Member Spotlight

Q&A with new NACRO Co-president Jill Abele

July 8, 2022Jill Abele

  1. What is your current role at your institution/company? 
    Senior Director of Corporate Engagement and Foundation Relations, Iowa State University Foundation.

  2. How long have you been a NACRO member? 
    I joined NACRO in fall of 2016 but didn’t become involved until the following summer when I was recruited to join the Professional Development committee by Robin Shah and I’ve been active ever since.
     
  3. What do you enjoy most about your NACRO membership?
    I’ve made so many friends across the country from NACRO. It’s fulfilling to work alongside so many amazing corporate relations professionals who are as passionate about this profession as I am.

  4. So far, what has been your greatest Corporate Relations success? What has been your greatest challenge?
    My answer reflects both challenges and success. I think the greatest challenge has been educating colleagues about the work my team does and how we can be valuable collaborators. But I think that the tide has been changing over the past couple years, with great influence from NACRO colleagues and resources. Now the Iowa State CFR team uses holistic corporate relations practices to elevate industry relationships that seemed impossible just a few years ago–which I consider a great success!

  5. What’s something about you (a fun fact) that not many people know?
    In my misguided youth I got a tattoo of John Lennon.