Minneapolis, Minnesota,United States, April 2026 — University of Minnesota Foundation has welcomed Jill Trego as its new Chief Human Resources Officer. Her appointment brings an experienced people and culture leader to the foundation as it continues its mission of connecting passion with possibility and supporting excellence across the University of Minnesota.
Before joining University of Minnesota Foundation, Jill Trego served as Vice President of Talent & Culture at Texas A&M Foundation, where she provided strategic leadership in talent, culture, and organizational growth. Prior to that, she built a long and accomplished career at Kansas State University Foundation, where she most recently held the role of Vice President of Culture & Engagement.
In that position, she led HR and volunteer engagement teams to drive organizational performance and strengthen connections with the Board of Directors and Trustees. Her work contributed to a significant reduction in time-to-fill, stronger engagement and retention, and notable fundraising momentum. Earlier at Kansas State University Foundation, she served as Associate Vice President of Talent, Culture & Human Resources and Senior Director of Human Resources, reflecting a steady progression across increasingly senior people leadership roles.
Earlier in her career, Jill Trego served as HR Director, US Operations at Cangene bioPharma and as Senior HR Business Partner at Under Armour, gaining valuable experience across healthcare, consumer-facing, and operationally dynamic environments. She also held earlier roles as Employment Coordinator at Gear for Sports and Recruiter at Aerotek, helping build the strong HR foundation that has shaped her leadership journey.
Her professional path reflects broad expertise across talent strategy, culture, engagement, organizational growth, and human resources leadership. With experience spanning higher education foundations, biopharma, retail, and recruiting, Jill Trego brings a well-rounded people leadership profile to her new role at University of Minnesota Foundation.
About University of Minnesota Foundation
University of Minnesota Foundation is a key partner in building and sustaining excellence among students and faculty and fueling discovery across the University of Minnesota campuses. It raises and manages gifts from individuals and organizations and works closely with University leaders and development officers to ensure fundraising aligns with institutional priorities and donor intentions. Its mission is to connect passion with possibility, inspire generosity, and support greatness at the University of Minnesota.
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