Organizational Leadership
The Vice Chancellor
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.
CB 4000
Associate Vice Chancellors
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.
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.
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
Essie Torres
Director of Research Workforce Strategy and Community Partnerships; Director, Office of Postdoctoral Affairs
Harrison Gilbert
Director of Research Partnerships and Impact
Quinton Johnson
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research Compliance, Acting COI Officer
Yana Biblin
Director, Research Administration Service Center