CAST Academy of Achievement Recipients

Jennifer Webb

2014 BS, Agriculture

Jenny Webb has dedicated her career to the agriculture industry, and she is recognized as a thought leader with a passion for making connections across the industry. Webb graduated from Illinois State University with a degree in Agribusiness in 2014.  

Webb currently serves as Assistant Director of Industry Affairs at Illinois Farm Bureau, where she is responsible for developing and maintaining relationships within the food and agribusiness industry that are of strategic importance to the organization. With advocacy for Illinois farmers as top priority, Webb brings the various segments of the agriculture value chain together to address issues and identify opportunities for collaboration on initiatives and policies of mutual interest. 

Previously, Webb directed Illinois Farm Bureau’s statewide Young Leader, collegiate, and youth programs for nearly six years, where she planned and executed leadership development programs and learning experiences for young adults and high school students. Her commitment to cultivating the next generation of leaders in agriculture led to consistent recognition for groups and individuals at the highest levels in the Farm Bureau system. She started her career at the Sangamon County Farm Bureau and worked for University of Illinois Extension prior to her roles at Illinois Farm Bureau.

Webb serves on the Chicago Farmers Board of Directors and the executive committee of the Illinois 4-H Foundation Board of Directors. In 2022, she was named an Emerging Leader in Agriculture by the McLean County Chamber of Commerce and she is past President of the McLean County Extension Service Foundation. She resides in her hometown of Bloomington-Normal, Illinois.

Maria Stone

2006 MS, Criminal Justice Sciences

Maria Stone graduated from Illinois State University in 2006 with a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice Science. Currently, she is the Director of Crisis Management and Resilience with Kenvue (former consumer health division of Johnson & Johnson Company). In her role, Stone is responsible for managing a global risk program, including but not limited to, enterprise risk and crisis management, business continuity planning and other key resilience initiative.

Prior to Kenvue, Stone held leadership roles with McDonald’s Corporation and Abbott Laboratories, where she developed world-class crisis management programs and helped companies to manage response to various geo-political and crisis events, ensuring safety and security of company employees and operations worldwide.

Additional professional experience includes companies such as United Airlines and Archer Daniels Midland, where Stone built and advanced companies’ risk intelligence and risk management programs capabilities. 

Stone was born and raised in Vladimir, Russia. Before moving to the United States, she graduated from Vladimir Law University with the University’s highest award, the Gold Medal and was granted a Presidential Scholarship during her last semester. Additionally, Maria holds a Master of Business Administration Degree from the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management.

Stone resides in Libertyville, Illinois with her husband and two kids. In her free time, she loves to travel with her family and try new experiences.

Darryl Wilkinson

2007 BS, Family and Consumer Sciences

Prior to attending Illinois State University, Darryl Wilkinson enjoyed a 15-year career working for a marketing communications company in the Chicago area. While living in his hometown of Dwight, he also served for 20 years as a volunteer firefighter being promoted to the role of Deputy Chief and Chief. At the age of 40, he made the major decision to redirect his career path and pursue a degree in Interior Design. Initially taking classes at Heartland Community College, Wilkinson then transferred to Illinois State University. In 2007, he graduated with honors from Family Consumer Sciences in the Interior Design sequence.

Following graduation, Wilkinson began a new career as an interior designer for Widmer Interiors based in Peoria. He later joined Widmer’s Healthcare Design Team after earning his Herman Miller Healthcare PEAK certification. While on the healthcare team, he designed hospital laboratories, pharmacies, surgical suites and other clinical spaces throughout Central and Northern Illinois. In 2018, he joined Widmer’s Leadership Team and was promoted to Director of Design.

While living in the Bloomington-Normal area, Wilkinson was able to continue his ties to ISU by volunteering his time working with Interior Design students in various capacities. In 2015, he was recognized as an FCS Honored Alum.

Recently retired, Wilkinson currently resides in Rancho Mirage, California. He continues his passion for historic architecture and interior design by volunteering at Palm Springs Modernism Week, Preservation Mirage and McCallum Theater for the Performing Arts.

Courtney Gordon

2014 BS, Health Sciences

Courtney Gordon graduated summa cum laude from ISU with her bachelor’s degree in Health Information Management (HIM) in May 2014. While attending ISU she was very involved in multiple organizations on campus and held leadership positions in each. She has always had a passion for leading teams and helping others, which led her to her current career and position.

During her last semester before graduation, Gordon began her career at HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital in Decatur, IL. Throughout her time at HSHS she was promoted to the manager of the Illinois division for the HIM departments, and then to the System Director of HIM for the health system, which consists of 15 hospitals and a 450+ provider medical group. She pursued further education and obtained her Masters of Health Informatics from the University of Illinois at Chicago in December 2020. Gordon is currently the Director of Health Information Management at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health System in Mattoon, IL. She is also the current president for the Central Illinois Health Information Management Association where she assists with providing affordable continuing education to central Illinois HIM professionals as well as networking opportunities.

Gordon continues to dedicate her time and resources to Illinois State and their Health Information Management program. She continues to share her knowledge and experience with current students by speaking at their association meeting and during classes, as well as helping host students for their professional practices. She enjoys giving back to the program who helped her find her passion and contributed to her successful career.

Rachel Lockett

2015 BS, Information Technology

Rachel Lockett is a visionary technology leader who works with businesses to transform their IT function into a strategic asset and a competitive advantage. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Illinois State University.

Lockett began her career in Bloomington-Normal as a Programmer for a local direct marketing company, and was quickly promoted to a leadership role in the technology department. In 2002, she transferred to a company in Minnesota to assume a broader technology leadership role. Over the next several years, she gained direct experience in quality assurance, human resources and accounting. She was also involved in multiple acquisitions and startups during that time. 

In 2011, Lockett joined the Pohlad Companies, a privately held holding company with a diverse range of businesses based in Minneapolis, MN. In 2014 she took on the role of Chief Information Officer for the Pohlad Companies, providing strategic technology leadership for the operating companies within the portfolio through December 2023.

Lockett is known for driving innovative solutions – from major software implementations to custom application development to infrastructure overhauls and cloud migrations – that drive real results for the companies she serves. She achieves aggressive goals by building high-performing teams and a collaborative culture. She is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) as well as a certified ITIL Practitioner.

Lockett believes that motivated and empowered people can leverage technology to solve almost any problem we face in business, and in the world. In 2023, she published her first book, “The Technology Doesn’t Matter: Prioritizing the People in IT Business Alignment” and is a thought-leader and professional speaker in the areas of cybersecurity, digital transformation, IT strategy, and DEI in the technology field.

Michael Brant

2009 BS, 2010 MS, Kinesiology and Recreation

Michael Brant obtained his Bachelor of Science, Park and Recreation Administration; Recreation Management in 2009 from Illinois State University. He continued at Illinois State to receive his Master of Science in Sports Management in 2010. Since 2016, Brant has been working for Mile Zero, Inc., a live event and sponsorship solutions agency.

Prior to founding Mile Zero, Brant worked as the Assistant Stadium Manager at Tempe Diablo Stadium in Tempe, Arizona where he oversaw all aspects of Spring Training games for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. While receiving his Master’s degree at ISU, he worked as a graduate assistant in the ticketing department at Redbird Arena and was later the Stadium Operations Director for the Normal Cornbelters, overseeing the construction of their new stadium and operations for the first-year team.

2011 brought Brant to Kansas City where he worked in corporate partnerships for the Kansas City Royals. After returning home to Rolling Meadows, he spent four years working at Red Frog Events, where he spearheaded the development of the sponsorship program for Firefly Music Festival, successfully selling over $30M in sponsorship sales. There he managed key festival relationships with brands including Toyota, Anheuser-Busch, Diageo, TOMS, and Garnier Fructis.

Brant is passionate about creating events that bring people together. When he is not working, Michael enjoys spending time with his family and golfing. Michael and his wife, whom he met at ISU, live in the northwest suburbs with their two children.

Ryan Hollister

2008 BS, Technology

A veteran of the U.S. Navy, Ryan Hollister graduated summa cum laude from Illinois State University in 2008 with a B.S. degree in Industrial Technology. Upon graduation, Hollister joined Haskell, a global Architecture, Engineering, and Construction firm working on large scale projects in the US and internationally. Over the course of his career, Hollister has embraced numerous opportunities to lead technically challenging projects from concept through completion, as well as Haskell’s initiatives in the emerging industrialized construction market which utilizes new and emerging processes and technology to design and manufacture facilities offsite for installation in locations around the world. In his current role with Haskell, Hollister serves as Vice President leading efforts in off-site manufacturing, steel fabrication, process mechanical, and material and equipment supply.

Highly active in the community and industry, Hollister serves on the Advisory Board for Illinois State University’s Construction Management program; the Board of Directors for Operation New Uniform which support veterans leaving the military; and the YMCA of Northeast Florida on their Board of Advisors and as the volunteer leader of the Y-Guides program.  He is a “40 Under 40” awardee for Northeast Florida and participated in Leadership Jacksonville, a one-year program that develops business leaders into community trustees.

Hollister received his MBA from University of Florida and holds certifications as a Project Management Professional, Certified Professional Constructor, Six-Sigma Green Belt, and LEED AP. Ryan and his wife Jenenne live in Florida with their three children.