Presenter Bios
Alexandra Adams, M.D., Ph.D., has been the director and principal investigator of Center for the American Indian and Rural Helath Equity since July 2016. Adams maintains an active research agenda and clinical practice relating to childhood obesity in American Indian communities. Her current work in obesity prevention partners with five American Indian communities nationwide, including the Blackfeet Nation in Montana. She received her M.D. from the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Urbana-Champaign and her Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She completed her residency in family medicine at the University of Wisconsin Hospital/St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison.
Michael Babcock is a Professor of Psychology at Montana State University. He served two consecutive terms as MSU Faculty Senate Chair and later as the Department Head of Earth Sciences for four years. In 2018, Babcock was appointed as MSU’s third Presidential Faculty Leadership Fellow. During this year of engaged leadership training, Babcock explored campus programs and strategies to support faculty development, especially following tenure and promotion. He currently chairs two institutional research compliance committees and serves as the Director of the Center for Faculty Excellence.
Kelly Beiswanger has spent more than 10 years in various divisions of the research administration enterprise at Montana State University, including stints with the central Vice President for Research and the Technology Transfer Office. She jumped into the early days of MSU’s Office of Research Compliance with a small team that has grown ever since. Kelly has contributed to the Conflict of Interest, Responsible Conduct of Research, and Research Misconduct programs.
Recently finding her niche in human subjects research compliance, she has learned that investigators are above all looking to compliance for current expertise and knowledge of the right rules to be applied so that they can focus on the true passion – their research. She attempts to approach the not-so-glamorous world of compliance with a (mostly not futile!) optimism and solution finding attitude. Kelly holds a B.A. in English with a minor in Business Administration.
Kristin Blackler has served as the Director of the Office of Sustainability at Montana State University since it was created in 2013. She has over 15 years of experience advancing sustainability in higher education. She received a BA in Environmental Studies and Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and an MBA from the University of Montana, Missoula
Kyleen Breslin is the Managing Director of the Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX Coordinator at MSU – Bozeman. Kyleen is responsible for managing the University's compliance with state and federal civil rights laws which protect employees and students from discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, sex, national origin, religion, age, and other protected class identities.
Lauren Cantamessa is an experienced professional in research compliance and the pharmaceutical industry. She currently serves as the Assistant Director of the Office of Research Compliance at MSU, where she initially joined as the IBC/IACUC Program Manager in 2018. With a strong background in animal facility operations, IACUC administration, and GLP auditing, Lauren is passionate about optimizing processes and harmonizing committee operations. She holds a B.S. in Animal Science and certifications including Latg, and CPI green belt. Outside of work, Lauren enjoys skiing, rafting, horseback riding, hiking, and biking, taking full advantage of Montana's natural offerings.
Nick Childs has been the Radiation Safety Officer on MSU’s campus since 2014. He manages the radioactive materials, laser, source and x-ray safety programs on campus. Nick came to MSU in 2006 to pursue a Ph.D. in Physics and started teaching in the Physics Department upon completion in 2013. He continues to balance his safety officer position alongside his teaching duties. Outside of work, Nick is a father and a husband who enjoys our mountains and rivers whenever possible.
Mark DeWald is a graduate from Montana State University. Mark’s career began as an undergraduate researcher and continuing as a research scientist at MSU. Mark then moved to work at the NIH Rocky Mountain Research Lab. in 2013 Mark moved back to Bozeman to oversee The City of Bozeman’s EPA mandated Pretreatment Program. After heading the Pretreatment Program for 10 years Mark decided to rejoin MSU in his new compliance role as the Jutila Research Lab manager and biosafety specialist.
Diane Dorgan is the program manager for AACUC (Agricultural Animal Care and Use Committee) in the Office of Research Compliance (ORC) and facilitates oversight and compliance for agricultural animals used in research and teaching and related training requirements while supporting principal investigators with animal use protocols. Prior to joining ORC, since 2004 Diane has served in various program and project management roles in the Student Success Division at Montana State University-Bozeman, most recently promoting Career and Technical Education and directing the Dual Enrollment and Montana Career Pathways program for MSU’s imbedded two-year college, Gallatin College. Diane earned both a BA in English Literature and a Master’s in Public Administration from MSU-Bozeman and is an adjunct instructor in Business Communications. Outside of work, Diane has a passion for reading, traveling with her husband Mark, and enjoying all forms of outdoor recreation and amenities offered by residing in beautiful Big Sky Country!
Dr. Vernon Grant was born and raised in Browning, MT and is an enrolled member of the Blackfeet Nation (Amp-ska-pi-pikuni). Dr. Grant holds an interdisciplinary PhD in Exercise Science and Community Health from the University of Montana and is currently an Assistant Research Professor in the Center for American Indian and Rural Health Equity at Montana State University. Dr. Grant’s current funding is a K01 from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute at NIH titled, “Developing, implementing, and evaluating a mixed-methods community-based participatory research sleep intervention in families with K-1st grade children living on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation.” Dr. Grant has dedicated his career to serving Indian country and conducting research that helps and benefits Indian people.
Dr. Brad Hall has committed his career to improving education systems on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation and is a three-time graduate of Montana State University-Bozeman, GO CATS! In October 2022, Dr. Hall was named President of Blackfeet Community College (BFCC) in Browning, MT, where he brings an expanded view of higher education and seeks to ensure that the College operates with a community lens and through the guidance of Blackfeet Nation stakeholders. BFCC is also an emerging tribal college leader in research, with a Native American Research Center for Health (NARCH) and an ongoing partnership with MSU-Bozeman’s IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) project. As BFCC has enhanced its research capacity since 2012, the College’s students, faculty and staff have been provided unprecedented access to training, experiential learning and have generated research projects that center Ampsakpi Piikani knowledge into conducting metabolic and culturally-informed research. Dr. Hall, as a Tribal College President and Blackfeet community member, through his work emphasizes the importance of research as an exercise of tribal sovereignty in addressing health, environmental, educational and other challenges experienced by the Blackfeet Nation.
Quinton King began his time at Montana State University in 2002 as a graduate student in molecular biology. After completing his PhD, he attended the University of Montana School of Law where he received his JD and was subsequently admitted to the Montana State Bar in 2014. Following a few years working for the Bozeman office of an international computer software and hardware giant, he was invited to return to MSU to join TechLink, where he provides technology transfer support for MSU researchers and Department of Defense laboratories. For the past 2 years, Quinton has also been serving as MSU’s Export Control Officer, helping to ensure MSU and its faculty, staff, and students remain compliant with US Export Control laws and associated Federal regulations and policies.
Kirk Lubick is a Montana native and graduate of Montana State University. He began his career as a research scientist working in BSL-3 and BSL-4 containment facilities in academia and for the National Institutes of Health. Kirk took the opportunity to come back to Bozeman and his alma mater in 2013 to manage and direct MSU’s Biosafety Program for the MSU’s Office of Research Compliance. In 2016, Kirk became the Director of the Office of Research Compliance and has enjoyed helping faculty, students, and staff with the research compliance needs.
Christine N. Martin, is an enrolled member of the Crow Tribe of Indians, she has knowledge and experience in Community Health Behavior Theory, Community Based Participatory Research with specific training in Qualitative research and design. Her research has includes Diabetes Prevention among Native American adults through diet and exercise, Community Based Participatory Research in her tribal community, surface water quality mitigation, Mental Health among tribal youth, and engaging tribal youth with traditional story telling. She is currently a PhD candidate for the MSU Rural and Indigenous Health doctoral program.
Alma McCormick is a member of the Crow Nation and the Executive Director of Messengers for Health, a Crow Indian 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization located on the Crow reservation in Montana. Alma is a passionate leader and a community activist for improved health and wellness amongst her people. Her educational background is in Community Health and she furthered her education receiving a Bachelor’s of Science in Health and Wellness at the Montana State University-Billings. Since 1996, she has been actively involved in cancer awareness outreach and advocacy amongst Native American women in Montana. She has extensive experience in conducting community-based participatory research projects addressing various health needs of the Crow people while working in partnership with Montana State University-Bozeman. She has traveled nationwide to present at health conferences to share the program’s successes. She has also co-authored numerous peer reviewed journal articles. Alma’s passion for her work in community outreach stems from her personal experience of losing a young twin daughter to neuroblastoma cancer in 1985.
Daniella Payes McGuire began her career as a Labor and Employment Attorney, working for California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc., for ten years. She joined Montana State University in 2016 as the Project Manager for the American Indian Alaska Native Clinical and Translation Research Program. Daniella joined the Office of Research Compliance in 2022 as the Conflict of Interest Manager/Contract Specialist.
Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Nathan Munn has called Helena, Montana his home since 1993. He earned his Bachelor’s in Psychology from Seattle Pacific University, and his Doctorate in Medicine from the University of Washington. He did is post-doctorate residency in psychiatry at the University of Colorado in Denver. After practicing psychiatry for ten years, he has been in academia for seventeen years teaching psychology courses at Helena College University of Montana. Having participated in suicide prevention activities for many years, he realized in 2018 that despite these efforts, suicide rates continued to increase. He thus went on to obtain his Master’s in Public Health from the University of Montana in April, 2021. He intends to use his MPH to bring a public health perspective to Montana’s mental health care system including suicide prevention, first-episode psychosis, and the transition from child & adolescent to adult mental health services for people with autism spectrum disorder, and other issues. In his free time he enjoys race-walking, all things Star Trek, and spending time with his partner Michelle and their Great Danes.
Dr. Madison Myers is an Assistant Professor in the Earth Sciences Department. Back in 2021 she and colleague Meredith Knowles wrote and received a grant through the Diversity and Inclusion Office to support a Bystander Intervention Training, from which a more extensive field safety guide was crafted. She currently mentors four graduate students and four undergraduate students through volcanology related projects, which involve a mix of field and lab work, as well as presenting at national level meeting.
Dr. Mark Quinn received a Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Physiology from the University of California, San Diego, followed by postdoctoral training at the Scripps Research Institute. He moved to MSU in 1989 as a Senior Research Associate and then as an Assistant and Associate Research Professor before joining the Department of Veterinary Molecular Biology in 1995. Over the last 28 years, he has established a research program in leukocyte biochemistry and immunopharmacology and has published over 215 articles. He also served for 9 years as Head of the Department of Veterinary Molecular Biology, which was renamed the Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease before it merged with the Department of Microbiology. Over the last 9.5 years, Dr. Quinn has served as Director of the WIMU Regional Program in Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Quinn also has extensive administrative experience with regulatory boards at MSU, including service as a Member of the Institutional Biosafety Committee (2004-2006), as Chair of the MSU Radiation Safety Committee (2004-2014), as MSU IACUC Chair (2017-2019), and as MSU Institutional Review Board Chair for the last 23 years (2000-present).
Amy Robison has worked at Montana State University for 23 years, first washing dishes in a lab, then delved into laboratory animal research in immunology shortly thereafter. In 2009, Amy began intensive training for the Select Agent Program for MSU’s BSL-3 research facility and quickly became the lead research technician and mentor in that program. In fall of 2021, she became the BSL-3 Lab Manager and joined the Office of Research Compliance as a Laboratory Safety Specialist. She enjoys compelling those that struggle with the ever-moving goal post that is compliance by providing guidance and training with a can-do approach.
Originally from the Oregon/California border, Amy was raised on a small potato and wheat farm. She holds an A.A. in International Business Law from Santa Rosa Junior College and a B.A. in Environmental Design from MSU. Outside of work, Amy enjoys rafting, camping, fishing, lots of dog time, cooking, live music, and traveling.
Scott Sanders is the Director of Emergency Management for Montana State University. His previous
tenure was with Bozeman Fire Department as a Fire Captain and Hazardous Materials
Team Leader. He began his professional career in 2002, following obtaining his degree
in Protective Services from Helena College of Technology.
Scott has participated in numerous training drills across the state, including the
planning of full-scale exercises in cooperation with Montana State University, Montana
State Disaster and Emergency Services, Montana National Guard’s Civil Support Team
and Missouri River Drug Task Force. With over 20 years of fire service experience,
Scott has also been able to function as Incident Commander on numerous incidents.
In his spare time Scott enjoys spending time with his wife and two sons, attending high school and college sporting events, and outdoor activities.
Zach Scott received his Ph.D. in Immunology/Virology from the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 2003, with a focus on neonatal immune responses to HIV infection. Following a post-doctoral fellowship at Dartmouth Medical School, Zach became a patent attorney, helping industry and academic clients to protect biological and pharmaceutical discoveries. Zach joined the University of Montana in 2020 and currently serves as the Associate Vice President for Research Compliance and Technology Transfer.
Special Agent (SA) Nicholas Seedall has been an FBI Agent for over 15 years. Prior to working for the FBI he earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree and worked for General Electric (GE) in their financial division. He has served as an Agent in the Los Angeles and Salt Lake City field offices. Throughout his career, he has focused on National Security matters primarily working counterintelligence cases. He is the Weapons of Mass Destruction(WMD) coordinator for Montana and a member of the Hazardous Evidence Response Team(HERT). SA Seedall covers Montana for all counterintelligence issues.
Originally from Laurel, Montana, Dr. Michaela Shifley completed her doctorate in anthropology at the University of Montana (UM), focusing on how moccasin design, art, and construction reveal the economic, cultural, and spiritual contributions of Native American women. Dr.Shifley has also played an important role in UM’s ongoing efforts to repatriate objects of cultural patrimony to Montana tribal governments and museums. Dr.Shifley’s experience in these areas is a welcome resource to UM faculty that collaborate with indigenous scientists to perform social and biomedical research.
Dr. Vanessa Simonds is an associate professor in Human Development & Community Health at Montana State University. She earned her graduate degrees from The Harvard School of Public Health with a master’s degree in epidemiology and a doctorate in public health intervention design for social change. She is committed to designing, implementing, and evaluating strength-based, community-centered outreach strategies in partnership with Indigenous communities. Dr. Simonds has worked on participatory research projects with the Crow tribe for over 20 years. In 2014, she partnered with the Crow community members to form the Guardians of Living Water Steering Committee. Their strategy for reaching the community and increasing health literacy includes the innovative approach of promoting youth as agents of change. She also directs the newly established PhD program in Indigenous and Rural Health at MSU which is designed to train scholars, educators and practitioners who are prepared to advance health and wellness in Indigenous and rural communities.
Nika Stoop, Ph.D. is the Assistant Director at Montana State University’s Center for Faculty Excellence. Nika earned a Ph.D. in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry from Yale University and worked at MIT as a postdoc before transitioning to pharmaceutical communications where she translated scientific concepts for lay audiences. At MSU since 2015, she currently oversees the operations of the Center and leads the Early Career Faculty Success Program. She also provides consultations and organizes workshops to support faculty scholarly activities, including mentoring workshops. Her recent work and publications focus on supporting faculty development for women in STEM. As part of that work, she was the team lead for the leadership training course as part of the VAuLTS grant through Washington State University.
Justin van Almelo has worked in Montana State University’s Information Security program since 2007. In his current role as MSU’s Chief Information Security Officer and Research Chief Information Officer, Justin is responsible for managing the IT related security, compliance, and risk programs of the University including that of research programs involving Controlled Unclassified Information. Outside of work you can often find Justin running, biking, or skiing through the mountains of Montana.
Karen Wehner, Ph.D., is the Director of ORI's Division of Education and Integrity. Prior to joining ORI, Dr. Wehner served as the Associate Director of the Division of Research Integrity at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. In this role, Dr. Wehner oversaw, developed, and delivered RCR training for faculty, postdocs, and staff, and consulted on and supported RCR training for graduate students. Dr. Wehner also functioned as Assistant RIO and handled other research integrity matters, such as authorship disputes and professional misconduct occurring in the research space.
John White
B.S Biochemistry (Premed) student here at MSU
M.S. Information Systems, Johns Hopkins University