Funding Professionals
Office of Research – Research Development

Michael Gallo
Director of Research Development
Office of Research
Michael Gallo
magallo@uci.edu
Michael Gallo serves as the Director of Research Development at the University of California, Irvine (UCI). In his role as Director, he is responsible for assisting faculty and research groups in identifying external funding opportunities, and in devel...
Research Development in the Schools

Holly Hapke
Director of Research Development
School of Social Sciences
Holly Hapke
hhapke@uci.edu
Holly Hapke is a geographer and interdisciplinary social scientist with research interests in political economy, rural development, gender, fisheries and food production systems, migration, ecological conflict, and South Asia. Specific research projects ha...

Helen Lee
Director of Research Development
School of Physical Sciences
Hellen Chen
chenhc@uci.edu
Dr. Helen Lee is the Director of Research Development in the School of Physical Sciences, where she develops strategies to expand research programs, and works with faculty to prepare competitive proposals. Prior to joining UCI, she worked at UCR where she ...

Lauren Nguyen
Assistant Director, Contracts & Grants
Program in Public Health
Lauren Nguyen
lnsoto@hs.uci.edu
As the Assistant Director of Contracts & Grants, Lauren is the administrative contact in the Program in Public Health’s Office of Research. She works closely with the Dean and Associate Dean of Research to create processes and an infrastructure...

Justin Sarkis
Research Development Coordinator
School of Biological Sciences
Justin Sarkis
sarkisj@uci.edu
Justin Sarkis helps faculty members in the School of Biological Sciences acquire funding for their research through grant proposal development. He has worked in proposal development since 2017 in academia at U.C. Riverside and in industry at Clean Ener...

Amanda Jeanne Swain
Executive Director, Humanities Center
School of Humanities
Amanda Jeanne Swain
ajswain@uci.edu
Amanda Jeanne Swain received a PhD in History, as well as a Master’s degree in International Studies, from the University of Washington. She works closely with faculty and graduate students in the School of Humanities to develop proposals for fun...

Kartik Yadav
Director of Research Development & Administration
Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing
Kartik Yadav
k.yadav@uci.edu
Mr. Yadav is the Director of Research Development & Administration in the Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing, where he coordinates and provides individualized support for research projects and proposals. Specific responsibilities include researc...

Mary Frances Ypma-Wong
Manager, Research Development
Office of Research, School of Medicine
Mary Frances Ypma-Wong
m.ypmawong@uci.edu
Dr. Ypma-Wong manages the Research Development Unit (RDU) in the School of Medicine. The RDU provides funding opportunity support, helping faculty to develop a strategic approach and find funding opportunities. The unit also provides gra...

Darine Zaatari
Director of Research Development
School of Information and Computer Sciences
Darine Zaatari
dzaatari@uci.edu
Dr. Zaatari is the Director of Research Development in the School of Information and Computer Sciences, where she supports faculty developing competitive proposals for funding programs, with focus on major collaborative proposals. Prior to joining U...
Corporate & Foundation Relations

Marge Brannon
Executive Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations
University Advancement
Marge Brannon
mbrannon@uci.edu
Marge Brannon is Executive Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, where she is responsible for developing strategies to build the University’s relationships with corporations, foundations, and nonprofit organizations. Her focus is on Arts, B...

Roxanne Ford
Executive Director of Foundation & Corporate Relations
University Advancement
Roxanne Ford
fordmr@uci.edu
Roxanne Ford is Executive Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, where she is responsible for developing strategies to build the University’s relationships with corporations, foundations, and nonprofit organizations. Her focus is on the schools o...

Marianne Smith
Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations
University Advancement
Marianne Smith
mrsmith1@uci.edu
Dr. Marianne Smith is the Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations in University Advancement, where she is responsible for developing strategies to build the University’s relationships with corporations, foundations, and nonprofit organization...
Applied Innovation

Ronnie Hanecak
Senior Director, Invention Transfer Group
UCI Beall Applied Innovation
Ronnie Hanecak
rhanecak@uci.edu
Dr. Hanecak is the Senior Director of the Invention Transfer Group in UCI Applied Innovation. Dr. Hanecak is responsible for leading the Invention Transfer Group (ITG) and is the coordinator of the POP Grants Program...