2024 Operations Division

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2024 Operations Division

 

The 2024 Operations Division consists of the Vice President, Carolyn Boone, who works alongside her 4 directors. Check out the Presidential Board blog to learn more about Carolyn. Meet your 2024 Operations Directors below!

Your 2024 Operations Division!

Director of Event Programming: CJ Hutchison

First up, the Director of Event Programming, CJ Hutchison. CJ is a sophomore, and this is his second year participating in Jagathon. During the beginning of 2023, he was a chair for In-Event Scheduling. As Director of Event Programming, CJ’s role consists of planning our main event and being the main contact with The SPOT and the Campus Center Event Services through the year.

  • Hometown: Farmersburg, IN
  • Major: Nursing with a Minor in Healthcare Administration
  • Fun Fact: CJ is a twin!
  • Favorite Jagathon Memory: His favorite Jagathon memory was our 2023 main event!
  • Why does CJ dance?: He dances to not only help the kiddos, but because he gets to see the direct efforts of the money within Riley as he works in the Riley ER.

Director of Hospitality: Mawlida Sulaiman

Next up, the Director of Hospitality, Mawlida Sulaiman. Mawlida is a sophomore, and this will be her second year participating in Jagathon! She was previously on the Morale Committee. Her role consists of planning Dine to Donates and working on getting incentives and meals for our main event!

  • Hometown: Brownsburg, Indiana
  • Major: Neuroscience
  • Fun Fact: Mawlida is double jointed!
  • Favorite Jagathon Memory: Dancing like crazy during silent disco for the Riley kiddos during Jagathon 2023.
  • Why does Mawlida dance?: She dances so all kids can get a chance at life. She dances because she wants parents to know that they are not alone in the fight. She dances because she wants kids to wake up and play with their siblings because she never got the chance to do that with her brother.

Director of Morale: Jenna Nicodemus

Up next, Director of Morale, Jenna Nicodemus. Jenna is a graduate student, and this will be her fourth year participating in Jagathon. Her previous roles included being a Participant, a Morale Committee Member, and a Dance Chair for the Morale Committee. Jenna’s role as Director of Morale is to create the main dance mix, choreograph it, teach it to Morale members and then perform it in flash mobs and at our main event. She is also a crucial part in keeping morale and spirits up throughout the year and at our main event.

  • Hometown: McCordsville, Indiana
  • Major: Public Health
  • Fun Fact: Jenna’s birthday and all-important dates in her life have 0’s and 2’s in them!
  • Favorite Jagathon Memory: Her favorite jagathon memory was at the 2023 main event when she got to listen to Riley stories and teach everyone the Morale Dance on stage.
  • Why does Jenna dance?: She dances so that kids have a chance to live a full, happy life. She wants to see them be able to just be kids again and enjoy life in the future as healthy adults.

Director of Traditions: Ashley Combs

Our last director is the Director of Traditions, Ashley Combs. Ashley is a junior and this is her second year participating in Jagathon! Previously, she was a Morale Committee Member, but now has taken on the role of Director of Traditions. She oversees the planning and execution of all Main Event Ceremonies: Candlelight Ceremony, Run to Riley, Dancing with the Stars, and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

  • Hometown: Champaign, Illinois
  • Major: Biology with a minor in Global Health
  • Fun Fact: Ashley loves road trips!
  • Favorite Jagathon Memory: Her favorite Jagathon memory was hitting Comma Club during Marathon to Miracles last year!
  • Why does Ashley dance?: During her freshman year, one of her friends convinced her to participate in Jagathon 2022. At the time, she didn’t really know what Jagathon was all about, but she decided to give it a go anyway. Ashley signed up to be a JagPal so that she could meet a few families and make connections with them. Little did she know that would be the beginning of an incredible Jagathon journey. She got paired with Ashlynn and her two sisters and had the opportunity to show them around and make them feel welcome at our event. They told her all about Ashlynn’s story and how the amazing doctors at Riley saved her life many years before. She still talks to her family occasionally, and they keep up with each other on social media. Being a JagPal changed her life and made her realize just how many families have been positively impacted by the care and treatment given at Riley. The connections Ashley has made over the past two years with our Riley family and her peers who are also passionate about Jagathon make this organization feel like home. She dances so that she gets the opportunity to play a small part in helping Riley kiddos get the care they need and the miracles they deserve.