The Office of Research would like to update the UTHSC research community of staffing changes in the Office of Research Development (ORD).
Lisa Youngentob, who has served as Director of the ORD since it was established in 2015, will be retiring from UTHSC on December 31st of this year. Lisa has done an outstanding job in her 6 years, administering intramural grant programs (CORNET Awards, bridge funding, and new grant support) and limited submission competitions, managing proposal development services and resources, organizing collaborative research-focused events, and identifying funding opportunities. Under her direction, the ORD has served hundreds of research faculty and postdoctoral fellows and has touched all UTHSC sites across Tennessee. Her leadership has had a significant positive impact on the research enterprise, and she will be sorely missed.
The Office of Research has hired a new Director, Jamie Whartenby, MPA, as Lisa’s replacement. Jamie began her new role on October 1st and will serve with Lisa in a training/transition capacity until Lisa’s departure in December.
Some of you will recognize Jamie’s name from her previous time in the ORD. From 2017 to 2019, she served as Administrative Specialist, assisting Lisa in many ORD-related duties. Now as Director, she will assume full responsibility for all existing ORD support and services, along with any new initiatives stemming from the Vice Chancellor for Research.
Jamie comes to her new role from the UTHSC Center for Biomedical Informatics, where she was Program Administrator. She holds a Master’s in Public Administration from Murray State University, and a Health Systems Leadership graduate certificate from the University of Memphis. She is currently pursuing further studies in the School of Public Health at the University of Memphis. Her research interests include maternal and child health, program and policies, and community engagement and influence.
To allow for the smoothest possible transition, we ask that until the end of 2021, all ORD correspondence be directed to both Lisa and Jamie. Jamie will become sole Director and assume complete responsibility for the Office of Research Development on January 2, 2022.
Please join us in wishing Lisa the best in her future, and in welcoming Jamie to her new role!