Jack Pladziewicz, Ph.D
Interim President
Jack Pladziewicz has returned to Research Corporation for Science Advancement as Interim President effective January 14, 2013.Contact:
Bio
About RCSA
Staff
Contact:
Bio
James M. Gentile, Ph.D
Past President
Jim Gentile was President of Research Corporation for Science Advancement from 2005-2013. Prior to coming to RCSA he held an endowed professorship in biology and served for twelve years as Dean for the Natural Sciences at Hope College in Holland, MI.Contact:
Bio
Silvia Ronco, Ph.D
Program Director
Silvia Ronco came to Research Corporation in September 2003 from the University of South Dakota where she was professor of chemistry.Contact:
Bio
Richard Wiener, Ph.D
Program Director
Richard Wiener began working as a program officer at Research Corporation in September 2006. From 1995-2006 he was a physics professor at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon and Chair of the Division of Natural Sciences from 2004-2006.Contact:
Bio
Sandy Champion
Lead Program Assistant
Ms. Champion has had a long relationship with RCSA. She worked with the Foundation’s spinoff company, Research Corporation Technologies, for 10 years as an executive assistant, and she has been with RCSA since 2005. Ms. Champion serves as the primary program assistant for Cottrell College Science, Cottrell Scholar, Scialog® and Arizona Partners in Science programs. Her 10 years with the Bio-Organic Chemistry Department at SRI International gave her a broad science background.Contact:
Gail Craig-Jager
Financial Administrator
Gail Craig-Jager joined RCSA with responsibilities in accounting and human resources. She has over 25 years in financial management including experience in higher education administration at Furman University and the University of Arizona. She holds a B.A. in economics and business administration from Furman University and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Arizona.Contact:
Kathleen Eckert
Administrative Assistant
Kathleen Eckert comes to RCSA with broad experience, including administrative duties in several nonprofit organizations as well as consulting, civil engineering, law, publishing, and investment firms. She has served as a development director as well as an executive secretary, a legal secretary and in various support roles. She is familiar with legal, architectural and engineering terminology, and has specialized in managing communications and correspondence with top executives in overseas corporations, including Japan and Great Britain.Contact:
Thomas Kennedy Goodenow, B.S.
Director of Information Technology
Mr. Goodenow is the Director of Information Technology and has been with RCSA since 2003. He is responsible for the foundation's information technology infrastructure, web site, and grant management system. He holds a bachelor of science in electrical engineering technology from Michigan Technological University.Contact:
Barbara Gray, B.S.
Coordinator for Science Programs
Ms. Gray is one of the newer members of RCSA. She is developing expertise in grant -management software systems, and she provides administrative support for the Vice President as well as internal and external committees. Her role also includes event planning for the Foundation’s science programs. She has a B.S. in business management.Contact:
Dan Huff, J.D
Science Writer
Mr. Huff has been with RCSA since 2007. He has reported and written on a wide variety of topics for newspapers, magazines, broadcast TV news, video productions, websites and social media. He has also ghostwritten speeches and journalistic commentary and has produced advertising copy for both print and video. He is an avid photographer. He holds a J.D. degree from the University of Arizona.Contact:
Dena McDuffie
Archivist
Dena McDuffie has worked with RCSA since 1990. She received her master’s degree in Information Resources and Library Science (with specialization in archives) at the University of Arizona. She maintains the Foundation’s archives, researches and writes on its history, and manages its art collection.Contact:
Sofia L. Morris
Office Coordinator
Ms. Morris has been with RCSA since 2002. She is responsible for all program reports necessary to meet tax and internal requirements. At times she handles communications with grantees, occasionally acting as a go-between among grantees and RCSA program officers when technical reporting and procedures are complicated by special conditions. She also keeps her coworkers armed with office supplies. Her studies are in records management and music.Contact:
Elaine Nathanson
Communications Manager
Elaine R. Nathanson has a background in providing marketing, public relations, community relations and event planning for businesses, organizations and government agencies. She has a BA in Journalism and a Master’s in Organizational Management. She earned her Accredited Public Relations (APR) designation in 1987 from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and was named a Fellow in PRSA in 2004.Contact:
Kathleen Parson, Ph.D
Consultant
Ms. Parson began work as a part-time program officer at RCSA in January 2008. She is professor emerita of biology and chemistry at Macalester College in St. Paul, MN where she was Academic Dean from 1995-99 and coordinated numerous grant proposals, including awards from the Keck, Mellon, Ford, and Bush Foundations. She served as an NSF-DUE Program Director from 2004-2006.Contact:
Alicia Carina Sanchez
Director of Strategic Partnerships
Ms. Sanchez is RCSA's director of strategic partnerships. Her work is focused on outreach to RCSA's communities and on building funding initiatives that enhance the Foundation's work in nurturing innovative and transformative research, the integration of science teaching and research, public advocacy for science, and other projects related to science and technological advancement. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago and attended graduate school at Stanford University.Contact:
Joan Newton
Executive Assistant to the President
Ms. Van Houten came to Research Corporation in 2010 from Holland, MI where she served the Biology Department of Hope College. She is pleased to have a part in supporting the efforts of Research Corporation as it opens the door to innovative research and discovery by funding young scientists who, through their work and their teaching, have the potential to change the world.Contact:
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