Directory & Services

Page Content

ORA is divided into four functional units under the direction of the Associate Vice President for Research. They are as follows:

Research Development, Outreach, and Engagement (RDOE) — assistance with identification of funding sources, funding databases (SPIN and GrantSearch), information dissemination, limited submission coordination, ORA website maintenance, newsletter design, and more
Proposal and Award Management (PAM) — budget development, proposal submission, award negotiation & acceptance, subaward preparation, non-financial award management, such as time extensions, PI/PD changes, and more
Financial Reporting and Audit (FRA) — award set-up, subrecipient monitoring, expense review and approval, cost transfer approvals, invoice preparation, financial reporting, payment deposits, project closeout, audit management, F&A and salary recovery distributions, and more
Research Information Systems and Grant Analysis (RISGA) — salary verification, expense monitoring, ORA systems and desktop support, and more

UNITS & STAFF

Central Office Staff

Erica Kennedy, MBA, CRA (Erica.KennedyFREEMississippi)
Associate Vice President for Research

Research Development, Outreach,
and Engagement (RDOE)

Maurine Pace (Maurine.PaceFREEMississippi)
Information Specialist

Proposal & Award Management (PAM)

T. Michelle Shows (Michelle.ShowsFREEMississippi)
Director

The Proposal & Award Management (PAM) staff are assigned to specific departments, centers, or other units. If you have questions about whom to contact, call us at 601.266.4119 or email us at USM-ORAFREEMississippi.

For assistance with Proposals and Contracts:

To see which pre-award administrator provides assistance for your organizational unit, open ORA's Area Assignments Chart (pdf).

Jeannene Garbee (Jeannene.GarbeeFREEMississippi)
Sponsored Projects Analyst

Joseph Steadman (Joseph.SteadmanFREEMississippi)
Assistant Director

TBD
Senior Contracts & Grants Coordinator

Matthew Thornton (Matthew.W.ThorntonFREEMississippi)
Contracts & Grants Administrator

Alexandra Schneider (Alexandra.SchneiderFREEMississippi)
Contracts & Grants Administrator

TBD
Contracts & Grants Administrator

Phillip Snyder (Phillip.SnyderFREEMississippi)
Contracts & Grants Administrator

Brandon Vineyard (Brandon.VineyardFREEMississippi)
Contracts & Grants Administrator

Shruti Archita (Shruti.ArchitaFREEMississippi)
Contract Coordinator

Financial Reporting & Audit (FRA)

Corrie R. Stringer, MPA (Corrie.StringerFREEMississippi)
Director

Sally Downey, MPA (Sally.L.DowneyFREEMississippi)
Assistant Director

To see which post-award administrator accountant provides assistance for your account, open the FRA Accountant by Agency (pdf).

For assistance with restricted fund expenditures, invoices, financial reports, project closeout, and audits:

TBD
Office Assistant

TBD
Research Administration Specialist

Lindsey Bussolati (lindsey.bussolatiFREEMississippi)
Research Administration Analyst

TBD
Senior Accountant: Federal Agencies

Barbara Dawson (Barbara.DawsonFREEMississippi)
Accountant: Fixed Price Projects, State & Business/Industry Agencies

Jerilynn "Nikki" Lee (Nicole.LeeFREEMississippi)
Senior Accountant: Federal Agencies

Sherry McArn (Sherry.McArnFREEMississippi)
Accountant: Fixed Price Projects, State & Business/Industry Agencies

TBD
Accountant: Fixed Price Projects, State & Business/Industry Agencies

Darlene Shepherd (Darlene.ShepherdFREEMississippi)
Accountant: Fixed Price Projects, State & Business/Industry Agencies

Brittany Wilson (Brittany.WilsonFREEMississippi)
Contracts and Grants Accountant

Jenni Schmidt (Jennifer.SchmidtFREEMississippi)
Contracts and Grants Accountant

Research Information Systems & Grant Analysis (RISGA)

Jennifer Wilson (Jennifer.WilsonFREEMississippi)
Director

Kaycee McMullan (Kaycee.McMullanFREEMississippi)
Assistant Director

TBD
Associate Business Analyst

^ Back to Top ^

ORA PRINCIPLES & SERVICES

ORA Principles

to provide visible leadership in sponsored project development, administration, and compliance
to offer service that is responsive to the current and projected needs of Southern Miss faculty and staff
to supply differential assistance that reflects individual faculty and staff needs and experience with sponsored projects
to support the pursuit and administration of external funds to advance the University's mission

ORA Services

provide timely information on funding opportunities
contribute to development of proposals
support principal investigators (PIs) by providing information, interpretation, and guidance from proposal preparation through close-out of the award
process and submit proposals in an accurate, timely manner
ensure that accounts for funded projects are in place as quickly as possible
provide information on contracts and subcontracts
verify that sponsored activities are conducted in compliance with state, federal, and university requirements
develop and ensure compliance with university policies related to external funding
ensure cost-sharing commitments are documented
capture, analyze and report pertinent financial data to the administration
assist in preparation of the University's facilities and administrative costs rates
prepare financial billings and reports
collect and monitor payments from sponsor
manage audits of externally funded projects

^ Back to Top ^