The OR Innovation Awards Committee
The committee's purpose is to refine the administrative and logistical components of the OR Innovation Awards (ORIA) during its pilot year. The committee advises on enhancing ORIA’s reach, value, and impact, and evaluates and recommends award winners to Vice President for Research Eric Perreault.
Committee membership will typically include the previous year’s ORIA winners and four core OR stakeholders serving two-year terms, ensuring diverse representation across OR units, perspectives, and networks. For the 2025 inaugural cohort, the committee consists of seven members representing a range of OR units. Claire Landis and Darrick Northington serve as committee facilitators, with Darrick managing invitations to new members as needed.
This diverse group of OR staff, along with two dedicated facilitators, brings together a wealth of expertise and perspectives.
Committee Members
- Reggie Blythe, Executive Director, Office for Research Safety
- Julie Cowan, Digital Designer, Research Analytics
- Renee Gonzalez, Chief Research Operations Officer, Office for Research
- George Harris, Supervisor of Animal Care & Health, Center for Comparative Medicine
- Andrea Minogue, Executive Director, Finance & Operations, Innovation and New Ventures Office
- Melissa Mizwa, Assistant Director, Administration and Strategic Communications, Sponsored Research Office
- Hillary Sparks, Senior Director, URIC Administration
Committee Facilitators
- Claire Landis, Director, HR Administration
- Darrick Northington, Manager of the Employee Life Cycle and Staff Recognition, HR Administration