Office of Advancement

 

 

 

 

Dr. Pam Homan '81
Chief Strategy Officer & Executive Vice President
605.274.5016
pamela.homan@augie.edu

Chief Strategy Officer and Executive Vice President Dr. Pam Homan oversees development and execution of strategic initiatives, advancement, alumni engagement, communications and marketing, institutional research, enterprise data analytics as well as the Augustana Research Institute. Prior to her roles at Augustana University, Homan spent more than a decade as superintendent of the Sioux Falls School District, where she was responsible for more than 25,000 students. She also served on the Augustana Board of Trustees for a number of years before joining the university leadership team. She received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Augustana and her Ed.D. from the University of South Dakota.

 

 

 

 

Bammi Abate '20
Assistant Director of Admission Data and Technology, Data Analytics & Augustana Research Institute
605.274.5508
beamlak.abate@augie.edu

As assistant director of admission data and technology, data analytics & Augustana Research Institute (ARI), Bammi Abate provides leadership in the utilization of business intelligence, data analytics and information systems to support enrollment. She manages the Client Relationship Management (CRM) system and its integration with the Student Information System (SIS) for recruitment and admission. Abate oversees CRM strategies and manages queries used for communications. She also contributes expertise in data management and analytics to ARI research projects. Abate is from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She earned her B. A. from Augustana University in computer information systems and business administration, as well as a minor in data science. 

 

 

 

 

Robin Anderson Thormodsgaard
Director of Development
605.274.5533
robin.thormodsgaard@augie.edu

Robin Anderson Thormodsgaard is responsible for managing fundraising efforts and working with donors. Anderson Thormodsgaard's most recent position was director of development at UC Santa Barbara. She was a standout basketball player at Clear Lake High School (Deuel) and University of Iowa and is a member of the South Dakota Basketball Hall of Fame and South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame.

 

 

 

 

 

Molly Broin
Gift Processing Coordinator
605-274-4117
molly.broin@augie.edu

As the gift processing coordinator, Molly Broin supports the development team by entering donations received by Augustana University and creating acknowledgments for those gifts. Broin has worked in nonprofit administration for 10 years in South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. She has a passion for learning and is grateful for the opportunity to serve the university and its generous donors.

 

 

 

 

Carolyn Cordie
Advancement Coordinator
605-274-4404
carolyn.cordie@augie.edu

Carolyn Cordie is the advancement coordinator, joining the staff in July of 2014. She provides support for the Office of Advancement, with her main focus on alumni relations and event services. She came to Augustana from Citibank in South Dakota, where she worked in various roles for 26 years. 

 

 

 

 

Nancy Davidson
Director of Advancement Operations
605.274.5502
nancy.davidson@augie.edu

Nancy Davidson attended Hamlin High School in South Dakota and is a graduate of Southwest Minnesota State University, where she studied business administration and management. She joined the Augustana admission staff in 1990 and was blessed to serve on the enrollment team until 2019. She is grateful for the opportunity to serve the university in this role and celebrates the opportunity to connect with our alumni and friends.

 

 

 

 

Joel Gackle
Director of Athletic Development
605.274.5238
joel.gackle@augie.edu

Joel is responsible for managing fundraising efforts and working with donors. With more than 10 years of team leadership experience in higher education, Gackle most recently worked at Click Rain developing and managing new business before joining Augustana. He’s a graduate of Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota, with an MBA from Vanguard University in California.

 

 

 

 

Dawn Krumvieda
Director of CRM Data Systems
605.274.4425
dawn.krumvieda@augie.edu

Dawn Krumvieda is the director of CRM Data Systems and joined Augustana in 1994. She oversees the fundraising database and student workers. Krumvieda also assists the fundraising team.

 

 

 

 

Jennifer Meiners
Director of Event Services
605.274.4904
jennifer.meiners@augie.edu

Jennifer Meiners is the director of event services, joining the Office of Advancement in 2011. She graduated from Briar Cliff College and began her career at Augustana in 1998 as the government documents assistant at the Mikkelsen Library. University events are integral to the campus community.

Paul Rasmussen '03
Director of Development, Twin Cities Area
612.290.9865
paul.rasmussen@augie.edu

Paul Rasmussen joined Augustana in October 2019 as the director of development for the Twin Cities and is excited to connect with alumni, parents and friends to advance the mission of the university. With more than15 years of fundraising and nonprofit management experience, Rasmussen has worked in development roles with Fox Advancement and Greater Twin Cities United Way in Minneapolis, Emory University in Atlanta and Sanford Health and Lutherans Outdoors in Sioux Falls. A native South Dakotan, he holds a B.A. from Augustana University and M.B.A. from Emory University's Goizueta School of Business.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Suzanne Smith
Associate Vice President for Enterprise Data Analytics and Augustana Research Institute
605.274.5010
suzanne.smith@augie.edu

Dr. Suzanne Smith provides data, analysis and reporting to inform university policy and support strategic planning and decision-making processes. With the Augustana Research Institute, Smith directs cross-sector measurement, analysis and knowledge management research for communities and organizations on behalf of the university. Smith was previously director of Research and evaluation for the National Association for Urban Debate Leagues. The Sioux Falls native earned an A.B. from Brown University, an M.A. in sociology from the University of Chicago, an M.Ed. in teaching from the University of Sioux Falls and a Ph.D. in sociology from South Dakota State University.

 

 

 

 

Sara Waldner '19
Director of Alumni Engagement
605.274.5858
sara.waldner@augie.edu

Sara is excited to be back at her alma mater, connecting and serving Augustana alumni and friends. 

Sara graduated with a communication/business and media studies double major. During her time as an undergraduate, she was a member of the Civitas Honors Program, Lambda Pi Eta Communication Honor Society, Augustana’s chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) and Augustana Sustainability. She enjoyed study-away experiences in Barcelona, Spain, and London, England.

An internship at Lawrence & Schiller — a marketing and advertising agency in Sioux Falls — launched her career with the company, where she most recently served as an account executive,  managing the relationship between clients and the agency.