Kaylee Hillinger

Kaylee Hillinger is the Associate Director of Industry Relations within the Online Programs and Extension team at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. Her primary focus lies in bridging the gap between the evolving needs of the animal health and veterinary industries and the comprehensive curriculum offered through online courses, continuing education, graduate certificates, Master's degree programs, and research initiatives. She has been in this role since June of 2023. Before the University of Illinois, Kaylee spent eight years at Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health. There, she held roles in sales and marketing within the swine division, in both commercial vaccines and swine technology applications.

Hailing from Maple Park, Illinois, Kaylee's journey into the world of animal science began on her family's hobby farm. Her passion for the swine industry grew during her college years, where she immersed herself in various production systems and university research projects while pursuing her undergraduate degree.

Kaylee resides in Mahomet with her husband Derek and their two children, Ada and Myles. Their shared love for travel has taken them across the globe, allowing them to embrace diverse cultures and experiences as a family.

Kaylee earned her associate’s degree from Kishwaukee College and her bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois in Animal Science.  She continued her education by earning her master's degree for the University of Illinois in Animal Agriculture Production.

How do you believe the landscape of the industry has changed over the last five years? 

“We’ve seen a tiny glimpse of the technology that will continue to drive forward progress of pig health and performance in the next five years. These technologies have been reimagined, rapidly improved, been tested, and have been implemented by early adopters. This landscape is setting the stage for the pork industry for the years to come.”