Among the many titles Shyree Sanan has held throughout her life and career, the latest is fellow.
Shyree Sanan
Sanan, NIU’s associate vice president of finance and treasury, was chosen as one of only 17 business officers at universities throughout the nation to take part in the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) 2023-24 Fellows Program.
The immersive leadership development program trains higher education professionals who seek a chief business officer position for their next role.
Over the next year, Sanan and her cohort of NACUBO Fellows will work with higher education presidents, provosts, CBOs and other experts as they expand their management, communications and leadership skills and strengthen the core competencies needed to succeed as senior leaders.
Sanan’s many accomplishments over her 20-year career in higher education, a glowing nomination and recommendation from George Middlemist, Ph.D., NIU’s vice president for Administration and Finance and Chief Financial Officer, and her demonstrated excellence and high potential for advancement into a senior leadership position helped her earn the fellowship.
Respected by her peers, Sanan is an invaluable and trusted resource to Middlemist and the university’s leadership team.
“Shyree represents the best that NIU has to offer and I look forward to partnering with her to elevate NIU’s Division of Administration and Finance to new heights,” Middlemist said in his recommendation letter. “I fully support Shyree’s participation in the NACUBO Fellows Program and I am committed to providing the resources and mentorship necessary to ensure her success.”
Sanan has helped the university navigate its fiscal challenges. She recently led an effort to restructure the university’s debt portfolio, resulting in more than $100 million in savings.
“In addition, Shyree has maintained a positive attitude and demonstrated outstanding leadership, which has kept her team focused on achieving key university goals,” Middlemist said.
A long-time NACUBO member, Sanan began her professional career at NIU in 2001 as an entry level accountant and rose through the ranks, serving in various financial administrative capacities. She distinguished herself as an influential leader and problem-solver on campus.
A first-generation college student, Sanan is a true Huskie. She earned her Master of Business Administration and a bachelor’s degree in Accountancy from NIU, and is a certified public accountant.
With a goal to one day become a chief business officer, she sought the fellow opportunity to help enable educational excellence and experiential learning to empower students, advance social mobility, promote personal, professional and intellectual growth.
“I am confident this Fellows Program will deliver the topnotch experience and opportunities necessary for me to reach the next level in my professional career as a chief business officer,” she said. “My ambition is to pursue my passion to educate and inspire so that I can make a difference in the lives of students, especially for those students with backgrounds similar to mine, first-generation, underrepresented college students who are motivated to learn.”
The NACUBO Fellows Program launched in 2016, and many graduates now hold senior leadership roles.
“At NACUBO, we’ve doubled down on our efforts to strengthen the strategic leadership capabilities of business officers and their teams, and the NACUBO Fellows Program is a shining example of success in that area,” said Randy Roberson, NACUBO’s vice president of leadership development. “We are so proud to welcome this cohort of future chief business officers and look forward to helping them finetune their leadership skills.”
