Dear IGHS community,
I am delighted to announce that Nicole Hobbs has been selected as IGHS Director of Finance and Administration and will begin on November 6, 2024.
Nicole has 15 years of experience managing complex research centers and global health programs at large academic and private institutions. She brings extensive systems expertise across two University of California campuses, including leadership in finance and administration of an organized research unit.
Nicole started her career as a procurement specialist at the University of Washington in the Department of Global Health, later managing the Fogarty Global Health Fellows and Scholars program. She then spent three years at the Allen Institute as a Senior Manager in the Office of Sponsored Research, overseeing the administration of over $32 million in awards from federal and non-federal sources. At UC Irvine, Nicole served as the Director of Administrative Programs and Chief Administrative Officer for the Cancer Research Institute. In that role, Nicole supported leadership in multidisciplinary activities funded by the National Cancer Institute, including NIH-funded P30 and T32 applications and awards. She was also responsible for day-to-day operations and pre- and post-award research administration for affiliated faculty at UC Irvine.
Most recently, Nicole served as Associate Director of Administration & Operations at the UC Davis California National Primate Research Center. She oversaw operations of an organized research unit and NIH-funded national primate center, encompassing finance, facility operations, IT, HR, and procurement, with an annual operating budget of $66 million. Nicole led a change management process that included implementing Oracle and focusing on staff retention and morale. She also worked with her team to revise recruitment and retention practices. In this role, Nicole also conducted a baseline assessment of DEI practices at the center, which will help to inform how IGHS can optimize our DEI commitments. Nicole’s colleagues describe her as a powerful agent for change.
With her multi-campus leadership track record in supporting education and research, I am confident she brings valuable experiences and skill sets to our Institute.
I sincerely thank Heidi Frank, MPH, MBA, for her leadership as Interim Director of Finance and Administration since May 2024. Heidi skillfully led our Finance and Administrative Services team through several crucial months of transition, ensuring steady progress in our operations. I am deeply grateful for her dedication and efforts.
I also thank Clarice Estrada, MPA, for serving as chair of the search committee, along with committee members Mae Moredo, MA; Ali Mirzazadeh, PhD, MD, MPH; Ellyn Woo; and Sarah Hutchinson. I am also grateful to Senior Associate Vice Chancellor Brian Smith, JD, MBA, and Jon Rueter, MBA, for their support in the search for the IGHS Director of Finance and Administration.
Please join me in thanking Heidi and in welcoming Nicole to IGHS.
Sincerely,
Payam Nahid, MD, MPH
Haile T. Debas Distinguished Professor of Global Health
Executive Director, Institute for Global Health Sciences