Funding Professionals

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...

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...

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
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
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
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
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
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
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...

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
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
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...

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...