Staff Highlights

Staff Honors and Awards

2007 NIDA Director's Award of Merit (Groups)

The Health Services Research/Clinical Trials Network Team
Redonna Chandler, Ph.D.
Sarah Duffy, Ph.D.
Petra Jacobs, M.D.
Harold Perl, Ph.D.

The Epigenetics Workgroup
John Satterlee, Ph.D.
Christine Colvis, Ph.D.
Joni Rutter, Ph.D.
Jonathan Pollock, Ph.D.
Da-Yu Wu, Ph.D.
Genevieve deAlmeida-Morris, Ph.D.
Donna Jones

The NIDA/NIH Roadmap Behavioral and Social Sciences Initiative Workgroup
Lisa Onken, Ph.D.
Teresa Levitin, Ph.D.
Gerald McLaughlin, Ph.D.
Kay Nimit., M.D.
Pamela Fleming
Deborah Wertz
Susan Volman, Ph.D.
Denise Pintello, Ph.D.
Elizabeth Ginexi, Ph.D.

The Pain and Opioids Meeting Group
Usha Charya
Wilson Compton, M.D.
Richard Denisco, M.D.
Gaya Dowling, Ph.D.
Dorie Hightower
Carol Krause
Jan Lipkin
Cindy Miner, Ph.D.
Anna Staton
David Thomas, Ph.D.
Susan Weiss, Ph.D.

The NIDA Performance Team
Sharon Chang
Susan Cook
David Daubert
Donna Jones
Donna Tolson

The HBO Addiction Project Team
Ruben Baler, Ph.D.
Elisabeth Davis
Gaya Dowling, Ph.D.
Jennifer Elcano
Sharan Jayne
Carol Krause
Geoff Laredo
Jan Lipkin
Cindy Miner, Ph.D.
Sara Rosario-Wilson
Jane Smither
Anna Staton
Susan Weiss, Ph.D.

2007 NIDA Director's Award of Merit Individual Recipients
Nora Chiang, Ph.D.
Kathleen Etz, Ph.D.
Pamela Fleming
Steven Grant, Ph.D.
Thomas Haines
Meenaxi Hiremath, Ph.D.
Carol Krause
Cindy Miner, Ph.D.
Ivan Montoya, Ph.D.
Joni Rutter, Ph.D.
Karen Skinner, Ph.D.

NIDA Director's Award for EEO, Diversity and Quality of Worklife
Stacy Gardner

Commissioned Corp Awards

PHS Commendation Medal
Michele Leff
Paul Na

PHS Outstanding Unit Citation
Janice Carico

30 Years of Government Service Awards

Division of Basic Neuroscience and Behavioral Research
Rao S. Rapaka
Joyce Williams

Division of Epidemiology, Services and Prevention Research
Meyer Glantz

Office of Planning and Resource Management
Helene Braun
Maryellen Connell
Kirkland Davis
Suezette Epps
Diane Loeb
Donna Tolson

Office of Science Policy and Communications
Geraldine M. McCarthy

Intramural Research Program
Janice Carico
William Freed
Carla Highkin
Tsung Ping Su

Other Staff Honors and Awards

Dr. Lula Beatty, Chief, SPO, received the Susan Rosenberg Zalk award for mentoring from the Society for the Psychology of Women, American Psychological Association, in September 2007.

Dr. Lula Beatty received the Public Service Award from the Science Directorate, American Psychological Association, in October 2007.

Dr. Yonette Thomas, DESPR, received the National Award of Excellence in Public Service at the annual National Hispanic Science Network on Drug Abuse Meeting, September 27, 2007 held in Miami, FL.

Drs. Belinda Sims, Elizabeth Robertson and Eve Reider, PRB/DESPR, received the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Assistant Secretary's 2007 Partnering for HHS Excellence Award. This award was received for their planning team participation in the ACF Meeting "The Application of Effect Sizes in Research on Children and Families: Understanding Impacts on Academic, Emotional and Behavioral Outcomes." The meeting was held March 5, 2007 at the NIH Natcher Conference Center, Bethesda, MD.

Staff Changes

In November 2007, Dr. Jessica Campbell Chambers joined the Behavioral & Integrative Treatment Branch in the Division of Clinical Neuroscience & Behavioral Research. Dr. Chambers was a Health Scientist Administrator in the Epidemiology Branch of the Division of Services and Prevention Research. In DCNBR, she will be handling a grant portfolio on the treatment of children and adolescents.

Dr. James M. Bjork joined the Clinical Neuroscience Branch of the Division of Clinical Neuroscience and Behavioral Research. Dr. Bjork earned his Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences with a concentration in neuroscience from the University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center in 1999, where he conducted psychopharmacological research on human impulsivity and aggression. Subsequently, he conducted impulsivity research with conduct-disordered adolescents at the Harris County Psychiatric Center (Houston, TX). He then joined the NIAAA Intramural Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Research (Bethesda, MD) as a postdoctoral fellow in 2000. While at NIAAA, Dr. Bjork continued research on different dimensions of impulsivity in substance abuse, and conducted structural and functional magnetic imaging research in persons with or at risk for alcohol use disorders.

Dr. Vincent Smeriglio retired from NIDA on January 4, 2008 from his position as Branch Chief of the Behavioral and Brain Development Branch within the Division of Clinical Neuroscience and Behavioral Research. He has worked for over 18 years advancing NIDA's programs in Human Development, and has held a senior staff position as the NIDA Child and Adolescent Research Coordinator. He also has been involved in several large, multi-institute research projects and programs over the years.