Associate Director, Project Management - The Pennsylvania State University – Strategic Interdisciplinary Research Office (SIRO), Office of the Senior VP for Research (OSVPR)
(2022-06)
- Direct the central Project Management Office (PMO) of 8+ project managers supporting a $250M+ portfolio of large, complex, interdisciplinary university-wide research projects.
- Co-lead SIRO, a team of 35+ staff providing strategic proposal development, pre-award coordination, project execution, and post-award management services.
- Oversee institutional strategic planning and operational design including SOPs, training, sustainability frameworks, workload analysis, and performance metrics.
- Serve as Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) and liaison to Associate Deans, Directors of Research, IT partners, and central offices to align digital tools, systems, and administrative priorities.
- Lead cross-functional collaboration across grants, communications, training, professional development, and bias response strategies to promote inclusive excellence.
- Mentor and supervise staff, set goals and performance expectations, and facilitate growth-oriented coaching.
- Align budget oversight with programmatic goals and identify efficiencies and cost-saving opportunities across initiatives.
- Represent the Office on university-wide task forces, advancing cross-campus strategy and stakeholder engagement.
Subject Matter Expert / Consultant – NSF GRANTED STAIRS Initiative/Grant - The Pennsylvania State University
(2025 - 2028)
- Appointed as one of the senior research administrators supporting Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) through mentorship, training, and capacity building.
- Provide guidance on pre- and post-award strategy, research compliance, and sponsor engagement (NSF, NIH, USDA, DoE).
- Foster partnerships between institutions with shared land-grant missions and UARC experience to advance equitable research infrastructure.
Senior Project/Program Manager - The Pennsylvania State University – SIRO/OSVPR
(2020-01 - 2024)
- Managed $40M+ federal/international portfolio with 20+ subawards across agencies such as DoD, USDA, and foundations.
- Directed full project lifecycle: proposal development, award management, budget oversight, subrecipient monitoring, and closeout compliance.
- Guided interpretation of FAR/DFARS and Uniform Guidance regulations, ensuring institutional alignment.
Interim Post-Award Manager - The Pennsylvania State University – SIRO/OSVPR
(2020-01 - 2021-04)
- Oversaw award management operations for IEE, MRI, and Huck institutes; led cost-share and center administration.
- Supervised subawards and reporting workflows; tracked expenditures and ensured policy compliance.
- Mentored staff and implemented operational streamlining.
Grants and Contracts Manager/ Project Manager - The Pennsylvania State University – SIRO/ Applied Biological Research Lab (ABRL)
(2017-01 - 2020-06)
- Led end-to-end grant and contract administration for federal, nonprofit, OTA, and international sponsors.
- Built ABRL's contract and project management office, drafted SOPs, trained staff, and implemented process improvements.
- Served as AOR; oversaw budgets, forecasts, compliance reviews, and sponsor communications.
Grants and Contracts Negotiator/Administrator- DOD - The Pennsylvania State University – ARL
(2009 - 2016-12)
- Managed complex pre/post-award portfolios including multi-party proposals and federal closeouts.
- Reviewed and negotiated awards with T&Cs aligned to FAR/DFARS, PSU policy, and Uniform Guidance.
- Provided regulatory and budget guidance to faculty/staff; engaged with General Counsel and Research Accounting.
- Facilitated student engagement programs and pursued professional development.
Assistant to Director, Contracts & Business Operations - The Pennsylvania State University – ARL
(2005 - 2009)
- Reviewed vendor agreements and operational policy; developed business procedures.
- Supervised and mentored wage staff in HR/payroll coordination.
- Led student enrichment activities and professional growth initiatives.
