Organizational Leadership

Organizational Leadership


The Vice Chancellor

Portrait of Penny Gordon-Larsen

Penny Gordon-Larsen

Vice Chancellor for Research

As vice chancellor for research, Gordon-Larsen develops, sets strategic direction, and provides support for UNC’s $1.12 billion research enterprise. She is responsible for research infrastructure, operations, and regulatory compliance, research development, research translation, and research communications, and strategic research partnerships. In addition, she oversees 13 pan-campus, inter-disciplinary research centers and institutes. She works across campus with the University’s research deans, center/ and institute directors, and key institutional leaders to strategically advance Carolina’s research enterprise.


Associate Vice Chancellors

Portrait of Andy Johns

Andy Johns

Senior Associate Vice Chancellor for Research

Andy Johns is responsible for strategic planning, research policy, infrastructure and operations, and elements of regulatory compliance. Johns focuses heavily on the complexities and challenges associated with biomedical research, addressing challenges and barriers to growth of the research enterprise, both from a logistics and policy perspective. He has led university-wide efforts to plan for new academic and research initiatives in data science and data analytics, among others. He oversees the Offices of Sponsored Programs, Clinical Trials, and Research Information Systems.

Portrait of Craig Fletcher

Craig Fletcher

Associate Vice Chancellor for Research

Craig Fletcher advises the Vice Chancellor for Research on strategic planning for research involving animals and participates in the design of new research and administrative initiatives and strategies. Fletcher also serves as director of the Division of Comparative Medicine, serving as university attending veterinarian, manages the university program for laboratory animal care and housing, serves as a member of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, and participates in educational and research program activities.

Portrait of Don Hobart

Don Hobart

Associate Vice Chancellor for Research

Don Hobart manages public and external affairs for UNC Research. His responsibilities include managing research opportunities with university, agency and institutional partners, external partnerships with businesses and economic development organizations, and global relationships. Hobart serves as a primary OVCR point of contact for federal and state government issues related to research matters, working with the UNC Offices of Federal Affairs and State Government Relations. He represents the OVCR on various boards and committees internal to UNC and the UNC System and with external organizations. He oversees the UNC Office of Research Communications and his staff maintain UNC’s statistics for research impact.


Research Leaders

Portrait of Brian Collier

Brian Collier

Director, Science and Security Office

Portrait of Carley Emerson

Carley Emerson

Director, Human Research Ethics

Portrait of David Lambeth

David Lambeth

Director of Strategic Research & Compliance

Portrait of David Paul

David Paul

Assistant Vice Chancellor for Sponsored Programs

Portrait of Essie Torres

Essie Torres

Director of Research Workforce Strategy and Community Partnerships; Director, Office of Postdoctoral Affairs

Portrait of Harrison Gilbert

Harrison Gilbert

Director of Research Partnerships and Impact

Portrait of Jill Pfaendtner

Jill Pfaendtner

Director of Strategic Research Collaborations

Portrait of John Stephenson

John Stephenson

Director, Enterprise Applications

Portrait of Layla Dowdy

Layla Dowdy

Director of Communications

no photo available

Leslie Heal

Director, Finance Service Center

Portrait of Nathan Blouin.

Nathan Blouin, MBA, CRA

Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research Development

Portrait of Quinton Johnson

Quinton Johnson

Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research Compliance, Acting COI Officer

Portrait of Scott Wilber

Scott Wilber

Director, Client Systems & Services

Portrait of Tatiana Shapiro

Tatiana Shapiro

Director, Export Compliance Office

Portrait of Tracy Heenan

Tracy Heenan

Director of Animal Care and Use

Portrait of Valorie Buchholz

Valorie Buchholz

Senior Director, Clinical Research Compliance

Portrait of Yana Biblin

Yana Biblin

Director, Research Administration Service Center