CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Mohamed Attalla, currently the assistant vice president and chief facilities officer for McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, will become the executive director of facilities and services at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign effective July 23, subject to approval by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees.
Attalla has served in construction and facilities roles for 33 years, including the past seven years at McMaster and the previous 11 years in various facilities and construction administrative positions for the Toronto District School Board. He also teaches and conducts research, giving him an additional platform for relating with faculty members, researchers and students.
“Dr. Attalla arrives on our campus with comprehensive experience at a world-class research institution and a proven record of leadership of all facets of facilities and services operations,” said Chancellor Robert Jones. “He is a skilled strategic planner and a team builder who understands how to prioritize and advance both the qualities of employee morale and customer satisfaction.”
Attalla earned a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in construction engineering and management from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, subsequent to a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Ain Shams University in El-Abaseya, Egypt. While at McMaster, he completed the Executive Master of Business Administration and the Advanced Executive Management programs.
Helen Coleman has served as F&S interim executive director following Allan Stratman’s departure in 2016.