About the Director

Katie Davison has served as the director of State Relations at NIU since 2021. In her role, she advocates for the appropriation of the university’s annual $90-plus million operating budget and key legislation to support the advancement of the university’s vision, mission and values. With input from NIU President, Dr. Lisa Freeman, and her senior roundtable, Katie develops the university’s annual legislative agenda and responds to state issues of major importance to the university.

Prior to her role at NIU, Katie served as the founding executive director of Innovate Springfield, a nonprofit social innovation and business incubator serving entrepreneurs and social change makers in the Springfield region. In this role, she led the organization through the transition to the University of Illinois - Springfield to become the anchor hub in the capital region for the Illinois Innovation Network.

Katie spent the first part of her career at Northern Illinois University at the Center for Governmental Studies from 2002-2016 where she developed a strong insight into the impact universities have on communities, the region and state through her work as a key member of the university’s outreach and engagement team for economic and workforce development projects.

She lives in Springfield, Illinois, with her husband and three children.