Office of Research Staff

Ella is our Director and serves our College with nearly a decade of experience supporting faculty researchers in the areas of sponsored research and grants management. Ella holds a certification in Research Administration and worked in the central research administration office for Loma Linda University (LLU) in Southern California prior to relocating to Idaho. She has experience with Federal, State, local and private sponsoring agencies and has managed a diverse portfolio of departments and schools during her career. She obtained her MBA from the University of Redlands.

In her “spare” time, Ella enjoys watching and attending sporting events (especially pro football, Go Pack Go!), trying new restaurants, traveling, and spending time with her family and friends. She is loving all that Boise (and the rest of the Gem State) has to offer and cheering for the Broncos!

Bob is our Associate Dean for Research. He grew up in the Catskill Mountains of New York and attended College at the State University of New York at Cortland. He is a middle child; having an older brother and a younger sister. His parents, Charles and Joanne, now in their 90s, are very healthy and active. They were both educators (American History and Music, respectively). During his high school and collegiate years, Bob enjoyed participating in Soccer and Track and Field, and was also very involved in Music as a French Hornist. He was Salutatorian of his high school class. Bob completed his graduate work at LSU, where he later took a faculty position and received tenure. Bob currently resides with his wife Tracy, and they have a son who lives in New York City. Bob enjoys cooking (and eating), wine-tasting, outdoor activities, and vocal performance.

Michelle is a seasoned Business Operations Manager in the world of higher education, with over 9 years experience in supporting College operations and research activities. Michelle’s work experience began in the field of public accounting for various offices in California between 1983 and 2005. She worked for one of the original “Big 6” firms in the San Francisco Bay area for several years before relocating to Idaho in 2005. Her career journey brought her skills and expertise to the role as an individual tax liaison for ex-patriot Americans working in long-term overseas programs for two of our state’s largest enterprise level operations.

Michelle likes to think of herself as a big picture thinker in the ever-changing world of Research Administration and Higher Education. Research Administration is an especially complicated maze of processes, workflows, and interdependent policies, compliance, and procedural improvements. Her personal vision and experience have allowed her to see the appropriate paths that have brought our organization success in achieving its strategic goals in the most efficient and expeditious manner.

Michelle is skilled in the support and administration of the full life-cycle for grants and contracts development and administration. In her spare time, Michelle spends a lot of time outdoors, especially during the Spring and Summer months, camping and fishing with her family on weekends and long holidays. She also enjoys cooking, gardening, and reading.

Jessica is a native Idahoan and is a graduate of Boise State University. She graduated with a BA in English literature in 2002. Jessica has a diverse background with over 15 years of experience working with federal and state regulations in various capacities and has over 20 years of customer service experience. She prides herself in providing excellent customer service and believes communication is key for success in both work and personal life.

Jessica enjoys fishing, working out, dancing, traveling, and spending time with her significant other and their three dogs. She has a story for almost anything and loves to be around people.