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Renee Gonzales

Renee Gonzales is the inaugural chief research operations officer (CROO) at Northwestern University. She oversees the administrative units within the Office for Research (includes finance and operations, research compliance, research security and sponsored research). Renee joined Northwestern in May of 2024 after serving in an interim capacity as a Huron Consultant at Northwestern since March of 2023. Prior to her time at Northwestern, Renee served as assistant vice president for sponsored research at The University of Texas-Austin (overseeing both pre and post award), as executive director of sponsored projects at MD Anderson Cancer Center (managing pre award) and in various research administration roles at Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi that included research compliance,  as well as pre and post award grant administration.  

With over two decades of experience managing every facet of the research grant lifecycle and leading significant system transformations in large research and medical organizations, Renee is well versed on all things related to research administration, system implementation and leadership.

Gonzales holds a master’s degree in public administration and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.