Board of Directors - Candidates

My name is Dara Little, I have been a research administrator for over twenty years. Since joining SRAI in 2003 I have had the privilege of serving as section officer, committee chair, and At-Large Board Member. I have presented over twenty SRAI sessions and served as a Peer-to-Peer Reviewer and True Fit Training instructor.

I am an avid supporter of professional development and inclusive programming for administrators from all backgrounds and organization types. Our changing workforce and increasing regulatory burden accompanying research and sponsored funding are transforming our work and how we do it.

As President Elect I welcome the opportunity to work with membership and our Board to continue our tradition of outstanding programs while positioning the Society to prepare the next generation of practitioners and research leaders .

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I am honored to be the Treasurer for the Society of Researchers International (SRAI). I bring almost 25 years of central and departmental research administration experience to SRAI’s Board.

I began my leadership role with SRAI in 2014 as the Northeast Section President, served on the Board of Directors and was elected Treasurer in 2019. I am a proud Distinguished Faculty Member and regular presenter at SRAI Meetings. I am delighted by SRAI’s navigation of the current and potential financial challenges. SRAI continues to build new programs and expanded access while maintaining a strong fiscal footprint.

I am running for re-election to entrench our successes, learn from our challenges, and maintain the organization’s fiscal health. The foundation we are building today will foster future growth of our profession and help SRAI continue its standard of excellence and history of cutting-edge innovation, domestically and worldwide.

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Gina Hedberg has been a member of SRAI for over 20 years. During her membership she has served in numerous volunteer and appointed positions for SRAI, including Membership Committee Co-Chair, Annual Meeting Co-Chair, Southern Section President, and Alabama Chapter President. She is an active presenter at international, section, and chapter meetings. Servant leadership drives her decision to run for the Board. The strength of SRAI relies on a strong and energetic membership. She will be an active listener, promoting inclusion and encouraging new ideas aligned with the Society’s mission.

Gina is presently Executive Director of Sponsored Projects Administration at the University of South Alabama. She is the principal facilitator for the Cayuse Research Suite and was awarded Cayuse’s Sheri Pulis Award for Excellence in Research Administration. She serves on the University’s College Research Council, Research Operations Council, and has presidential appointments to committees serving and supporting the university . 

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Renee J. Vaughan, MDiv, MA, CRA, is the Financial Practice Manager in the Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Clinical Research Unit at Duke University School of Medicine. Her responsibilities include financial feasibility assessments, clinical trial budget development, negotiation of clinical research contracts, and financial management of the research portfolio.

Renee has been an active member of SRAI for more than twenty-five years, Distinguished Faculty since 2007, and received the Excellence Award - Advanced Level. She’s Past President of the North Carolina Chapter, and Past Ad Hoc Board Member (Communications) of the SRAI Board of Directors. She’s an Editorial Board Member of The Journal of Research Administration, and member of the Podcast Committee, EPDC Certificate Subcommittee, Pre-Award Certificate Co-Leader. 

Renee is running for the At-Large Board Member position to facilitate innovation and change, enhance collaboration with diverse entities, and help expand communication resources available to members. It would be an honor to pay forward the support, encouragement and mentoring to other RAs.

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