( Courtesy of the Eli Lilly & Company Foundation)
Una Osili, Ph.D., a key nonprofit sector economic influencer and associate dean at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University, is moving on to the Eli Lilly & Company Foundation.
Osili will take the role of executive director of philanthropy, strategy and operations. She will maintain a faculty role at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Osili had been with the Lilly School in its various forms and Indiana University for 26 years. She most recently was associate dean for research and international programs, having launched many of the school’s well-known research projects. She also was deeply involved with the annual “Giving USA” benchmark reports.
“Una’s leadership as associate dean for research and international programs has been exemplary, setting a standard for the field,” Amir Pasic, Ph.D., the Eugene R. Tempel Dean at Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, said via a statement. Her 26 years of service to IU Indianapolis have been extraordinary, and her leadership will be missed. When the new academic year begins, we will find an occasion to convene to celebrate the special legacy of excellence Una has created and provide an opportunity for all of us to thank her in person.”
Osili most recently was chair of the research committee of the Women’s Philanthropy Institute, and is a member of the research committee of the Lake Institute for Faith and Giving. She led the dchool’s extensive research program for its partners, including Bank of America, United Way Worldwide, United Student Aid Funds, the Alban Institute, and National Collegiate Athletic Association.
She also directed the school’s signature research project, the Center on Philanthropy Panel Study (COPPS). COPPS is largest and most comprehensive study of the philanthropy of American families over time and is conducted in partnership with the University of Michigan’s Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID).
Osili is a consultant with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, has worked for the World Bank and also serves on the research committee of the Association for Research in Nonprofit and Voluntary Organizations (ARNOVA) and the board of the African Finance and Economics Association (AFEA). She has served as a past or current board member for several nonprofit organizations, including the American Red Cross of Greater Indianapolis, the Immigrant Welcome Center, and is a member of the Board of Trustees of St. Richard’s School.
