work including GAO’s High-Risk Program, identifying agencies and programs vulnerable to waste, fraud, abuse, mismanagement, or in need of transformation.

A trusted advisor in high-stakes environments, Cardell is known for translating complexity into clarity and building high-performing, psychologically safe teams that deliver meaningful results. His leadership blends strategic vision with disciplined execution, and he has played a key role in advancing organizational transformation and continuous improvement efforts across GAO.

Grounded in a servant and transformational leadership philosophy, Cardell is committed to developing people while strengthening institutions. He holds a MPA degree from Indiana University’s O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs.".

Strategic fundraising professional with a strong record of raising significant funds and leading teams across diverse nonprofits. Experienced in campaign planning, team development, board engagement, and navigating complex organizational dynamics.

Christina Mendoza, Senior Executive Assistant, has over 20 years of experience in her role and been with ofi for over a year. She is proactive and forward-thinking professional, successfully multi-tasking to maximize ease and efficiency for each Executive. She serves on the Indiana University SPEA Alumni Advisory Council. She was the recipient of 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award. She is the founder of the Elizabeth Hopper Memorial Scholarship at Purdue University, West Lafayette. Christina holds a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University, Bloomington, as well as Masters in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. She lives in Chicago with her son.

Christina has been working at the US EPA for over a decade and has held positions in science and policy across the Agency, currently serving as the Senior Public Engagement and Outreach Specialist for the Environmental Education and Stewardship Division. Prior to her federal government work, Christina worked in environmental consulting and also wrote on energy and environmental issues for a nonprofit think tank. She is also in her third year as an adjunct professor for the O'Neill DC Accelerator program in Washington, D.C. teaching the MPA capstone course and also serves on the O'Neill Alumni Advisory Council. Christina earned her BA in English and Environmental Policy from Drake University and her MPA and MSES from the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. She currently resides in the DC area where she serves on multiple boards to further social and environmental advocacy work.

Gabe Pachter (he/him) serves as the Deputy Director of Philanthropy for the American Civil Liberties Union’s (ACLU) Illinois affiliate. Since arriving at the ACLU in June 2022, Gabe has helped lead the affiliate’s fundraising strategy, including growth in individual giving contributions, foundation grants, and event revenue. Prior to joining the ACLU, Gabe served three years as the Individual Giving Manager for Cara Collective, a transformational workforce development nonprofit based in Chicago, IL. He is a proud graduate of the O’Neill School’s MPA program, with a concentration in nonprofit management, and also completed a Graduate Certificate in Philanthropic Studies from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IU Indianapolis.

Noor Shaikh is a public finance leader with extensive experience in municipal budgeting, revenue forecasting, and long-term financial planning. She currently serves as Deputy Chief Financial Officer for the City of Chicago, where she oversees initiatives to strengthen financial operations, evaluates borrowing needs, supports bond financing, and advises senior leadership on revenue strategy and credit outlook. Previously, she leadership roles within the city’s Office of Budget and Management as Deputy Budget Director and Assistant Budget Director, leading revenue forecasting, pension modeling, and tax policy analysis for the nation’s third-largest city.

Before joining Chicago, Noor worked in financial leadership and consulting roles with the Government Finance Officers Association, the City of Dallas, and the City of Aurora, building deep expertise in public sector budgeting and fiscal policy. She holds a Master of Public Affairs from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Texas A&M University.

Drew Sherman is Economic Development Director at the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, leading rural and agribusiness growth, trade, and key state programs. With cross-sector experience, he holds degrees from Iowa State and Indiana University and serves on multiple agriculture and trade advisory boards.

Liza Sherman is a public policy leader with experience in state budgeting, legislative fiscal policy, and government relations. Currently Legislative and Policy Director at Indiana FSSA, she holds degrees from Indiana University and serves in leadership roles at New Circle Church and Seeds of Caring.

Sarah M. Taylor has served as the Executive Director of the Hoosier Lottery since October 2013. Previously, she held various positions in Indiana city and county government, including eight years as the elected Clerk of the Courts for Marion County (Indianapolis) and five years as a cabinet member for the Mayor of Indianapolis.

An active participant in lottery industry organizations, Taylor is a Past President of the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL) and is a past President of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL). She currently serves as a member of the Executive Committee for the World Lottery Association. In 2023, she was elected to the Lottery Hall of Fame for her work to promote excellence and integrity in the lottery industry.

Taylor earned her bachelor's degree from Indiana University’s O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs where she sits on the Alumni Advisory Council. A lifelong learner, Sarah has her Certificate in Public Management from Ball State University.

Marlon Webb is a Manager in Government Consulting with KSM, where he leverages his expertise in economic development, real estate development consulting, incentives management, and project management to support public-sector clients at the local, state, and federal levels. He draws on experience across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to help clients oversee projects, programs, grants, and funding with precision and a focus on sustainable community and economic growth. Marlon’s leadership has supported investment, job creation, and long-term growth in more than 20 communities. He holds a B.S. in Arts Management and an M.S. in Public Affairs, with concentrations in economic development and nonprofit management, from Indiana University Bloomington, and is a licensed real estate broker in Indiana. Marlon is active in the community, serving on multiple boards, including Leadership Hendricks County and Intend Indiana, and he is Vice Chair of the Town of Brownsburg’s Board of Zoning Appeals and Redevelopment Authority. He lives in Brownsburg with his wife, Shayla, and their children, MJ and Zipporah..