A Message from Penny Gordon-Larsen, Interim Vice Chancellor for Research
I am pleased to announce the appointment of two new office directors to the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research (OVCR). Christine Ackley will serve as the director of human resources (HR) effective January 2, 2023, and Alan Marsh began his tenure as associate director for the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA) on Monday, December 12th.
Christine joins OVCR from the UNC School of Medicine where she served in various roles of increasing responsibility since 2014. Most recently, she was the clinical HR lead, where she oversaw a team of consultants and managed the HR functions for five clinical departments within the school’s HR service center. She holds a master’s in science management from North Carolina A&T State University and a bachelor’s in health policy and administration from Carolina.
In her new role, she will oversee the OVCR HR Service Center and will focus on strategic planning, change management, organizational development, and customer relationship management. She will be responsible for establishing a robust governance structure that drives the partnership between the OVCR HR Service Center, its customers, and key stakeholders by providing high-level oversight for the implementation, communication, and service levels in respect to the HR function. Also, she will be the principal liaison to relevant central operational offices across the university for HR-related matters.
Alan will assume responsibilities for OPA postdoctoral programs after serving as the most recent chair of the UNC Postdoctoral Association. In that role, he led a team of volunteers to improve the postdoctoral experience for trainees at Carolina through improving communication among the group, organizing career development symposiums, and cultivating networking opportunities with peer institutions. He is also a postdoctoral researcher with the Microbiome Core and the Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease where he performs both independent research and supports microbiome-based services for Core users. Alan holds a PhD in microbiome studies and a bachelor’s in microbiology from University College Cork in Ireland.
As associate director of OPA, he will be responsible for developing, coordinating, and implementing OPA programs; providing mentorship; and seeking funding that enriches the postdoctoral experience and facilitates career competitiveness. He will also be responsible for coordinating the operational activities of OPA and will serve as the primary point of contact for all OPA communication to the broader postdoctoral community across Carolina.
I am thrilled to have these talented, experienced leaders join our team. Please join me in welcoming them both to the organization.