Office of Community Engagement

Meet the Team

Core Team

Connie Frey Spurlock, Director 
(618) 650-2945
connie.freyspurlock@siu.edu 

Dr. Connie Frey Spurlock is a sociologist committed to dismantling hierarchies of oppression and building in their place flourishing relationships. She does this work by centering community-identified goals and leveraging SIU System resources for the benefit of southern Illinois communities. Frey Spurlock is director of the SIU System Office of Community Engagement (OCE). She has forged several meaningful relationships with government and nonprofit stakeholders in central and southern Illinois. Her dedication to community engagement is reflected in an extensive portfolio of grant-funded projects. Since 2017, Frey Spurlock has been principal or co-investigator on almost $9M in external funding for transdisciplinary projects such as "Broadband Regional Engagement for Adoption and Digital Equity," "Integrating Hydrology and Social Science for Community Resiliency against Flooding Hazards," and the “Partners for Re-entry Opportunities in Workforce Development,” grants. Frey Spurlock earned her PhD in Sociology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. 

Brian Bray, Project Coordinator 
brian.bray@siu.edu 

A native of Illinois, Brian earned a Bachelor of Arts from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and a Master of Social Work from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. Throughout his career, he has worked in nonprofit administration and has coordinated programs and services in public health, the arts, and higher education. As a Case Manager at the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District, Brian coordinated health and social services for clients living with HIV disease in rural areas in central Illinois.  During this time, he served as an advisor to the Greater Community AIDS Project and the Prairie AIDS Foundation to expand resources for his clients.  While working at the St. Louis Holocaust Museum and Learning Center, he developed and coordinated community programs to teach the history and lessons of the Holocaust.  For the past ten years, Brian has worked in higher education, coordinating academic conferences, youth programs, and continuing medical education programs. In various capacities, he has successfully forged community partnerships, coordinated public programs, and managed innovative projects.  

Leslie Brock, Project Coordinator 
leslie.brock@siu.edu 

Leslie has spent her entire university career working with community outreach and education in various roles within the SIU System. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Eastern Illinois University in Psychology and a Master of Educational Psychology in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She started her career at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, after leaving the public counseling services sector, as an event and conference coordinator. During her time with SIUC, Leslie enjoyed bringing many different conferences and events to life, both on- and off-campus, which gave her the opportunity to work with and give back too many community organizations and members. In her most recent role as an Assistant Director at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, she was able to provide a variety of community outreach and educational opportunities through the development of a 125+ session non-credit course catalog, focusing on both personal pleasure and workforce development opportunities. While on the SIUE campus, she earned a Master of Business Administration with a specialization in Project Management. Throughout the past 13 years in these roles, Leslie has developed a passion for working with communities across the state and learning about new community needs to provide solutions for. 

Cindy Scarsdale, Administrative Aide 
cindy.scarsdale@siu.edu 

Cindy Scarsdale is a lifelong resident of the same Southern Illinois town where her grandfather, great-grandfather and great-uncles mined coal. As a dedicated community volunteer, she has found inspiration in the character of George Bailey. She firmly believes that just one or two people working together for a common cause can be agents of positive change that have a profound impact. Her working career has included roles as a radio news reporter and editor, newspaper copy editor, ballroom manager, accounting assistant, and small business employee. She has spent 25 years working in higher education on the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville campus, most recently focusing on development/advancement, donor relations, student scholarships, and budget management.  Cindy is a Star Trek enthusiast, and enjoys gardening and nature, attending concerts, and spending time in the company of family and friends.

Strategic Plan Implementation Team

Ajay Kalra, Associate Professor
SIUC School of Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering
(618) 453-7008
kalraa@siu.edu 

Ashley Matzenbacher, Interim Director
SIUC Office of Sponsored Projects Administration 
(618) 453-4542
acohoon@siu.edu 

Jerrica Ampadu, Interim Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs
SIUE School of Nursing 
618-650-3988
jerphil@siue.edu 

JoAnn May, Director 
Illinois SBDC for the Metro East at SIUE
618-650-2929
gdimagg@siue.edu 

Diane Cox, Director of Grant Development 
SIUE Office of Research and Projects 
618-650-5886
diacox@siue.edu 

Lynn Lindberg, Executive Director
SIUC Research Park 
618-453-6754
lindberg@siu.edu 

Jeff Franklin, Director 
SIU SOM Center for Rural Health and Social Service Development
SIU System Institute for Rural Health 
618-453-1251
jfranklin@siumed.edu 

Courtney Breckenridge, Research Fellow 
SIUE Center for Predictive Analytics 
crakers@siue.edu 
618-650-3209