ORI Team & Partners: ORI Team Members
Welcoming New ORI Team Members
Rose Ann DiMaria-Ghalili, PhD, RN, FASPEN, FAAN, FGSA, Interim Associate Vice Provost for Research & Innovation.
Rose Ann joined the Office of Research and Innovation on January 1 as the Interim Associate Vice Provost for Research and Innovation. Rose Ann brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to fostering a collaborative and innovative research environment. Currently, she serves as the Senior Associate Dean for Research and a Professor of Nursing in the College of Nursing and Health Professions. As a geriatric nurse scientist, her continuously funded interdisciplinary program of research focuses on developing innovative approaches to improve health outcomes and quality of life for older adults with acute and chronic conditions across the care continuum.
In her new role, Rose Ann will serve as a vital liaison between our faculty researchers and the various administrative, technical, and operational units that support research at Drexel. Her primary responsibility will be to ensure that our faculty members have the support they need to conduct their research efficiently and effectively within the institution's framework. She will advocate for faculty needs and concerns, facilitate regular dialogue between faculty and research administration, and engage with the Provost's office on research-related matters.
After consulting for startups and pre-startups, the next stage of her career led her back to academia as a Licensing Manager at UC Davis. Here she worked her way up to Director of Business Development and Licensing. Her prior positions include Senior Director of Business Development and Innovation at Boston Children’s Hospital and a Director of Business Development at UMass Chan Medical School. Robin is happy to be at Drexel University where she hopes to contribute to the protection and licensing of Drexel’s discoveries and innovations for societal benefit.
Robin is a native New Yorker and an unabashed animal lover. She enjoys hiking with her spouse, playing with their two dogs, and painting.
Kwesi Owusu-Ansah, Associate Director, Finance & Administration. Kwesi brings experience in financial management, operational strategy, and general administration, with a focus on building efficient processes that support academic and research excellence. He is passionate about streamlining processes and supporting teams to do their best work.
As he has just one year in Philly, outside of work he enjoys exploring the city for restaurants, live music, or spending time at home with his rescue pup and lots of houseplants. He is really looking forward to working with everyone and learning more about the great work happening across ORI!
Yassine Sellami, Director, Research Systems & Analytics. Yassine joins the Office of Research & Innovation as Director of Research Systems & Analytics, bringing five years of experience supporting Drexel's research enterprise from the Central IT side. With a background in mathematics and global experience spanning the tech and business sectors—including roles at Dell, Apple, and IKEA—he brings a systems-thinking approach shaped by his work across diverse environments. Yassine also holds graduate degrees in strategic technology and innovation and is currently pursuing a doctorate in higher education leadership and administration.
In his new role, Yassine is focused on strengthening partnerships across ORI and campus stakeholders to lead the digital transformation of research systems, enhance analytics, and promote more effective communication around research tools and services. He views this work as a collaborative effort—one that supports ORI’s mission to enable discovery, creativity, and impact through responsive infrastructure and support.
Yassine looks forward to learning from and working with colleagues across the University to help build a research environment that is efficient, data-informed, and adaptable to the evolving needs of researchers and investigators.
Beatriz Hernaez-Estrada, Flow Cytometry Specialist – Cell Imaging Center.
Bea has been working for about a year part-time in the CIC supporting the management, training and maintenance of a recently acquired flow cytometry instrument. Beginning February 1, Bea reduced her time in the CIC slightly and took on a role in a new Flow Cytometry Core Facility at Drexel’s College of Medicine. There she will join Jenna Hope and Elias El Haddad in the commissioning, management and maintain the new Cell Sorting Flow Cytometer being acquired via the NIH S10 program.
Dr. Melanie McFadden, Executive Director of Veterinary Services – University Lab Animal Resources. As Executive Director, Dr. McFadden oversees veterinary clinical operations and supports the ULAR team and Regulatory Compliance team to ensure the highest standards of animal welfare and scientific quality across Drexel. She obtained her bachelor's degree in animal science from Penn State, followed by a master's in laboratory animal sciences right here at Drexel. She also earned a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Western University of Health Services and completed a Residency/Fellowship at the University of Southern California.
Dr. McFadden brings extensive experience in veterinary clinical care, research support, and leadership. With a proven track record of advancing animal care and fostering collaborative, compliant research environments, she plays a critical role in leading Drexel’s veterinary services team and supporting the University’s mission of excellence in research and animal welfare.
During her free time, she loves to spend time with her family and enjoys going to the beach or being outside!
Shannon Morton, Senior Veterinary Technician – University Lab Animal Resources. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Shannon earned her degree in Veterinary Technology from the University of Cincinnati and became a Registered Veterinary Technician. Over the course of her career, she has gained extensive experience across multiple areas of veterinary medicine — including private practice, emergency medicine, and histopathology. However, she has found her true passion in laboratory animal research and brings over 15 years of experience in the field.
Shannon holds a Laboratory Animal Technologist (LATG) certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) and offers a wealth of experience in research support and animal care. In her new role, she will work closely with Dr. Melanie McFadden to provide veterinary oversight, ensure compliance with research protocols, and uphold the highest standards of animal welfare.
In her free time, Shannon enjoys spending time with her three cats, playing pub trivia with friends, and riding her motorcycle.
James Porter, Senior Research Computing Specialist - University Research Computing Facility.
James started on January 21 in the URCF role. James brings experience as a developer, administrator and facilitator in both academic and industry research computing environments. He is looking forward to applying that experience in service of our shared research computing clusters in the URCF. His role involves maintaining the Drexel cluster Picotte and interfacing with researchers from across the University to help facilitate and enhance their use of the cluster. James will also be an important part of developing our strategies for expanding and improving shared research computing infrastructure on campus.
Gia Boersema, CRA, MS, Assistant Vice Provost, Sponsored Programs. Gia brings over 18 years of experience in research administration across higher education and nonprofit sectors. A Certified Research Administrator and familiar face at Drexel, she returns after serving as Senior Associate Director in the University of Pennsylvania’s Office of Research Services.
At Penn, Gia oversaw proposal and award management for more than 100 departments, led a team of five, and served as an Authorized Organizational Representative. She implemented tracking systems, streamlined subaward execution, and enhanced training programs to strengthen compliance and efficiency.
In her new role at Drexel, Gia will lead the central administration of grants and contracts within the Office of Sponsored Programs. She will focus on ensuring compliance, supporting faculty and staff, and advancing the implementation of Novelution to improve research operations and foster a culture of excellence across the University.
Rebecca Deeb, Grants Administrator.
Rebecca comes to Drexel with several years of experience working as a Research Administrator at Northwestern University focusing on full lifecycle grants administration within a clinical trials unit. She is a trained archaeologist and has had multiple teaching positions at several institutions of higher education in the Chicago area.
James Hawkins, Lead Contracts Negotiator. James originates from Bloomington, Indiana. He is married with two children and two dogs. He has a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Clearwater Christian College and a Masters in Business Administration from TUI University. He worked for 20 years for the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy as a Contracting Officer. He currently serves in the Air Force Reserves as a Lieutenant Colonel.
Nicole Heard, Grants Administrator.
Nicole originates from Newport News, Virginia. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts from Norfolk State University and a Master of Arts degree in Business Administration with a minor in Accounting from Saint Leo University. She also holds a Doctorate in Christian Business Development from the School of The Great Commission Theological Seminary. Nicole is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice at Saint Leo University.
For the past 19 years, Nicole has garnered comprehensive experience in Government Contracting, Grants Management, Budget Analysis, and Contract Administration. She has established herself as a seasoned professional in the field of sponsored program administration, with expertise extending to all facets of grants and contracts, including negotiation, financial oversight, compliance reporting, and pre/post-award administration for a diverse range of funding agencies.
In her leisure time, Nicole relishes spending quality time with her family and creating new memories.
Wanda Peay, Lead Contract Negotiator.
Wanda joined Drexel in May and brings several years of experience in contract negotiation and research administration to the team. Prior to Drexel, Wanda worked at Cigna, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and in the pharmaceutical industry. Wanda has experience negotiating various types of contracts and looks forward to applying that experience at Drexel.
Sheilah Wiley, Lead Subaward Officer. Sheilah manages the full subaward process from negotiation to closeout. She brings prior experience from Auburn University’s subaward team, where she cultivated her expertise in research administration and compliance. At Drexel, Sheilah is dedicated to building strong partnerships and ensuring the University’s research collaborations run smoothly and compliantly.
