Home Office Staff

UERU Logo

1001 Campus Delivery
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1001

Steve Dandaneau
Executive Director
steven.dandaneau@colostate.edu

Julia Michaels
Director of Development and Strategic Partnerships
julia.michaels@colostate.edu

Sherri Frye
Assistant Director
sherri.frye@colostate.edu 

Catherine Wilson
UERU Coordinator (Events, Finance, and Administrative Support)
catherine.m.wilson@colostate.edu

Rashelle Straker
UERU Coordinator (Virtual Events, Communications, and Technical Support)
rashelle.straker@colostate.edu

Zoe Coats
Senior Student Coordinator

Emily Rodgers

Student Coordinator

Adrian Garcia
Provost Accounting Student Assistant

Send Us A Message

Home Office Staff

Steve Dandaneau

Steve Dandaneau

Executive Director

Steve Dandaneau is Associate Provost at Colorado State University and Executive Director of the Association for Undergraduate Education at Research Universities (UERU). In these roles, Steve provides leadership for an association of U.S. research universities focused on equity/excellence in undergraduate education and collaborates with colleagues to strengthen the undergraduate experience at CSU.

Dandaneau previously served as Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies at Kansas State University; Associate Provost and Director of the Chancellor’s Honors and Halsam Scholars Programs at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Visiting Professor of Sociology at the University of Maryland, College Park; and Director of the University Honors & John W. Berry Sr. Scholars Programs at the University of Dayton. He earned a B.A. in Economics (with honors) from Michigan State University and an M.A. and a Ph.D. in Sociology from Brandeis University.

Julia Michaels

Julia Michaels

Director of Development and Strategic Partnerships

Julia Michaels is Director of Development and Strategic Partnerships for the Association for Undergraduate Education at Research Universities (UERU) at Colorado State University. In this role, she helps UERU grow its base of support and work with other higher education stakeholders to advance equity and excellence in undergraduate education. Julia has nearly two decades of professional experience in higher education.
Prior to joining UERU, Julia worked for the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), leading multiple projects that engaged university networks including APLU’s Powered by Publics initiative and Urban Universities for HEALTH collaborative. Other past roles include leading an undergraduate student internship program at the University of Texas at Austin and supporting international programs at Oregon State University. She was also a Visiting Research Fellow at the American University in Central Asia, where she conducted field research on the impact of U.S. aid on civil society development in the region. Julia holds a Master of Public Policy degree from Oregon State University and a B.A. in political science from St. Olaf College. 

Sherri Frye

Assistant Director

Sherri Frye is the Association for Undergraduate Education at Research Universities (UERU) Assistant Director. In this role, Sherri is primarily responsible for managing the UERU Home Office.

Sherri brings 30 years of experience in Higher Education to UERU, serving in five major divisions.  During her 20-year career in Intercollegiate Athletics at four different institutions, Sherri held positions of Deputy Director of Athletics, Senior Woman Administrator, Senior Associate Athletic Director, Director of Events and Facilities, and Assistant Women's Basketball Coach. After her successful stint in athletics, she transitioned into organizational development roles. This included serving on the leadership teams in Enrollment Management and Student Access; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; and Student Affairs. Sherri also served as an Academic Success Coordinator at Colorado State University. 

Sherri Frye earned a B.S. in Exercise Science from the University of Wyoming, and a M.Ed. in Education and Human Resource Studies, specialization Organizational Learning, Performance, and Change from Colorado State University.

Catherine Wilson

UERU Coordinator (Events, Finance, and Administrative Support)

Catherine is a recognized leader in managing international visitor protocol, facilitating benefactor and donor stewardship, and executing event and protocol management for distinguished visitors and delegations. She has provided protocol and business etiquette instruction throughout the United States and managed events and delegation itineraries in the US, Central America, South America, and Europe. She was recently featured as a guest on the Emily Post Institute’s Awesome Etiquette podcast, discussing protocol in today’s world.

In addition to being the founder of Wilson Protocol & Etiquette Consulting, LLC, Catherine previously worked as the Director of Protocol, Stewardship, and Partnerships for Notre Dame International at the University of Notre Dame, and Director of Special Projects and Media Relations for the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney for the 60th Judicial Circuit of Indiana, as well as several other roles. She serves as an advisory board member for Fūrinkazan Venture Company, LLC, a global entrepreneurial finance & startup advisory firm that empowers under-estimated founders who want to start or scale their companies by providing them with the tools and resources to understand and navigate the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Catherine earned both her bachelor’s degree in philosophy and her master’s in nonprofit administration magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame, as well as a certificate in hospitality and tourism management from Florida Atlantic University and a Sustainable Events Professional Certificate from Events Industry Council. She is a graduate of The Protocol School of Washington®’s protocol officer training and is licensed through PSOW as an intercultural protocol and etiquette trainer. She is also certified in GlobeSmart Profile and Inclusive Behaviors Inventory through Aperian Global.

Catherine has been an active member of Protocol & Diplomacy International - Protocol Officers Association (PDI-POA) since 2016 and has served as a Forum volunteer, Member Buddy, Communications Committee Co-Chair, and Chair of the 2022 International Protocol Education Forum, as well as a member of the Events Committee and the Select Committee on Professional Behaviors, Ethics, and Responsibilities. Catherine joined the PDI-POA Board of Directors in 2020, serving as Vice President for Communications (2020-2022), and assuming her current role as President in September 2022.

Outside work and volunteering, Catherine enjoys solving crossword puzzles, visiting Disney theme parks, crocheting, baking, and spending time with her husband Bill and son Liam and their golden retriever Saoirse.

Rashelle Straker

UERU Coordinator (Virtual Events, Communications, and Technical Support)

 

Rashelle Straker is an alum of the University of Massachusetts Boston, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in photography, art administration, cultural appropriation, and representation of the Caribbean Diaspora, as well as the use of art as a tool for self-preservation. With over 18 years of experience as an event and higher education professional, Rashelle has sharpened her expertise in event management, marketing, communications, and academic programming. 

 

As the Director of Academic Programs and Events for the John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies, Rashelle collaborated closely with deans, associate deans, department chairs, faculty, staff, students, and university leaders. She played a critical role in supporting the college’s events, conferences, convocations, graduation ceremonies, fundraising galas, political debates, academic affairs, and programming initiatives. In this capacity, she led the planning, promotion, execution, and evaluation of all events for the Dean’s Office while providing strategic guidance to the college’s three departments and 14 centers. 

 

For the past three years, Rashelle has served as a consultant and virtual event specialist, partnering with clients in the healthcare, education, and entertainment industries to deliver engaging virtual classrooms, as well as hybrid and in-person conferences, across the United States. She also supported multiple Massachusetts state agencies by providing virtual administrative coordination, enabling C-suite leaders to enhance operational productivity through her organizational expertise. 

 

As the UERU Coordinator, Rashelle will oversee virtual events, communications, and technical support for the Undergraduate Education at Research Universities. Rashelle brings a dedication to education and professional development that reflects her passion for creating transformative opportunities that empower individuals and organizations alike. 

Zoe Coats

Zoe Coats

Senior Student Coordinator

.

Zoe Coats is Senior Student Coordinator for the Association for Undergraduate Education at Research Universities. In this role, she works to support the UERU team in aspects of data management, member relations, and event coordination. She has been working with UERU since the beginning of 2023.

Zoe received her A.A. from Aims Community College in 2022 and graduated as a member of the National Society for Leadership and Success. She is currently working toward her Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Business with concentrations in Integrated Visual Studies and Management and Innovation at Colorado State University. Zoe is also a member of the CSU Honors Program and the Community for Excellence as a scholarship awardee.

Outside of work, Zoe enjoys painting, reading fantasy novels, and trying out new coffee shops.

Emily Rodgers

Student Coordinator

  

Emily is currently attending Colorado State University, where she is perusing a bachelor's in clinical/counseling psychology. At CSU, she works with the Honors Department in mentoring incoming first year students by designing inclusive and comprehensive curriculum so that each student feels confident and prepared in their college experience. She is extremely passionate about psychology, specifically the psychology of learning, and hopes to one day become a college professor herself. 

 

In her free time,  Emily enjoys creative passions such as sketching, painting, and reading. She also enjoys hiking with friends and exploring Fort Collins' amazing sights and communities. 

Adrian Garcia Banuelos

Student Coordinator

  

Adrian is the Accounting Assistant for Undergraduate Education at Research Universities. In this role, he supports monitoring payments, organizing financial data, and preparing and presenting accounting reports that help the organization make key financial decisions. 

Adrian is currently attending Colorado State University where he is pursuing a bachelor's degree in business concentrating on accounting. At CSU Adrian helps foster diversity through his participation in the Multicultural Greek Council and the professional organization Beta Alpha Psi. 

When not crunching numbers, Adrian embraces his creative side by listening and creating music. Like a true Colorado native, Adrian also enjoys spending time outside exploring nature. You'll most likely find him at the peak of a mountain somewhere.