Experience

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

• United States
• Research Services
• 200 - 300 Employee

• Program Director

  • Aug 2020 - Present

  I serve as Program Director in the Division of Kidney, Urologic, and Hematologic Diseases with a strong passion for promoting scientific career development and training. As a neuroscientist by training, I also have broad interests in the neural control of renal, urologic, and hematologic functions - all rapidly growing areas of important scientific research. To these ends, I oversee a portfolio of grants that includes: Institutional Training Programs (R25, T32, and U2C-TL1 programs); basic/translational neurobiology of kidney, urologic, and hematologic function/dysfunction (R01, R21); and conference support (R13). Show less

• Presidential Management Fellow

  • Aug 2018 - Jul 2020

  Division of Kidney, Urologic and Hematologic Diseases (KUH):• Ongoing Portfolio Management of Institutional Training Grants (T32s) and Conference Grants (R13s): review progress reports and provide guidance to grantees on NIDDK policy and procedures; generate funding recommendations for Division leadership• Redesigned a long-standing Institutional Training Grants Program based on community feedback, program evaluation and National Advisory Council Input; see PAR-20-220• KUH-representative and Project Scientist for the Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions (SPARC) NIH Common Fund program; Ongoing Development of Neuroscience of K-, U-, and H-Program Area and Grant Portfolio• Led project at the Department of Justice to develop continuous improvement tools for and increase the efficiency of the Budget Formulation Process; Developed a set of recommendations for DOJ leadership; findings formally presented to DOJ leadership and the Office of Personnel Management• NIDDK Diversity Supplements Committee: participate in programmatic review of Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health Related Research submitted to NIDDK; develop funding recommendations• NIH Management Seminar Series Coordinator - develop, coordinate, and execute a widely attended career development seminar for NIH employees Show less



Office of Science and Data Policy, US Department of Health and Human Services

• Washington, District Of Columbia

• Presidential Management Fellow // Policy Analyst

  • Sep 2019 - Feb 2020

  • Detail Assignment at the Office of Science and Data Policy, housed under the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation at the US Department of Health and Human Services. • Developed and wrote the Evaluation Policy for the Department of Health and Human Services, as mandated by the Evidence-Based Policymaking across the federal government [Public Law No: 115-435 (01/14/2019)]. • Served as a member of the Evidence and Evaluation Council, an HHS-wide working group responsible, in part, for implementation of the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018; convened and lead the Evaluation Policy subcommittee • Worked towards Promoting Open Access to Federally Funded Health Research Publications; independently developed a research proposal towards this effort for the Department of Health and Human Services (Fiscal Year 2020) Show less



Drexel University College of Medicine

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Graduate Research Fellow

  • Aug 2012 - Dec 2017

  • Completed dissertation work, entitled "Neural Progenitor Transplantation to Promote Recovery of Breathing after Cervical Spinal Cord Injury" • Managed multiple side projects and contributed to ongoing research of other lab members and outside collaborators, resulting in 4 co-authored publications and $500,000+ in grant funding • Presented research via 6 invited talks and 14 poster presentations at several international and national conferences and universities, resulting in 3 presentation awards • Lecturer & small group leader for high-school level neuroscience classes • Assisted in the process of establishing a new laboratory after transferring universities with my lab (PI: Michael Lane, PhD). Participated in all aspects of the process, including establishing new protocols, adhering to new biosafety regulations, ordering supplies, and modifying/developing new experimental procedures. •Completed first year of graduate studies at the University of Florida, where I received a Grinter Fellowship Recruitment Award & served as the First Year Representative (elected position) on the Graduate Student Association Show less



The Ohio State University

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Spinal Cord Injury Research Training Program Participant

  • Jul 2012 - Jul 2012

  • Three week course held annually at the Ohio State University, intended to provide in depth, comprehensive training in the methods used in spinal cord injury research. • Funded by the National Institutes of Health (now Craig H. Neilsen Foundation), and taught by leading experts in the field • Hands on and lecture based learning of the history, basic principles, cutting edge experimental procedures and various animal models used in current SCI research. http://sci.osu.edu/ "Our Mission: Working to improve the lives of people with spinal cord injury by training a community of scientists to use the best possible research methods." Show less



University of Florida

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Undergraduate Research Assistant

  • Aug 2010 - May 2012

  Mentors: Drs. Paul Reier and Michael Lane • Awarded 'suma cum laude' at graduation for my honors thesis work on interneuronal plasticity following cervical spinal cord injury • Presented thesis work at 2 international conferences and several local meetings • Recipient of Howard Hughes Medical Institute Science for Life Undergraduate Research Scholarship (2011) • Collaborated with other undergraduate and graduate students as well as post-doctoral candidates in the lab, and helped mentor 3 incoming junior undergraduates Show less