HUMAN RESOURCES

In the IRB Office on a monthly basis we recognize a Marvel Superhero. This month's Superhero has been a part of our office for just six months and in that time they've made a huge impact. I've lost count of how many times this person has identified a gap in a process and then gone ahead and fixed it, or notified a document was missing key language and added, or noticed something in need of an update that many of us previously overlooked. This month's superhero has not only the ability of identifying ways to improve our work, but also the patience, knowledge, and drive to see things through. I know I can't be the only one who has a knack for starting things and not finishing them (cough cough the irb members website project) and it is inspiring to see this month's superhero harness their talents and bring about positive change. Thank you Rozelle for bringing a fresh perspective to our work and for leading so many positive changes. Congratulations Rozelle for being this month's Marvel Superhero!”

I'd like to acknowledge Katie Wright for their constant hunger for learning and a spark of curiosity. They bring insightful questions up and interesting new topics to discuss every week. They also have a passion for Diversity Equity and Inclusion and have helped create new content for the FAIR workgroup and is a valuable contributing member. I can always count on them to be a bright presence in any meeting they attend and bring a positive attitude to every day. Thank you Katie for the phenomenal work you bring to the Social Behavioral IRB team and beyond!”

Heather, you run and manage panel A with such ease and a calm demeanor. You are always on top of everything which ensures a smooth meeting. You are an inspiration to me because of your resilience, persistent positive attitude, your dedication, and hard work. You always take the effort to research complex regulatory topics and come up with great solutions to move forward. Your work ethic and involvement are admirable, and we are fortunate to be working alongside you. Thank you for your meticulous work.”

I’d like to recognize Pranjal Patankar as an exemplary colleague and leader. Pranjal is smart, kind, curious, supportive, and always willing to help anyone in the IRB Office, The research community, and the Office for Research with wise guidance and sound advice. Pranjal always stands out to me when challenging questions or situations arise. She explores resources, reads guidance, and devours policy. She is a wealth of knowledge and is always willing to share her knowledge, but also inspires others to be curious and take the time to seek out answers through guidance and policy references. Like most of us, Pranjal has a very full plate, yet, she always takes time for a kind word, participates in special projects, leadership activities, and is willing to support others. She has impacted the way I work and emulates the ways I try to treat others. As I re-read this so far, I realize I could be writing this about the majority of people in the IRB Office, and for that I’m so very grateful. This is a remarkable group and they inspire me daily. Thanks to the IRB Office team for your teamwork, empathy, wisdom and support. I’m grateful to be a part of the IRB and for the ways Pranjal and others demonstrate the NU and OR values. Recently, we welcomed a new IRB Analyst from the Biomedical IRB Team to the Social and Behavioral IRB Office. Pranjal was supportive, transparent, and always wanted to encourage this individual’s personal growth and future goals. Pranjal’s work ethic has created a supportive environment and is committed to making the IRB run efficient as possible. This is the way I want to lead, support, and befriend my colleagues and I’m so thankful for our leadership who emulate and foster such respect for all of us and our future aspirations. I would like to extend my gratitude and respect to Pranjal and will continue to work in following her example. Thank you for making this such a wonderful place to work and being an amazing friend and colleague!”

Braden Van Buskirk has provided phenomenal leadership to the IRB Office for many years now. One of the things I love most about Braden is that no-matter how crummy of a day it’s been, he is always the first person to make a joke or share a self-deprecating story to lighten the mood in a meeting. More importantly though, Braden always has his team’s back, always asking us what we need from him. Braden demonstrates amazing emotional awareness for his team, always willing to talk through issues with honesty and openness, ensuring things don’t fester. It’s clear that he cares about his team as people and is interested in what we want in our careers. He’s not just our manager but a mentor in many ways as well. On a daily basis he demonstrates all the qualities of a great leader and sets an amazing tone in the office. We are so incredibly lucky to have him as the Social Behavioral Manager in the IRB Office!”

As staff members in the IRB Office we have the unique honor of calling Nathalia Henry Whitely our Executive Director. If you've been lucky enough to work with her, be in a meeting with her, or meet her in person you will know she is multi-talented and appreciated by all. She is many things to many of us and here's just some of the words IRB Office staff members used when describing her: a leader, selfless, generous, inclusive, confident, a humanist, benevolent, courageous, resolute, poised, an inspiration, gracious, patient, compassionate, authentic, a motivator, uplifting, resilient, witty, and awesome. Nathalia, thank you for being our advocate and for always prioritizing our well-being. We are grateful for your leadership!”

Kyle Mullen exemplifies the ideals of the IRB. He always has a positive attitude and a strong commitment to teamwork. His unique combination of compassion and enthusiasm for the work we do makes him an amazing colleague more than worthy of recognition. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Kyle in various work groups as well as the IRB’s DEI initiative. He is always more than willing to start and assist with all projects that arise. He’s a great colleague, and I’m thrilled to be able to work with him!”