GULF COAST CONSORTIA - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- GCC Research Program Administrator
Dawn Koob joined the GCC in 2012 and has responsibilities in many aspects and daily operations of the GCC. Her contributions to the research consortia, clusters and initiatives include coordinating and implementing numerous events such as conferences, symposiums, and workshops as well as the development and design of all publications for advertising and marketing events.
Job Titles:
- GCC in 2021 As a Research Program Administrator
Dr. Autumn Marsden joined the GCC in 2021 as a Research Program Administrator. Her primary responsibilities include development, implementation and administration of multi-institutional research initiatives, multidisciplinary research teams, scholars programs comprised of trainees, and research workshops/curriculum. Additionally, she leads annual research consortia progress reviews, and manages the John S. Dunn Collaborative Research Award Program. She also assists with data analysis, scientific writing and editing of manuscripts and grants and supporting research consortia events and communication as needed. She completed her PhD in Genetics at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, IA studying Wnt signaling integration in heart development using a zebrafish model. As a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston in Houston, TX, she focused on cAMP signaling integration in hearts using a mouse model.
Job Titles:
- GCC Training Program Administrator
Karen Ethun joined the GCC in 2005 and has been executive director since 2006. She is engaged with all aspects of the GCC including training and research programs and initiatives, special funding initiatives, new initiatives and workshops, and the development of proposals to NIH, NISF and CPRIT. Karen also works with GCC leadership to ensure long-term support and strategic growth of the GCC and with faculty to develop newly forming research and training groups. Prior to joining the GCC, Karen was director of business development for a contract research organization focused on getting drugs, biologics and devices through clinical trials and the FDA approval process. She is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin.
Job Titles:
- GCC Research Program Administrator
Kim Smith joined the GCC in April 2022, as a Research Program Administrator. Her primary responsibilities include planning and preparation of various consortium meetings, projects, and events, including communication, outreach, tracking budgets, and preparing reports. She communicates and promotes research program events and serves as the GCC point of contact for speakers, attendees, vendors, and suppliers. Prior to working for the GCC, Kim was a Special Agent for the U.S. Secret Service from 1997 until her retirement in 2021. During her tenure with the Secret Service, Kim worked in a variety of roles, with her primary specialties being Physical Protection, Protective Intelligence, and Investigations. Kim ended her career as the Assistant to the Special Agent in Charge of the Houston Field Office.
Melissa Glueck joined the GCC in 2006 and has been Director of the Keck Center since 2015. She is integrally involved in developing, creating, and administering complex, inter-institutional PhD student and postdoctoral training grant programs in the biosciences that are funded by NIH, CPRIT, and private foundations. Melissa has also been very active in the area of professional and career development for trainees, terming it "value added" to fellowship training. Prior to joining the GCC, Melissa worked at Rice University in the mechanical engineering department and at the Ken Kennedy Institute for Information Technology. She has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Virginia at Charlottesville, and an M.S. in Human Resource Management Systems from Chapman University.
Job Titles:
- Director, Research Programs and Strategic Initiatives
Suzanne Tomlinson, PhD, MBA, is the Director of Research Programs and Strategic Initiatives for the Gulf Coast Consortia. Her primary responsibilities include direction of the 12 GCC research consortia and clusters. In addition, she directs the development of new multi-institutional research initiatives, scientific conferences, grant proposals, curriculum, and manages the John S. Dunn Foundation Collaborative Research Award Program. In addition, she directs the award winning GCC Rigor and Reproducibility Program and is Co-PI of the Cancer Therapeutics Program. She earned her Ph.D. at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, TX, in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, specializing in computational drug discovery and lead optimization in the development of West Nile and dengue virus protease inhibitors. As a Postdoctoral Fellow, she developed aldose reductase inhibitors as potential colon cancer therapeutics. Her current research interests remain in therapeutic drug development and commercialization via academia and biotech startup.
Vicki Alger joined the GCC in June 2023, as a Training Program Administrator. Her primary responsibilities include planning and preparation of various meetings, projects, and events for the Keck Center. She will be assisting with the organization and facilitation of workshops and program evaluation. She communicates and promotes training program events and serves as the GCC point of contact for speakers, attendees, vendors, and suppliers. Prior to working for the GCC, Vicki was an Instructor and Assistant Professor of Psychology from 2008 until 2023. She has a B.S. in Psychology from Texas A&M University, an M.A. in School Psychology from University of Houston - Clear Lake, and a M.A. in Theological Studies from Houston Baptist University.