The Illinois State Athletics Department has added another key member to its leadership staff with the addition of Nathaniel Smith as Associate Athletics Director for Revenue Generation in November of 2023.

In this role, Smith oversees all aspects of revenue generation for Redbird Athletics including supervision of the ticket office and the Weisbecker Athletic Fund. Smith came to Illinois State after serving in the role of Assistant Athletic Director for Revenue Generation at Northern Iowa.

During Smith's tenure at UNI he oversaw UNI's annual fund, the Panther Scholarship Club (PSC), as well as ticketing and hospitality with a focus on helping increase revenue. In that time, he helped raise over $11 million for the Panther Scholarship Club, including being a part of four record breaking fundraising years. Smith also assisted in coordinating UNI's annual Rally in the Valley and Women at Play fundraising events.

Prior to joining the UNI Athletics team in 2018, Smith served as Director of Athletics at Lincoln Christian University (LCU) in Lincoln, Illinois. During his two years at Lincoln Christian, he created and implemented the first ever athletics annual giving program in school history and fundraised for major gifts which led to the enhancement of student-athlete areas including weight room, athletic training, and practice facilities for LCU's sports teams. 

Smith also served as the operations and events coordinator at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he led presentation and logistics for all home athletic events. He also helped coordinate the advancement of corporate sponsorship initiatives and donor engagement.

As an undergraduate at Loras College in Dubuque, Smith was a four-year starter and three-year captain on the Duhawks men's basketball team. He also served as a student assistant intern at Fresno State University before earning his bachelor's degree in sports management and business in 2015. Smith would later earn a Masters degree in athletic administration in 2016 from Wisconsin-Whitewater.

He currently resides in Normal with his wife Audra and two Australian Shepherds, Miyla and River.