Georgia Institute of Technology

Diane Barney is a the Manager of the DOD Prime Team supporting awards for the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). Diane has a Graduate Certificate from the University of Virginia in Government Contracts and Procurement and an undergraduate degree in Finance from George Mason University.

Crystal Blackman-Philbert is a Contracting Specialist providing post-award support for the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTARC Awards). She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice and has research administration experience that includes post award administration and closeout.

Lakita Brooks is Manager of Grants and Contracts Administration for Colleges of Computing, Business, and Design. She has more than 20 years of grants and contracts experience at Georgia Tech and Georgia State University. Lakita is a Certified Professional Contracts Manager and Certified Research Administrator. She holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Phoenix.

Roberta Burke’s team manages sponsored research agreements for the Georgia Tech Research Institute, an applied research business division of Georgia Tech that relies on the Georgia Tech Applied Research Corporation (GTARC) as its contracting entity. Roberta has served the Office of Sponsored Programs since 2005. She previously served in the military for 22 years.  She has a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from California State University and is a Certified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM).

Angel Butler is a Contracting Officer supporting the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTARC Awards). She has over a decade of experience in accounting and defense contracting, including the Army and  the Defense Contract Management Agency. She achieved Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) level II certification and holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Florida State University.

Rebecca Caravati, CPA, is the Executive Director of the Office of Sponsored Programs. She is an alumna of Wesleyan College and is a certified public accountant. Previously, Rebecca served as the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the University of Georgia Foundation and served the Georgia Tech Research Institute for 23 years, including service as Deputy Director for Finance and Research Administration.

Catherine Cassidy is a Contracting Officer supporting awards for Academic Grants and Contracts Administration (GTRC Awards). Catherine has a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Georgia and a Bachelor’s of Arts degree from Agnes Scott College. Catherine is also a Certified Research Administrator.

Vannessa Daniels is the Manager of Grants and Contracts Administration for Colleges of Sciences and Liberal Arts. She has nearly three decades of experience in research administration, including over 20 years of service as a Contracting Officer and Manager at Georgia Tech. She has a Master’s in Applied Social Sciences and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. Vannessa is a Certified Research Administrator.

Chris D’Urbano is the Manager for Grants and Contracts Administration for the College of Engineering. He has over 27 years of experience at Georgia Tech including management of government contracting teams and oversight of data operations. Prior to Georgia Tech, Chris worked for Westinghouse (now Northrop Grumman) in project management and contracting. Chris is an alumnus of The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, where he earned a degree in Political Science.

Tia Haines is a Contracting Specialist on OSP's Closeout Team. She joined Georgia Tech, bringing private sector experience in business operations and financial analysis. Tia holds a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in Project Management from Keller Graduate School of Management, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Marketing from Albany State University.

Patricia Head is the Data Architect for the OSP Data and Enterprise Systems Team. She has over two decades of project management, database and systems experience at Georgia Tech, including previous service as an Accountant for the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). She holds a bachelors degree in Computer Science from Albany State University.

Bruce Henry is the Senior Assistant General Manager for Finance and Audit. His team oversees Closeout for sponsored projects and supports small business administration. Bruce has served financial operations at Georgia Tech for over two decades. He is an active member of the National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA) and the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NCUBO).

Cynthia (Cindy) Hope’s team manages sponsored research agreements for Georgia Tech’s colleges, interdisciplinary research institutes, centers, professional education, and other units that rely on the Georgia Tech Research Corporation (GTRC) as their contracting entity. Previously, Cindy was Assistant Vice President for Research and Director of the Office of Sponsored Programs at the University of Alabama.

Steffanie Kruzan is a Contracting Specialist supporting Georgia Tech Research Institute grants and contracts (GTARC Awards). She brings previous experience from Western Connecticut State University and the University of Washington, including research administration, database management, compliance and program support. Steffanie holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in Photography from the University of Washington.

Scott Niles is a Contracting Officer supporting awards for Academic Grants and Contracts Administration (GTRC Awards). Scott has a PhD in Interdisciplinary Education Sciences from the University of Kentucky and a Master’s degree in Journalism from Marshall University.

Steven Pilcher is the Manager for the Subaward team supporting the pre- and post-awards for grants and contracts to subawardees. Steve has a Master of Business Administration from Webster University and an undergraduate degree in Finance from the University of Central Florida.

Allison Tapp is a Contracting Officer supporting Department of Defense Prime Awards for the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTARC Awards). Allison brings over eight years of professional defense contracting experience to Georgia Tech. She holds a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from Clemson University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Winthrop University.

David Walker is a Contracting Officer supporting Academic Grants and Contracts Administration (GTRC Awards). Prior to joining Georgia Tech, David developed private sector management experience followed by a position as Assistant Director for Proposal and Award Management with The University of Southern Mississippi, which is also his alma mater.