Provost's Council

A   B   C  D   E   F   G   H   I   J   K   L   M   N   O   P    Q   R   S   T   U   V   W   X   Y   Z

Director of Special Projects, Institutional Research

Kristen Balonek ’s responsibilities include collecting, verifying, and submitting data for federal and state reporting requirements, and providing support related to the Student Information System and the centralized Student Data Warehouse.   She also takes a lead role in the design and delivery of a variety of studies requested by the Provost.   Before joining the Provost’s Office in 2008, she worked as an Information Analyst in the Research Subjects Review Board for five years.

Kristen recently graduated from the Warner School of Education with a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration.   She enjoys traveling with her husband, taking walks with her three dogs, and learning Italian.

Phone: (585) 275-8063

Assistant Provost for Faculty Development and Diversity; and President's Special Projects Researcher

Maggie Cassie joined the Provost’s Office in 2006, working with Vice Provost Lynne Davidson to implement the faculty diversity initiative.   She also works on special projects and research for the president and maintains the University’s diversity website.

Maggie has a masters degree in Sustainable International Development.   She was a Peace Corps volunteer in China from 2000-2002 and speaks Mandarin Chinese.   She loves to travel and enjoys the outdoors and hiking.   Maggie spends most of her summers on her boat on Canandaigua Lake.

Phone: (585) 275-0792

Associate Provost and Director, Office for Human Subject Protection

Gary Chadwick joined the Provost's Office in 2002.    The Office for Human Subject Protection is the University’s locus for the ethical review of all research that involves humans as subjects.   These projects vary from research on records (e.g., educational or medical) to clinical trials of new drugs and medical devices.   Gary serves on several national and international boards and committees.   Dr. Chadwick also holds a joint appointment as Professor of Clinical Community and Preventive Medicine and as Professor of Medical Humanities in the School of Medicine and Dentistry.

Before joining the faculty at the University in 1996, Dr. Chadwick was a commissioned officer in the U.S. Public Health Service for over 26 years.   He served in many PHS agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health.   Dr. Chadwick earned his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the Ohio State University, his Doctor of Pharmacy in clinical psychopharmacology from the University of Tennessee-Memphis, and his Masters in Public Health (ethics and health care administration) from the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, Maryland.

Gary is an avid wildlife photographer and has taken several nature trips to photograph animals in their natural habitats.   His favorite subjects are polar bears and Atlantic puffins.   He also enjoys photographing the many wild animals and birds in the Rochester and Western New York area.

Phone: (585) 273-4631

Administrative Assistant

Mary Ann Davis joined the Provost’s Office staff in 1996. She performs administrative duties associated with faculty development and social events to welcome and orient new faculty to Rochester. She assists with programs that support faculty making the transition to department chair or assistant dean, and helps coordinate the multidisciplinary seminars now known as the Phelps Colloquia. She supervises student employees, administers commencement awards and prizes, including honorary degrees, maintains the website for the University Intercessor, and supports the Senior Associate Provost on the Rochester Surround Care Community project, Higher Education Recruitment Consortium , and the University Council on Sustainability.

Before joining the University, Mary Ann worked as the Executive Assistant for the Regional Vice President of American Express for seven years, for the Branch Manager of Xerox Corporation, and for the Deputy Director of Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital for seven years. She attended the University of Toledo, earning a dual associate's degree with high honors, with concentrations in business and paralegal studies. In her spare time, Mary Ann enjoys reading, music, volunteering, and loves spending time with her family and her black lab, Ani.

Phone: (585) 273-4765

Assistant Provost for Institutional Research

Vini Falciano joined the Provost’s Office in 2006 and serves as the Assistant Provost for Institutional Research.   As factoid repository and data conduit, he is liaison to the Association of American Universities, peer universities, and the Consortium on Financing Higher Education.

Studying molecular biology as a College of Arts and Sciences undergraduate brought him to the River Campus in 1981, and he has worked here ever since.   As a researcher in Dermatology, he sequenced and published the University’s first full coding of a gene sequence.   After again hopping Elmwood Avenue to conduct research in Biology, he then entered academic administration in the School of Medicine and Dentistry and developed the University’s first secure, online application for graduate admission.

Considered to have a green thumb, Vini is an animal lover, usually art-starved, and completely epicurious.   He is interested in anything automotive and will take anything apart to see how it works.

Phone: (585) 275-2806

Associate Vice Provost, University Information Technology - Academic & Research

University IT - Academic & Research provides leadership and services that support the teaching and research missions of the university.   Program areas include the Center for Research Computing, the Educational Technology Center, Classroom Technology, Web Services, Executive and Desktop Support, and the University IT Center which supports faculty, staff, and students.   Prior to coming to the University of Rochester in 2005, Eric Fredericksen served as Director of Academic Technology & Media Services at Cornell University, where he helped guide the use of contemporary technologies to support research, outreach, and teaching and learning in and out of the classroom.   Before Cornell, Eric was the Assistant Provost for Advanced Learning Technology in the Office of the Provost in SUNY System Administration where he directed the nationally recognized SUNY Learning Network, winner of the Educause Award for Systemic Progress in Teaching and Learning.   Eric was also a Principal Investigator for three multi-year, multi-million dollar grants on Asynchronous Learning Networks from the Sloan Foundation. His national leadership in online education was also recently recognized by the Sloan Foundation.

Eric received his BA in Mathematics from Hobart College, his MBA from the Simon Graduate School of Business, his MS in Curriculum Development & Instructional Technology at the University at Albany, and his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from the Warner School of Education.   He also teaches in the Department of Educational Leadership.

Eric’s greatest joy is spending time with his wife, Mercedes, and his two sons – Jack and Dane.   Eric is a youth coach for the CYP basketball program in Pittsford and enjoys playing basketball with colleagues in the Palestra.

Phone: (585) 273-1714

Senior Information Analyst

Shari Gnolek joined the Provost’s Office as a Senior Information Analyst in 2011 to support the work conducted in the Provost’s central Institutional Research Office.   Shari’s responsibilities include using SAS software to create, manipulate, merge, restructure, and analyze complex data sets.   She compiles data and performs statistical analyses on a wide variety of federal, consortia, and internal data sources.   She also develops new analyses, conducts research projects, and participates in data system development efforts in order to help to streamline workflows.

Shari has a Master’s degree in Applied and Mathematical Statistics from Rochester Institute of Technology and became a Six Sigma certified Black Belt who uses “statistical thinking” to continuously improve the quality of information and processes.   Shari loves being outdoors year-round, and especially enjoys hiking, biking, kayaking, skiing, and camping.   She will try just about any new outdoor activity (except skydiving!).   In her spare time, she serves on the Board of Directors for the Friends of Webster Trails and performs Therapy Dog visits with her family’s black Lab named Lila.   Her “creative” ideas often lead to extra work for her husband and two teenagers, but they are usually willing to go along with them because she makes the best chocolate chip cookies!

Phone: (585) 276-5647

Editorial Director, University of Rochester Press

Suzanne Guiod joined the University of Rochester Press as Editorial Director in 2004, having served as publisher, Arcadia Publishing, and managing editor of the Encyclopedia of New England (Yale University Press, 2005).   The position of Editorial Director transferred to the University and the auspices of the Provost’s Office in July of 2007.   In this position, Suzanne leads and oversees the publishing program of the University of Rochester Press, working with the Press’s faculty editorial board and series editors to identify superior book projects in the disciplines of musicology and music theory, modern European and East/Central European history, African history and cultural studies, and the history of medicine.   In addition to working with editors and authors, she supervises peer review procedures; coordinates with production and marketing colleagues to ensure the success of Press publications; monitors developments in traditional and emerging publishing technologies and copyright law; and represents the University of Rochester Press at academic conferences and to the Association of American University Presses, of which it is a member.   She promotes the strategic growth of the Press and its alignment with the strengths of the University, particularly in the humanities and social sciences.

Suzanne holds an MA in English from the University of New Hampshire and is a graduate of the Scholarly Publishing Program at Arizona State University.   A native of Boston, Suzanne in her spare time is an avid cyclist and runner, and lover of the visual, performing, literary, and culinary arts, with an appetite for travel – both the actual and armchair varieties.

Phone: (585) 273-5778

Director, Memorial Art Gallery

While providing conceptual leadership for the art museum, the director helps determine and plan the overall direction and goals of the museum.   Major areas of responsibility for Grant Holcomb include fundraising, the acquisition and preservation of world art, the planning of exhibitions, and the establishment of educational programs that engage the community at large.  A graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles, he has a Ph.D. in Art History and was Assistant Professor of Art History at Mount Holyoke College.   Before joining the University in 1985, Grant served as curator of the Delaware Art Museum and the San Diego Museum of Art, as assistant director of the Timken Art Museum, and participated in the J. Paul Getty Museum Management Institute at the University of California, Berkeley.

Grant has five “coast to coast” children.   Favorite activities include tennis and basketball.   He is a community volunteer at Mt. Hope Cemetery and at Genesee Country Museum and Village.    Professional associations in which he is active include the Arts and Cultural Council, the Mayor’s Advisory Council on Arts, Culture and Entertainment, and the Accreditation Committee of the Association of American Museums.   Grant recently curated the “Lincoln in Rochester” exhibition and was project advisor for the book Breaking Ground: A Century of Craft Art in Western New York.

Phone: (585) 276-8902

University Intercessor
Professor Emeritus, Counseling and Human Development

Frederick Jefferson is a behavioral scientist with extensive experience in the teaching and facilitation of personal, group, and organizational change, with an emphasis on understanding the influence of issues of human diversity on the change process.   As University Intercessor, Jefferson provides personal, team, and/or organizational consultation, coaching, and counseling services to faculty, staff, and student members of the University on personal, interpersonal, or organizational policy or procedural matters that are seen as a threat to the perceived well-being of an individual, group of individuals, or department.   He has been a part of the Provost’s Office since 1973.

Jefferson sings with the Finger Lakes Choral Festival chorus each summer, studies jazz piano, and is an average but avid golfer.   He is the recipient of several awards for his service to the community, among which are the James McCuller Award for Excellence sponsored by Action for a Better Community, Inc. and the Hannah G. Solomon Humanitarian Award made by the National Council of Jewish Women.    He is currently serving as chairman of the board of directors for the Greater Rochester Chapter of the American Red Cross.   Jefferson is married to June, a retired nurse, and has 3 grown children and four grandchildren.

Phone: (585) 275-2867

Senior Counsel
Director, International Services Office

Cary joined the University in 1996 as associate legal counsel and currently oversees the immigration and related services for more than 2000 foreign national students and scholars currently studying and working at the University.   He previously served as Claims Counsel for United Educators Insurance and prior to that was associated with Rochester-based Nixon, Hargrave, Devans, & Doyle (now Nixon Peabody) in the firm's Not-for-Profit/Educational Services Practice Group.

Cary received his J.D. from Brigham Young University; he also received a B.A. in English from BYU and taught Freshman English/Composition while attending law school.   He is a member of the New York, Washington D.C., and U.S. Supreme Court bars.   A trained mediator and arbitrator, he currently team-teaches a course on conflict resolution.

A former Colorado River/Grand Canyon guide, he still enjoys many outdoor activities including hiking, biking, skiing, and ultimate frisbee.   He is an active Latter-day Saint (Mormon) and currently serves as the President of the Rochester Stake (a region roughly equivalent to a Catholic diocese).   Cary and his wife Suzy love to read and travel and look forward to doing more of both when their six children -- Kyle (20), Blaine (18), Samantha (15), Christian (14), Andrew (11), and Cameron (9) – are grown.

Phone: (585) 275-8928

Administrative Assistant and Events Coordinator

Karen Johnson began working in the Provost's Office in 2007.   Karen plans and staffs official events at the Provost’s residence and on campus, and supports the Provost's Office on other assignments as needed.   She is cross-trained on many of the responsibilities of the Provost's Office support staff and functions as a utility infielder for the office.

Prior to moving to Rochester with her husband, Karen worked at the University of Chicago for 28 years.   For the last 25 of those years, she was Executive Assistant to the Dean of the Booth School of Business.

In her spare time, Karen enjoys travel (especially in Italy), cooking (especially Italian), reading, movies, and exploring Rochester and things nearby.

Phone: (585) 275-2566

Vice Provost and University Dean of Graduate Studies
Independence Foundation Professor of Nursing

Maggie Kearney joined the School of Nursing faculty in 2005, and became a member of the Provost’s Council in 2011 when she assumed the Vice Provost and University Dean of Graduate Studies position.   In that position, she is responsible for the quality of graduate education at the University.   Toward that end, she monitors the quality of graduate applicants and the selectivity of admissions; supports recruitment of outstanding and diverse students with the Sproull and Provost Fellowships; convenes the leaders of all graduate programs at the University for continual improvement of graduate studies standards, policies, and systems; maintains standards of academic conduct; and manages the final PhD defense process and and recommends graduates for degrees. She actively participates in national organizations of graduate studies leaders and collaborates on national and international initiatives toward excellence in graduate education.

Maggie earned her PhD in nursing from University of California-San Francisco.   Her consultation and publication record focuses on social risks in childbearing women and on qualitative research methods.   After twelve years at Boston College, she joined the UR School of Nursing to serve as PhD Programs Director, and continues to teach there and to mentor students and faculty.

A Rochester returnee after 3+ decades away, Maggie lives in the city in an old house with several eccentric pets and patiently awaits visits from her two adult children.   Her hobbies include travel to warm places for diving in winter, opera at Glimmerglass and Finger Lakes touring by Vespa in summer, and refining the baking of ever-better sourdough bread.

Phone: (585) 275-3540

Provost and Executive Vice President

Ralph Kuncl was appointed Provost of the University of Rochester in August 2007.   He received his A.B. degree at Occidental College and his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Chicago.   He completed postdoctoral fellowships at Johns Hopkins University, where he then built a faculty, research, teaching, and clinical career for twenty-two years, eventually rising to the position of Vice Provost.

Among his many honors, Dr. Kuncl held ACE Fellowships at both Johns Hopkins and at Bryn Mawr College, and received a Distinguished Service Award from the University of Chicago in 2002.   In national higher education leadership, he has been a member of the National Executive Board of The Reinvention Center since 2001, was a representative to the COFHE Assembly, served in various leadership positions in the American Neurological Association and its top journal, the Annals of Neurology, and currently serves as Director, Board of Directors, Tuition Plan Consortium, sponsor of The Independent 529 Plan.   His research interests include motor neuron pathobiology, neuromuscular disorders, drug development, and federal funding for higher education.

Provost Kuncl is a long-time supporter of the fine arts, and has performed professionally and volunteered with community ensembles.   For twenty years he performed in the Baltimore Choral Arts Society, one of the most respected professional choral groups in the mid-Atlantic region.   He is currently a member of the Eastman Rochester Chorus.

Phone: (585) 275-5931

Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer for the University

Dave Lewis is the University’s senior information technology officer.  In this role, he reports to the Provost and serves as a member of the President’s Cabinet.  He oversees the University’s central IT organization and the Center for Research Computing, and provides University-wide governance and leadership for the extensive and diverse technology initiatives required by a leading research university.

Since joining the University in 1997, Lewis has been involved with several major IT projects, including construction of a new Data Center, implementation of an institution-wide Advancement system, upgrade of the legacy Human Resources Management System, and replacement of the telecommunications system.  He has been at the leading edge of developing sustainable cost recovery models for funding IT infrastructure.  Lewis is passionate about community service, diversity, and organizational development initiatives.  He supported the development of both a professional development program and a diversity and inclusion program in University IT.  He is the executive champion for the University’s African-American affinity group for faculty and staff.  Lewis is also active in many national and regional initiatives, including EDUCAUSE, NYSERNet, Internet2, and Association for Communications Technology Professionals in Higher Education.

Lewis earned both his bachelor's degree in Organizational Development and his master's degree in Business Administration from Eastern Michigan University.  He enjoys playing all sports, building relationships, and most importantly, spending time with his family.

Phone: (585) 275-5240

Vice Provost for Faculty Development and Diversity and Deputy to the President
Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology

Vivian Lewis joined the University in 1991, and became part of the Provost’s Office in 2009 when she was named Acting Vice Provost for Faculty Development and Diversity; she was appointed Vice Provost in 2010.    Her major responsibilities as Vice Provost are to raise the visibility of the University’s faculty diversity efforts, to provide leadership on the recruitment and retention of faculty that increase the diversity of the University’s schools and departments, and to assist the Provost and the Deans in providing faculty development programs and opportunities.    With the Provost, she helps administer the Special Opportunities Fund and helps with the evaluation process for the faculty development and diversity initiatives.

In her spare time, Vivian enjoys spending time with her family, exercising, cooking, reading, and visiting museums.    She is active with the Harvard Club of Rochester and belongs to a Women’s Book Club that was started by Hollis Budd, an Associate Dean at the Simon Graduate School of Business.    She has also been active with WXXI in their "Speaking of Women’s Health" events.

Phone: (585) 273-2760

Associate Vice President for Research Administration

Gunta Liders began working at the University in 1992, and joined the Provost's Office in 2009. She serves as a senior administrative officer responsible for non-financial aspects of sponsored programs administration, including the development and implementation of research policies and processes.    Gunta serves on numerous standing committees, including the conflict of interest committee, technology transfer policy committee, institutional biosafety committee, and radiation safety committee.    She is also staff to the Faculty Senate's Research Policy Committee.

Gunta is the University's primary representative to the Council of Governmental Relations, served on its Board of Directors for six years, and is past-Chair of its Research Administration and Compliance Committee.    She currently serves as Secretary for the National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA) and sits on its Board of Directors.    She has received two Distinguished Service Awards from both the national and regional chapters of NCURA.    Gunta is the University's representative to the Federal Demonstration Partnership and a previous member of its Executive Committee.    Gunta is contributing editor for the monthly "Managing Federal Grants" newsletter.    Gunta is a chapter author for "Managing Federal Grants: A Guide to Colleges and Universities," as well as for "Sponsored Research Administration: A Guide to Effective Strategies and Recommended Practices."    She has served as an external reviewer and financial consultant for the National Institutes of Health.

Gunta has an MA in Art History and Arts Administration from George Washington University.   Her passion is gardening.  She also enjoys jogging, cooking, and traveling with her husband, Duncan Moore.   She has volunteered for several years with Lollypop Farm in its Pet Therapy program with her dog, Saco.

Phone: (585) 275-5373

Director, University Health Service
Associate Professor of Medicine

Ralph Manchester began working at the University in 1983, and became part of the Provost’s Office in 2002.   Ralph leads the University Health Service (including the University Counseling Center).   He sees patients approximately half-time, and supervises Medicine Residents in their clinic one-half day per week.   He’s also the editor of the journal Medical Problems of Performing Artists. Ralph earned a BS in Chemistry, magna cum laude, from Tufts University in 1975 and his MD from the University of Vermont in 1979.    His Internal Medicine Residency training (including a Chief Resident year) was completed at the University of Kentucky Medical Center in 1983.

Ralph and his wife, Cynthia Christy, MD, have three children, as well as dogs, cats, and a horse.   He serves on the board of the American College Health Foundation.   In his free time, he enjoys training for and competing in sprint and Olympic distance triathlons.

Phone: (585) 275-2662

Vice President and Director of the Laboratory for Laser Energetics
Vice Provost and CEO, Laboratory for Laser Energetics
Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Professor of Physics and Astronomy

Robert McCrory began working at the University in 1976 and joined the Provost’s Office in 1988.   As Director and CEO of the Laboratory for Laser Energetics, Professor McCrory is responsible for the overall direction of the Laboratory and ensures that the scientific goals of the sponsoring agency, the National Nuclear Security Administration of the U. S. Department of Energy, are supported.

Prof. McCrory's research interests are in the general field of theoretical physics and plasma physics, the field in which he obtained his Ph.D. degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.   He has authored or coauthored over 200 publications and made numerous contributions to the study of inertial fusion.   He was awarded the 1995 Edward Teller Medal for his pioneering research and leadership in the use of lasers for controlled thermonuclear fusion.   Prof. McCrory served on the National Academy of Sciences' Committee on Space Technology to the U.S. Space Command of the Air Force Studies Board which advised the U.S. on the military use of space, space architecture, and space policy.   He has also served on the Director's advisory committee of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Prof. McCrory is an avid golfer and a member of Oak Hill Country Club.   He enjoys swimming and weight training.   He is a member of the Rochester Rotary Club.   He and his wife Betsey Wahl McCrory have three children and two grandsons.

Phone: (585) 275-4973

Special Assistant to the Provost and Executive Vice President

Jeffrey Moon began working in the Provost’s office in 2011, completing special projects for Provost and Executive Vice President Ralph Kuncl.

Jeffrey studied medicine through an Accelerated 7-year BA/MD Program at Rutgers University and Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.   He earned an MPH from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, focusing on health policy and administration, with support from a HRSA grant.   He will specialize in emergency medicine.   While a medical student, he volunteered as the director of his medical school’s free clinic for a local, urban population.    Previously, Jeffrey held a health policy fellowship at the New Jersey State Senate and worked as a Senator’s policy analyst and representative.

Jeffrey is an avid fisherman, trying to learn Rochester’s best spots for salmon, trout, and bass.   He loves the Adirondacks Mountains in all seasons. He enjoys gatherings with the Rochester Young Professionals, and works on his new house daily.   He lives in Penfield with his wife, Amanda Moon, MD, a dermatology resident at Strong Memorial Hospital.

Vice Provost for Entrepreneurship
Rudolf & Hilda Kingslake Professor of Optical Engineering
Professor of Optics, Biomedical Engineering, and Business Administration

Duncan Moore was appointed Vice Provost for Entrepreneurship at the University in 2007.   In this role, he manages the Kauffman Campus Initiative ($10.6M over 5 years).   Dr. Moore is also the Rudolf and Hilda Kingslake Professor of Optical Engineering, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, and Professor of Business Administration at the University of Rochester.   From 2002 until 2004, he served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Infotonics Technology Center.   From 1995 to 1997, Dr. Moore was Dean of Engineering and Applied Sciences at the University.   From 1997 until 2000 he served as Associate Director for Technology, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President.

Dr. Moore holds master’s and Ph.D. degrees in optics from the University of Rochester, and a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Maine.   He enjoys golf, reading, travel (his favorite destination being Maine), and is an avid amateur photographer.   He has a natural love for animals, especially his dog Saco.   He serves on the Board of Trustees at the Rochester Museum and Science Center.   His son, Matthew, and daughter-in-law, Nicole, are both in the optics field.   Dr. Moore and his wife, Gunta Liders, reside in the Village of Perinton.

Phone: (585) 276-3500

Vice Provost–Technology Transfer Policy

Gail Norris joined the University in 2005, and in 2009 became Vice Provost for Technology Transfer Policy. As Vice Provost, she provides leadership in developing strategies for the licensing and commercialization of Intellectual Property developed at the University, fostering corporate collaborations and assisting in the establishment of start-up companies which use technology developed at the University.

Ms. Norris spent the first 17 years of her career at the law firm of Nixon, Peabody, where she provided legal advice on corporate matters including corporate formations, mergers and acquisitions, financing transactions, and intellectual property licensing.   From 2000-2005, Ms. Norris was the General Counsel of the US subsidiaries of Celltech plc., a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in the UK, where she oversaw all legal matters related to the company’s North American operations, including FDA regulatory compliance, intellectual property management and contracting, employment matters, and litigation management. Ms. Norris received her B.S. from Syracuse University and her J.D. from Albany Law School of Union University.

Ms. Norris spends much of her free time participating in racquet sports (tennis, platform tennis, squash), and she attributes her low blood pressure and pleasant disposition to regularly hitting a ball hard.   She and her husband, Michael, enjoy traveling and drinking wine (also partially responsible for her blood pressure and disposition).   She is an avid reader of all types of literature.

Phone: (585) 275-2758

Administrative Assistant

Jenni Oliver joined the Provost’s Office in 2006. Jenni provides administrative duties associated with the Faculty Senate, the Senate Executive Committee, and the various Senate sub-committees. In addition, Jenni is the Program Administrator for the Senior Associate Provost for the New Faculty Development - UR Year One Program.

Jenni earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Organizational Management from Roberts Wesleyan College and obtained her Paralegal certification from St. John Fisher College. She is currently working on completing her Master’s Degree in Higher Education Administration at the Warner School of Education.

Prior to joining the Provost’s Office, Jenni was the Executive Assistant for Continental Airline’s Base Director in Newark, New Jersey, for 8 years. Prior to that, she held various positions at Fleet Bank in Rochester and at Fleet Brokerage on Wall Street in New York City for 10 years. In her leisure time, Jenni enjoys continuing to travel the world - 36 countries and counting, spending time with her family, and playing the piano.

Phone: (585) 275-5932

Senior Associate Provost

Since joining the Provost's Office in 2006, Carol Shuherk has been working on faculty development, creating topical and social programs to welcome and orient new faculty to Rochester, and participating in the university-wide initiative to recruit and retain a diverse faculty.   She also assists in leadership development, implementing programs that support faculty who assuume administrative roles such as department chair, or assistant or associate dean.   She serves as the University's liaison to the Rochester Surround Care Community project, a community-based initiative aimed at rebuilding the neighborhoods and supporting the children of northeast Rochester.   She is staff to the University Council on Sustainability, coordinating university-wide efforts of faculty, staff, and students to enhance Rochester’s activity in curriculum, research, and operations contributing to a sustainable future.

Carol has a BA and MA in Classical Rhetoric and a PhD in Organizational Communication.   At the University of Southern California and University of Arizona, prior to coming to Rochester, her career focus was on preparing people for leadership roles in industry and in academics and on building collaboration-based work communities.

Sources of personal pleasure for Carol include raising two sons, caring for their 1810 farmhouse and its animal residents, and tending its gardens.   Her favorite pastime is creating lavish feasts for family and friends.

Phone: (585) 273-4765

Executive Assistant to the Provost

Melinda Smith began working in the Provost’s Office in 2001, after working for the Simon School in Alumni Relations and Development for six years and in Central Administration for two years.   Prior to working at the University, Melinda worked for Eastman Kodak as an administrative assistant for senior-level executives.   She feels that her work experiences at Kodak and the Simon School helped prepare her for her current position.

When Melinda joined the Provost’s Office, the focus of her responsibilities switched from being externally focused to being much more internally focused.   Her major responsibilities include overseeing the daily operations and functions of the Provost’s Office.   Although there are many days when the term “firefighter” comes to mind and she feels that using roller skates would be ideal, most of Melinda's days are spent dealing with confidential tenure matters, managing difficult student and faculty concerns, juggling the demands of a constantly changing schedule, and handling many other tasks that require a diplomatic touch.

Melinda’s favorite things to do outside of work include spending time with her family and friends, cooking, and traveling.   She’d like to say that she participates in really cool sports like skiing, mountain climbing, and ice climbing.   But she actually leaves those to her husband, joining him for snowshoeing and hiking on occasion, which they enjoy very much.

Phone: (585) 275-5931

Director of Research Alliances

Scott joined the Provost’s Office in 2011.   In his role as Director of Research Alliances, he is identifying and fostering strategic research partnerships and educational alliances between the University’s research community and government agencies and laboratories, industry, and other academic institutions.   Dr. Steele also serves on research and technology related committees at the University, including the Sponsored University Research Group, Conflict of Interest Committee, and the Technology Transfer Policy Committee. Additionally, he is actively involved with UR’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute and holds an adjunct appointment in the Department of Community and Preventive Medicine in the School of Medicine and Dentistry.

Prior to joining the University in 2008, Dr. Steele served in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), initially as a representative of the National Science and Technology Council and was later designated as the Executive Director of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST).   PCAST provides advice and recommendations to the President on a range of science and technology issues and Dr. Steele coordinated PCAST studies exploring issues in nanotechnology, energy technologies, personalized medicine, and approaches to enhance university-private sector-government research partnerships.

Dr. Steele received his BS with Honors in Biology from Union College in Schenectady, NY.   Following this, he performed research at the General Electric Center for Research and Development and was a fellow at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD.   Dr. Steele completed his MA and PhD in Molecular Biology at Princeton University.    Scott is an avid hiker, and also enjoys running, ice skating, and travelling with his family.

Phone: (585) 341-4933

University Intercessor and Coordinator of Disability Resources

Kathy Sweetland serves as a resource to faculty, staff, and students who have concerns about harassment, discrimination, sexual harassment, and sexual assault.   She also helps schools, departments, managers, and supervisors understand the need to implement reasonable classroom and workplace accommodations for students, staff, and faculty with disabilities.

Kathy began working at the University in 1975.   Prior to joining the Provost’s Office as a full-time Intercessor in 1998, her career at the University included working in the Department of Pediatrics in a clinic that served children who were suspected of having a disability, and working at the student counseling center on campus, where she worked with the Dean of Students Office to develop and coordinate the University’s Sexual Assault Hotline.   Kathy serves as co-chair of the University Committee on Interdisciplinary Studies Disabilities Cluster.

Kathy’s interests include travel, birding, leadership coaching, and volunteering on the board of the Rochester Rehabilitation Center.

Phone: (585) 275-9125

Administrative Assistant

Barbara Tanski provides administrative support and assists Melinda Smith with all daily functions of the Provost’s Office.   Barb processes all invoices, travel and conference forms, and 312 requisitions for the Provost’s Office.   She assists Kathleen Moore with grant and award nominations.   Barb also schedules meetings and appointments, manages the calendar for Wallis Hall conference rooms 210 and 278, processes the payroll for the Provost’s Office, balances the ledgers, and provides budget information for Provost accounts.   She is the administrative contact for equipment and space surveys, and serves as the office’s United Way representative.

Before joining the Provost’s Office staff in 2007, Barb previously worked in the Finance Department for the University Controller.   She has been employed at the University since 1998.   Barb has a B.A. in Sociology with a concentration in Social Gerontology from SUNY Cortland.

Barb likes spending time with her family and friends.   She is a season ticket holder to Rochester Broadway Theater League productions.   She enjoys festivals, movies, sports, crafts shows, museums, and travel, and loves to read.   Barb is an avid collector of Wizard of Oz memorabilia, cookbooks, and old books.   She enjoys taking adult education classes to learn how to do new things.   She volunteers for Red Cross, United Way, American Cancer Society, and Church of the Good Shepherd.

Phone: (585) 276-4074

Vice Provost and Executive Director of the Health Sciences Center for Computational Innovation
Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Co-Director of the New York Influenza Center of Excellence

David Topham joined the faculty at the University of Rochester Medical Center in 1999 and was appointed in 2009 as Vice Provost and Executive Director of the Health Sciences Center for Computational Innovation (HSCCI), a partnership between the University and IBM.   As Executive Director of the HSCCI, Dr. Topham’s responsibility is to support collaboration in biomedical research using High Performance Computational Resources.   He will bring together academic biomedical and health-related Research Investigators, High Performance Computational Biologists, and HP Research Computing resources.   Dr. Topham provides strategic direction to the HSCCI and facilitates the development of research projects between UR scientists and its corporate partners, as well as support from state and federal agencies.

Dr. Topham is an Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, a member of the David H. Smith Center for Vaccine Biology and Immunology, and co-directs the New York Influenza Center of Excellence—one of the six national Centers of Excellence in Influenza Research and Surveillance supported by the National Institutes of Health.   He has also served on IBM’s Global Pandemic Steering Committee.   His research interests are in the area of immune responses to influenza and experimental vaccines, and include computational modeling of the immune system.

Dr. Topham has a BSc, MS, and PhD from the University of Vermont, and trained with 1996 Nobel laureate Dr. Peter Doherty at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital prior to joining the UR faculty.   He enjoys snowboarding, golf, sailing, and mountain biking.   He and his wife Sarah have two boys, and reside in the town of Pittsford.

Phone: (585) 273-1400

Administrative Assistant, Office of Faculty Development and Diversity

Trina joined the Provost's Office in 2010.   She originally began working at UR in 2006 in the Advancement Office, then took a brief hiatus before joining the Office of Faculty Development and Diversity as a temporary worker in 2009 before being hired permanently in 2010.   Trina is responsible for managing the calendar of the Vice Provost for Faculty Development and Diversity as well as providing support for the entire staff.   She coordinates and makes all administrative arrangements for meetings and special events, including the Presidential Diversity Award celebration and University-Wide Diversity Conference.   She also schedules and plans meetings for the Faculty Diversity Officers and provides administrative support for this committee.

Trina received her Bachelor’s Degree from RIT in 1997 in Hotel Management.   She and her husband became parents for the first time on March 12, 2010 -- and now Trina finds that her son takes up most of her spare time and energy!   She is a self-proclaimed addict of HGTV, which usually ends up involving lots of projects around the house.   Trina enjoys sports very much, including figure skating in the winter.   She is the proud winner of a gold medal in Figure Skating at the Empire State Games in 1988!   Whenever possible, she and her husband enjoy traveling both here and abroad.

Phone: (585) 273-5664

Grants Researcher and Program Administrator

Kurt joined the Provost’s Office in 2010.  He is a Grants Researcher for the Office of Faculty Development and Diversity and Program Administrator for the Senior Associate Provost.  As Grants Researcher, Kurt monitors diversity funding opportunities and identifies faculty, graduate students, and residents for specific grants.  As Program Administrator, Kurt manages all aspects of current leadership and faculty development programs.

Kurt has his MA in Contemporary Writing from Rochester.   Prior to joining the Provost’s Office, he worked abroad in development and research for several non-profits.   He has worked and/or lived in France, Argentina, South Africa, Greece, New Zealand, and Nepal.   Kurt has hung up his rucksack and now lives with his wife Alison in Irondequoit.   They can be found in their vegetable garden or hiking/snowshoeing local trails.   Kurt is also working on a new novel.

Phone: (585) 276-5668