Event
Event Details
Where:
Washington, DC
Washington, DC
When:
August 9 - 13, 2025
August 9 - 13, 2025
Hear from Attain Partners at the 2025 NCURA Annual Meeting
Attain Partners is a proud sponsor of the 67th NCURA Annual Meeting, taking place August 10 – 13, 2025, in Washington, DC.
Are you attending? Add these informative sessions to your conference agenda—or meet one-on-one with our experts. We’d love to schedule a time to discuss solutions for any current issues your institution may be facing.
WS13 – Balancing Act: Navigating Compliance and Customer Service in Research Admin
Sunday, August 10 | 1p – 4:30p ET
Research administrators often find themselves balancing two critical roles: enforcing compliance with complex regulations and providing exceptional customer service to researchers and stakeholders. This workshop, “Balancing Act: Navigating Compliance and Customer Service in Research Administration,” equips participants with the tools and strategies to manage this dual responsibility effectively using well-researched customer service models as well as relationship building and communication skills. Through interactive discussions, case studies, and role-playing exercises, attendees will learn how to navigate conflicts, communicate with diplomacy, and build relationships that foster collaboration while upholding compliance standards.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the dual role of research administrators as compliance officers and service providers.
- Learn strategies to enforce compliance without alienating stakeholders, including central offices, researchers or sponsors.
- Develop communication techniques to maintain positive relationships while addressing regulatory requirements.
- Create a toolkit to effectively balance these roles in daily operations.
Speakers
- Georgetta Dennis, Senior Associate, Attain Partners
- Amy Thomas, Director of Research, College of Sciences and Mathematics, Auburn University
Leadership Gaps & Panic Attacks: What to Do When Succession Planning Fails
Monday, August 11 | 1:30p – 2:30p ET
When a key leader leaves and there’s no succession plan in place, research administrators are left scrambling. This fast-paced, solutions-focused session tackles what to do when the worst-case scenario becomes reality. You’ll learn how to quickly stabilize your team, fill the gap with confidence, and prevent disruption to your research enterprise. But we won’t stop there—we’ll dive into how to avoid ever getting to that point by building a resilient, proactive succession strategy. From gaining leadership buy-in to creating a talent pipeline, you’ll walk away with actionable tools to protect your office and prepare your people.
Learning Objectives
- Identify the key risks and operational impacts of leadership vacancies in research administration.
- Apply immediate-response strategies for maintaining stability and continuity when succession planning has failed.
- Advocate for succession planning as a strategic priority to upper leadership.
- Develop and implement practical, ongoing succession plans tailored to their teams.
- Use tools such as emergency coverage plans, cross-training strategies, and leadership development frameworks to build future readiness.
Speakers
- Courtney Swaney, Principal, Attain Partners
- Trudy Riley, Senior Director, Office of Sponsored Programs, Stevens Institute of Technology
Understanding Effort and Effort Reporting in University Settings
Monday, August 11 | 1:30p – 2:30p ET
This session will provide a comprehensive overview of effort and effort reporting, an essential aspect of compliance with federal, sponsor, and institutional funding regulations. Attendees will learn the principles behind effort reporting, why it’s important, and how to accurately track and report effort related to sponsored projects.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the concept of effort reporting and its significance in the university setting.
- Gain clarity on federal, sponsor, and institutional
- Learn how to complete accurate effort reports and avoid common pitfalls.
- Familiarize yourself with the tools and systems that can help streamline the effort reporting process.
- Set expectations on meeting and reviewing with the proper stakeholders (PI, Project Manager, Vice Dean of Research, etc.).
Speakers
- Leah Acajabon, Senior Consultant, Attain Partners
- Miranda Burnisky, Financial Specialist-Senior Supervisor, Penn State College of Medicine Milton S. Hershey Medical Ctr
Leveraging Preexisting AI Tools to Streamline Research Administration
Monday, August 11 | 4p – 5p ET
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming an essential part of modern workflows, offering opportunities to enhance efficiency and reduce administrative burden. In research administration—a field marked by complex processes and compliance demands—AI has the potential to revolutionize daily operations. This session explores how research administrators can harness preexisting AI tools, such as ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot, to streamline tasks and improve productivity.
We will discuss real-world applications of publicly available AI platforms, from automating routine communications to interpreting policies and creating templates. Participants will learn how these tools can free up time to focus on more strategic and compliance-driven responsibilities. We will also address key considerations for ethical AI use, institutional readiness, and the critical need for training to maximize benefits while mitigating risks. Join us to discover practical strategies for integrating AI into your workflow and shaping the future of research administration.
Learning Objectives
Understand the Applications of AI in Research Administration:
- Gain insights into how preexisting AI tools, such as ChatGPT and Grammarly, can be used to automate routine tasks, enhance productivity, and streamline processes in research administration.
- Evaluate the Benefits and Ethical Considerations of AI Use: Explore the advantages of incorporating AI tools into your workflow while identifying potential ethical challenges and strategies to mitigate risks.
- Develop Strategies for Effective AI Integration: Learn practical approaches to adopting AI tools in research administration, including training needs, institutional preparedness, and balancing innovation with compliance and decision-making skills.
Speaker
- Kathleen Halley-Octa, Manager, Attain Partners
2 CFR 200 Uniform Guidance – Under New Management
Tuesday, August 12 | 8:15a – 9:45a ET
Speaker
- Gilbert Tran, Senior Specialist Leader, Attain Partners
Leveraging Preexisting AI Tools to Streamline Research Administration (Follow-up Discussion Group)
Tuesday, August 12 | 10:15a – 11:30a ET
Speaker
- Kathleen Halley-Octa, Manager, Attain Partners
Cost Share Decoded
Tuesday, August 12 | 10:15a – 11:30a ET
This session will focus on Cost Share, inception to close. We will go over the types of cost share, the impact of cost share, Uniform Guidance requirements, Pre and Post Award items to look out for and best practices, how to document and track cost share, and finally best practices for reporting.
Learning Objectives
- Types of Cost Share
- Impacts of Cost Share
- Pros and cons
- UG Guidance
- What can and cannot be covered by Cost Share?
- Consequences of not meeting Cost Share commitments
- Proposal and Award
- Considerations to make
- Cost Share Examples
- Fringes
- Tuition
- Salary Cap
- Documenting and Tracking Cost Share
- Reporting Cost Share
Speakers
- Leah Acajabon, Senior Consultant, Attain Partners
- Miranda Burnisky, Financial Specialist-Senior Supervisor, Penn State College of Medicine Milton S. Hershey Medical Ctr
Demystifying SBIR/STTR for Research Administrators
Tuesday, August 12 | 1:15p – 2:15p ET
This discussion group is designed exclusively for research administrators who support Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) proposals and awards. This session will provide a collaborative space to explore the unique administrative considerations of these federally funded agreements – including proposal development, budgeting, compliance requirements, and structuring partnerships with small businesses. Participants will share institutional practices, discuss common challenges, and identify strategies to manage risk and support effective coordination between research institutions and their SBIR/STTR partners.
Speakers
- Courtney Swaney, Principal, Attain Partners
- Abby Guillory, Assistant Vice President for Research, University of Tulsa
HHS Salary Cap to Discussion of New Policies and Implementations to UG
Tuesday, August 12 | 4p – 5p ET
Speakers
- Liliana Keany, Senior Consultant, Attain Partners
- Karen Renaud, Director-Research Finance, Boston Children’s Hospital
From Resistance to Resilience: Managing Change in Research Administration
Wednesday, August 13 | 9:45a – 10:45a ET
The world of research administration is becoming increasingly complex, shaped by shifting compliance requirements and evolving sponsor expectations. Navigating these uncertainties effectively requires more than just technical solutions – it calls for thoughtful change management that addresses both organizational goals and human dynamics.
This session will provide practical strategies for managing change at all levels, from small team process improvements to institution-wide initiatives. We’ll explore how to set a clear vision, communicate effectively, and anticipate challenges – including resistance – while helping staff stay engaged and resilient. Through real-world case studies, we’ll highlight lessons learned, key success factors, and pitfalls to avoid. Attendees will leave with tools and approaches they can apply immediately to build a more adaptive, change-ready research administration environment.
Learning Objectives
- Identify effective strategies for implementing and managing change.
- Develop communication and engagement approaches that address resistance and support successful change initiatives.
- Build buy-in and create an inclusive, supportive environment during change.
Speakers
- Kathleen Halley-Octa, Manager, Attain Partners
Research Portfolio Management
Wednesday, August 13 | 11a – 12p ET
Speakers
- Liliana Keany, Senior Consultant, Attain Partners
- Chelsea Gambill, Manager, Post Award and UARC Operations, Howard University
