Blog
June 6, 2025
Attain Research Spotlight – Chris Menzies, Manager for Research Facilities Management, Administrative Cost Recovery, and Regulatory Compliance
Chris Menzies, Manager within Attain Partners’ Attain Research practice, has been a valued member of Team Attain for a decade, starting with Attain, LLC in 2015 and continuing his impact today at Attain Partners. Over the past 10 years, he has built deep expertise in compliance, with a focus on cost recovery optimization for university and higher education systems.
He works diligently with Attain Partners leadership and manages a team that delivers strategic guidance to help organizations comply with complex federal and state regulations. Known for producing high-quality outputs, Chris supports our clients in advancing their compliance and financial goals.
Get to know Chris in our interview below.
Attain Partners (AP): How did you become passionate about research facilities management, administrative cost recovery, and regulatory compliance?
Chris Menzies (CM): Indirect cost recovery and regulatory compliance was an entirely new field for me when I first started at Attain Partners, and it was a challenge for me at first to understand. I think I became passionate about this field once I began to understand the model that organizations use to recover indirect costs and how much of an impact the recoveries have on the organizations we work with.
AP: How do you leverage your role with Attain to create an impact?
CM: At Attain Partners, I’m surrounded by excellent people who consistently put me in positions to make a positive impact on our clients. I’m supported by an awesome and extremely hard-working team that supports me on all of my projects, and I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to learn from some of the most knowledgeable people in this field throughout my career. Leveraging this knowledge and support has been critical for my ability to make an impact in this field.
AP: Which of our seven core values speaks to you the most?
CM: Be Bold speaks to me the most. No matter the challenges our team and our clients face, we find a way to achieve strong results and a positive impact.
AP: What do you like most about the work you do?
CM: I enjoy the strategy and analytical aspects of the work I do the most. Our team is challenged to leave no stone unturned on every project we work on. Thinking critically and analytically to ensure that no stone is left unturned and that we achieve the best results possible for our clients is a very enjoyable and rewarding aspect of the work I do.
AP: What are the biggest ways you’ve seen your work impact organizations?
CM: For many of the organizations with which we work, our role is to guide or assist individuals through a somewhat unfamiliar process. Over the course of our projects, seeing the individuals we work with gain an understanding of the indirect cost rate proposal and negotiation process is always one of the more apparent ways that we are able to make an impact.
AP: What do you enjoy outside of work?
CM: My favorite activity outside of work is playing baseball. I played baseball in college and picked it back up a few years after graduating. I’ve been playing for/managing a men’s baseball team in Northern Virginia for the last seven years now. I love staying involved in team sports and keeping active outside of work.
AP: How do you stay current on the latest trends and developments in your field?
CM: Fortunately, at Attain Partners, we are surrounded by an extremely knowledgeable and experienced group of leaders within this industry that keep our team up to date on the latest trends and developments. Additionally, one of the best ways to keep up to date on some of the latest trends is through regular communication with our clients. Keeping an ear out for the specific challenges they are facing helps shed light on the overall trends and developments within our field.
Learn more – Chris Menzies
Chris Menzies is a Manager within Attain Partners’ Attain Research practice, where he leads projects in research facilities management, administrative cost recovery, and regulatory compliance. Chris brings 10 years of experience guiding universities and other research organizations through indirect cost rate proposals and negotiation processes to help optimize cost recovery and improve financial stewardship across key facility cost areas, including depreciation, interest, and operations and maintenance.
