Early Life and Family, Our UMass System Office Chief Information Officer (CIO), Michael Milligan, is a man who achieved success through hard work and a commitment to family, friends, and colleagues. Originally hailing from Gilford, New Hampshire, he is the eldest of four brothers. Growing up in the picturesque town of Gilford, surrounded by the serene beauty of New Hampshire, Michael developed a strong sense of…, Education, Michael is a proud graduate of Villanova University, a private Catholic research university in Pennsylvania. You probably saw, heard or read something from Michael back in March when his Wildcats nearly went all the way in the “Big East” tournament this year. Michael is pretty serious about his Villanova Wildcats and enjoys banter among colleagues; Kate Targett knows what it’s like to be…, Professional Journey, After college, this aspiring CIO embarked on a distinguished career in information technology. He spent 18 years with Verizon leaving his Sr. Program Management position to enter the public sector at the Commonwealth of MA as CIO of the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. He spent 2 years at COMA, before moving into the Higher Ed industry as Managing Director of Collaboration…, Personal Life, Michael has been happily married for 15 years to Amy (Donavan) Milligan and together, balancing their incredibly demanding professional careers, they are raising their wonderful 13-year-old son, Donavan Milligan. They have built a loving and supportive family environment for Donavan in Melrose MA that includes attending St. John’s Prep and excelling in Hockey and Baseball. Last summer, the family…, Hobbies and Interests, Michael enjoys good food, a nice glass of wine or a tumbler of bourbon in his free time with Amy. The rest of the time, you’ll likely find Michael on the links. He is an avid golfer and shares his love of golf with his son. “Dad” and Donavan play regularly on the weekends and whenever possible on weeknights, perfecting their swings and occasionally fishing their balls out of the water hazards., Contentment in Service, His satisfaction in his role at UMass is palpable. He finds great fulfillment in contributing to the university's mission and witnessing the tangible impact of his work on students, faculty, and staff. As if his work as a CIO isn’t enough, Michael is a board member for the Court Management Advisory Board (CMAB) at the Commonwealth, he Co-Chaired the AI Task Force under Secretary Snayder at the…, Conclusion, Newly promoted Deputy CIO, Maria Apse, shared: “My favorite quote from Michael is ‘Giddy Up’. He uses this when he gets excited about an idea and to show his enthusiasm!” She went on to say, “Never one to take the spotlight himself. Michael is the happiest when other people shine... Michael is open to feedback and often asks, ‘Is this the right thing? What can I do better?’ Maria continued, “…
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Sekelile (Seke) joined the President’s Office as an, Institutional Research Data Analyst, . She supports academic affairs and other projects in the President’s Office with data requests. Seke was born and raised in Mbabane, Eswatini, before moving to the US. She graduated from the University of Rochester with her BA in International Relations and Economics and is currently working on getting her master’s degree from Boston College in Applied Economics. Seke has always been…
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New Hires, Name Hire Date Title Department Colin Foley 8/1/25 Sr. Contracts Specialist UPST Erin Walker 8/1/25 Assoc Counsel, IT & Data Priv Office of General Counsel Evgeny Vorobyev 8/4/25 Internal Auditor, IT, Sr. Internal Audit Lori Randall 8/26/25 Contracts Specialist UPST
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Elbows and grease - Is what is needed to help keep 50 Washington looking fresh and dressed to impress. Which is what happened on Wednesday, August 13th, as a dedicated team lead by Jillian Warren, oversaw by Lucas Carter, and like the mythical goddess Athena springing forth from Zeus’s mind, came into existence by Amy Thompson as “Operation Clean and Shine”. With the help of Jade Yacino, Sara…
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We are excited to officially welcome, Colin Foley, to the UPST team as a new addition (and a new dad)! You may recognize Colin's name, as he has worked with UPST for about a year as a temporary contractor. With a strong background in contracts, having served as both a Paralegal and Proposal Manager, Colin has made a seamless transition into the Contracts team from the beginning., Background, Colin is a proud graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he earned a BS in Kinesiology. Before he stepped into his role in the President’s Office, he gained valuable experience at the real estate law firm Ligris and the innovative commercial lighting and design company, Signify., Role at UMass, Colin is a friendly and dedicated Senior Contract Specialist who manages procurement contracts and systemwide agreements while mentoring new team members. He loves to lend a helping hand across all campuses and is always ready to support his colleagues and handle his daily responsibilities on his assigned campus. Colin has worked on many projects, where his flexibility and team spirit truly shine!, Personal Interests, Colin grew up in Tewksbury, Massachusetts, a place that used to be famous as the carnation capital of the world! He loves spending his free time on the golf course and having fun in a men’s hockey league. Exciting news—Colin recently welcomed his first child into the world just a few weeks ago! , Looking Ahead, Colin is excited about the future! He understands the importance of taking things one step at a time to ensure he does his best work, even in a fast-paced environment. Colin has a keen interest in attending law school, but no matter what path he takes, he’ll definitely keep learning and growing within the UMass System. We’re so grateful to have Colin on the UPST team, and we can’t wait to see…
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We are proud of our, internship program, , which gives students from UMass campuses the opportunity to gain hands-on business experience across all areas of the UMass President’s Office Administration and Finance functions. This summer, six Access interns took on an exciting challenge:, a chatbot proof-of-concept competition, to explore how AI could help the Access team connect with campus stakeholders and partners and enhance the tier 1 support we provide. Over a few weeks, the interns, divided into two assigned teams, worked together to design a concept, build a business case, and develop a chatbot prototype. From the beginning, both groups approached the project with curiosity, collaboration, and a focus on solving…, Team B, consisted of interns, Mhammed Mrabet, Salini Thiraviyarajah, and Pragathi Kempegowda, . They created Access Buddy Jr., a chatbot for new hires, interns, current Access employees, and potential future team members. The bot streamlined new staff onboarding, covering key tools, acronym decoding, and first-week tasks, while also acting as a quick resource finder for documents, file paths, and essential links. With features like exploration mode, interactive learning, and a centralized…, Team A, comprised of interns, Victoria Nault, Aditya Wanve, and Carissa Dwyer, . They developed Rookie Bot, a supplier-facing assistant that automates common procurement lookups. It retrieves payment details, supplier registration status, contract information, and request statuses. The bot handles single and multiple matches, provides clear error messages with UPST contact information, and can answer free-form procurement questions. Rookie Bot could reduce response times…, Congratulations to you all!,
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Every day, we’re hearing more about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how it’s changing our lives, both at work and in our personal lives. At UMass, we’ve brought together a diverse team to explore how AI can make a difference in our professional lives. The goal of the, AI Hub, is to share useful insights and support everyone as we navigate this exciting journey together! Recently, three in-person training sessions were held in Westborough and Boston, and it was truly refreshing to see so many faces in the same room, exchanging ideas and learning how to harness AI technology responsibly here at UMass., Training Highlights: Leading the Way with AI, Our training sessions were expertly led by, Shawn Skelly, , with support from, Jacquie Kittler, . Together, they guided attendees through the essential UMass President's Office AI Acceptable Use Guidelines, emphasizing data privacy, security, and ethical AI use. Here’s what was explored:, What is AI?, A brief overview of what artificial intelligence is and the different types. , AI Tools 101:, How AI can streamline your work and spark innovation., UMPO AI Guidelines:, Clear do’s and don’ts to protect university data and uphold our community values., Open Q&A:, An interactive forum where your questions and concerns were thoughtfully addressed., Why This Training Matters, As AI becomes an everyday tool, understanding and applying these guidelines is critical for safeguarding our work and our institution. The enthusiasm and insightful discussions during the sessions showed just how ready we are to embrace AI responsibly and confidently., Missed the Training? We’ve Got You Covered!, If you couldn’t make it to a session or have more questions about AI use, please reach out anytime: Jacquie Kittler – jkittler@umassp.edu Shawn Skelly – sskelly@umassp.edu We’re here to support and guide you through integrating these guidelines into your work.
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GIC Health Insurance Buyout enrollment is being offered from October 6-October 31, 2025 for January 1, 2026 effective date. Information may be obtained on the GIC Buyout Information page . MetLife Non-Unit Dental Insurance enrollment is being offered from October 1-October 31, 2025 for January 1, 2026 effective date. BJ’s Membership Discount is being offered from October 1-October 25 for…
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The deadline to submit expenses for FY25 is quickly approaching. If you are enrolled in the health care spending account and/or the dependent care assistance program, you need to submit for expense reimbursement to TASC by Wednesday, October 15. Please go to the TASC website for information.
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Promotions, Name Hire Date Title Department Zachary Gull 9/12/25 Strategic Sourcing Specialist UPST
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