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Interview with SRAI President Debra (Debbie) Schaller-Demers

By SRAI News posted 10-13-2022 10:57 AM

  

Interview with SRAI President Debra (Debbie) Schaller-Demers

Co-editors Karen Bone and Terry Campbell sat down with SRAI President Debra Schaller-Demers to discuss her tenure as SRAI President, as she prepares to transition to Immediate Past President at the 2022 SRAI Annual Meeting in Las Vegas. 

Karen Bone and Terry Campbell, Catalyst: What accomplishments are you most proud of? 

Debbie Schaller-Demers: I came into the role of President with the intent to create an atmosphere of transparency and writing the View from the Top for the Catalyst every month came out of that intention. Additionally, SRAI is a very large organization with a small staff so I tried to think about SRAI headquarters’ needs – what can we ask them to carry out without sacrificing the member experience. When you are an organization of volunteers it’s like having 4,000 bosses, so I was always thinking about that – how not to keep them in the line of fire through transparency and messaging. 

I have tried to break down silos and duplication of effort by rearranging committee structures and opening up dialogues between the various groups and we’ve made some really good progress. We expanded the EPDC Chairs to three people, shifted around the subcommittees, and made the Communications Committee a standing committee and grouped several groups under it.

We streamlined the Board of Directors meeting process, how we gather reports and how we share reports based on recommendations from the Governance Committee. I’m very proud of trying to reduce the bureaucracy involved in the governance of the organization. 

I’m also proud that I have been able to continue to create and present educational content while being President, and at the meetings, been able to attend new sessions and support new presenters.

I’m happy that we got the podcast series up and running and that I have been able to keep up with the international component by staying involved with INORMS. 

Karen Bone and Terry Campbell, Catalyst: What is something interesting and/or rewarding that happened that you did not anticipate? 

Debbie Schaller-Demers: I never thought I would be the President of a virtual organization. COVID and the resulting lockdown was unprecedented. I ended up getting COVID in February 2021 and ran the February online board meeting while sick. I look back on it now and don’t know how I did it. I think of myself as strong-willed, but I went beyond what I even thought I was capable of. 

Karen Bone and Terry Campbell, Catalyst: As the world starts to emerge from COVID, what impacts has this had on research administration, and how can we build for the future? 

Debbie Schaller-Demers: That book is still being written. I think the work can still get done but what will it do to staff morale? I think people get isolated and don’t reach out for help as quickly, so over time it will be interesting to see how it evolves. 

Karen Bone and Terry Campbell, Catalyst: What would you say to others considering running for a position within SRAI leadership? 

Debbie Schaller-Demers: My advice would be to go for it. You need to be able to show a friendly face and be open to different views to make it work, but there is only value, both personally and professionally, to be gained. 

Karen Bone and Terry Campbell, Catalyst: What parting words would you like to leave with SRAI members, and in particular Catalyst readers? 

Debbie Schaller-Demers: Never stop learning – be willing to move forward and look to continue the conversation. I had no formal training in science, medicine, or research administration, yet rose to become a VP in my organization, SRAI President, and an adjunct lecturer for Masters students in research administration and compliance. It was all possible because I took a risk and attended stuff not in my immediate circle of influence and stretched myself. The trick is that when you keep saying “yes”, you really benefit over time, and if you want to make your mark in this world, you do have to say “yes.”


Authored by

Karen Bone, Senior Award Administrator
Florida Atlantic University
SRAI Catalyst Co-editor

Terry Campbell, Assistant Vice President, Research Services
University of Ottawa
SRAI Catalyst Co-editor


#Featured
#October2022
#Membership
#Catalyst


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