About Us

George’s background is in genomics and data science. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and his doctorate from Yale University. In 2011, George was appointed as Director of the newly formed Office of Portfolio Analysis in DPCPSI, and now leads a team of analysts, data scientists, and software developers to enable data-driven decision-making.

Sharon is a Communications professional with 28 years of experience at NIH. She provides the Office with expert administrative support and invaluable institutional knowledge of NIH.  She is the primary contact for OPA and secretary for Dr. Santangelo.  She handles all administrative issues in order to keep the Office moving forward.

With a background that bridges the gap between computer science and biology, Brad brings extensive experience in scientific computing, image analysis and algorithm development to OPA. He is proficient in a number of development environments but prefers Python for its deep learning and scientific processing libraries. Prior to joining OPA, Brad was a Postdoctoral Fellow in the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, where he was responsible for tasks ranging from application development to machine learning. Brad received his Ph.D. in Biophysics from Stanford University and his B.S. in Computer Engineering from Texas A&M University.

Krista joined OPA in November 2020, bringing leadership and project management experience. Prior to joining OPA, she built and led the operations functions for Companion Protect, LLC. Krista has held leadership positions with Asurion, Elastic Networks, and Nortel Networks, in addition to founding Trade Winds Consulting. She has managed large organizations of diverse professionals in multiple locations domestically and internationally, leading teams responsible for the delivery of complex, cross-functional projects and programs. Krista received her Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina State University, and her Masters of Business Administration from Kenan-Flagler’s Executive MBA program. She also holds a Project Management Professional Certification.

Michael joined OPA after 5 years at NIH with the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering and the Fogarty International Center. Prior to joining NIH he created the International Science and Technology Partnership program at the American Association for the Advancement of Science and for many years managed the Indo-US Science & Technology Forum and the US-India Science & Technology Endowment Fund. Michael has over twenty years of experience building international partnerships in science, engineering and health, including earlier work at The National Academies, the Smithsonian Institution, the Institute for International Education, and the Atlantic Council of the United States.

Anthony is a user experience researcher who specializes in applying human-centered research to projects that combine design with technology and business. Before joining OPA in 2021, Anthony had worked in multiple research capacities across industries. His knowledge and fluency in applied user experience research contributes to the optimal experience of users on digital platforms. Anthony earned his B.S. in Health and Exercise Science from Virginia Commonwealth University as well as minored in Business.

Matt's background is in software engineering with a focus on natural language processing, information retrieval, and machine learning. At OPA, he works on the development of a variety web applications, web services, and batch computations. Typical projects include citation resolution and linking, classifying grants via machine learning, and working on the iSearch web application.​

Shannon's academic background is in international political science, English, and biology. She supports the software development team testing iSearch applications and writing documentation.

Karl brings his expertise in software design, development, and deployment to his role as senior software developer at OPA. Before joining the team in 2021, Karl used his programming skills to create and maintain high-reliability, mission-critical software for the defense and space industries. He has extensive experience in full-stack development, software security, fault-tolerant architecture, and high-performance computing. He earned his B.S. in Computer Engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Paula is our training program director, an analyst, and a problem solver with a background in biochemistry and cell biology. She provides guidance in the use of portfolio analysis methods and tools, and consults with NIH staff to find effective solutions to their portfolio analysis questions. Paula is typically involved in trans-NIH analyses, training activities, and coordinating the use of OPA tools across NIH. ​

Ehsan’s background is in programming. At OPA he develops specialized software for synthesizing large volumes of qualitative scientific information. Ehsan’s programs aim to extract useful information about NIH research programs that can be used to support programmatic decision making. ​

Grant is a biochemist by training, with a diverse background studying human virology, toxic marine algae, and protein translation. He uses his experience with genomics and computer programming to analyze large-scale datasets and present his findings using clear, concise graphics and figures. His work within the OPA is focused on comparing scientific portfolios as well as developing new tools to enhance data-driven decision making by NIH leadership. ​

Emily joined OPA in 2021, bringing 7 years of 3D conceptual design experience. Paired with her human-centered design approach, she curates exceptional experiences and visual design by fusing the client's vision with the users' unarticulated needs. Emily earned her B.S. in Interior Design from Oklahoma State University.​

Aviva brings a background in Chemistry and Public Policy Analysis to OPA to strengthen our capacity in research design, data gathering and compilation, statistical analysis, econometric modeling, and network analysis. She performs analysis and evaluation for NIH senior leadership and develops methodology for NIH-wide cost per publication estimates. Aviva is currently initiating an effort to situate the NIH within the broader context of biomedical research funding. ​

Merricka joined OPA as a scientific portfolio analyst in 2020, bringing a broad background in chemistry, toxicology, and biomedical science. Previously, she was an NRC Research Associate at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, developing antibody-based therapies for malaria. Merricka earned her B.S. in Chemistry from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and her Ph.D. in Environmental Health, concentrating in Molecular and Translational Toxicology from Johns Hopkins University.​

Gabriel joined OPA in July of 2019 as a Software Developer with a concentration in web development and big data processing. Prior to joining OPA, Gabriel worked extensively with web applications designed to derive significant conclusions from large datasets. He earned his B.S. in Computer Science from Columbia University. Currently, Gabriel is focused on java web application development. ​

Larry joined OPA in March of 2021 bringing experience in both manual as well as automated testing. Prior to joining OPA, Larry did testing for KTS (Kranze Technology Solutions) where he worked on software testing for communication devices utilized by the United States Marine Corps. Prior to that, he worked as a Product Analyst/Scrum Master for BSwift. There he tested the "Ask Emma" functionality, software that makes benefits recommendations for it's users. Larry has also served 9 years in the United States Army. He holds a Bachelor's Degree from Indiana University Northwest.​

Chuck is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy with a background in mechanical engineering, systems engineering and information technology. At OPA he is primarily responsible for specifying, acquiring, and implementing OPA IT infrastructure, adding computational and storage capacity. A recent success was the design and implementation of a complex computing environment (a five server, 150TB Hadoop Computing Cluster) in just six months, with the help of OIT, while the average implementation time is 18 months. ​

Rebecca’s background is in cell biology, genetics, and biochemistry, with a long-standing interest in science communications. She brings her science writing and editing expertise to OPA, where she prepares data analyses and other developments from the office for external consumption in the form of presentations and written reports. In addition to communicating about OPA, Rebecca performs portfolio analyses to support programmatic decision-making across the NIH. 

Payam’s background is in software engineering and data systems. Payam is integral to the collaborative work between OPA and ODP involving the development of an advanced machine learning architecture to efficiently classify prevention research across the NIH portfolio. He also contributes to the development of iSearch as well as assisting OPA teammates with their day-to-day data and analytics needs.

Will joined the Office of Portfolio Analysis as a software architect in 2019 after spending over ten years at ProQuest specializing in developing and managing large-scale biomedical content and MeSH indexing solutions for the life sciences. At the OPA, Will collaborates for design, document, and build new versions of the Portfolio Analysis applications produced.

Matt has a background in mathematics and statistics and has previously spent 14 years working for the Government Statistical Service in the United Kingdom. Matt works as a statistical portfolio analyst and is the director of the OPA Portfolio Analysis Training Program. In this role, Matt assists analysts across the NIH with the use of PA tools, particularly iSearch (OPA's portfolio analysis search tool). In addition, he is responsible for the coordination of the OPA Portfolio Analysis consultation service.

Chris has experience in science policy and previously focused on improving the training environment for graduate students and postdocs. Prior to joining OPA in 2021, Chris was Director of Rescuing Biomedical Research, and worked on issues ranging from improving transparency in Ph.D. career outcomes to accelerating the use of preprints and improving support for young faculty. Chris received his Ph.D. from the University of Utah and his B.A. from the University of Colorado Boulder.

Josh has a background in biology, with a focus on neuroscience and behavioral science. Prior to joining OPA, Josh worked as a biomedical research scientist for over a decade. During this time, he conducted neuroscience investigations at the cellular and systems levels, using empirical as well as theoretical methods (i.e. computer simulations). He earned his Ph.D. from Wake Forest University and a B.A. from Boston University.

Esha is a Scientific Portfolio Analyst/Economist at Office of Portfolio Analysis. At OPA she carries out analyses of NIH funded research to inform decision making. Before joining OPA, she worked at the National Academies where she organized panel studies and workshops, as well as contributing to analysis. She previously co-directed a study evaluating the commercial motor vehicle safety ranking program of the U.S. Department of Transportation. She earned her M.A. in economics from GIPE, India, and worked for a year as research assistant in the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, before attending SUNY Binghamton where she completed her Ph.D. in economics.​

Lisa Strauss joined OPA in 2017 as a Program Analyst. She serves in an administrative capacity using her experience as a budget analyst, COR, and administrator. Lisa has been at NIH for 35 years working in both the Clinical Center and the National Institute of Nursing Research. Prior to her career at NIH, she worked in ambulatory care as a Certified Medical Assistant. She has a degree in Health Care Management.

Hashi joined OPA in 2020, bringing 10 years of experience in science publishing, first at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press (NY) and then at PLOS. As Managing Editor of PLOS Biology, she led the journal team in publishing high-profile research content, and implementing open science initiatives and publishing innovations. Hashi’s experience in publishing and research reproducibility initiatives will be leveraged in portfolio analysis and metrics, as researchers worldwide look to generate a culture change towards best research practices. Hashi received her Bachelor of Arts in Molecular Biology from Princeton University, and her DPhil (PhD) from the University of Oxford (UK).

Joining OPA in 2019, Lucas brings experience in web development, super-computing, and scientific computing. Lucas leverages these skills to build a diverse set of software resources and classify research within the NIH portfolio. Prior to joining NIH, Lucas earned his B.S. in Computer Science from Johns Hopkins University and created systems models within the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.

Tom joined OPA in November 2017 as a Software Developer. Tom’s background is in quantum physics and computer science. He earned his Ph.D. in physics from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and went on to acquire an M.S. in computer science from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Tom has substantial experience in scientific programming, simulations, and modeling. His current focus is on Java web application development, data analysis, and deep learning.

Hao has a unique background in biomedical research and computer science. She earned her PhD in Cell Biology from University of Miami and MS in Computer Science from JHU. She works as part of the software development team for web applications such as iSearch with a focus on Java programming and information retrieval to improve the tools that are designed for portfolio analysis. She is also extensively involved in algorithm development, using her knowledge and skills in machine learning and natural language processing, to help the office with portfolio and content analysis.