SIU President Mahony Announces New Appointments to the System’s Financial and Administrative Affairs & Audit Departments
October 2, 2025
Southern Illinois University (SIU) System President Dan Mahony announces the appointments of Justin Oates to serve as the Vice President for Financial and Administrative Affairs and Board Treasurer, as well as Evonne Thompson as the Executive Director of Audit serving as the Chief Audit Executive for the multi-campus SIU System.
A university system-wide committee conducted a national search, resulting in competitive candidate pools for these positions. After reviewing applications and conducting interviews with finalists, President Mahony consulted with the search committee and senior leadership in making the recommendation to hire Oates and Thompson for these vital positions.
Oates will provide university-wide leadership in the coordination of annual operating and capital budgets, capital projects, treasury function, risk management and tax compliance. He also will staff the Board of Trustees Finance and Architecture & Design committees and serve as the liaison to internal constituencies and external agencies.
Oates brings more than 25 years of progressive leadership experience in higher education financial operations. He most recently served as Vice President for Finance and Business Affairs and Chief Financial Officer at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C. Oates earned an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Furman University.
Thompson provides independent, objective assurance and consulting activities designed to add value and improve the system operations. She’ll help the system accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control, and governance processes.
Before this appointment, Thompson served as Assistant Director of Compliance, Internal Audit, and Enterprise Risk Management at the University of Chicago. She also has over 10 years of combined experience in risk management consulting as a director at both PwC and KPMG. Thompson is a Certified Public Accountant and earned an MBA in Entrepreneurship from Regent University, along with a Doctor of Ministry and Master’s in Practical Theology. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Butler University.
“We congratulate Justin and Evonne on their appointments to leadership positions within our university system,” President Mahony said. “Their vision, expertise, and dedication to higher education will strengthen our collective mission to serve students, faculty, and communities across Illinois. We look forward to the positive impact their leadership will bring.”
