Meet the Fellows

Fellows learn to connect science and business competencies to engage in innovative projects that enhance biomedical research and have the opportunity to immediately participate in and directly add value to the Medical School research enterprise. Below are the current fellows, program leadership staff, and the past fellows and their current positions.

Current Fellows

Shahana Chumki, Ph.D.

2022-2024 Cohort

scahmed@umich.edu

Shahana completed her bachelor’s in biology at Eastern Michigan University and attained her Ph.D. in University of Michigan's Cell and Molecular Biology graduate program. Her thesis work, under Dr. Ann Miller, consisted of studying how epithelial cells maintain local barrier function during cell shape change events. During her graduate studies, Shahana participated and organized events for various committees within CMB, such as the short course committee and career committee. She was also selected as a co-Chair for the Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) on Cell-cell Contact and Adhesion. As an ROMS fellow, Shahana is very interested in leveraging her skills as a bench scientist to help facilitate access to research and research tools to diverse graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and faculty. She is eager to learn from leaders in the different units within the Office of Research and gain more experience to make an impact in research recruitment and retention here at U-M. (more)

 

Latrice D. Faulkner, Ph.D.

2022-2024 Cohort

faulknel@med.umich.edu

Latrice received her bachelor’s degree in Biology at Kentucky State University and her doctoral degree in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases at The University of Toledo. She completed her postdoctoral training in the neuroendocrine regulation of metabolism with Dr. David Olson. Her research focused on discovering potential neuronal drug targets for treating obesity in partnership with the Novo Nordisk Drug Discovery Program. As a ROMS fellow, she is looking forward to learning skills related to the day-to-day operations of a clinical research operation while supporting the advancement of the UM research community. In her free time, Latrice is passionate about public outreach and sharing her knowledge and love for science within urban-educational school systems. (more)

 

Lucas Huffman, Ph.D.

2021-2023 Cohort

lucashu@med.umich.edu

Lucas recently gained his Ph.D. at the University of Michigan through the Neuroscience Graduate Program. His research focused on understanding the interactions of the nervous and immune systems and how this relationship can be modified to promote healing after nervous system injury. During his graduate work, he also gained the Translational Research Education Certificate as part of the Training Program in Translation Research. As part of this fellowship, Lucas is looking forward to gaining a diverse set of administrative skills and knowledge while pivoting across the units in the Office of Research, experiencing key mentorship from field leaders, and making a sustaining impact in the research community. (more)

 

Veronica Beck, Ph.D.

2021-2023 Cohort

vcbeck@med.umich.edu

Veronica completed her bachelor’s degree in Neurobiology at Georgetown University and her doctoral degree in Neuroscience at UM. Throughout her graduate training, she was also deeply involved with biomedical business consulting, graduate education innovation, as well as graduate student government and advocacy. She is looking forward to continuing to serve the broad UM community in her next position as a ROMS Fellow. She is excited to support the numerous offices that must collaborate to produce a successful academic research enterprise. (more)

 

Staff

 

Kelly Kennaley, Ph.D.
Program Manager for the Research Administration Fellowship
Project Manager for Strategic Research Initiatives

Kelly Kennaley received her Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Pathology from the University of Michigan in 2019, at which point she joined the inaugural cohort for the ROMS Fellowship. After completing the fellowship in 2021, she joined the UMMS Office of Research as a Project Manager where she supports strategic research initiatives and engages in continuous improvement projects for research operations. She supports the ROMS Fellowship as the Program Manager. (more)

 

Past Fellows

Christie Rodriguez Ramirez, Ph.D.
2020-2022 Cohort
Current Position: Project Manager
Current Organization: Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Medical School

Shelby Unsworth, Ph.D.
2020-2022 Cohort
Current Position: Industry Alliance Manager
Current Organization: Rogel Cancer Center / Fast Forward Medical Innovation, University of Michigan Medical School

Kaylee Steen, Ph.D.
2019-2021 Cohort
Current Position: Program Manager, BioInnovations in Brain Cancer
Current Organization: Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan

Kelly Kennaley, Ph.D.
2019-2021 Cohort
Current Position: Project Manager, Strategic Research Initiatives
Current Organization: Office of Research, University of Michigan Medical School