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President's Office Team

Robyn Blank, Vice President and Chief of Staff

Robyn Blank is a key strategic partner for the president, leading institutional strategy, cabinet operations and cross-university coordination. She brings extensive experience in higher education leadership, compliance and law. Before joining USF in 2026, she served as associate vice president and chief compliance and ethics officer at the University of North Florida and previously held senior compliance and legal roles at Florida State University. Email Blank.

Linda De Blasio, Senior Special Assistant to the President

Linda De Blasio proactively manages and coordinates the daily functions of the president. This includes synchronizing meetings and speaking engagements and optimizing the president’s time for maximum productivity. De Blasio assists in communicating with internal and external constituents, including the Board of Trustees, Board of Governors, business leaders, donors and government officials. Email De Blasio.

Lorie Briggs, Senior Director of Executive Communications

Lorie Briggs handles presidential communications and collaborates across the university to ensure clear, consistent communication on key initiatives. Briggs has had extensive USF service, having previously held communications and marketing roles in the USF Muma College of Business, USF Innovative Education, and the USF Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing. Email Briggs.

Christy Chefalas, Manager of Fiscal & Business Administration

Christy Chefalas’ chief responsibility is the fiscal and business management for Executive Services including the Office of the President, Government Relations, General Counsel, and the Board of Trustees. She also serves as the HR manager for the Office of the President. Email Chefalas.

 

Lauren Castellanos, Special Events Coordinator

Lauren Castellanos is committed to creating memorable experiences that showcase the university’s successes and build a strong sense of community. Her role spans a wide range of duties, from organizing high-profile events and working closely with important stakeholders to managing every detail from start to finish. Her creative approach and dedication to outstanding service play a crucial role in enhancing USF’s dynamic campus atmosphere. Email Castellanos.

Mary Dooley, Executive Assistant to the Chief of Staff 

Mary Dooley provides high-level administrative support to the Chief of Staff, managing daily operations such as meeting coordination, communication with internal and external stakeholders, and the facilitation and reconciliation of travel arrangements. Additionally, she serves as the travel reconciler for the president and Board of Trustees, and coordinates student check-in for all Commencement ceremonies. Email Dooley.

Daniela Harary, Graduate Assistant for Strategic Operations

Daniela Harary provides support to the President’s Office staff by assisting in daily and strategic operations, collaborating with staff members on key strategic initiatives, and assisting in the planning, implementation and wrap-up of high priority projects. She also supports the Deputy Chief of Staff in student-related matters and functions. Email Harary.

Shari Martinez, Senior Director of Executive & Presidential Events

As the lead architect for presidential and executive events, Shari Martinez partners with units across USF to ensure that protocol, presentation, and communication standards are met for all events involving the President. She supports the Board of Trustees and Board of Governors through board logistics and governance operations, manages events at Lifsey House, and serves as the liaison to Tampa Town and Gown. Email Martinez.

Travis Miller, Deputy Chief of Staff

Travis Miller works with the president and other university leaders on oversight and execution of strategic initiatives and institutional priorities. He also serves as the President’s Office liaison to key on-campus groups, and assists the President in staying connected with and being an active participant in the university’s student community across OneUSF. Email Miller.

Jessica Samaniego, Executive Project Manager

Jessica Samaniego oversees complex projects and strategic initiatives from start to finish, leveraging her PMI-certified Project Management Professional (PMP) credential and PROSCI change management training. She meticulously tracks the progress of university and presidential priorities and is committed to enhancing project efficiency, stakeholder engagement, performance monitoring, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation. Email Samaniego.

Connor Schaefer, Building and Operations Manager

Connor Schaefer oversees operations, events, and maintenance for the Patel Center for Global Solutions, the leadership hub for the É«É«Ñо¿Ëù. He manages administrative tasks for the Office of the President, and supervises student office assistants in serving as the first point of contact for guests, the planning and execution of meetings, and other events held in the building. Email Schaefer.