NORDP Fellows

Designation as a NORDP Fellows is made to recognize the long-term accomplishments of members who have made sustained contributions to NORDP and worked tirelessly to advance research development as a profession and/or as a field. Status as a NORDP Fellow is the highest professional distinction the organization may bestow on a member. No more than one percent of NORDP members will be named Fellows annually. 

Fellow 2022

Rachel Dresbeck, Oregon Health & Science Center.
As one of NORDP’s earliest members and most dedicated volunteers, Rachel’s contributions are almost too numerous to describe. Rachel served eight years (2013–2021) on NORDP’s Board of Directors, elected by the Board for her first term and by the full membership for her second. When the Board of Directors faced difficult situations, those of us on the Board could count on her to be a voice for a practical approach and to diffuse conflict with her calm but direct manner. In 2014, she received the Holly J. Falk-Krzesinski NORDP Service Award given in recognition of outstanding service to NORDP and to the RD profession. Rachel chaired and hosted the 2014 conference in Portland and has grown sponsorship opportunities with NORDP. She continues to contribute to the Strategic Alliances Committee and Communications Working Group. 

Fellows 2021

Karen Eck, Old Dominion University
Karen's efforts to enhance collaborations has guided NORDP into the International space of Research Management and given members the opportunity to participate in a global space. “Few individuals can equal her unique and effective brand of leadership and service to our profession.”

Jacob Levin, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Jacob's work on the original Articles of Incorporation, bylaws, and 501(c)(3) application shepherded NORDP into the non-profit space. His early efforts introduced NORDP and Research Development to federal agencies and contributed to the published material on Research Development.  

Charter Fellows 2020 

In 2020, The Board chose to seat an inaugural class of 13 NORDP Fellows to honor NORDP’s founder Holly Falk-Krzesinski plus one person for each of the 12 years the organization has hosted an annual conference. Nominations for the charter class of NORDP Fellows were solicited among and considered by the Board of Directors.

Charter Fellows were selected based on distinctive and sustained contributions to NORDP, ranging from organizational development and growth to fostering a culture of diversity and inclusive excellence to peer network development and mentoring.

Jan Abramson, Penultimate Advantage
Jan's invaluable efforts to champion mentoring as a top and essential priority for NORDP, in turn helped to establish a distinctive value proposition for our members and an organizational culture where all feel welcome and respected. 

Jeff Agnoli, The Ohio State University
Jeff's kind and collegial nature, contributions to conference planning, and ongoing, cost-conscious contributions to NORDP,  have had excellence, impact, and inclusivity at their core and are exemplary in their emphasis on peer network development and on advancing the practice and profession of research development.

Susan Carter, Santa Fe Institute
Susan's early efforts helped to establish and grow NORDP, contributed to conference planning, helped establish Board of Directors elections, and is dedicated to mentoring and advancing the professional development of her colleagues in formal and informal ways. 

Kathy Cataneo, University of New Hampshire (Emerita)
Kathy's commitment provided the leadership needed to grow NORDP in strategic ways and reach the 1,000-member mark—all while being the consummate servant leader and for many years serving in a humble, reasoned, and kind way as the “conscience” of the Board of Directors.

Holly Falk-Krzesinski, Northwestern University/Elsevier
Holly's pioneering leadership and vision for our organization and constant championing of NORDP, its members, and the practice and field of research development led efforts to advance our collective work in ways that are connected, inclusive, and evidence-based.

Gretchen Kiser, University of California, San Francisco
Gretchen's leadership helped grow our organization, emphasize our collective potential to serve as advocates for the role and importance of research, and profound commitment to helping advance inclusive excellence as a fully integrated core value and aim of NORDP.

Alicia Knoedler, National Science Foundation
Alicia's leadership helped grow our organization, emphasize our collective potential to serve as leaders at the institutional and national levels, and efforts to demonstrate the unique ways in which research development is an ideal vehicle to help broaden participation in STEM.

Dave Stone, Oakland University
Dave's efforts elevated the visibility of research development at the highest institutional levels and on the national stage, established research development as an area of study ripe for rigorous scholarly inquiry, and crafted and stewarded NORDP’s by-laws during his term of Board service.

Peggy Sundermeyer, ORGtransitions
Peggy's early efforts helped to establish and grow our organization, carefully stewarded our funds as NORDP’s Treasurer, has a lengthy list of committee and task force service, and worked to connect ideas and individuals to, within, and beyond NORDP.

Kay Tindle, Texas Tech University
Kay's significant efforts advanced the role and reach of NORDP by providing leadership to the Member Services Committee and the PEERD program, as well as mentoring colleagues and leading rigorous efforts to advance the foundational base of knowledge about research development.

Barbara Walker, University of California, Santa Barbara
Barbara's efforts elevated the role of research development in advancing the arts, humanities, and social sciences; enhanced the Board of Directors election processes; and increased the ways in which research development professionals may help organizations pursue diversity and inclusive excellence.

Kari Whittenberger-Keith, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee (retired)
Kari's advocacy for and design and delivery of professional development opportunities focused on research development and her extensive leadership and service to NORDP, mentored and coached countless members through conference planning and committee work.

Anne Windham, Brown University
Anne's efforts focused to professionalize the work of NORDP’s Board of Directors and she helped to found NORDP Northeast, providing an excellent regional model for member engagement and development.