Program Manager Business Analyst

KIRA E. MOCK

202-***-**** Rockville, MD ***** ******@*******.***

SUMMARY

Extensive program management and peer review experience with major scientific agencies, including USAID, DOE, EPA, DOD, DOI, NASA, NOAA and USDA. Excel in managing international cooperative applied scientific research grants programs in multiple disciplines, and professional capacity-building fellowship programs for scientists and engineers. Expertise includes outreach and recruitment of STEMM professionals for programs; oversight of application and selection processes; recruiting and managing peer review panels/selection committees; fostering international scientific cooperation and building networks; professional development, coaching and career consulting for S&T fellows and researchers, including in health/medical and social sciences. Excellent writing and editing skills, and strong diplomacy and negotiation abilities. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

USAID SDF Fellowships Program Manager May 2024 – February 2025 USAID Science for Development Fellowships (SDF) Program USmax Corporation, Fairfax, VA

• Managed and facilitated placement process, placing peer-reviewed SDF fellows (16) in USAID offices.

• Promoted to Fellowships Program Manager role responsible for working with USAID COR-client to finalize SDF Standard Operating Procedures and prepare SDF Fellowships Handbook.

• Managed the SDF selection process recruiting 3 expert peer review panels, trained the new HEI Engagement Manager in the selection process, and prepared guidance presentations and documents.

• Responsible for onboarding activities for the initial SDF 2024-26 cohort fellows; ensured security clearance processes were completed, onboarding paperwork, and USAID Office preparations were completed.

• Guided and managed SDF fellow processes including international travel, professional development requests, compensation time, etc.; prepared and presented guidance documents and slide decks.

• Continued duties of HEI Engagement Manager, carrying out three campus visits at Duke University, University of North Carolina, and North Carolina State University, and provided outreach at ASA/CSSA/SSSA Annual Meeting in San Antonio; met with SDF HEI partner Texas A&M Kingsville.

• Trained new University Partnerships Manager in SDF processes providing slide deck, facilitating an observation of NCSU presentation, and providing training in eligibility review and Selection Panel processes, etc.

HEI Engagement Manager October 2023 – May 2024

USAID Science for Development Fellowships (SDF) Program USmax Corporation, Fairfax, VA

• Conducted outreach to Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to establish a national HEI network and foster engagement of the HEIs, their STEMM graduate students and faculty in the Network, with an emphasis on Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs). Drafted HEI Network outreach materials, created PowerPoint presentations, arranged and lead meetings to cultivate interest and establish Points of Contact (POCs), with a result of 21 HEIs recruited to date and 14 signed partnerships.

• Organized virtual information sessions for STEMM graduate students, postdocs, and faculty at 9 HEIs, including 5 MSIs, in initial six months of operation, resulting in the largest application populations from two of the universities.

• Organized and managed recruitment activities at 7 S&T conferences before April 2024, with 3 occurring prior to the SDF program application deadline.

• Led the co-coordination of the inaugural Science for Development Institute (SCI4DI), contributing to program and content creation, selecting and soliciting presenters, developing tracking documents, and recruiting HEI participation, resulting in 16 engaged universities, including 8 MSIs, and nearly 50 Kira E. Mock resume

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participants. Managed participant communications and logistics.

• Advised and trained Fellowship Manager and other SDF on best practices for application, selection and placement processes. Drafted selection process guidance and communication documents. Orchestrated peer-review panel selection process, managing 2 of 3 selection panels, which reviewed 2/3 of applications, interviewed 2/3 of semi-finalists, and designated 20 of the 30 finalists.

• Contributed to SDF program documents including the Annual Implementation Plan, HEI Recruitment and Outreach Strategy, monthly reports, and major program communications and Statement of Work deliverables.

Program Manager, Strategic Staffing September 2021-July 2023 Ripple Effect, Inc, Rockville, MD

• Managed projects for three programs with the US Navy, Naval Advanced Medical Development; US Army, Combat Casualty Care Research Program, and National Institutes of Health SOAR, requiring daily task management and quick turnaround.

• Supervised 18 staff across three teams; convening monthly team meetings. Planned project timelines, coordinating and communicating with staff on milestones; determined PD training and leadership activities for teams.

• Recruited technical staff with quick turnaround for backfilling vacant positions in the biomedical field; sourced new avenues for talent by presenting to candidate audiences, such as universities, MD State veteran’s affairs groups, etc.

• Monitored financial status, reviewed/approved invoicing, conducted budget reporting; tracked and forecasted active projects; and managed client communication on financial status and personnel actions.

• Contribute to business development activities including red team review, attending government contracting conferences, and preparing sources sought, proposals, and recompete documents. Senior Fellowship Program Manager/Fellowship Program Manager 2009 - 2020 Science & Technology Policy Fellowships (STPF), American Association for the Advancement of Science

(AAAS), Washington, DC

Senior Program Manager 2016 - 2020

Interim Senior Project Director January - July 2020

● Trained, mentored, and supervised five program managers, directing workflow, managing biweekly staff meetings, convening weekly check-ins, and conducting performance evaluations.

● Orchestrated and guided program managers in the three-tier fellowship peer-review selection process, the annual agency site visit process and protocols.

● Managed reporting for AAAS senior leadership and contributed program team’s perspective to STPF senior leadership meetings.

● Continued Senior Program Manager duties for Energy, Environment & Agriculture, and the Roger Revelle Fellowship Program while in interim position.

● Served on John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship Program Selection Panel for NOAA Sea Grant. Program Manager 2009 - 2015

● Managed peer review selection process, complex budgeting, programing requirements, placements and monitoring and support annually for 50-60+ Science & Technology Policy Fellows. Conducted site visits with top agency officials at DOE, EPA, NSF, FWS, ACE, DHS, USGS, USDA NASA, NPS, NOAA, expanding program reach from 4 to 11 agencies and increasing annual fellowship placements to 68.

● Recruited, selected, nominated, and led four, 8-member selection committees from various technical backgrounds in government, non-profit and private sector organizations each year through the selection committee peer review meetings and designation of fellowship finalists.

● Tracked financial status, contracting mechanism, and fellow budgets. Kira E. Mock resume

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● Facilitated and lead professional development training events for up to 120 fellows.

● Reviewed affinity group proposals for STPF fellows’ workshops and activities to foster alumni engagement.

● Reviewed fellow reports, briefing appropriate stakeholders on action items, and creating annual summary reports for USG agencies and for AAAS internal reporting.

● Managed annual placement of new STPF fellows, coordinating placement opportunities and budgets, interviews, and fellowship offers, and managed annual fellowship renewal process.

● Conducted outreach activities by participating on invited panels, presenting fellowship information to large groups, and networking and staffing recruitment activities at national S&T conferences.

● Provided content input and logistical support to the annal AAAS Science and Technology Policy Forum, AAAS Annual Meeting, the National Council for Science and the Environment Annual Meeting (NCSE), and the STPF fellows orientation.

● Served on annual Barnard Lecture Selection Committee, a forum for outstanding VIP speakers to address current environmental issues.

Program Officer / Research Associate 1998 - 2008

The National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC

National Research Council (NRC), Policy and Global Affairs Division (PGA), Research Support Program, (RSP) for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) NAS Program Officer 2003 - 2008

● Managed technical, logistical and administrative teams for the peer review process for applied innovative scientific research grants programs for strengthening scientific capacity in target countries for USAID, including program planning and formulation, implementation, budgeting, monitoring and evaluation, analysis, and program reporting. Supervised logistical and administrative staff. Facilitated negotiations to implement pre-grant awards and technical international cooperation among multiple research teams and stakeholder groups; advised investigators on proposal improvements based upon scientific peer review guidance and USAID policy and standards. Provided guidance to a range of stakeholders, including academic institutions, international agencies, and senior staff on the organizational mission of the programs, objectives and procedures.

● Scientifically categorized hundreds of proposals from an open call for innovative applied scientific research grants programs for Israeli researchers to collaborate with target country researchers or their Arab neighbors; nominated technical experts for internal/external review panel for research grants program; administered panels; wrote and edited hundreds of technical scientific panel summaries throughout a 10- year cooperative agreement.

● Solicited 60 technical experts annually to participate in scientific peer review of scientific collaborative research grants program panels on environmental health and engineering, human health, plant pathology

& biological control, geology, expanding agriculture, plant development and production, marine science/aquaculture and hydrogeology leading to increased scientific competitiveness of the Israeli research grants programs.

● Increased number of RSP scientific experts, resulting in a PANELIST database of more than 1500.

● Oversaw meeting logistics, budgetary and programmatic requirements for USAID peer review for collaborative scientific research grants program panels.

● Authored report for PGA Director on the implications of the USAID Middle East Regional Cooperation

(MERC) Program, including research results on the peace process in the Middle East.

● Conducted international and domestic site visits to MERC Program grants in the Middle East and Africa to meet and discuss status of $500,000 projects with grantees (4 in Morocco, 35 in Israel, 7 in the West Bank).

● Advised international Principal Investigators and their teams on technical (scientific) critique, policy, and budgetary issues in proviso responses for more than 15 proposals annually, resulting in greater efficiency in grant negotiations.

● Mediated and reconciled Israeli - Jordanian misunderstanding among researchers by resolving issues that risked withdrawal of the approved proposal, resulting in a grant of more than $400,000 for investigators. Kira E. Mock resume

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● Managed Research Support Program budget on Cooperative Agreement with USAID. NAS Research Associate 1998 - 2003

• Managed technical, logistical, and administrative aspects of peer review process for USAID’s three Israeli grants programs in innovative scientific research.

● Secured the $5.8 million, 10-year cooperative agreement with USAID for the NRC, after managing consulting and transferring all logistical program and peer review aspects of the former contract with Metrica, Inc.

● Provided consulting to hundreds of principal investigators regarding technical, policy, and budgetary proposal improvements and USAID program policy; served as the primary contact at the NRC.

● Interacted with scientists, institutional administrators, USAID missions and the Science Attaché’s Office at the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv about the research peer review process and program requirements.

● Created and developed MERCFUND Access database for tracking MERC Program grants. Early Career

Extension Assistant

University of Maryland, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, College Park, MD

• Coordinated scientific peer panel review through a temporary contract with USAID until the Cooperative Agreement was in place with the National Academies. Senior Logistics Specialist, Research Program Analyst, Research Operations Analyst METRICA, INC., Arlington, VA

• Coordinated logistical support of U.S. Department of Treasury advisors to five overseas subcontractors. Streamlined processes in the USAID U.S. Israel Cooperative Development Research Program (CDR) resulting in greater efficiency and staff reduction from 5 to 1 fulltime staff.

• Coordinated workflow from the National Academy of Sciences, Office of International Affairs for internal and external proposal reviews, organizing panels and managing logistics, writing technical summaries, and handling communications to researchers.

• Contracted with USAID, CDR Program to manage the USAID/Metrica, Inc. contract, including logistical requirements of the peer review process for 40 proposals, involving 30 review panels. Analyzed and distributed panel review results to hundreds of participating investigators. EDUCATION

MS in Environmental Management, University of Maryland, Global Campus, Adelphi, MD, Graduate studies in Plant Biology, University of Maryland, College Park MA in Liberal Arts, St. John's College, Annapolis, MD Graduate studies in Business Administration, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany BBA in International Business Administration, George Washington University, Washington, DC SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Mock, K.E. Middle East Regional Cooperation Program-Opportunities for Israeli-Palestinian Collaborative Research. AAAS Science & Diplomacy. March 2013.

http://www.sciencediplomacy.org/perspective/2013/middle-east-regional-cooperation-program Kira E. Mock resume

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ADDITIONAL SKILLS

COMPUTER: Salesforce, Form Assembly, ProCite 5.0, Powerpoint, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Access, Excel, Lotus Notes, Oracle Crystal Ball, Salesforce, Application Management System LANGUAGE: German, Level Fluent

TRAINING:

Program Officers’ Workshop, National Research Council Writing with Clarity and Precision, NAS Staff Development Program Workshop on Electronic Presentations, Tools, Tips & Techniques, National Academy of Sciences

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