Pre-Award Staff

Kate, a certified research administrator, co-leads the daily activities of the Pre-Award Team. This includes the review and submission of proposals, including large, complex proposals and defense-related submissions. Kate also works on post-award non-financial activities. She has served as a trainer, creating onboarding and training plans for new pre-award staff.

Before joining Nebraska in 2012, Kate was a consultant with the Nebraska Business Development Center at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She helped small businesses interested in contracting with the government by assisting with organizational registrations in federal systems, finding bidding opportunities, and reviewing prepared bids and proposals for compliance with agency requirements. Kate holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Northwest Missouri State University and a Master of Business Administration from UNO.  

Paul’s work focuses on helping principal investigators and departmental liaisons submit proposals for external funding, ensuring that applications adhere to university and sponsor guidelines. As an authorized signatory, Paul submits proposals directly to sponsors, streamlining the submission process. He also assists with no-cost extensions, facilities and administrative cost waiver approvals, project transfers, progress reporting and more. 

Paul entered the research administration field in 2005 after a lengthy career in landscape contracting. He worked in various sponsored programs offices before joining Nebraska, including at Virginia Tech, Drexel University, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Georgia. He has a bachelor’s degree in horticulture from Virginia Tech, a master’s degree in education from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and is a certified research administrator. Paul is a member of the National Council of University Research Administrators. 

Craig helps lead the Pre-Award Team and advances its daily work, which includes reviewing and submitting proposals, maintaining records and processing non-financial post-award transactions. He’s served the pre-award team since 2015. 

Prior to joining Nebraska, Craig gained grants and contracts experience at the U.S. Air Force and Honeywell. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management from UNL and previously earned a Level 2 certificate from the Defense Acquisition University.    

Melina’s role includes interpreting grant agency policy and funding announcement guidelines, reviewing proposal documents, communicating with funding agencies and university units, and submitting proposals. She also supports various post-award transactions.

Prior to entering the research administration field, Melina held various research and teaching positions, including teaching geology at the University of Nebraska at Omaha from 2020 to 2023. She holds bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in geology from Marietta College in Ohio, Bowling Green State University in Ohio, and Nebraska, respectively. As a graduate student, she conducted research funded by the National Science Foundation, the Geological Society of America and National Geographic. In 2023, Melina earned a Pre-Award Intensive Training Certificate from the Society of Research Administrators International. She’s also earned various certifications through SRAI’s LevelUP Micro-credential Program.

Suzan brings nearly three decades of research administration experience to her role, which requires strategic leadership in all Sponsored Programs functions. She engages and collaborates across all areas in OSP, including policy development, proposal review and submission, award negotiation, financial oversight and project closeout to ensure efficiency and consistency. Suzan leads the Pre-Award Team and has played a pivotal role in directing that unit toward operational excellence.

Suzan is both a certified research administrator and a certified pre-award research administrator. Prior to joining UNL in 2004, she gained a wealth of experience in contracts and grants administration at the University of Georgia, the University of Southern California and the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Suzan holds a bachelor’s degree in theater arts from the University of Minnesota.

With more than 20 years of experience, Dennis is a veteran in the research administration field. His day-to-day work includes reviewing and submitting proposals and assisting with post-award transactions including no-cost extensions, prior approvals and progress reporting, among others.

Dennis started his career at Nebraska as a grants specialist with the North Central Region-Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program, then moved to the role of financial specialist in the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources Finance and Personnel Office for nearly eight years. He then did contracts and post-award work at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio for seven years before returning to UNL in 2019. Dennis has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Nebraska.

Matt’s work on the Pre-Award Team includes helping to review and submit new proposals and processing changes to existing proposals.

Before joining Sponsored Programs, Matt gained grant administration experience at nonprofit and governmental entities. He holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from Colorado State University and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Renee’s primary responsibilities include ensuring compliance with regulations and policies while preparing and submitting grant proposals. She also manages the submission process, overseeing documentation completion and timely submissions, utilizing electronic systems and coordinating with stakeholders to gather necessary approvals.

Renee is a member of the National Council of University Research Administrators and the Society of Research Administrators International. She has completed NCURA’s Fundamentals of Sponsored Project Administration program and SRAI’s Pre-Award Fundamentals Intensive program. Before joining the university, Renee’s professional work focused on ensuring compliance with child welfare policies in foster care and adoption environments. Renee holds a bachelor’s degree in child, youth and family studies, with a minor in psychology, from Nebraska.