Andrew Bender

Director of Operations and Services

Andy is the Director of Operations and Services at the Chez Veterans Center . Prior to his appointment he worked for 3 years at The Career Center as the Associate Director for Operations. Andy retired from the US Army in 2016 after 20 years of service and subsequently worked at Amazon and the McLean County Chamber of Commerce before finding his way to the University of Illinois and his discovering his desire to continue serving Veterans as they make their own personal transitions into higher education.

Ingrid Wheeler, MSW, LCSW

Associate Director, Student Success and Wellbeing

Ingrid leads clinical and support initiatives for military-connected students. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker, she holds degrees from Southern Illinois University–Carbondale and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. As an early point of contact for many students, Ingrid helps them adjust to campus life, access resources, and navigate challenges. Her client-centered approach is informed by experience across inpatient, outpatient, and addiction treatment settings, addressing concerns such as anxiety, depression, substance use, and stress. Growing up in a military family, with her father serving 20 years in the U.S. Navy, Ingrid brings personal understanding and commitment to supporting military-connected students.

Dustin D. Lange, Ph.D., M.S.

Assistant Director, Academic & Career Services & Facility Operations

Dustin is the Assistant Director of our academic & career services and supports the director with the day to day operations of the facility. He has been with the center through various roles since its opening in 2015. Prior to his current appointment, Dustin did a postdoc fellowship at the Center of Innovation for Complex Chronic Healthcare (CINCCH) at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital in Chicago, where he currently is a Research Associate and a member of their steering committee. He is a three time alumnus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and has authored peer-reviewed journal articles, white papers, and is the lead author of the book titled Camo to Career: The Veteran’s Guide to Career Success. Dustin has also garnered numerous military honors from his 8-years of active duty service in the United States Marine Corps.

Garrett Anderson, Jr., Ret. Sgt. U.S Army

Assistant Director, Student Engagement and Outreach

Garrett is the Assistant Director for Student Engagement and Outreach, where he focus on student recruitment targeting veterans with disabilities , establish and maintain connections with national and regional disability-related groups and organizations, especially veterans with disabilities; establishing connections with para-athletic and para-recreation opportunities to create additional options for student-veterans with disabilities, building upon the strong reputation of University of Illinois programs, and establish new and maintain existing connections to local and distant community groups. Garrett Retired from the U.S. Army in 2006, received his degree in Criminal Justice from Illinois State University in 2010, and a Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation Counselling from the University of Illinois Champaign- Urbana in 2018.

Jason Sakowski

Assistant Director, Veteran Student Support Services

Jason serves as the Assistant Director for Veteran Student Support Services at the Chez Veterans Center. Jason served eight years of active duty in the Marine Corps and completed two tours to Iraq and one tour to Afghanistan. It was during his undergraduate degree that he discovered he wanted to serve military-connected students after he graduated. Jason also retired from the Illinois National Guard 2020 and completed his Master’s in the Human Resources Development program here at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Michael Lotspeich-Yadao, Ph.D.

Research Assistant Professor

Michael leads research and educational initiatives supporting military-connected communities at the Chez Veteran Center. As a technical expert on veteran and military-connected research, he guides university researchers through every stage of their work—from grant writing to final reporting. His research focuses on understanding military-connected populations through the study of spatial demographics, rural sociology, and public health. Michael specializes in translational research that directly impacts communities, working closely with public decision-makers, healthcare practitioners, and Land Grant Institutions like the University of Illinois to improve program and service delivery for veterans. He brings both academic expertise and military experience to this role, holding a Ph.D. in Rural Sociology from Baylor University and currently serving as an Officer in the U.S. Army Reserve.

Austin Slotnick

Office Support Associate

Austin provides general support to the program, service, and research missions of the Chez Veterans Center. He’ll be ready to greet you on the phone or at the front desk if you are looking for more information! Austin is a Champaign-Urbana native with a B.A. in Audio Recording and Technology from Eastern Illinois University. Prior to joining Chez, he had a series of roles in the arts, education, and humanities.