Rachel, a 16-year employee of Niagara College, served as CARA’s vice-president for two years as part of a succession planning setup. She was first elected as a member at large on the volunteer board in 2019.

“After volunteering with CARA in various roles over the past decade, I am thrilled to move into the role of CARA president and to be the first President representing a college,” said Rachel. “I am hopeful that this position will continue to increase the visibility of college research administrators in the landscape of Canadian research institutions.”

As the Manager, Finance Operations and Compliance, Rachel oversees all department budgets and financial reporting for the division, making strategic decisions on spending related to funder and agency compliance. She also oversees the metrics collection across all areas of Research and Innovation, to inform institutional planning, funder requirements and grant writing opportunities.

Prior to this, Rachel worked for 13 years with the division, most of that time as the Research Grants and Contracts Officer, sharing her in-depth knowledge of the comprehensive array of grant agency programs, and supporting the research management team in coordinating all submissions, overseeing grant compliance and eligibility and liaises with funders and key stakeholders. She is a graduate of Niagara College’s Business Administration – Operations Management program.

During her two-year term, Rachel will be working to find ways to increase best-practice sharing opportunities for a variety of sectors of the research administration profession, such as pre- and post-awards, contracts, small institutions, and of course, colleges.

The CARA president position is a two-year term, followed by a two-year term as past president.

The Canadian Association of Research Administrators (CARA), numbering more than 1,000 members, is the national voice for research administrators in Canada and a nationwide community that brings together research administration professionals fulfilling a diverse range of roles in a field that is complex and ever evolving. Governed by a volunteer executive board of directors, and guided by its strategic plan, CARA is committed to supporting the profession by offering members a safe, inclusive, and equitable professional space to learn and grow through networking with peers, sharing best practices, professional development, mentorship, and leadership opportunities. CARA is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion in the Research Administration profession.

NC’s award-winning Research and Innovation division administers research funding through investments from various regional, provincial, and federal agencies. Students and graduates are hired to work alongside faculty and staff researchers to assist industry partners’ leap forward in the marketplace. Students come from a variety of the College’s programs, such as the Mechanical Engineering Technology, Culinary Innovation and Food Technology, Business Administration – Marketing, and Computer Programmer.