OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR RESEARCH

OVPR Team

The Office of the Vice President for Research works with both internal and external partners to catalyze, support and safeguard research at the University of Michigan.

Leadership and Staff

OVPR Leadership

Rebecca Cunningham, Vice President for Research and Innovation
Email: vpresearch@umich.edu

Jessica Durkin, Chief of Staff
Email: jesskan@umich.edu

William Greer, Assistant Vice President for Research, Animal Program Compliance Oversight
Email: wggreer@umich.edu

Michael Hague, Executive Director, Business Operations
Email: mjhague@umich.edu

Trachette Jackson, Assistant Vice President for Research, DEI Initiatives
Email: tjacks@umich.edu

Jacqueline Jeruss, Associate Vice President for Research, Integrity and Compliance
Email: jjeruss@umich.edu

Evan Keller, Director of Research Cores
Email: etkeller@umich.edu

William King, Associate Vice President for Research – Animal Care and Use Program
Email: wwking@umich.edu

Julie Lumeng, Associate Vice President for Research, Clinical and Human Subjects Research
Email: jlumeng@umich.edu

Arthur Lupia, Associate Vice President for Research, Large Scale Strategies
Email: lupia@umich.edu

Brad Orr, Associate Vice President for Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering
Email: orr@umich.edu

Jason Owen-Smith, Executive Director, Research Analysis and Data Integration Office
Email: jdos@umich.edu

Alex Piazza, Assistant Vice President for Research, Strategic Communications
Email: apiazza@umich.edu

David Pinsky, Director, Michigan Israel Partnership for Research and Education
Email: dpinsky@umich.edu

Lisa Prosser, Associate Vice President for Research, Health Sciences
Email: lisapros@umich.edu

Kelly Sexton, Associate Vice President for Research, Innovation Partnerships and Economic Impact
Email: kbsexton@umich.edu

Geoffrey Thün, Associate Vice President for Research, Social Sciences, Humanities, and the Arts
Email: gthun@umich.edu

Nick Wigginton, Associate Vice President for Research – Strategic Initiatives
Email: nwigg@umich.edu

Shandra White, Assistant Vice President for Research – Sponsored Projects
Email: shandraw@umich.edu

 

OVPR Central Administration

Katie Crawford, Project Senior Manager
Email: ktcrawf@umich.edu 

Kimberly Gaedeke, Managing Director, Opioid Research Institute
Email: kgaedeke@umich.edu

Carra Hood, Administrative Assistant Senior and Events Coordinator
Email: vandervc@umich.edu 

Karen Houghtaling, Senior Executive Assistant to the Vice President for Research and Chief of Staff and Assistant Director of OVPR Administration
Email: houghtak@umich.edu

Linda Lillemoen, Senior Executive Assistant
Email: llillemo@umich.edu

Lindsey Mitchell, Project Senior Manager
Email: lseyfert@umich.edu

Wendi Mohl, Senior Executive Assistant
Email: wendig@umich.edu 

Rachael Richmond, Senior Executive Assistant and Office Manager
Email: rachrich@umich.edu

Nicole Sitek, Project Senior Manager
Email: nsitek@umich.edu

Angela Snow, Senior Executive Assistant
Email: amunder@umich.edu

Sophia Taylor, Administrative Assistant Senior
Email: sophtay@umich.edu 

OVPR Central Business Operations

Jena Ault, Associate Director of Finance
Email: aultj@umich.edu 

Kathy Devereux, Senior Research Process Coordinator
Email: ilyman@umich.edu

Marjory Falconer, Associate Director, Information Technology Administration
Email: mefalcon@umich.edu

Sarah Hallum, Financial Specialist
Email: shallum@umich.edu

Michael Hague, Executive Director, Business Operations
Email: mjhague@umich.edu

Ellen Han, Research Administrator Sr
Email: erinck@umich.edu

Melissa Karby, Associate Director, Research Administration
Email: mkarby@umich.edu 

Cindy Middleton, Human Resource Generalist
Email: csmiddle@umich.edu 

Cindi Plummer, OVPR Business Administrator Associate
Email: cplummer@umich.edu

Angela Skellie, Research Administrator Senior
Email: askellie@umich.edu

Patricia Smith, Associate Director of Human Resources
Email: pssmith@umich.edu

OVPR Communications

Alex Piazza, Assistant Vice President for Research, Strategic Communications
Email: apiazza@umich.edu

Eric Shaw, Director of Digital Marketing and Communications
Email: shaweric@umich.edu

Kelsey Keeves, Senior Communications Specialist
Email: krobinet@umich.edu

Kate Barnes, Communications Specialist
Email: katebarn@umich.edu

Vanessa Vinson, Communications Specialist
Email: vcvinson@umich.edu

OVPR Diversity Equity and Inclusion

Trachette Jackson, Assistant Vice President for Research, DEI Initiatives
Email: tjacks@umich.edu

Sabrina Ervin, OVPR DEI Program Manager
Email: sme@umich.edu

OVPR Foundation Partnerships

Laura Williams, Director of Strategic Foundation Partnerships
Email: laurajw@umich.edu 

OVPR Honorifics

Henry Dyson, Director of Faculty Honorifics
Email: hdyson@umich.edu 

OVPR Public Engagement and Research Impacts

Elyse Aurbach, Director, Public Engagement and Research Impacts
Email: eaurbach@umich.edu 

Ellen Parakkat, Public Engagement Specialist
Email: ekuhn@umich.edu 

OVPR Research Development

Stephen Alvey, Graphics Specialist
Email: salvey@umich.edu
 

Neil Carver, Bold Challenges Research Development Officer
Email: carvern@umich.edu 

Tricia Ebright, OVPR Grants and Awards Manager
Email: triciamc@umich.edu

Kelsey Ebbs, Assitant Director of Bold Challenges
Email: klucinda@umich.edu 

Mariah Gavin, Research Cores Office Project Manager
Email:mgav@umich.edu 

Jill Jividen, Senior Director of Research Development
Email: jjgoff@umich.edu

Sean O’Connor, Bold Challenges Project Manager
Email: spoconno@umich.edu

Adrianna Trusiak, Bold Challenges Research Development Officer
Email: atrusiak@umich.edu

Kelly Walters, Bold Challenges Research Development Officer
Email: kelwalt@umich.edu

Office of Federal Relations

Neil Canfield, Interim Executive Director of Federal Relations and Federal Research
Email: neilcan@umich.edu

Amanda Beaumont, Director of Federal Relations 
Email: abeaumon@umich.edu 

David Bluhm, Federal Relations Manager
Email: dcbluhm@umich.edu