Staffing updates consolidate OR strengths
New additions bring fresh energy to OR; promotions also offer strategic boost
The Office for Research (OR) is delighted to welcome its newest team members, who will help support the office’s service portfolio and engagement with Northwestern University's research community.
Angela Stramaglia was named Administrative Assistant 4, effective Dec. 11, 2023. In this role, she will report to Associate Vice President for Research Jian Cao and Assistant Vice President for Research Anne Martin, supporting OR units that include Research Analytics, Research IT, HR Administration, Finance Administration, and University Research Institutes and Centers Administration.
Since Oct. 23, Stramaglia’s professionalism and organizational skills have been on display during her service as temporary executive assistant to Vice President for Research Eric Perreault. Prior to that tenure, Stramaglia had worked as director of music and liturgy at the Sheil Catholic Center at Northwestern, where her managerial and creative responsibilities were extensive, helping to inspire and shape the Sheil community. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music performance from the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign).
“I am delighted to join the Office for Research, assisting Anne and Jian,” said Stramaglia. “I look forward to getting to know more people associated with the office, and research in general, and supporting the University through my role here.”
OR also extends a warm welcome to Devin Trezise, who joins the team from The Graduate School (TGS) at Northwestern where he has been assistant to Dean Kelly Mayo and several other TGS administrative leaders. Starting Jan. 2, 2024, he will serve as executive assistant for Vice President Perreault, responsible for a range of duties, including managing the VPR’s calendar and helping coordinate travel and meetings.
"I am honored and excited to join the Office for Research,” said Trezise. “Over my past three years as assistant to the deans in TGS, I've immersed myself in the mission of higher education and focused on enhancing the experience for our graduate and postdoctoral community.” These efforts, Trezise noted, have allowed him to cultivate meaningful partnerships with staff and faculty all across Northwestern, while supporting an exceptional team of senior leaders. “I'm eager to build on these experiences and contribute my skills in administration and customer service to the OR team as we create shared success!”
Prior to joining Northwestern in 2021, Trezise worked in various customer-facing roles, including as a manager for a start-up medical spa and project finance coordinator and office manager for Event 360, the Chicago-based nonprofit event fundraising organization. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Mandarin Chinese from University of Wisconsin (Madison).
“Angela and Devin come aboard with an impressive array of skills and experiences that promise to elevate our collaborative efforts and drive OR towards greater success,” said Vice President Perreault. “Their backgrounds showcase their proficiency in administrative support with a deep-rooted understanding of customer-centric strategies. I am thrilled to have them on the OR team.”
Another recent hiring highpoint for OR was the arrival of Hillary Sparks, who joined the office Dec. 11 as the new director of University Research Institutes and Centers (URICA). As previously announced, Sparks brings more than a decade of research administration experience to OR, including a track record of exceptional performance at the McCormick School of Engineering.
Promotions
Also previously announced is the well-deserved promotion of Anne Martin from executive director of financial administration to assistant vice president for finance and business operations. In her new role, Martin will be a key member of the OR management team, overseeing and setting priorities for units within the office that have cross-unit responsibilities, including Financial Administration, Research IT, HR Administration, and Research Analytics.
Another recent promotion recognizes the exceptional service of Lisa Forman, executive director of Northwestern’s Center for Comparative Medicine (CCM). Effective Dec. 1, she was named assistant vice president for animal resources. Forman, an attending veterinarian in CCM, has been leading her unit successfully for nearly 14 years, efficiently growing CCM operations to accommodate the significant increase in University research while ensuring Northwestern remains in full compliance with evolving regulatory demands.
Forman explains that CCM is a large, complex operation involving two campuses, multiple facilities, and about 150 employees performing various services to support research in a highly regulated environment. In fact, CCM just recently once again earned full accreditation from AAALAC International, a private, nonprofit organization that promotes the humane treatment of animals in science through voluntary accreditation and assessment programs. Northwestern has maintained full AAALAC accreditation since 1985.
“I am honored to be promoted and recognized as Northwestern’s assistant vice president for animal resources,” said Forman. “I am pleased to continue leading the Center for Comparative Medicine through its growth and service and our positive contributions to the University’s research mission.”
Departures
OR also is saying farewell to a couple colleagues who are moving onto new opportunities and leaving Northwestern after successful tenures here. Michael Blayney, executive director of Research Safety, departs the University on Jan. 2, 2024. Nick Angeloni, director of research analytics, concluded his tenure on Dec. 15.
Blayney joined Northwestern in 2012, coming from a similar role at Dartmouth, and played an instrumental part in modernizing the safety office by redeveloping it into a model program recognized by peer institutions. He focused on exemplary customer service, including better waste management, equipment recycling, and innovative training. He also championed a student-led model to promote research safety. He worked to strengthen community ties and campus safety by conducting emergency response drills that focused on the laboratory environment.
Angeloni arrived at Northwestern in 2006 as a PhD student in the Driskill Graduate Program, earning his doctorate in biomedical science in 2012, later serving as a postdoc in the laboratory of C. Shad Thaxton, urology, from 2012 to 2016. Prior to joining OR, he was a research associate at the Feinberg School of Medicine. In 2017 he became OR’s director of strategic planning and coordination and in 2021 director of analytics. His contributions have included extensive project management, notably the implementation of the CERES datamart and collaboration with multiple OR units to enhance analytics development and presentation.
“Michael and Nick have each made high-impact contributions to OR and Northwestern,” said Vice President Perreault. “We are grateful for everything they have done to support the University’s research mission. While we will miss seeing them on campus, we wish them all the best on the next part of their professional journey.”