Category: NORDP Service Awards

Who: Vanity Campbell, Coordinator for Proposal Development Services, Office of Contracts and Grants
Where: University of California Agriculture & Natural Resources
Number of years in research development: 6
Length of NORDP membership: 6

What recommendations do you have for members to get more involved with NORDP?

One of the things that I love about NORDP is that there are so many incredible ways to serve. I would recommend getting involved with committee service as well as engagement with your region. You can look for ways to initiate regional activities by working through the Member Services Committee (MSC) and Regional Representatives on the MSC. Participating in the Mentoring Program is another excellent way to get involved. It offers the chance to connect with individuals as part of group or one-on-one and can lead to working on committees across NORDP.

How has your service to NORDP enhanced your career?

Prior to my current position I did not have much experience with RD event planning. I worked on the Committee on Inclusive Excellence for the NORDP conference in 2019. I helped recruit Jacqueline Cranford as the diversity keynote, worked to secure the speaking agreement, coordinated logistics, and offered guidance on what we were looking for in a message/presentation. I had never been exposed to this type of work before and this effort was a great benefit to me professionally. I was able to turn that experience into a Grant Essentials Summit this year where I was involved in overall messaging and securing California state agencies to participate as guest speakers.

I also built on that experience during my work on the Pacific Region’s first meeting. In collaboration with an amazing planning committee, I was involved with developing the agenda, and promoting the event which wound up exceeding our expectations.

How did you hear about NORDP and what made you join initially?

My first job in RD was at the University of California, Merced where I transitioned from a job in clinical research. My boss at the time, Susan Carter, made NORDP a part of the on boarding process for new staff members. Joining the organization really helped when I was starting my career in RD and it was wonderful to have NORDP at that point.

What relationships have you built as a result of NORDP?

My primary involvement has been with the Member Services Committee and it has been an incredible opportunity to work with those leading these initiatives. I have truly enjoyed working along with the other committee members to carry out work. It has been nice to see how the core and sub committees have worked together. I have also been involved with MSI initiatives throughout my time on the MSC. Serving as regional representative for the Pacific region allowed me to connect with folks across the region through welcome emails, conference communications and events. These efforts have helped strengthen my connection throughout the UC system that existed in my prior positions as well.

I have also been involved with the Mentoring Program where I established a strong one on one connection with my mentor, Kathy Partlow, and I also served as mentor for a number of other members.

Compiled by Daniel Campbell, Member Services Committee

NORDP fosters a culture of inclusive excellence by actively promoting and supporting diversity, inclusion and equity in all its forms to expand our worldview, enrich our work, and elevate our profession.

Who: Daniel Campbell, Research Development Program Manager
Where: Old Dominion University Office of Research
Number of years in research development: 6
Length of NORDP membership: 6

What recommendations do you have for members to get more involved with NORDP?

I would suggest looking for opportunities to get involved on a committee, create a poster, or present at a national or regional conference.  If you have an idea, bring it to a committee or someone in leadership. There is sure to be someone who would be interested in working with you on it. Whatever your area of interest, there is something for you here.  From regional involvement to mentoring to webinars, there is always something happening at NORDP that could benefit from your time and talent.

How has your service to NORDP enhanced your career?

After working in the areas of alumni and advancement, where my experience was primarily in special events, my active involvement in NORDP greatly enhanced my transition to RD. Attending my first NORDP conference helped me learn what was going on in the field and bring it back to my institution. Working on a campus can be an insular experience sometimes, so engagement with NORDP gives me a measuring stick to compare what I am doing with colleagues across the country. Through writing various blogs for NORDP News, I have improved my writing & editing skills. Plus, I tend to work behind the scenes, so this role has forced me to get out there!

How did you hear about NORDP and what made you join initially?

My supervisor, Karen Eck, has been involved with NORDP for a long time. When I started in RD, she encouraged me to check out what the organization had to offer.  I attended my first conference in Orlando, followed by Denver, DC, and Providence. I started working with Kay Tindle and Kathy Cataneo on the Member Services Committee and never looked back.

What relationships have you built as a result of NORDP (new colleagues, connections to institutions where you previously had no point of contact)?

I’ve met colleagues across the country through my involvement on various committees, including the Conference Marketing Committee, the Program Committee, and NORDP’s Communications Working Group. It seems each activity leads to another. Through the process, I’ve become more confident in my work and more validated in what I’m doing. For example, my poster presentation on our Science Pubs community outreach generated a lot of interest.  It was helpful to bring that back to the office; it tells you that you’re going in the right direction.

If you’re new to this field, there are many people in this organization who are willing to help you. Members value what you to bring to the table and they find a place where you can make a difference in NORDP.  I would say that the more people you meet through your engagement with NORDP, the more connected you are and the greater a resource you are to both NORDP and your institution.

Compiled by Sharon Pound, Communications Working Group

NORDP fosters a culture of inclusive excellence by actively promoting and supporting diversity, inclusion and equity in all its forms to expand our worldview, enrich our work, and elevate our profession.

The Holly J. Falk-Krzesinski Service Award was established in 2011 and named for NORDP’s founding President, Holly J. Falk-Krzesinski, Ph.D., who was the first recipient. Voted on by the Board of Directors, the award is given annually to a NORDP Member in recognition of outstanding service to the organization and to the Research Development profession. The honor is recognized with a commemorative plaque and free registration to the following year’s NORDP Research Development Conference.

Who: Kathy Cataneo, Director of Research Development
Where: University of New Hampshire (UNH)
Number of years in Research Development: 11
Length of NORDP membership: 11

What initiative are you the most proud of in your role as a NORDP volunteer?

There are two initiatives that have been extremely satisfying. Establishment of the NORDP Affinity Group policy, which I advanced during my first year on the Board and the Board approved in 2017, helped formalize the role that regional groups play in recruiting and retaining NORDP members. The policy also provided a structure for thematic groups such as PUI and Academic Medical Centers to coalesce – another great tool for recruiting and retaining NORDP members.

The other initiative, resulting in a 50% increase since 2016 in NORDP members to nearly 1100 members in February 2020, related to my leading various member recruitment and retention campaigns and efforts through the Member Services Committee (MSC), which I chaired for two years and then became MSC Board liaison. This tremendous growth was the result of the work of many, including regional representatives and other MSC members, and new programs such as the Ambassador Program and first-time-attendee orientation at the Annual Conference. It has been a privilege to help new members advance their RD careers through NORDP.

How has your service to NORDP enhanced your career?

It is because of NORDP that I was able to create and build an Office of Research Development at UNH. As the founding director of this office and prior director of UNH’s Office of Sponsored programs, I had ideas on how to improve the competitiveness of proposals, but I did not have the tools I needed at the start to establish credibility with our faculty in my new role. Through NORDP (Holly Falk-Krzesinski was my first RD mentor), I learned about what was working well at other institutions and I began to implement programs and services at UNH that ultimately enabled me to meet the needs of our faculty and become a respected partner in the research process at my institution.

Concurrently, I was a founding member of NORDP Northeast, chairing that regional group for several years. I worked closely with previous NORDP Treasurer Jeff Agnoli and others when NORDP was between association management firms to respond directly to members’ questions and needs; served on NORDP’s Revenue and Finance Committee, Communications Working Group, Member Services Committee, Conference planning committees, etc. I mention these because through all of these service activities, I was able to expand my professional network tremendously and raise awareness about my university. Opportunities for faculty collaborations became more possible. Our chief research officer relied on me to use my network to get input on issues at the highest level of the academy and to adopt “best practices” in RD. In turn, my credibility became well-established and I became recognized as a leader – all good for one’s career!

Describe how NORDP has changed from when you initially joined.

The biggest change is the increase in membership from a relatively small, intimate group eleven years ago to a 1000+ member organization today. Despite NORDP’s dramatic growth, we have maintained the feel of a smaller organization. I have been struck by how easy and productive networking and other interactions continue to be and how our programming and resources have grown and become more sophisticated over the years –always aiming to be responsive to the needs of our community. This is not an easy feat with an all-volunteer organization.

Along with growth comes growing pains. To relieve the Board from standard organizational business operations, the Board hired an association management firm. This has allowed the Board to assume its appropriate role in strategic planning for NORDP, and to allow NORDP’s committees to implement the activities of the strategic plan with Board oversight. I was privileged to be a Board member to assist with these major transitions.

Recent NORDP presidents have raised the visibility of our organization externally and to those who participate at the periphery of RD. By creating and supporting activities such as NORD, Leadership Forum, PEERD, and the Strategic Alliances Committee’s efforts, these NORDP leaders have expanded NORDP’s influence as a thought leader in the practice, profession, and science of research development. The recent plenary talk and Q&A session with Dr. Kelvin Droegemeier, Director of OSTP and former Vice President for Research at the University of Oklahoma is a prime example of NORDP’s growing influence.

I’d like to conclude by saying that I am grateful to NORDP for the opportunities to learn from the best, most generous colleagues one could hope to have. I have been inspired and affirmed by them all.

Compiled by Daniel Campbell, Member Services Committee

NORDP fosters a culture of inclusive excellence by actively promoting and supporting diversity, inclusion and equity in all its forms to expand our worldview, enrich our work, and elevate our profession.

The National Organization of Research Development Professionals (NORDP) is pleased to announce the 2020 winners of the Rising Star Award and the Holly J. Falk-Krzesinski Service Award.

Each year, the Rising Star Award recognizes up to three NORDP members who have made outstanding volunteer contributions to NORDP. Nominations for this award may be submitted by any NORDP member. The 2020 Rising Star Awardees are Daniel Campbell, Vanity Campbell and Sarah Messbauer:

• Daniel Campbell (Old Dominion University) is a five-year NORDP member. In this time, Dan has developed into a reliable and devoted volunteer, writing many NORDP News blog posts. He joined the Member Services Committee (MSC) – Communications Sub-committee in 2016 and then became the MSC liaison to the Communications Working Group. He has conducted the research and interviews necessary to author numerous blog posts, including multiple member/conference cameos. Dan also serves on the Conference Marketing Committee and the Conference Program Committee and is a key member of the Communications Working Group.
• Vanity Campbell (University of California, Agricultural and Natural Resources) is active on the Committee on Inclusive Excellence Committee (CIE) and represents CIE on the Member Services Committee. In this role, she led the active recruitment of Minority Serving Institutions into NORDP, including a successful outreach campaign between NORDP members and existing contacts at prospective MSIs. Vanity is also the Region VII (Pacific) chair and led the region’s conference committee through its inaugural Pacific Regional Conference in October 2019, which was attended by more than 70 individuals.
• Sarah Messbauer (University of California, Davis)is making distinctive contributions to the Member Services Committee (MSC) and to NORDP. She is MSC’s co-representative for Region VII and has co-facilitated a professional development workshop, co-managed the Ambassador Program and New Member Orientation and Networking, and co-hosted a new member networking dinner. As an MSC co-chair, Sarah works to enhance members’ experiences. Sarah drafted Access Guidelines for Presenters, providing NORDP with practical steps to make conference sessions and presentations accessible to attendees with permanent or temporary disabilities and/or special needs.

The Holly J. Falk-Krzesinski Service Award is named in honor of the organization’s founding president. The award, voted on by the Board of Directors, is given annually to a NORDP member in recognition of outstanding service to the organization and to the research development profession. The 2020 recipient of the Holly J. Falk-Krzesinski Service Award is Kathy Cataneo:

• Kathy Cataneo (University of New Hampshire) is a NORDP Board member and serves as liaison to the Member Services Committee (MSC), which she formerly chaired. She guided MSC with creativity, enthusiasm and capable management. Under Kathy’s leadership, NORDP has grown to around 1,000 members, and long-term members have enjoyed a renewed sense of engagement with the organization. Kathy’s contributions to NORDP include regional recruitment strategies, new member welcome receptions, member surveys, enhanced service awards and the creation of numerous policy/guideline documents. A true servant leader, Kathy has contributed to other NORDP committees and initiatives almost too numerous to count. Her colleagues perceive her as humble, reasoned, curious and kind. Kathy’s distinctive brand of deliberative, member-centric leadership honors NORDP’s history and traditions while enthusiastically embracing growth and change. Her influence within our organization will be felt for a long time.

Click here to view recorded remarks from Holly Falk-Krzesinski recognizing Kathy.

For information about past recipients of the NORDP Service Awards, click here.

NORDP fosters a culture of inclusive excellence by actively promoting and supporting diversity, inclusion and equity in all its forms to expand our worldview, enrich our work, and elevate our profession.