Jessica Durkin

Chief of Staff

Email: jesskan@umich.edu 

Phone: 734-647-7768

Office of the Vice President for Research
1109 Geddes Ave., 1308 Ruthven Building
Ann Arbor MI 48109-1079

Assistant: Karen Houghtaling, Sr. Executive Assistant to the Vice President for Research and Chief of Staff; 
Assistant Director of OVPR Administration 
734-936-2680, houghtak@umich.edu

Jessica Durkin joined the University of Michigan Office of the Vice President for Research in 2018 and became chief of staff in 2019. In this role, she provides counsel to the Vice President for Research, the OVPR Leadership Team and its reporting units.

Durkin works to set priorities and long-range plans, while executing strategies in support of the organizational mission. As a member of the OVPR Leadership Team, Durkin develops strategic relationships with research partners in the schools and colleges, along with U-M executive officers and senior leadership. She represents OVPR across campus, serving as a key member on committees, task forces and councils.