Saint Louis University's Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) provides support, guidance and resources to faculty pursuing original research.
The Office of the Vice President for Research enables faculty research by fostering a vibrant research environment at SLU. Our goal is to lift many of the administrative burdens that accompany managing sponsored research so that faculty can focus on pursuing the research itself. The Office of the Vice President for Research can assist SLU faculty in the following areas:
- Identifying funding opportunities
- Convening faculty from across disciplines and creating collaborations
- Proposal development and review
- Managing awards and post-award compliance support
Research Councils and Committees
In the spirit of shared governance, SLU Research manages a variety of committees and councils to convene faculty, staff and administration around research. A list of these organizations, their charges, and their most up-to-date rosters can be viewed at the page below.
View Research Councils and Committees
Our Team
Vice President for Research and Partnerships

Kenneth A. Olliff
kolliff@slu.edu 773-612-6484 Dubourg Hall, Room 448 For appointments contact Amy Breuer, executive assistant to the vice president at amy.breuer@slu.edu.Ken Olliff serves as vice president for research and partnerships at Saint Louis University, a role he has held since July 2016. Olliff is responsible for growing the scale and eminence of SLU’s research enterprise, fostering an innovative research culture, building areas of distinctive strength, and raising SLU’s profile as a preeminent research university. Olliff also oversees SLU’s research innovation efforts, working closely with St. Louis’ innovation and entrepreneurship community to translate research discoveries into the marketplace.
In fall 2018, Olliff oversaw the creation and now serves as director of the Saint Louis University Research Institute. Founded through a 10-year, $50 million gift from Dr. Jeanne and Rex Sinquefield, the vision for the Research Institute is to set SLU on a path to becoming the world’s leading Jesuit research university.
Olliff serves as chair of the Program Committee for the Cortex Innovation Community and on the board of the Center for Creative Arts in St. Louis. He is a member of the St. Louis BioSTL Coalition, the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Mission Science Council, and the Governing Council of Washington University’s Institute for Clinical and Translational Sciences.
Olliff joined Saint Louis University after 12 years at the University of Chicago, most recently as associate vice president for program development in the Office of the Vice President for Research and National Labs. Responsible for managing UChicago’s research enterprise along with Argonne and Fermi National Laboratories, the office oversees a combined annual research expenditure of approximately $1.4 billion.
Olliff received his bachelor’s degree at the University of Rochester, and his Doctor of Ministry from Meadville Lombard Theological School. He performed advanced graduate work in religion at Harvard University, and he holds an Executive MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Jasmin Patel
Associate Vice President for Research and Chief of Staff jasmin.patel@slu.edu 314-977-3289
Anne Miller
Director, Research Commercialization anne.miller@slu.edu 314-580-5093
Mark Haenchen
Executive Director, Environmental Health and Safety mark.haenchen@slu.edu 314-977-6885
Lisa Wagner
Director, Sponsored Programs Accounting Grouplisa.wagner@slu.edu 314-977-5453

Amy Breuer
Manager, Program and Partnerships Executive Assistant to the Vice President for Research and Partnerships amy.breuer@slu.edu 314-977-7742
Alexis Bruce-Staudt
Assistant Vice President for Research, Administration and Operations alexis.brucestaudt@slu.edu 314-977-6314
Bob McNair
Business Manager, Office of the Vice President for Researchrobert.mcnair@slu.edu
314-977-9377
The Grant Operation (GO) Centers brings together key pre- and post-award staff into a single team to provide hands-on support to faculty applying for and managing their grants.
View the GO Center Pre and Post Award Assignments (PDF)

Alexis Bruce-Staudt
Assistant Vice President for Research, Administration and Operationsalexis.brucestaudt@slu.edu
314-977-6314

Matt Renaud
Director, GO Center 1 matt.renaud@slu.edu 314-977-5625
Ann Scales
Post-Award Specialist I ann.scales@slu.edu 314-977-7548
Karla Meshey
Pre-Award Specialist II karla.m.meshey@slu.edu 314-977-8615
Sara Bauman
Post-Award Specialist I sara.bauman@slu.edu 314-977-6095
Heather Venable
Research Institute Post-Award Specialist heather.venable@slu.edu
Chris Luebbert
Pre-Award Specialist christine.luebbert@slu.edu314-977-9766

Laura Brugger
Pre-Award Specialist Ilaura.brugger@slu.edu
314-977-7743

Kellisa Fiala
Post-Award Specialist IIkellisa.fiala@slu.edu 314-977-9356

Sharmi Ray
Post-Award Specialist IIsharmi.ray@slu.edu
314-977-6356

Terri Borowiak
Grants Administrator terri.borowiak@slu.edu314-977-2215

Vicki Moreland
Grants Managervicki.moreland@slu.edu
314-977-7733
The Research Innovation Group (RIG) manages the intellectual property portfolio and industry contracting activities for Saint Louis University.

Anne K. Miller
Director, Research Commercializationanne.miller@slu.edu 314-925-3042

Zerina Albrecht
Contracts Manager zerina.albrecht@slu.edu 314-925-3049
Danielle McCrady
Contract Specialist314-977-1219
danielle.mccrady@slu.edu

Kine' J. Walker
Administrative Assistant kine.walker@slu.edu 314-925-3027The Research Strategy Group (RSG) works with faculty in all aspects of research program development, including idea generation, seed funding, project management, and proposal submission.

David Borgmeyer
Director of Research Developmentdavid.borgmeyer@slu.edu 314-977-1129
The Sponsored Programs Accounting (SPA) Group handles financial and accounting matters for faculty who have been awarded grants and contracts. SPA provides this support for externally sponsored federal and private awards and for internally funded awards.
Contact Your Department's Sponsored Programs Accounting Team Member

Patti Montgomery, CPA
Grant Accountant patti.montgomery@slu.edu 314-977-1195
Lei Tang, M.Acc.
Financial Analyst lei.tang@slu.edu 314-977-2390
Mary Lou Pereira, B.A.
Grant Accountant marylou.pereira@slu.edu 314-977-6352
Katie McDowell, CPA
Grant Accountant II catherine.mcdowell@slu.edu 314-977-6357
Sharmi Ray, M.A.
Grant Accountant sharmi.ray@slu.edu 314-977-6356Saint Louis University has multiple committees charged with ensuring the safety and integrity of research performed at the University. SLU’s research compliance committees help maintain effective compliance with University policy and regulatory requirements.

Mark Haenchen
Executive Director, Environmental Health and Safety mark.haenchen@slu.edu314-977-6885

Kerry Borawski
Director, Conflict of Interest in Research kerry.borawski@health.slu.edu 314-977-7047
Steve Tinge
Manager, IACUC steve.tinge@slu.edu 314-977-2569
Kevin Ferguson
Associate Radiation Officer kevin.ferguson@slu.edu 314-977-6896
Renee Knoll
Assistant Director, Environmental Health & Safety renee.knoll@slu.edu 314-977-6884
Maureen Bresnahan
Director, Human Research Protection Program maureen.bresnahan@slu.edu 314-977-7734
Elena Breer
IRB Analyst elena.breer@slu.edu 314-977-7741
Zach Pudlowski
IRB Analyst zach.pudlowski@slu.edu 314-977-7735
Lydia Deterding
IRB Analyst lydia.deterding@slu.edu 314-977-2029
Kathrine Bendtsen
IRB Analyst kathrine.bendtsen@slu.edu 314-977-7732
Mirela Grabic
Quality Assurance and Education Associate mirela.grabic@slu.edu 314-977-9814
Courtney Neal
Coordinator, Human Research Protection Program Administrative Assistant, IRB courtney.neal@slu.edu 314-977-7744
Patricia Osmack
IBC Manager patricia.osmack@slu.edu 314-977-6897
Christopher Eickhoff
Biological Safety Officer christopher.eickhoff@health.slu.edu 314-977-6888
Jared Arter
Environmental Compliance Manager jared.arter@slu.edu 314-977-6882
Lance Peters
Radiation Safety Specialist lance.peters@slu.edu 314-977-6894
Connor Magner
Environmental Safety Specialist connnor.magnersackman@slu.edu 314-977-6795
Tammy Blevins
Assistant Biological Safety Officer tammy.blevins@health.slu.edu 314-977-6870
Amanda Nethington
Environmental Safety Specialist amanda.nethington@health.slu.edu 314-977-6883The Research Computing Group (RCG) builds on Saint Louis University's ambition to develop and improve computing infrastructure, technology, services and support for research.

Maureen Donlin, Ph.D.
Interim Director, Research Computing maureen.donlin@health.slu.edu 314-977-8858
Annamaria Szakonyi
Research Computing Architect annamaria.szakonyi@health.slu.edu 314-977-3987