Date: June 7, 2021
To: Deans, Directors, and Department Chairs
From: Terry Magnuson, Vice Chancellor for Research
Subject: Announcement on Cassie Myers’ Departure
It is with great sadness that I write to let you know that effective June 11, Cassandra (Cassie) Myers will be stepping down as Director of the Office of Human Research Ethics (OHRE) and departing the University to begin a new role with the HR Consulting Group. The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research was fortunate to have Cassie at the helm of OHRE where she successfully led the office through a period of transition, resulting in more efficient and effective operations.
Cassie has served as director of OHRE since 2018. In her role, she oversaw the OHRE staff, Carolina’s six Institutional Review Boards (IRBs), the Safety Committee and the Safety and Welfare Analysis Group. In addition, she ensured that all OHRE staff and IRB members, principal investigators, and study teams, as well as university officials, were provided with on-going training and education. We are grateful for the dedication she showed to all of these responsibilities.
A national search to find a new permanent director will soon be launched. In the interim, John Roberts and Mike Matamoros will serve as co-directors. They will work closely with Senior Associate Vice Chancellor Andy Johns on ethical and regulatory oversight of research at UNC-Chapel Hill that involves human subjects, as well as support and guide the work of the IRBs and all related activities.
Please join me in thanking Cassie for her service to OHRE and UNC Research. She will be greatly missed by her colleagues.