Brief Agenda and Discussion Points

A communications specialist plays a crucial role in any organization by effectively conveying messages, building relationships, and enhancing the organization's reputation. Their value lies in several key areas:

1. Clear Communication: They ensure that messages are conveyed clearly, concisely, and effectively to target audiences, both internally and externally. This clarity helps in preventing misunderstandings and confusion.

2. Brand Reputation: Communications specialists work to maintain and enhance the organization's brand reputation by crafting messages that align with its values and goals. They manage public relations efforts to shape positive perceptions of the organization.

3. Stakeholder Engagement: They foster meaningful relationships with stakeholders, including customers, employees, investors, and the media. Engaging stakeholders through various channels helps in building trust and loyalty.

4. Crisis Management: In times of crisis or challenges, communications specialists play a vital role in managing communication effectively, providing timely updates, and mitigating reputational damage.

5. Content Creation: They create compelling content across various platforms such as social media, websites, press releases, and marketing materials to engage and inform audiences.

6. Market Positioning: By understanding market trends and competitor activities, communications specialists help position the organization strategically to stand out in the market.

7. Internal Communication: They facilitate communication within the organization, ensuring that employees are informed, engaged, and aligned with the company's vision and objectives.

Overall, the value of a communications specialist lies in their ability to shape perceptions, foster relationships, and effectively convey messages that contribute to the success and sustainability of the organization.

During this webinar, we will investigate and identify the value a communications specialist can bring to an institution’s Animal Care and Use Program. In addition, we will have the opportunity to discuss this role with Amy Puffenberger who currently serves in this role at the University of Michigan.  

Participants are encouraged to submit (wggreer@umich.edu) questions regarding PRIOR TO the event. During each session, attendees will be encouraged to discuss their own institutions practices and ideas.

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Presenter(s) Biographies:

Standing BSAA Faculty and Facilitators

Bill Greer, Assistant Vice President for Research, University of Michigan: Bill graduated from The Pennsylvania State University in 1985 with a degree in Microbiology. He oversees research compliance programs for animal care and use, biosafety, lab safety, controlled substances, and autonomous systems. Over his 30+ year career, Bill has held roles including Associate Director for Research Compliance, IACUC Vice-Chair, and Biosafety Committee Chair at Penn State, as well as production manager and safety director at Intervet (formerly Tri Bio Laboratories).

In 2005, Bill organized the first Research Administrators Best Practice Meeting, creating a platform for research oversight professionals to discuss programmatic concerns. He continues to facilitate at least five annual Best Practice Meetings focused on biosafety and animal care and use programs. In 2010, he chaired the founding committee of the IACUC Administrators Association (IAA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to education and serves as its president and board chair.

Since 2007, Bill has been an ad hoc consultant to the AAALAC Council, conducting institutional program reviews and assessments. He also served on the Council of Certified Professional IACUC Administrators (CCPIA). As an educator, Bill regularly lectures at conferences including PRIM&R, AALAS, BTAA, and C3, and facilitates IBC and IACUC Best Practice Meetings, continuing to support the IBC and IACUC administrative communities.

Jonah Lee, BS, MS, PhD, Senior Associate Director, University of Michigan

Dr. Lee brings experience and a proven track record in the biomedical sciences and academic research administration to provide thought leadership, program oversight, and process optimization with specific attention to researcher/user-experience coordination across the Animal Care & Use Program.

In collaboration with other U-M research administrative departments and academic department leadership, Dr. Lee is charged with the strategic development of research engagement infrastructure and resource support. Dr. Lee has an extensive background in the life sciences, where his research focus involves stem cell biology and regenerative medicine in aging skeletal muscle. Along with his postdoctoral research at the Center for Muscle Biology at the University of Kentucky, and his work at U-M, his animal research experience includes considerable diversity in both small and large animal models across multi-departmental, federally funded research projects. 

Andrew Maksymowych, Ph.D., Associate Director, Biosafety Programs

Andrew has been at the University of Pennsylvania since 2006.  He is Penn’s Associate Director for Biological Safety Programs, Penn’s Institutional Biosafety Officer, IBC Administrator, and the Institutional Contact for Dual Use Research.  He sits on the Vice Provost’s for Research, Human Research Advisory Committee, the Human Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee, and the Cadaver and Body Parts Oversight Committee.  Andrew obtained his B.S. and M.S. degrees from Villanova University, and his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Bryn Mawr College.  He has more than 20 years of teaching and 35 years of research experience.  A major portion of which included oversight of research safety and compliance programs.  Prior to his journey at Penn, he held a faculty appointment at Thomas Jefferson University where his research focused on the analysis of structure-function relationships in proteins, including protein toxins that poison the human nervous system.  Most recently, the mechanism of action of botulinum neurotoxins.  Andrew attended his first Best Practice Meeting in 2015 and has since been continually involved with Biosafety Administrator’s Association.

Raymond F. Scheetz, MS, RBP

Ray is currently the Institutional Biosafety Officer and a Compliance Manager at The Penn State University College of Medicine in Hershey, Pa, located in the Research Quality Assurance office a division of the College of Medicine Office of Research Affairs.  He is responsible for the oversight of all Biosafety compliance aspects within the College of Medicine, providing ancillary reviews of IACUC and IRB protocols, biosafety training and required annual lab surveys, administration liaison for research lab activities and emergencies, and operation of the equipment and asset management plan. He is a member of the College of Medicine Institutional Biosafety Committee, Research Mission team and COVID 19 Ramp up Research task force.  Ray also serves as a Biosafety consultant for CBS (Clinical Biosafety Services)/Shield Consulting.  Formally the Lab Manager in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Penn State College of Medicine for 25 years.  Responsibilities included the Management of the BL3 facility located within the Department.