---
title: Auburn University Senior Leadership
canonical_url: https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/schools/auburn-university-635/departments/senior-leadership-32
tags:
- Auburn University
- Senior Leadership
- DI
- Southeastern
---

# Auburn University Senior Leadership

- **Location:** Auburn, Alabama
- **Division:** DI
- **Conference:** Southeastern

## Current Staff

| Name | Title | Years in Dept |
|------|-------|---------------|
| [Anna Thompson](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Anna-Thompson-2101611464) | Senior Associate AD / Facilities & Special Events | 4 |
| [Jamilah Ali-Shaffer](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Jamilah-Ali-Shaffer-2101602942) | Senior Associate AD / Student-Athlete Support & Administration | 1 |
| [Mary McLendon](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Mary-McLendon-2101593111) | Executive Senior Associate AD / Sports Medicine & Performance | 2 |
| [Daniel Watkins](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Daniel-Watkins-2101579925) | Senior Associate AD / Marketing & Revenue Generation | 4 |
| [Brett Whiteside](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Brett-Whiteside-2101576287) | Senior Associate AD / Player Management | 2 |
| [Paris Buchanan](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Paris-Buchanan-2101571986) | Senior Associate AD / Fan Experience & Creative Strategy | 3 |
| [Zach Springer](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Zach-Springer-2101569698) | Senior Associate AD, Business Affairs / CFO | 14 |
| [John Cohen](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/John-Cohen-2101567778) | Athletics Director | 4 |
| [Jacob Jordan](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Jacob-Jordan-2101563514) | Senior Associate AD / Development | 6 |
| [Courtney Gage](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Courtney-Gage-2101563509) | Senior Associate AD / Student-Athlete Services | 10 |
| [Joy Stephenson Vrbka](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Joy-Stephenson-Vrbka-2101560626) | Senior Associate AD / Administration | 11 |
| [Kirk Sampson](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Kirk-Sampson-2101542417) | Senior Associate AD / Strategic Communications | 13 |
| [Jeremy Roberts](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Jeremy-Roberts-2101542416) | Senior Associate AD / Operations | 13 |
| [Jim Booz](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Jim-Booz-2101522119) | Executive Senior Associate AD / Compliance | 1 |
| [Chad Jackson](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Chad-Jackson-2101521608) | Senior Associate AD / Governance & Strategic Initiatives | 1 |
| [Djenane Paul](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Djenane-Paul-2101557377) | Deputy AD / Senior Woman Administrator | 5 |
| [Rhett Hobart](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Rhett-Hobart-2101570432) | Deputy AD / External Affairs & Chief Revenue Officer | 4 |
| [Jared Benko](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Jared-Benko-2101553171) | Executive Deputy AD | 2 |
| [Lee VanHorn](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Lee-VanHorn-2101574645) | Chief of Staff - Administration | 3 |
| [Tim Jackson](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Tim-Jackson-2101520520) | Deputy AD / Tigers Unlimited | 16 |

## Department History

### Senior Leadership 2025-2026

| Person | Role |
|--------|------|
| [John Cohen](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/John-Cohen-2101567778) | Director of Athletics |
| [Lee VanHorn](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Lee-VanHorn-2101574645) | Chief of Staff - Administration |
| [Rhett Hobart](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Rhett-Hobart-2101570432) | Deputy AD / External Affairs & Chief Revenue Officer |
| [Djenane Paul](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Djenane-Paul-2101557377) | Deputy AD / Senior Woman Administrator |
| [Jared Benko](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Jared-Benko-2101553171) | Executive Deputy AD |
| [Tim Jackson](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Tim-Jackson-2101520520) | Deputy AD / Tigers Unlimited |
| [Kirk Sampson](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Kirk-Sampson-2101542417) | Senior Associate AD / Strategic Communications |
| [Jeremy Roberts](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Jeremy-Roberts-2101542416) | Senior Associate AD / Operations |
| [Joy Stephenson Vrbka](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Joy-Stephenson-Vrbka-2101560626) | Senior Associate AD / Administration |
| [Courtney Gage](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Courtney-Gage-2101563509) | Senior Associate AD / Student-Athlete Services |
| [Jacob Jordan](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Jacob-Jordan-2101563514) | Senior Associate AD / Development |
| [Zach Springer](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Zach-Springer-2101569698) | Senior Associate AD, Business Affairs / CFO |
| [Jim Booz](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Jim-Booz-2101522119) | Executive Senior Associate AD / Compliance |
| [Paris Buchanan](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Paris-Buchanan-2101571986) | Senior Associate AD / Fan Experience & Creative Strategy |
| [Chad Jackson](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Chad-Jackson-2101521608) | Senior Associate AD / Governance & Strategic Initiatives |
| [Brett Whiteside](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Brett-Whiteside-2101576287) | Senior Associate AD / Player Management |
| [Daniel Watkins](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Daniel-Watkins-2101579925) | Senior Associate AD / Marketing & Revenue Generation |
| [Mary McLendon](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Mary-McLendon-2101593111) | Executive Senior Associate AD / Sports Medicine & Performance |
| [Jamilah Ali-Shaffer](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Jamilah-Ali-Shaffer-2101602942) | Senior Associate AD / Student-Athlete Support & Administration |
| [Anna Thompson](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Anna-Thompson-2101611464) | Senior Associate AD / Facilities & Special Events |

### Senior Leadership 2024-2025

| Person | Role |
|--------|------|
| [John Cohen](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/John-Cohen-2101567778) | Director of Athletics |
| [Lee VanHorn](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Lee-VanHorn-2101574645) | Chief of Staff - Administration |
| [Rhett Hobart](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Rhett-Hobart-2101570432) | Deputy AD / External Affairs |
| [Djenane Paul](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Djenane-Paul-2101557377) | Deputy AD / Senior Woman Administrator |
| [Jared Benko](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Jared-Benko-2101553171) | Executive Deputy AD |
| [Rich McGlynn](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Rich-McGlynn-2101520523) | Executive Deputy AD |
| [Tim Jackson](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Tim-Jackson-2101520520) | Deputy AD / Tigers Unlimited |
| [Kirk Sampson](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Kirk-Sampson-2101542417) | Senior Associate AD / Strategic Communications |
| [Jeff Whitehead](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Jeff-Whitehead-2101559217) | Executive Senior Associate AD / Compliance |
| [Joy Stephenson Vrbka](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Joy-Stephenson-Vrbka-2101560626) | Senior Associate AD / Administration |
| [Courtney Gage](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Courtney-Gage-2101563509) | Senior Associate AD / Student-Athlete Services |
| [Jacob Jordan](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Jacob-Jordan-2101563514) | Senior Associate AD / Development |
| [Zach Springer](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Zach-Springer-2101569698) | Senior Associate AD / Business Affairs |
| [Jeremy Roberts](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Jeremy-Roberts-2101542416) | Senior Associate AD / Operations |
| [Paris Buchanan](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Paris-Buchanan-2101571986) | Senior Associate AD / Fan Experience and Creative Strategy |
| [Daniel Watkins](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Daniel-Watkins-2101579925) | Senior Associate AD / Marketing and Revenue Generation |
| [Richard Greene](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Richard-Greene-2101587331) | Senior Associate AD / Compliance |
| [Mary McLendon](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Mary-McLendon-2101593111) | Executive Senior Associate AD / Sports Medicine & Performance |
| [Anna Thompson](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Anna-Thompson-2101611464) | Senior Associate AD / Facilities & Special Events |

### Senior Leadership 2023-2024

| Person | Role |
|--------|------|
| [John Cohen](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/John-Cohen-2101567778) | Director of Athletics |
| [Lee VanHorn](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Lee-VanHorn-2101574645) | Chief of Staff - Administration |
| [Tim Jackson](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Tim-Jackson-2101520520) | Deputy AD / Tigers Unlimited |
| [Rich McGlynn](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Rich-McGlynn-2101520523) | Executive Deputy AD |
| [Djenane Paul](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Djenane-Paul-2101557377) | Deputy AD / Senior Woman Administrator |
| [Jeremy Roberts](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Jeremy-Roberts-2101542416) | Senior Associate AD / Operations |
| [Kirk Sampson](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Kirk-Sampson-2101542417) | Senior Associate AD / Communications - Football, Track & Field |
| [Jeff Whitehead](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Jeff-Whitehead-2101559217) | Executive Senior Associate AD / Compliance |
| [Joy Stephenson Vrbka](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Joy-Stephenson-Vrbka-2101560626) | Senior Associate AD / Administration |
| [Jacob Jordan](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Jacob-Jordan-2101563514) | Senior Associate AD / Development |
| [Zach Springer](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Zach-Springer-2101569698) | Senior Associate AD / Business Affairs |
| [Kathryn Flynn](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Kathryn-Flynn-2101570105) | Senior Associate AD / Student-Athlete Support Services |
| [Paris Buchanan](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Paris-Buchanan-2101571986) | Senior Associate AD / Fan Experience and Creative |
| [Daniel Watkins](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Daniel-Watkins-2101579925) | Senior Associate AD / Marketing and Revenue Generation |
| [Richard Greene](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Richard-Greene-2101587331) | Senior Associate AD / Compliance |
| [Rhett Hobart](https://wi-jobs.demo.winad-hq.com/Rhett-Hobart-2101570432) | Deputy Athletics Director - External Affairs |