2024 Presenters
Lisa Allen
Associate Director Research Administration, College of Health Solutions | Arizona State University
Bio:
Lisa Allen is currently the Associate Director of Research Administration in the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University. Lisa has nearly 20 years’ experience and oversees Pre and Post Award areas. Lisa worked previously in the Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol fields. She was the lead on a US Department of Justice funded project which lead her into a Senior Research Support Associate position at her alma mater, Penn State, when she wanted to change careers. In addition to a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Education, she is also a Certified Research Administrator (CRA).
Howard Bergman
Director, Research Advancement, MLF Teachers College| Arizona State University
Bio:
Howard has over 25 years of experience in university administration, including time at Northeastern University, Princeton University, and Arizona State University, with 19 of those years devoted to sponsored research in both pre- and post-award activities. Howard works most often with proposals to DOEd, NSF, USAID, foundations, non-profits, and industry, and has previously presented on numerous topics, particularly budgeting. He is a Certified Research Administrator (C.R.A) and has a Lean Six Sigma (Yellow) certification.
Dr. Nena Bloom
Director, Research Support | Northern Arizona University
Bio:
Nena Bloom is the Director of Program Evaluation and Research Support in the Office of the Vice President for Research at NAU. She leads a team of other evaluators who focus on a variety of initiatives including student learning and retention in STEM fields, workforce development, and research productivity. She also developed and runs a science communication program for undergraduate students. Nena holds a doctorate in curriculum and instruction and was a science educator previously.
Hayley Bohall
Associate Director, Research Development | Arizona State University
Bio:
Hayley Bohall is a dedicated professional in the field of research development, currently serving as the Associate Director of Research Development at Arizona State University (ASU). Her many experiences across ASU have given Hayley a passion for helping advance research endeavors. The scope of Hayley’s responsibilities encompasses numerous areas, including proposal management, limited submissions, internal funding opportunities, nominations and awards, graphic design, and the orchestration of research-related events such as workshops and faculty development opportunities. Her primary objective is to provide comprehensive research development support to faculty and staff across diverse academic disciplines. In this capacity, she and her team seek to address challenges associated with research and sponsored projects, thereby facilitating the growth and success of ASU’s research enterprise.
Michael Bouck
Counselor, Employee Assistance and Wellness | Northern Arizona University
Bio:
I am an experienced therapist and mindfulness teacher providing high quality, evidenced based health and wellness services to individuals, groups and families for 20 years. My purpose is to help people achieve mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellness and balance in their lives. I enjoy working with people who are struggling to find peace, manage stress and transitions in life, and having difficulty connecting with others in relationships.
Sessions:
Shery Boyd-Grossman
Research Advancement Manager, The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | Arizona State University
Bio:
Research Advancement Manager, Social Sciences Division, The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Arizona
State University
I work to develop not only successful sponsored project proposals, but also a culture of support and
efficiency for when awards arrive to our outstanding Faculty.
– BS Accountancy
– MS Psychology
Sessions:
Thomas Champagne
Associate Vice President, Research | Northern Arizona University
Bio:
Tom has dedicated more than 38 years of service to higher education and medical research environments, including more than a decade as an Associate Vice President and/or Chief Research Administrator for universities, medical centers, and academic health science centers. Tom’s career work has concentrated on organizational design, operational improvements, strategic planning for Research, and process integrations. He has provided leadership, support, and coordination with a diverse set of research faculty, senior administrators, and client service professionals throughout his career. His teams have solved a wide array of challenges that impact medical and academic research. Prior to his work at NAU, Tom served in specific roles at The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, UT-Southwestern Medical Center @ Dallas, the Baylor College of Medicine, Emory University, and Rush University Medical Center. Tom’s consulting experiences include time with McKinsey & Co. and the Huron Consulting Group, where he consulted to many of the top-100 academic research institutions in the U.S. Tom is a frequent speaker at national conferences, symposia, and other research administration convenings.
Sessions:
Andrea Christelle
Vice Provost for Research | Dine College
Bio:
Andrea Christelle is Vice Provost for Research at Diné College on Navajo Nation. Previously she was the founding director of Philosophy in the Public Interest at Northern Arizona University, and her work has been recognized for excellence and innovation by the American Philosophical Association. Christelle is also the founder of Sedona Philosophy, which creates opportunities for philosophical reflection in locations like Sedona, the Grand Canyon, and on the Colorado River. Christelle has a PhD in philosophy from Tulane University.
Heather Clark
Assistant VP – Research Operations, Office of Research & Sponsored Projects Administration | Arizona State University
Bio:
Heather Clark leads all functional groups within Research Operations essential to allow ASU’s research & compliance activities to thrive; and include the Office of Research Integrity and Assurance (ORIA) and Office for Sponsored Research Administration (ORSPA). Her responsibilities encompass oversight and execution on all aspects of the grant cycle, contract management, and the research administration staff who facilitate faculty excellence in research across ASU’s footprint.
Laurie Clark
Grant and Contract Administrator,
Business Office | University of Arizona
Bio:
Laurie is a research administrator at the University of Arizona and recently received her CRA certification. Prior to her career in research administration, Laurie had a full career in industry working as a project manager on a variety of large projects.
Nicole Cox
Coordinator Senior, Decision Theater | Arizona State University
Bio:
Nicole Cox is a Senior Coordinator at Arizona State University’s Decision Theater. She specializes in the grant-writing process for federal, state, charitable, and industry partnerships and assists in the development, review, and management of research proposals for Decision Theater. She previously worked as a Grant and Contract Officer in ASU’s Office of Research and Sponsored Projects Administration, where she read and interpreted contracts and other award documents to determine pertinent regulations and program funding guidelines for complex grants and contracts. She holds an M.S. in Global Technology and Development from Arizona State University and is currently obtaining a Ph.D. in the Human and Social Dimensions of Science and Technology Policy.
Elena Davis
Research Advancement Manager (Post Award), College of Health Solutions | Arizona State University
Bio:
Elena has supported Research Administration in pre- and post-award roles with ASU’s School of Human Evolution and Social Change, School of Life Sciences, Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, and College of Health Solutions. Elena has worked in Research Administration since 2018 and in her current position, she supervises two individuals on the post-award team. She has also held accounting positions with ASU’s Materials Management starting in 2015. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Arizona State University in December 2017.
Stacy Esposito
Senior Director, Engineering Research, Graduate College, Professionals, Program | Arizona State University
Bio:
Stacy Esposito has worked in higher ed research administration for the past 29 years at ASU and University of Southern California where she earned her MPA. As Senior Director, she leads the 45 person ASU Fulton Schools of Engineering Research Advancement team comprised of pre-award, post award financial managers, and project managers. The FSE RA team submitted 1300 proposals and manages over 200M in annual sponsored research expenditures, start-up funding, and gifts. Esposito most recently served as the COO for the DOE clean manufacturing institute, EPIXC.
Cliff Fredericks
Research Security, Export Compliance Officer | Arizona State University
Bio:
Cliff Fredericks is the Research Security & Export Control Officer for the Institutional Compliance and Regulatory Affairs (ICRA) organization which is part of the ASU Knowledge Enterprise Research Operations. ICRA was created to establish requirements for university personnel to follow to ensure their compliance with applicable U.S. export laws, regulations, and guidelines (“USG Export Controls”) when performing research at the University, as required under University Policy and Sponsor Terms and Conditions. ICRA develops, implements, monitors, and communicates various compliance trainings regarding export controls, undue foreign influence, and research security. Cliff joined ASU in 2018 as a Grants and Contract Officer Senior after working for 15 years at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena California. He later began to support the Export Control office before accepting the position of Research Security & Export Control Officer in early 2023.
Ken Frosts
Grant + Contract Officer Principal, ORSPA Proposals & Negotiation | Arizona State University
Bio:
Ken Frost is a Grant & Contracts Officer Principal for the Negotiations Team within the Office for Research and Sponsored Projects Administration (ORSPA) at Arizona State University. His responsibilities include managing Grant and Contract Officers who are responsible for drafting, negotiating, and executing sponsored research agreements. In addition, the team manages other agreements related to research such as teaming agreements, non-disclosure agreements, material transfer agreements, and data use agreements.
Ken has over 23 years of contract administration experience, 17 of those years have been with ASU. Prior to joining ASU, he worked for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California working in the University Subcontracts group. Ken earned his BS in Animal Science from Utah State University and a certificate in Government Contract and Proposal Management Program from the University of California at Los Angeles.
Sessions:
John Gartin
Director, NAU Career Development | Northern Arizona University
Bio:
John Gartin, the Director of Career Development at Northern Arizona University, is a human performance coach with a rich background over three decades in leadership, team building, and career readiness. Gartin’s approach blends Servant, Transformational, Ethical, and Authentic Leadership with Positive Coaching. He holds a B.S. and M.A. in Geography and is pursuing a Master’s in Organizational Leadership at NAU. His leadership style is rooted in fostering respect, motivation, and achievement recognition, aiming to enhance team dynamics, individual performance, and leadership capabilities.
Sessions:
Sarah Gates
Pre-Award Manager, ORSPA Proposals & Negotiation | Arizona State University
Bio:
Pre-Award Manager, Office of Research & Sponsored Projects Administration, Proposals & Negotiations,
Arizona State University
A certified research administrator with nearly two decades of experience working with ASU faculty and
staff to prepare and submit compliant, competitive proposals. Sarah is part of Research Operations – Pre-Award Services, supporting review, authorization and submission of ASU’s sponsored project proposals.
– BA Journalism
– Master Nonprofit Studies
Sessions:
Kelley Hall
Assistant Director Research Advancement, School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy | Arizona State University
Bio:
Kelley Hall is the Assistant Director of Research Advancement in the School for Engineering of Matter, Transport, and Energy at ASU. She leads a team of 8 pre and post award research administrators in a fast paced and high-volume engineering school. She has expertise in submitting and managing projects from a wide variety of federal, industry, and nonprofit sponsors. Kelley has been in research administration since 2008.
Nancy Henderson
Assistant Director, Research Integrity & Assurance, Assistant Director, ORSPA Proposals & Negotiation | Arizona State University
Bio:
Nancy Henderson is the Assistant Director of the Office of Research Integrity & Assurance (ORIA) which is part of the ASU Knowledge Enterprise Research Operations. ORIA was established as a resource for investigators and the university to achieve and maintain ethical principles and compliance with federal, state, and university regulations governing research. The office acts as a liaison between the Vice President for Knowledge Enterprise Operations (the Institutional Official designated with oversight of compliance) and the various compliance committees required to monitor and support research activities. Through these key committees, and related programs and activities, ORIA coordinates the development of, and oversees the implementation of university policies and procedures related to research compliance and supports the responsible conduct of research for the following areas: Human Subjects, Animals, Biosafety, Responsible Conduct of Research, Conflicts of Interest, and Scientific Diving. Nancy joined ASU in 2012 after working as a Contracting Officer/Manager in both the public and private sector. Prior to leading the ORIA team, Nancy supported ASU Knowledge Enterprise Research Operations as a Grant and Contract Officer Principal (responsible for the negotiations of ASU research grants and contracts) and an Export Control Officer.
Sean Jones
Assistant Director Research Advancement, Engineering Research, Graduate Professionals Program | Arizona State University
Bio:
With 14 years’ experience in research administration at Arizona State University (ASU), Sean has extensive experience leading pre-award proposal development with sponsor’s such as the NIH, NSF, DOD/DARPA, European Union, and USAID. Sean has provided training both internally and externally on sponsors of expertise, specifically within the areas of the NIH, DARPA, and international proposals, including workshops, seminars, and one-on-one assistance.
Nicky Jurgens
Assistant Director, Research Administration | Northern Arizona University
Bio:
Nicky Jurgens is the Assistant Director of Pre-Award Research Administration. She has been in this role since October 2023 and is loving the journey it is to support research and innovation growth at NAU. Prior to working at NAU Nicky worked as a Business Development Consultant, supporting a variety of international non-profits build their programming and funding portfolio to advance global public health initiatives. Nicky received her Bachelors Degree in Geography and Masters Degree in International Development from the University of Portsmouth, UK.
Sessions:
Dr. Paul S. Keim
E. Raymond and Ruth Reed Cowden Professor, Regents Professor
Microbiology; Executive Director, Pathogen and Microbiome Institute (PMI) | Northern Arizona University
Bio:
Paul Keim’s research focuses on the advancement of forensics and genomics analysis of bacterial pathogens. Currently, Dr. Keim is teaching as a professor of Microbiology and acting as the executive director of the Pathogen and Microbiome Institute at NAU. Previous to this, Dr. Keim served as the Director of Pathogen Genomics for fourteen years. The Pathogen Genomics Program focuses on three core missions: bolstering of biodefense through improved forensic analysis; understanding interactions between man and microbe to develop new therapeutics and diagnostics that will alleviate the human ailments caused by dangerous pathogens; and developing an improved understanding of disease movement to reduce and control the incidence of disease. The Pathogen Genomics Program is a joint program between the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and the Northern Arizona University (NAU), which results in a unified approach to protecting America against dangerous pathogens, in particular Bacillus anthracis (anthrax).
Valerie Keim
Research Operations Manager, ORSPA Proposals & Negotiation | Arizona State University
Bio:
Valerie Keim is the Research Operations Manager of Knowledge Enterprise Research Operations at Arizona State University and has worked in Research Administration since 2013. In her current position, she supports the Assistant Vice President of Research Operations with departmental and institutional projects, serves as a Co-Facilitator for the Change Management Committee, and monitors operational goals and metrics. She also prepares and delivers training to Research Operations colleagues and the ASU community. She is also the Co-Principal Investigator on NSF Award # 2324589.
Previously in Research Operations, Valerie worked as a Research Advancement Administrator Senior, collaborating directly with faculty in submissions to more than 100 different sponsors, and the Pre-Award Manager managing the team that that reviews, institutionally endorses, manages proposal submissions for externally funded research projects, approximately 3600 proposals annually. Before coming to ASU, Valerie worked at the Maricopa County Superintendent’s office, where she was the one-stop-grant-shop for the department. Her grant efforts resulted in more than $4 million of programming for K–12 students, educators, and leaders throughout Maricopa County.
As a lifelong learner, Valerie is continuing her education as a master’s student in the Program Evaluation and Data Analysis program at Watts College. She is also proud to be an inaugural member of the ASU Alumni Association Leadership Institute.
Sarah Kern
Sponsored Proj Agent, Tech, ORSPA Fiscal Oversight; Sponsored Proj Agent, Tech, Office of Research & Sponsored Projects Administration | Arizona State University
Bio:
Sarah Kern is a Certified Research Administrator with a B.S. in Accounting. She has worked in central post-award administration within ASU’s Knowledge Enterprise since 2008. Sarah is passionate about research administration, data and training and has enjoyed a wide variety of projects and roles, including implementing Workday Financials, preparing and submitting ASU’s latest F&A rate proposal, and serving as the assistant director for Fiscal Oversight. She enjoys cooking, playing with her two young kids, and playing a weekly D&D session with her husband and friends.
Sessions:
Dr. Andrew Koppisch
Associate Vice President, Research
Associate Professor, Chemistry & Biochemistry | Northern Arizona University
Bio:
Andy Koppisch is the Associate Vice President for Research in the Office of the Vice President for Research at Northern Arizona University. He oversees efforts to build research capacity at NAU, including internal grant competitions and management of limited submission opportunities.
Erin Kruse
Director, Center/Institute
Center for Service and Volunteerism | Northern Arizona University
Bio:
Erin Kruse is the Director for NAU’s Center for Service and Volunteerism and has the privilege of supporting National Service programs which engage more than 700 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers throughout Arizona who address our state’s pressing challenges. She has been a volunteer and program manager since 2005 and recently served as president of the NAU Staff Advisory Council and of the National Senior Corps Association. Erin earned a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Arizona and a Master of Education from NAU.
Dr. Carlo Maley
Professor, School of Life Sciences and the Center for Evolution and Medicine; Interim Associate Director Research and Training, School of Life Sciences Research Advancement; Associate Professor, Biodesign Center for Biocomputing, Security and Society | Arizona State University
Bio:
Carlo Maley is a cancer biologist, evolutionary biologist and computational biologist, working at the intersection of those fields. He directs the Arizona Cancer Evolution Center at Arizona State University. His team uses tools from evolution and ecology to help solve four problems in cancer: (1) They use evolutionary and ecological measures of neoplasms to distinguish high from low risk tumors. (2) They develop new approaches for delaying or deflecting the evolutionary trajectories of pre-malignant neoplasms to prevent cancer. (3) They develop new methods to prevent or control the evolution of therapeutic resistance in cancers. (4) They seek to discover (and translate to human cancer prevention) the mechanisms that have evolved to suppress cancer in large, long-lived animals like elephants and whales – a problem known as Peto’s Paradox.
Amber Martin
Grant + Contract Officer Sr, ORSPA Proposals & Negotiation | Arizona State University
Bio:
Amber Martin is a Grant & Contract Officer Senior in Knowledge Enterprise’s Office of Research and Sponsored Projects Administration. She works in the pre-award Proposal Functional Group, interpreting institutional, local, state, and federal guidelines; providing customer service to internal and external parties; and assisting with administrative review and submission of proposals for external funding. Before moving to Phoenix, Amber lived in Las Vegas and worked in education and sports entertainment. She received her Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Communication from the University of Texas
at Austin.
Megan McDevitt
Financial Manager, School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment | Arizona State University
Bio:
Megan McDevitt is a Financial Manager in the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment within the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University. She has been working in research advancement at Arizona State University for 9 years. She comes with a background in finance and is currently pursuing degrees in project management and organizational leadership. Megan’s area of expertise resides in post-award account management within research advancement.
Riley McIsaac
Director, Grants Development | University of Arizona
Bio:
Riley McIsaac currently serves as the Director of Grants Development in the Office of Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Initiatives at The University of Arizona (UArizona). In this role, Riley leads and implements grant and research development activities throughout the institution that support HSI capacity building efforts. Her work resides at the intersection of research development and diversity, equity and inclusion focused efforts. Riley has worked in higher education for over 12 years, serving in various capacities including grants administration, project and program management, and research lab management. Riley is passionate about finding innovative ways to remove systematic barriers that block equitable access to education and creating culturally responsive pathways to success for underserved students.
Shana McLelland
Taking Your Research Administration Career to the Next Level | Director, Training & Program Improvement
Bio:
Shana McClelland is the Director of Training & Program Improvement for Research, Innovation & Impact (RII) at the University of Arizona and a Certified Research Administrator (CRA). She earned a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Arizona and has 18 years of experience in research administration. Her roles have ranged from providing departmental proposal support, directly assisting faculty with all aspects of their proposals, to overseeing a central sponsored projects team responsible for institutional proposal review, approval, and submission. In recent years, Shana’s focus has shifted to developing and facilitating training and development and she now leads a team dedicated to university-wide research administration and compliance training. An avid lifelong learner, Shana advocates for individuals to fully understand the diverse career paths available, empowering them to take ownership of their journey in research administration.
Sarah Montgomery
Research Advancement Manager, School of Molecular Sciences | Arizona State University
Bio:
Sarah has been in post-award research administration for 12 years and is now the Research Advancement Manager for ASU’s School of Molecular Sciences. She has represented the ASU RA community on the KE Change Management Committee (previously the Change Management Board) since 2017. Sarah completed her Master’s degree in Developmental Psychology from NAU in 2014 and earned CRA certification in 2015. Sarah lives in Bloomington, Indiana with her wife, 7-year-old daughter, and two kitties.
Sessions:
Samantha Munguia
Financial Assistant Director, University Innovation Alliance | Arizona State University
Bio:
Samantha Munguia is the Director of Finance for the University Innovation Alliance at Arizona State University. A Certified Research Administrator (CRA), Samantha has over 18 years of grants, financial and operations management experience in the public sector including 14 years of research administration and financial management at institutions of higher education in Arizona. In her current role, she manages all business operations for the University Innovation Alliance including cradle-to-grave grants administration. Prior to her position with UIA, Samantha spent 6 years with ASU’s Research Operations in various roles including leading the expenditure monitoring process for ORSPA’s Fiscal Oversight Team.
Samaneh Moeini
Pre-Award Research Administrator, Lead | Northern Arizona University
Bio:
Transitioning from a Master of Engineering background to the realm of research administration in 2017, I embarked on a journey as a Grant and Contract Coordinator at the Office of Sponsored Projects at NSU. Over the past seven years, I’ve remained dedicated to the Pre-award team, steadily advancing to roles of increasing responsibility. Today, I proudly serve as both a team lead and a lead technical trainer, leveraging my expertise to drive excellence in research administration.
Ivan Ochsner
Assistant Director, Research Administration | Northern Arizona University
Bio:
Ivan came into research administration 2013 as a Post-award Fund Manager at Northern Arizona University, piloting that new role within the university and assisting with the expansion of the Fund Manager model across campus. Subsequently he served as a Post-award Research Administrator, then Sponsored Projects Officer before being appointed Assistant Director of Research Administration in the Office of Sponsored Projects in 2020. In his current role, Ivan manages a staff of eight Post-award Fund Managers and Research Administrators and collaborates extensively with colleagues within the OSP and campus wide. In his free time, Ivan enjoys exploring the natural and cultural wonders of northern Arizona and the Colorado Plateau.
Joelina Peck
Associate Director of Research Operations, School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering | Arizona State University
Bio:
Joelina serves as the Associate Director for Research Operations within the School of Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering. She leads a team of eleven pre- and post-award staff. Her primary role is to serve as a consultant to management on policies, plans, and objectives. She represents the organization in providing solutions to difficult and technical issues associated with sponsored projects. Joelina received her Certification in Research Administration (CRA) in 2009 from the Research Administrators Certification Council (RACC) and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Arizona State University in December 2022.
Scott Pryor
Associate Vice President for Research Compliance | Northern Arizona University
Bio:
Scott Pryor serves as Northern Arizona University’s Associate Vice President for Research Compliance. He oversees all aspects of NAU’s research regulatory compliance infrastructure, including human and animal subjects, conflicts of interest, export control, research security, and research integrity. Scott works collaboratively with faculty, students, staff, and university leadership to ensure all NAU research activities comply with local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and university policies. Prior to NAU, Scott worked at the University of Arizona as the Research Integrity Officer and director of training programs for the office of Research, Innovation and Impact.
Scott earned an MA in American Studies from the University of Texas at Austin and a BA in Religious Studies and Sociology from Guilford College.
Rachel Rice
Director of Pre-Award and Proposal Support Services | University of Arizona
Bio:
Rachel Rice is the Director of Pre Award and Proposal Support Services in Sponsored Projects Services at the University of Arizona and earned her master’s degree in business administration from Arizona State University. Rachel’s teams are an essential piece of the research enterprise at the UA by serving as Authorized Organizational Representatives on the Pre Award side and by assisting Principal Investigators to realize the necessity of relieving the administrative burden of the business side of research on the development side. Rachel is an optimistic realist who believes it isn’t about the no, but the journey to yes.
Dr. Claudia Rodas
HSI Advisor to the University Provost
Associate Teaching Professor, COE: Educational Specialties | Northern Arizona University
Bio:
Dr. Claudia Rodas (She/Her/Ella) serves as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Initiatives Advisor at Northern Arizona University (NAU) contributing to the university’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity. Beyond her role at NAU, Dr. Rodas has a rich background in education. Her teaching experience spans across elementary and middle school levels, where she engaged with students in general education, special education, gifted programs, advanced placements, second language learners, and culturally, linguistically, and diverse student populations. Dr. Rodas is not only an advocate for Latinx(e) students but also champions the cause of non-traditional students and those facing disabilities. Her commitment extends to creating an inclusive environment for individuals who may not feel represented in traditional classroom settings.
Alexus Robertson
Assistant Director Operations, Center for Gender, Equity, Science & Tech | Arizona State University
Bio:
Alexus Robertson has worked in multiple roles at the Center for Gender Equity in Science and Technology (CGEST), starting as the Assistant to the Director. She became the fiscal oversight of a 5 million dollar annual (non-sponsored and sponsored projects) operating budget for CGEST that included both pre-award and post-award administrative tasks. She is a graduate of the NCURA LeadMe Leadership Program and is currently serving as one of the Mentors to the new cohort of participants. To ensure a proper work-life balance, Alexus has taken up hobbies in sailing, horseback riding, reading, knitting, and raising two active boys.
Mark Ruppert
Director, Internal Audit – ADM | Northern Arizona University
Bio:
Since October 2017, Mark has led Northern Arizona University (NAU) as the Chief Audit Executive and Enterprise Risk Management Facilitator, bringing over 30 years of extensive experience in internal auditing, primarily in academic medical centers. He distinguished himself in chief audit roles at the Cedars-Sinai Health System in Los Angeles and the Johns Hopkins Health System in Baltimore. A respected voice in the field, Mark has been a national speaker since 2000 and has contributed insights on audit, compliance, and risk topics in publications like College & University Auditor, Compliance Today, and New Perspectives. He has also shared his expertise as a lecturer on Information Systems Auditing and Internal Audit at the University of California, Los Angeles, and Riverside.
Brent Saron
COI/RCR Manager, Research Integrity & Assurance | Arizona State University
Bio:
Brent Saron leads conflict of interest (COI) and responsible conduct of research (RCR) efforts at Arizona State University (ASU) to ensure compliance with institutional, state, federal, and other sponsor requirements. Prior to working in this capacity, Brent spent a decade in research advancement (pre-award) and led research advancement teams at ASU and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Brent’s educational background includes a B.S. in Community & Regional Planning and a Master of Public Administration from Iowa State University.
Jennifer Smolnik
Senior Manager | Maximus
Bio:
Jenny Smolnik is a Senior Manager for the Maximus Higher Education Practice with 16 years of experience in managing F&A Cost Rate Development proposals, sponsored projects administration and capital assets compliance. Jenny served as a Senior Costing Analyst at Arizona State University, overseeing the development of two Long Form F&A proposals, including management of the University space survey, special cost studies and data model management, DS-2 preparation, proposal submission and federal negotiation. She also managed compliance for University Recharge and Service Centers for seven years. In her role with Maximus, Jenny consults with universities across the country, providing training and services for F&A rate proposal development, service center compliance, and implementation of policies and procedures in line with federal costing guidance. She is a certified Project Management Professional with experience in process improvement for sponsored projects administration.
Sessions:
Chris Stevens
Manager, Contracts | Northern Arizona University
Bio:
Christopher is the Contracts Manager of the NAU Office of Sponsored Projects Contracts Team. He and his staff are responsible for the negotiation and execution of research agreements with sponsors ranging from federal, state, non-profit, and various industry partners. He also provides advice and training in the areas of sponsored research contracting, policy and compliance, and transactional matters. As well, as part of OSP, he and his staff are responsible for the new issuance and ongoing management of subawards to NAU’s partners. Prior to joining NAU, he served in ASU Knowledge Enterprise Research Operations as a Grant and Contract Officer on the team responsible for the negotiations of research grants and contracts. Christopher has over 10 years of experience in contracts administration and a B.S. in Political Science from Westminster College.
Sessions:
Dr. Nicolette Teufel-Shone
Center for Health Equity Research Assistant Director; Health Sciences Professor | Northern Arizona University
Bio:
Dr. Teufel-Shone has more than 30 years of experience working with Native American communities in the Southwest, building and promoting community capacity to address health promotion especially related to chronic disease. She has served as the Co-Principal Investigator of a long-term federally funded partnership with Dine’ College to develop and sustain an educational pathway from High School to College and Graduate School to Independent Investigator for young Navajo scholars to engage in public health practice and research. She was awarded the Fulbright Canada-Norlien Foundation Distinguished Research Chair for 2015-2016 and worked with the Yellowknives Dene in the Northwest Territory, Canada. Dr. Teufel-Shone has published in the areas of qualitative research, community-based participatory research, community-based intervention efficacy, and cultural adaptation of educational curricula, specifically related to Indigenous Health. She has skills and experience in mentoring partnership development, infrastructure change, and professional and community dissemination strategies.
Jeremiah Thompson
Business Operations Specialist, Center for Gender, Equity, Science & Technology | Arizona State University
Bio:
Jeremiah Thompson has been part of the Research Administration for two years. He is currently a Mentee of the NCURA LeadMe Leadership Program. Outside of work, Jeremiah loves to travel, dance, and explore new foods.
Dr. David Trilling
Chair, Department of Astronomy & Planetary Science
Professor, Astronomy & Planetary Science | Northern Arizona University
Bio:
David Trilling is Professor and Chair of the Department of Astronomy and Planetary Science at NAU, where he started in 2008. His research is funded primarily by NASA and NSF. Over the past 15+ years he has watched NAU’s OSP grow to accommodate and support NAU’s increasing research mission, and in this talk he will describe, from a faculty perspective, some of the successful partnerships and approaches to managing this growth.
Andrea Underwood
Post-Award Research Advancement Administrator | Arizona State University
Bio:
Andrea Underwood is a Post-Award Research Advancement Administrator for The School of Social Transformation at Arizona State University. She has been working in research advancement at Arizona State University for almost 2 years. She has 20+ years of business operations experience at ASU and has recently transitioned to the research admin side at ASU. Her goal is to educate and help ease the transition of new RA’s as they embark on their journey in supporting research
Dr. Jason Wilder
Vice President for Research at NAU; Professor, Human Genetics and Genomics | Northern Arizona University
Bio:
Dr. Jason Wilder joined NAU in 2008 as a faculty member in Biological Sciences and Director of the Biomedical Science degree program. During his time at NAU, Dr. Wilder has served in a variety of leadership roles, including as Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences, Dean of the College of the Environment, Forestry and Natural Sciences, and, since July 2021 as NAU’s Vice President for Research. He currently serves as Principal Investigator on two major awards to NAU, the National Cancer Institute-funded “Partnership for Native American Cancer Prevention” and the NAU portion of the National Science Foundation-funded “NSF I-Corps Hub (Track 1): Desert and Pacific Region”. Dr. Wilder’s research background is in the field of evolution and genetics, with a focus on the genetic basis of disease susceptibility in recent years. His work has been published in journals that include Nature Genetics, Genes Infection & Evolution, Molecular Biology and Evolution, Genetics, etc. Dr. Wilder earned his bachelor’s degree from Williams College and his master’s and doctorate degrees from Princeton University, specializing in evolutionary genetics.
Sessions:
Fernando Zacarias
Research Advancement Manager, CHS Research Success Hub
Research Advancement Manager, College of Health Solutions | Arizona State University
Bio:
Fernando has supported Research Administration in pre- and post award roles within the central office at the University of Arizona and with ASU’s Social Sciences and College of Health Solutions, with more than 9 years of collective research admin experience. He has also held accounting positions at other state agencies and non-profit organizations.