General Counsel Staff

  • photo of Mary Jane Michalak

    Mary Jane Michalak

    Senior Vice President, Legal and Public Affairs

    Contact Info

    mmichalak@ivytech.edu

    Mary Jane Michalak serves as the Senior Vice President of Legal and Public Affairs for Ivy Tech Community College. This includes responsibilities for government relations, media relations, internal communications, and the College’s legal case management.

    Prior to joining Ivy Tech, she worked for an education, workforce, and economic development consulting firm where she oversaw business development, strategic planning, and external affairs. Michalak has a decade of experience in Indiana state government. As the associate commissioner for the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, she oversaw the distribution of over $300 million in state financial aid to more than 85,000 students. She aligned state practices and policies with federal regulations and focused financial aid policies to emphasize completion, productivity, and quality for students to maximize the State’s return on investment. Michalak served on the federal relations committee of the National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs (NASSGAP), and in 2014, was selected by the NASSGAP Executive Committee to speak to the White House Domestic Policy Council about financial aid reform efforts in Indiana. During her state government tenure, she worked in the K-12 education and property tax sectors as well. She also covered education, policy, and gaming news as a state policy reporter for a niche publication.

    In 2013, Michalak received the Governor’s Distinguished Service Medal from then-Governor Mitch Daniels. She is a graduate of the Richard G. Lugar Excellence in Public Service Series.

    Michalak earned a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism with honors from Indiana University- Indianapolis, a Master of Public Affairs with honors from the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs, and Doctor of Jurisprudence from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law. She lives in Indianapolis with her husband and two children.

    photo of Mary Jane Michalak

    Senior Vice President, Legal and Public Affairs

  • photo of Claire McRoberts

    Claire McRoberts

    College Counsel

    Contact Info

    cmcroberts8@ivytech.edu

    Claire joined Ivy Tech as College Counsel in July of 2023. Prior to joining the Legal Affairs team, Claire spent nearly seven years as in-house counsel at a large public university and worked for two years as a compliance consultant. While Claire has experience in a wide variety of higher education issues, she is especially interested in employment law, student affairs, First Amendment, and Title IX. Claire earned a J.D. from IU’s Robert H. McKinney School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Indiana University. In her free time, Claire enjoys spending time with her husband and their three dogs, reading, gardening, and eating French fries. She is also a board member of IndyPAAW, an animal rescue organization.

    photo of Claire McRoberts

    College Counsel