Dan Christopherson serves as Director of Public Affairs. A Pilot alumnus from the Class of 1988, Dan returned to his alma mater in 2021 to direct media relations and media coverage of the University — as well as strategic communications and public affairs initiatives that support UP’s Catholic, Holy Cross higher education mission. He is the primary contact for media inquiries and campus-related information and serves as liaison to community and government agencies.
Dan returned to The Bluff after a long career in television news and sports reporting, including nearly 20 years in the Portland, Oregon media market. Prior to joining UP, Dan led content development for C-suite executive gatherings of the world’s top technology leaders. Dan and his wife are the proud parents of Emilia, a 2021 UP graduate, and Gabriel.
Contact: christod@up.edu / 503.943.5925
Rev. John J. Donato, C.S.C., serves as the University of Portland's inaugural Special Assistant to the President for Mission. In this role, he partners with President Robert D. Kelly to promote UP's Catholic, Holy Cross mission and ensure its integration across all dimensions of the institution.
From 2015 to 2025, Father Donato served as Vice President for Student Affairs at the University of Portland. He continues to reside in Schoenfeldt Hall as Pastoral Resident. He earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and theology from the University of Notre Dame in 1986, where he also earned a master of divinity degree in 1990 and a master of science in administration in 1997. He completed his doctorate in educational leadership in 2005 at Seattle University.
Contact: donato@up.edu / 503.943.8616
Evan T. Leadem serves as Associate Vice President & Chief of Staff. In this role, he advances the strategic priorities of the President’s Office, provides counsel and support to the President, and manages a wide array of special projects. He also directs operational and governance matters relating to the University’s Board of Regents.
Prior to joining UP in 2018, Evan practiced civil litigation defense with the law firm Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough and worked in the president’s office at Wake Forest University. He earned his undergraduate and law degrees from Wake Forest.
Evan serves on the Board of Trustees for De La Salle North Catholic High School and is a Reader at Holy Cross Parish in North Portland. He was selected for the 2023-24 Cohort of Leadership Portland, a civic education program for emerging leaders sponsored by the Portland Metro Chamber.
Contact: leadem@up.edu / 503.943.8088
Kristin S. Nielsen serves as Executive Assistant to the President. Kristin first joined UP in January 2015 and served in roles with Student Affairs, the Office of the President, and Marketing & Communications. Most recently, she served as Senior Support Specialist in the City Manager's Office of Vancouver, Washington. She has also worked in health information management for several local medical centers. Kristin and her husband are the proud parents of two UP alumni.
Contact: nielsenk@up.edu / 503.943.7101
University of Portland
5000 N. Willamette Blvd.,
Portland, Oregon 97203-5798
503.943.8000
