Research Leadership

The Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship oversee and support all aspects of research and is organized into five administrative sections:  Research Development and Education, Research Administration, Regulatory Affairs and Assessment, Research Capacity and Operations, and Privacy Office.

Erin Kobetz

Professor

ekobetz@miami.edu

(305) 243-6185
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Dr. Erin Kobetz is Vice Provost for Research and Tenured Professor in the Departments of Medicine, Public Health Sciences, and Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine. Additionally, she is Associate Director of Population Science and Cancer Disparities at UM’s Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer...
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Tonya Sautier

Sr. Business Officer, Finance and Administration

tsautier@miami.edu

(305) 243-7808
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As Senior Business Officer for the Office of the Vice Provost for Research + Scholarship, Tonya Sautier leads all aspects of budget, finance, human resources, operations, administration, and special projects for the organization. She serves as the principal liaison between the Vice Provost and University administration, departmental...
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Research Development & Education

Research Development & Education teams are dedicated to matching researchers and scholars with funding, collaborators, and all the tools they need to succeed. Providing resources like the Research Compass and the Research Navigator, the Research and Development team facilitates research for the UM community.  

Sheela Celeste Dominguez

Executive Director, Strategic Operations

sdominguez@miami.edu

(305) 243-9051
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As Executive Director for Strategic Operations and co-administrator of the Miami Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI), Sheela leads reporting, evaluation, finance, project management, and programmatic activities. She serves as the primary liaison between the CTSI with the Office of the Vice Provost for Research + Scholarship,...
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Suhrud M Rajguru

Professor

s.rajguru@miami.edu

(305) 243-7946
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Suhrud Rajguru, Ph.D., is a Professor at the University of Miami, Research Health Scientist at the Department of Veterans Affairs, and founder and Chief Scientific Officer of RestorEar Devices, LLC. The NeuroTherapeutics group led by Dr. Rajguru carries out research with translational focus on characterization, diagnosis and treatment of hearing...
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Research Administration

Research Administration teams are responsible for grant and gift applications and management, the negotiation of contracts, and financial oversight of sponsored projects. These teams help researchers and scholars Submit Proposals and Conduct Research.

Laura B. Kozma

Assoc. VP, Research Administration

lbk53@miami.edu

(305) 284-3965
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Laura Kozma, Associate Vice President for Research Administration, provides leadership for sponsored administration which includes proposal review and approval, contract negotiations, award management and compliance monitoring, and serves as audit liaison for the Institution for sponsored awards. In this same capacity, she is also responsible...
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K. Brandon Strickland

Executive Director, Research Administration

kxs1198@miami.edu

(305) 284-3952
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Brandon Strickland serves as the Executive Director of Research Administration, Pre-Award for the University of Miami. In his position he directs all facets of Pre-Award in the Office of Research Administration, which is responsible for submission, negotiation, and award set up. Brandon has a Bachelor's in Biosystems Engineering from Auburn...
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Lionel Jesus Vera

Executive Director, Research Administration

lvera@miami.edu

(305) 284-4276 x1165
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Lionel Vera, Executive Director, Research Administration, provides leadership for the post award administration of all sponsored projects at UM. His role includes supporting and overseeing new grant account setup, invoicing and cash management, award management and close out, and monitoring the audit and financial compliance requirements of our...
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Regulatory Affairs & Assessment

Several offices under the Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship are dedicated to ensuring the integrity, safety and compliance of the sponsored programs we undertake. These professionals have a deep knowledge of regulatory requirements and know how to ensure that the end product of your work meets the highest ethical standards.

Alberto Caban-Martinez

Assoc. Professor

acaban@miami.edu

(305) 243-7565
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Field of Interest: Occupational Health & Safety Dr. Caban-Martinez is a board-certified osteopathic physician and epidemiologist, and an Associate Professor of Public Health Sciences in the Division of Environment and Public Health of the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He is the...
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William Jesus Collins

Director, Compliance

wjc59@miami.edu

(305) 284-9558
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William J. Collins has served as the Director of Export Control Compliance for the University since March 2017 and oversees the Export Management Compliance Program.  He previously served as an Empowered Official with the Boeing Company, and was employed at NASA Kennedy Space Center as a federal civil servant and U.S. government...
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Lory Hayes, Ph.D.

Director, Compliance

lhayes@miami.edu

(305) 243-5036
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Within the University of Miami’s (UM) Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship (OVPRS), Lory Hayes is the Director of Disclosures & Scholarly Activities Management (DSAM). DSAM reviews the relationships with external entities disclosed by UM’s Covered Persons and identifies personal conflicts of...
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Ellen Kapsalis

Director, Compliance

ekapsali@miami.edu

(305) 243-2311
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As Director of Compliance for the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) and the Embryonic Stem Cell Research Oversight committee (ESCRO) under the direction of the Vice Provost for Research + Scholarship, Ellen Kapsalis provides oversight and leadership to University's research program...
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Kenia Francis Viamonte

Director, Human Subject Research (HSRO)

kviamonte@miami.edu

(305) 243-9672
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As Director for the Human Subject Research Office (HSRO), Kenia oversees the review of human subject research studies, the regulatory team that conducts HSR reviews, the five Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) and several compliance initiatives. She started at the University in 2002 at Medical Human Resources, where she was the recruiter for...
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Karrelyn Gindy Wetherington

Sr. Clinical Trial Disclosure (CTD) Associate

kxw796@miami.edu

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Karre Wetherington is a Sr. Clinical Trial Disclosure Associate in the Regulatory Affairs and Assessment (RAA) within the Office of Vice Provost of Research and Scholarship (OVPRS) at the University of Miami. She has over 20 years of experience in sponsored research with pre and post-award administration as well as all facets of clinical...
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Research Operations & Infrastructure

The Research Operations and Infrastructure team provides support on clinical trial research, research administration systems, and research reporting. The units include Research Intellegency and Capacity, Clinical Research Management and Support and Research Compliance, and Quality Assurance.

Mikki R. ONeal

Assoc. VP, Research Operations & Infrastructure

mxo638@miami.edu

(305) 243-4215 x64215
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Mikki O’Neal has over 22 years of clinical research experience. She holds a Master of Business Administration from Colorado Tech University and has three clinical research certifications. She has served in multiple clinical research management roles, including operations, financial, regulatory, and clinical research compliance. In...
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Yolanda Patricia Davis

Director, Clinical Research

y.p.davis@miami.edu

(305) 243-0494
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Yolanda Davis currently oversees the Clinical Research Management & Support Office (CRMSO) under the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship (OVPRS) at the University of Miami. Her oversight includes providing support for Regulatory Affairs, Project Management, Data Management, Site Management, and Clinical Trial Disclosure...
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Helen Miletic

Director, Research Quality Assurance

hmiletic@miami.edu

(305) 243-4306
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Helen Miletic is the Director of Research Quality Assurance. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology and has over 20 years of experience working in Quality Assurance. Helen is also certified as a Registered Quality Assurance Professional in Good Clinical Practice (RQAP-GCP) and in Healthcare...
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Joshua Rivera

Director, Research Information Technology

jxr4464@miami.edu

(305) 284-3906
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Privacy Office

The Privacy Office team acts as one of the institution’s gatekeepers of clinical data; oversees the proper use, disclosure, storage and access to clinical biological data for research and healthcare operations; and, protects the privacy of UM’s research participants.

Hilary Cox

Executive Director, University & Research Privacy

hxc823@miami.edu

(305) 243-2561
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Hilary Cox, JD, CIPP/US, Executive Director University and Research Policy. She has a dual privacy role, the Privacy Officer for OVPRS and the Data Protection Officer for the Academy. In both roles, she manages existing privacy compliance functions and the Data Broker Services team. Hilary earned her J.D. from Stanford Law School, and her B.A....
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