Introducing the New Catalyst Sections & Feature Editors
Regulatory & Compliance Oversight
Hello to our SRAI Community!
Rani brings over 15 years of experience in research compliance across R1, R2, and private institutions. She has had the privilege of navigating the dynamic intersections of regulatory frameworks, research innovation, and ethical oversight. Tonya’s experience brings over 25 years in the academic setting. She has experience with human subject protection (IRB), research billing compliance, clinical trials management systems, training, and research administration operations.
Rani’s academic journey includes a doctoral degree in terrestrial ecology and education, grounding her in both the hard sciences and social sciences. This dual perspective has shaped her understanding of the complexities and nuances of research across disciplines. As the Director of Research Compliance at Texas A&M University-San Antonio, she oversees a broad spectrum of research activities under IRB, IACUC, IBC, Export Controls, Dive Safety, and Research Integrity. Her work and passion have also extended to publishing and presenting in professional journals and conferences, contributing to advancing the field of research administration.
Tonya’s research administration career began in the IRB at the University of Utah. She has bachelor’s degrees in Sociology and Healthy Policy and Society and a master’s degree in healthcare administration. Primarily working in clinical research, she has worked with interdisciplinary teams to bridge social and biomedical sciences. She has obtained two certifications: Certified Clinical Research Professional and Certification in Healthcare Research Compliance. After 25 years at the University of Utah, Tonya recently joined the UCLA Office of Human Research Protections Program as the Policy and Projects Analyst. Working in collaboration with departments and stakeholders across campus to maintain our Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP) accreditation and the electronic IRB submission system has been an exciting new opportunity.
We are both proud members of SRAI. Rani has been a member since 2018 and has actively served on the Journal of Research Administration committee and as a Catalyst contributor. Tonya has been a member since 2010 and has been involved with the Membership Committee, Western Section leadership, ad hoc member of the Board of Directors, a Catalyst contributor, and working with planning committees for annual and section meetings. We both share the same commitment to fostering knowledge sharing and professional growth within our community.
We look forward to receiving submissions from our readers—your articles, insights, and experiences in research compliance are invaluable. Together, we can continue to build a resource that informs, inspires, and supports our colleagues in navigating the challenges and opportunities of research compliance.
Our vision is to shape this column into a trusted source of guidance and inspiration. The topics that we plan to offer will provide our SRAI colleagues with more information about the background of regulatory frameworks within research administration and the new topics that are impacting research administration. We can do this best with collaboration from our SRAI community. Please let us know if there is something you would like to share with our colleagues or see included in the Catalyst.