Board of Directors

Chair

Terri Bigham, CRA®, CFRA

Terri joined the Board of Directors in 2016. She is the Associate Director at the University of Central Florida Research Foundation. She has over two decades of research administration experience and has been a Certified Research Administrator since 2008 and a Certified Financial Research Administrator since 2018. Terri believes the biggest value of certification comes from personal satisfaction, validation of knowledge and skills to peers, sign of commitment to the research administration profession, and investment in one’s career. 


 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/terribigham

Vice-Chair

Stormy Staley, CRA®

Stormy joined the Board of Directors in 2019. She is a Research Administration Manager in the Translational Science and Therapeutics Division at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. She has over a decade of research administration experience and has been a Certified Research Administrator since 2018. Stormy believes knowledge management through certification is key to maximizing individual potential, succeeding in the research administration profession, and most importantly serving the research enterprise.

Secretary

Jacqueline E. Rearick, CRA®

Jackie joined the Board of Directors in 2021. She is a Pre-Award Administrator at the Yale University School of Medicine. She has over a decade of research administration experience and has been a Certified Research Administrator since 2019. Jackie believes certification demonstrates a proficiency in this profession.

 LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/jackierearick

Treasurer

Georgetta Dennis, CRA®, CPRA®, CFRA

Georgetta joined the Board of Directors in 2019. She is a Senior Associate at Attain Partners. She has nearly two decades of research administration experience and has been a Certified Research Administrator since 2016, a Certified Preaward Research Administrator since 2016, and a Certified Financial Research Administrator since 2018. Georgetta believes certification reflects to faculty how committed and knowledgeable one is while assisting them with their sponsored funding.

 LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/georgetta-dennis-ms-cra-cpra-cfra-bab766177


Suzanne Alstadt, CRA®, CPRA®

Suzanne joined the Board of Directors in 2018. She is the Senior Director of Research, Sponsored Programs, and Research Information Systems at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. She has almost three decades of research administration experience and has been a Certified Research Administrator since 2005 and Certified Preaward Research Administrator since 2023. Suzanne believes in certification for personal achievement.

 LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/suzanne-alstadt-dpa-cra-46191478


Brent Bell, CRA®

Brent joined the Board of Directors in 2022. He is the Director of Pre-Award Research Administration at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He has over two decades of research administration experience and has been a Certified Research Administrator since 2015. Brent believes obtaining certification is an excellent way to focus on one’s experience and knowledge while demonstrating commitment to the field.

 LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/brent-bell-mra-cra-5165354a


Shelly Berry Hebb, CPRA® 

Shelly joined the Board of Directors in 2018. She is the Associate Director of Proposal Services at Texas A&M University. She has over three decades of research administration experience and has been a Certified Preaward Research Administrator since 2017. Shelly believes certification creates awareness among faculty and staff, demonstrates professionalism in this field, and is beneficial when it comes to explaining debatable topics in research administration.

 LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/shellyberryhebbcpra


Melissa Emanus, CRA® 

Melissa joined the Board of Directors in 2023.  She is the Export Control & Research Compliance Officer at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University.  She has nearly two decades of experience in research administration and has been a Certified Research Administrator since 2014.  Melissa believes that certification reflects commitments to the field of research administration and one's own professional growth.

 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-emanus-ms-cra


Cathy Le, CRA®

Cathy joined the Board of Directors in 2022. She is the Senior Research Administrator at the University of Southern California’s Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center at Keck School of Medicine. She has over a decade of research administration experience and has been a Certified Research Administrator since 2017. Cathy believes in certification for professional growth and job advancement, and its value towards giving credence and credibility to one’s resume.

 LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/cathy-le-cra


Cira Mathis, CRA®

Cira (Pronounced “Cheera”) joined the Board of Directors in 2018. She is a Manager of Internal Programs at Khalifa University. She has over a decade of research administration experience and has been a Certified Research Administrator since 2011. Cira believes certification builds credibility as a young research administrator and highlights knowledge areas needed to strengthen, which motivated her to expand skillsets and accept new job opportunities.

 LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/ciramathis


Sami Naber, CRA® 

Sami joined the Board of Directors in 2023. He is the Program Manager, Clinical Trial Billing at Cedars-Sinai Medial Center. He has over a decade of experience in research administration and has been a Certified Research Administrator since 2015. He became certified to validate and further his knowledge in research administration and show the capability to provide a high level of service to research faculty and staff. 

 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sami-naber/


Connie Motoki, CRA®

Connie joined the Board of Directors in 2023. She is a Grants Manager in the Office of Sponsored Research Services at Washington University in St. Louis. She has nearly two decades of research administration experience and has been a Certified Research Administrator since 2017. Connie believes certification is significant validation of personal knowledge in this profession. 

 Website: www.star.wustl.edu/people/motoki-connie/


Rick Roberts, CRA®, CPRA®, CFRA

Rick joined the Board of Directors in 2022. He is the Director of Finance and Administration at the Morehouse School of Medicine. He has almost three decades of research administration experience and has been a Certified Research Administrator since 2009, a Certified Financial Research Administrator since 2022, and a Certified Pre-Award Research Administrator since 2023. Rick believes certification is necessary to continue working in this profession, especially as this profession grows more complex and technical.

 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/rick-roberts-phd-thm-cra-cpra-cfra-9aa61b41/

 Stephen L. Williams, CRA®

Stephen joined the Board of Directors in 2022.  He is an Assistant Director in the Office of Sponsored Programs at Wake Forest University.  He has nearly three decades of research administration experience and has been a Certified Research Administrator since 2007.  Stephen believes obtaining certification demonstrates expertise and experience in research administration.

 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/stephenlwilliams


Suzanne Wiltgen, CRA®

Suzanne joined the Board of Directors in 2021. She is a Team Lead at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. She has just under a decade of research administration experience and has been a Certified Research Administrator since 2021. Suzanne believes certification was a way to learn more about the scope of research administration and to pursue additional opportunities in the field.

 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/suzanne-wiltgen-cra-1a8aa218


Robert Zurita, CRA® 

Robert joined the Board of Directors in 2023.  He is a Senior Applications Business Analyst at Florida International University.  He has nearly two decades of research administration and has been a Certified Research Administrator since 2007.  Robert believes certification further demonstrates your passion and knowledge in this field.

Chair Emerita

Patricia Buennemeyer, CRA®, CPRA®, CFRA

  


About the Board of Directors

The Research Administrators Certification Council (RACC) is a private, independent, nonprofit organization that develops and administers a voluntary program for the certification of individuals who meet the requirements established by RACC. It is composed of volunteers committed to the continuing improvement of the research administration profession and to assisting in the education and training of individuals who wish to become proficient in the research administration field. Through the Body of Knowledge and the certification process, RACC provides those entering the field with a training guide and a goal by which they can measure themselves as professionals.

RACC’s Board of Directors serves as the governing body for the organization. The Board is responsible for overseeing and administering the organization as well as validating its Certified Research Administrator (CRA®), Certified Pre-Award Research Administrator (CPRA®), and Certified Financial Research Administrator (CFRA) examinations. The Board plans, executes, and manages the organization’s policies, goals, initiatives, and approving the annual budget. In most cases, a Director’s term begins in October of the year they are selected and continues for three years. Directors may serve no more than two consecutive three-year terms.

If you are interested in serving on the RACC Board of Directors, please check back for when the nominations window opens in late Spring of each year.

Office Contact
Please contact us via email for general inquiries at [email protected]. 

Office Address
Research Administrators Certification Council 
12110 N. Pecos Street, Suite# 220 
Westminster, CO 80234