Blog
March 3, 2023
We’re excited to be presenting at a number of sessions, workshops, and discussion groups during the 2023 NCURA FRA Conference in Las Vegas. With a roster of both new and familiar faces, our team will be out in force! Learn more about our experts, get details on their sessions, and schedule time to connect with them during the conference. They’ll be discussing a range of topics and would love to share their expertise with you—visit us at Booth #108 and learn more!
Robert Cohen, MBA, CPA
Managing Director
Bob Cohen has over 35 years of experience in providing guidance regarding higher education research administration and financial administration issues including performing the duties of a top financial officer of a medical school, heading up both sponsored program pre- and post-award administration units, responsibilities for clinical trial administrative operations, accounting functions, budgeting activities. Bob was previously responsible for both Pre- and Post-award at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and all financial functions of the New York University School of Medicine. Since joining BearingPoint in 2005 and then Attain Partners, Bob has assisted numerous top research medical centers in a variety of engagements.
Concurrent Session: Differences Between the F&A Regulations for Institutions of Higher Education, Research Institutes and Hospitals and Maximizing F&A Reimbursement
Tuesday, March 7, 2:45p – 3:45p
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Wally Davis
Partner
Wally Davis has 25 years of consulting experience in the higher education and nonprofit markets. He is responsible for leading and managing a team to provide F&A and grants management services nationwide. His experience with Attain Partners has included a variety of engagements that provide specific financial management and advisory services to executive leaders and administrators of research colleges and universities, hospitals, and other not-for-profits in the areas of F&A cost recovery, grants management, and implementation of effort reporting and space software solutions. Prior to joining Attain Partners, Mr. Davis was employed by Emory University where he managed and coordinated the preparation and negotiation of Emory’s F&A rate proposal as well as managed the effort reporting and equipment tracking functions.
Discussion Group: Current F&A Landscape and Other Regulatory Matters
Tuesday, March 7, 1p – 2:15p
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Ben Garvin
Senior Specialist
Ben Garvin has 20+ years of experience in the higher education research administration field. His years of experience in higher education include “life cycle” of grants and contracts from Pre-award including proposal building and reviewing; to Post-award including award administration to award closeout. He can perform these “cradle to grave” functions in a departmental or a central role. Prior to consulting for Attain Partners, Ben worked at Harvard University School of Engineering and Applied Science, Brown University Sponsored Programs Office, and Northeastern University Central Office. Ben also serves as the Chairperson for NCURA Region I (New England)’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee and the NCURA FRA 2023 Program Committee. In his spare time, Ben is also a musician and plays in a gospel group and a rock in soul band.
Discussion Group: Post-Award Management from the Departmental Perspective
Monday, March 6, 10:15a – 11:30a
Concurrent Session: Hey…Here’s a great I.D.E.A (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Allyship)!!!
Tuesday, March 7, 2:45p – 3:45p
Workshop WS14: Recruitment, Retention and Promotion: Challenges in Today’s Diverse and Inclusive Workforce
Wednesday, March 8, 1p – 4:30p
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Kathleen Halley-Octa, M.A., CRA
Senior Consultant
Prior to joining Attain Partners in November 2022, Kathleen served as the Director of the Office of Research & Sponsored Projects for the College of Education & Human Development at Georgia State University. In this role, she led a team of talented research administrators who oversee both pre- and post-award operations for the college’s portfolio. Kathleen began her Research Administration Career at Kennesaw State University as a proposal administrator and ERA specialist. She then moved to the Georgia Institute of Technology, where she worked as a departmental administrator in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering before joining the central Office of Sponsored Programs. In OSP, Kathleen ran Georgia Tech’s Research Administration training program, served as the product owner for numerous ERA systems, and oversaw the development and implementation of eRouting, Georgia Tech’s homegrown electronic routing system.
Kathleen is a Certified Research Administrator and holds a Master’s Degree in English from The College of Charleston and a Bachelor’s Degree in English from the University of Georgia. She has been involved with NCURA since 2013 and has presented at both Regional and National meetings. In the past, she has served as Secretary of Region III and Website Coordinator, and she currently serves as co-editor for NCURA Magazine.
Concurrent Session: Departmental Roles and Responsibilities: Defining the Boundaries Between Departments and Central Offices
Monday, March 6, 4p – 5p
Concurrent Session: Communicating Effectively with PIs
Tuesday, March 7, 1p – 2:15p
Workshop WS09: Preaward Basics and Best Practices
Wednesday, March 8, 1p – 4:30p
Connect with Kathleen
Contact Kathleen
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Liliana Keany, MBA
Senior Consultant
Liliana Keany has 13 years of higher education experience with a core focus in costing and sponsored research administration. Liliana has worked at Princeton University, Rutgers University, and Steven Institute of Technology. Her current collaborators include Yale University, Boston Children’s Hospital, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and Memorial-Sloan Kettering. Her favorite thing about working in the industry is the connections she makes to her clients and seeing the behind the scenes of university financials. Liliana enjoys spending time with her husband, her two kids, and her pets. She enjoys engaging in volunteer efforts in her hometown areas.
Concurrent Session: Differences Between the F&A Regulations for Institutions of Higher Education, Research Institutes and Hospitals and Maximizing F&A Reimbursement
Tuesday, March 7, 2:45p – 3:45p
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Paige Robinson, CRA
Associate
Paige Robinson serves as a post-award management resource and consultant for the Seattle Children’s Therapeutics finance team where she assists with special projects, budget projections, forecasting and monitoring collections and expenditures against budgets. She’s responsible for transfers and reconciliation, new budget setup, and provides reporting and analysis. Before her role with Attain Partners, she spent more than 18 years at Vanderbilt University as Administrative Officer and at Vanderbilt University Medical Center as a pre-award specialist and Grant Manager. She also served on the VPRAD Research Certification Advisory Board along with the roles of committee chair, speaker, and mentor. Paige obtained her CRA in 2009 and currently serves as 2022-2024 RACC Vice Chair of the Item Review Committee and continues membership and volunteer activities with NCURA. Since 2003, she has served as Chair and member for Region III Philanthropy Committee (2013-2015), Volunteer Coordinator Committee, Region III Chair of Membership and Awards Committee (2010-2011) Speaker/Co-Speaker NCURA Region III meetings (2008, 2010-11) and NCURA Annual meetings (2008, 2010, 2012). She has also held membership with the Society of Research Administration (SRA).
Concurrent Session: Jumpin into Career Overdrive? Keep Out of the Danger Zone
Tuesday, March 7, 1p – 2:15p
Connect with Paige
Contact Paige
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Susan Wyatt Sedwick, PhD, CRA, CSM
Senior Consulting Specialist
Dr. Susan Wyatt Sedwick joined Attain Partners when she retired in 2015 as an associate vice president for research and director of the Office of Sponsored Projects at The University of Texas at Austin, where she was responsible for both pre- and post-award financial administration units and export controls compliance. She received her Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Texas A&M University and is a Certified Research Administrator (CRA). She is an adjunct professor for the masters of research administration program at Johns Hopkins University and has held previous academic appointments as a clinical professor in the Department of Educational Administration for the Higher Education Administration Program at The University of Texas at Austin and as an adjunct professor for Rush University in Chicago and The University of Oklahoma, Norman. Dr. Sedwick is a frequent speaker on the topic of science and security, export controls as they apply to universities, improper influence, human capital development, and strategic planning. She has authored numerous publications, including the chapter on export controls included in the NCURA/AIS publication, Sponsored Research Administration: A Guide to Effective Strategies and Recommended Practices, and served as the lead author of the SRAI LevelUp micro-credentialing module on Award Acceptance and Negotiation.
She is a graduate of Leadership Texas, a past trustee for the Texas A&M University-Kingsville Foundation, and founding president of the FDP Foundation. She is co-chair of the National Science Foundation Business and Operations Advisory Committee. She was recognized as the 2012-2013 distinguished alumnae by the Texas A&M University-Kingsville Dick and Mary Lewis Kleberg College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Human Sciences Hall of Honor.
Workshop SF15: Transformational Leadership and Transitional Management in Tumultuous Times
Wednesday, March 8, 1p – 4:30p
Connect with Susan
Contact Susan
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Courtney Swaney, MPA, CRA
Manager
Courtney Swaney, MPA, CRA is a Manager for Attain Partners with almost 20 years of experience in research administration. She specializes in leadership and management of sponsored projects teams, pre-award, and electronic Research Administration (eRA). She has been an NCURA member since 2003 and has served as Region V Treasurer and on the Region V Mustang Mentoring Program Committee.
Concurrent Session: Managing a Departmental Team in a Remote or Hybrid Environment
Tuesday, March 7, 8:15a – 9:45a
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Shacey Temperly
Senior Manager
Shacey Temperly is an experienced research administrator who specializes in procedural, system, and control analyses to create operational and financial efficiencies. She has provided various organizational redesign and business process improvement services for not-for-profit and higher education clients.
Concurrent Session: Improving Post-Award Processes After Implementing an ERP
Monday, March 6, 2:45p – 3:45p
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