Executive Team
 |
Paul A. Volberding, MD, Chair, NCIRE Board of Directors
Dr. Paul A. Volberding was appointed Chairman of the Board in January 2009. Dr. Volberding,
who is widely considered one of the world's leading AIDS experts, is currently Chief of the
Medical Service at the San Francisco VA Medical Center, Professor and Vice Chair of Medicine
at the University of California, San Francisco, and Principal Investigator and Codirector of
the UCSF Center for AIDS Research. In 1999, he was elected to the Institute of Medicine of
the National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Volberding holds an AB from the University of Chicago
and an MD from the University of Minnesota.
paul.volberding@ucsf.edu
|
|
 |
Robert Obana, Executive Director, CEO
Robert
E. Obana joined NCIRE as Executive Director in January 2005. The
Executive Director, in coordination with NCIRE's Board of Directors, is
responsible for overseeing the administrative staff that provides
support to over 200 NCIRE principal investigators engaged in health
science research dedicated to improving the lives of veterans. Bob is a
graduate of UC Berkeley and Golden Gate University where he received a
Masters of Business Administration degree. Bob brings a strong
background in management to NCIRE. Before joining NCIRE, he was CFO and
Director of Finance for the Public Policy Institute of California. He
has also served as the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Budget and Finance
at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), the Western
Regional Manager at KPMG, LLP, and the Vice President for Finance and
Administration/CFO at Alliant International University in San
Francisco.
robert.obana@ncire.org
|
|
 |
Stephen Morange, Chief Financial Officer
Steve Morange joined NCIRE as Chief Financial Officer in May 2006.
Steve’s responsibilities include fiscal management, financial reporting
and compliance, budgeting, risk management, and the development and
implementation of capital planning strategies for the growth and
enhancement of NCIRE’s resources. Steve’s professional career has
included more than 12 years in corporate and commercial banking and
over 25 years in public and private higher education administration and
finance. Steve was the Assistant Treasurer, Finance of the University
of California system for over 18 years. He is a graduate of Santa Clara
University.
stephen.morange@ncire.org
|
Management Team
 Linda Acton, Executive Assistant
Linda Acton is Executive Assistant to Executive Director Robert Obana
and Manager of the Front Desk support staff. She joined NCIRE in 2003
as the Assistant to the Vice President of Development, and has
extensive experience in administrative support and office management.
linda.acton@ncire.org
|
Angela Bianchi, Controller
Angela Bianchi joined the NCIRE Finance team in March 2003 as Assistant
Controller, and served as Acting Controller before her appointment to
her current position. Angela has over eight years of progressive
experience in accounting and finance. She is a graduate of Cal Poly,
San Luis Obispo, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business with
a concentration in Accounting.
angela.bianchi@ncire.org
|
Justin Brown, Manager of Computer Operations
Justin Brown joined NCIRE’s Information Systems Services department in 2003.
He has over 12 years of experience in the IT industry, with areas of focus on
desktop, server support, and systems development and integration. Prior to
joining NCIRE, he was a principal of an IT consulting firm in the heart of downtown
San Francisco that employed a dozen full-time employees. Clients included the
City of San Francisco, Michael Tilson Thomas, Dolby Labs, Bechtel, and Wells Fargo.
Justin also served on the board of directors for a local nonprofit organization, Bead Society of Northern California
as a Business Development and Marketing Strategy Member emphasizing IT integration.
Justin received his undergraduate degree from Academy of Art College.
justin.brown@ncire.org
|
Gerard Choucroun, Online Services Manager
Gerard Choucroun has worked in mental health research at NCIRE and the UCSF Department of Psychiatry since 2001. With experience in online training and a masters degree in social work from the University of Pennsylvania, he has served as intake coordinator for the PTSD Research Program at the San Francisco VA Medical Center, specializing in outreach to veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. He also served as communications director for the UCSF Death Notification and Survivor Care Program from 2003-2006. Currently, Gerard is integrating online tools into novel research initiatives with the goal of delivering high-quality mental care to veterans via distant learning. He is also developing an infrastructure for collaborative online training at NCIRE.
gerard.choucroun@ncire.org
|
Susan Dugdale, Manager, Design and Creative Services
Susan Dugdale has been with NCIRE since May 2000 and leads the delivery
of graphic design services in support of our research mission. Susan is
also responsible for all creative aspects of the NCIRE brand, print
materials and web presence. She is a graduate of the University of
Texas at Austin and the Art Institute of Houston.
susan.dugdale@va.gov
|
Janis Lenox, Director, Contracts and Grants
Janis Lenox joined NCIRE as Director of Contracts and Grants in August 2006.
Janis is a graduate of CSU East Bay with a BS in accounting, an MBA in
finance, and an MS in Taxation. Janis has extensive experience in
research administration in both academic research and private industry
environments. Some of her experience covers department administrator
at UC Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Assistant-Director for
Administration at UC Davis CNPRC (Primate Center), and Extramural Funds
Manager at UCSF. Her team is responsible for providing guidance and
administrative expertise to principal investigators and their staff in
pursuit of internal or external funding consistent with NCIRE’s
mission. Services include proposal preparation and submission,
negotiation and coordination with sponsoring agencies, award
acceptance, post-award administration, and policy and procedure
compliance.
janis.lenox@ncire.org |
Robin Morjikian, Director of Development
Robin Morjikian joined NCIRE as Director of Development in October, 2008. Previously, she was Deputy Director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Executive Nurse Fellows Program at the University of California, San Francisco Center for the Health Professions. Prior to that, she served as Manager of Communications and Corporate Planning for Dresdner RCM Capital Management in San Francisco. Robin received her MPA in Non-Profit Management from New York University and her undergraduate degree from Mount Holyoke College.
robin.morjikian@ncire.org |
Steve Tokar, Manager of Communications
Steve Tokar joined NCIRE in 2005 after a varied career as a science
communicator and media producer. He specializes in interpreting science
and medicine for the general public in an accurate, accessible, and
entertaining way. He was the founding writer/producer of “Science
Today” for the University of California. Steve has created audio tours
and exhibitions for a variety of museums throughout the United States,
and his radio writing and production have been heard on public and
commercial radio stations nationwide. He holds a BA in Communications
from Prescott College and an MA in Liberal Studies from Excelsior
College.
steve.tokar@ncire.org
|
David Torres, Purchasing Manager
David Torres joined NCIRE in December 2003. Before assuming his current
position, he served as Senior Buyer and Acting Purchasing Manager.
David brings over 14 years of purchasing experience from the medical
technology field as a manager and buyer. His experience includes
appointments as Analyst for Garratt-Callahan, Senior Buyer at Wedgewood
Technology, and Buyer II at Applied Biosystems. A native of San
Francisco, David holds a BA in Biology from San Francisco State
University.
david.torres@ncire.org |
Janet Yokoyama, Director, Human Resources
Janet has been a member of NCIRE's Human Resources unit since September 2002.
Before assuming her current position, she served as Acting Director of
Human Resources. Janet is a graduate of California State University,
Hayward, and brings 10 years of progressive experience in the human
resources field to her position. She is responsible for the oversight
and development of HR services including recruitment and selection,
policy, employee relations, performance management, compensation,
benefits, affirmative action, and immigration.
janet.yokoyama@ncire.org |
|
|
|
