College of Agricultural Sciences

As a Senior Contracting Officer, JoZane reviews RFPs, processes gifts and grants, and negotiates contracts, subawards, and modifications thereto. JoZane joined the university in 1999 with the inception of the School of Information Sciences and Technology as a Staff Assistant to the Faculty. She transitioned to the IST Research Administration unit in 2003 and then joined the College of Agricultural Sciences Research Administration office in 2007. JoZane joined OSP as a Negotiator in 2015 and is now a Senior Contracting Officer. JoZane is a RACC Certified Research Administrator (CRA). JoZane has also taught Proposal Preparation for Penn State's ACOR Certification and Education Series (ACES).

As a Contracting Officer, Jess serves the Penn State research administration community by reviewing requests for proposals, processing gifts and grants, and negotiating contracts, subawards, and modifications.  She has completed the ACES course and is a member of the OSP Policy Committee.

Jess began her professional tenure with Penn State at the College of Medicine. She served as the post-award supervisor for the grants team and was a super user during the SIMBA conversion. Prior to joining the University, she spent several years in hospital billing and coding with Penn State Health, worked as a health insurance customer service representative for Highmark, and was a Marketing and Public Relations Manager for a professional baseball team.

Jess earned two Bachelor’s degrees from Penn State, in Advertising/Public Relations and English.

Steve currently processes Non-Disclosure Agreements with additional responsibilities related to industrial contracts. Prior to joining OSP Steve was the Engineering Project Manager for Larson Transportation Institute in the College of Engineering at Penn State

• Steve also negotiates the following special agreements:
  • College of Engineering - Industry NDAs

As Export Specialist, Michael works with Penn State faculty and OSP contracting officers to coordinate export reviews for sponsored research. Michael also reviews RFPs, processes gifts and grants, and negotiates contracts, subawards, and modifications thereto.

Prior to working in the Office of Sponsored Programs, Michael worked as a Financial Assistant and Proposal and Award Generalist in the College of Education. Prior to that, he worked in the public sector as an RF Engineer/Project Manager, working with the FCC and other federal, state, and local agencies.

• Mike also negotiates the following special agreements:
  • Tobacco Settlement Funds (PA Dept. of Health) CURE
  • Vendor/Portal Terms, Reps & Certs  (eRA systems)

Jane serves the Penn State research administration community with a particular focus on several units within the College of Agricultural Sciences, data use agreements, and data security compliance. As a Senior Contracting Officer, Jane reviews RFPs, processes gifts and grants and negotiates contracts, subawards, NDAs, and modifications and amendments thereto.
 
In addition to her responsibilities as a Senior Contracting Officer, Jane serves on several OSP committees including the Data Compliance Committee and the Conflict of Interest Committee. Jane recently became an instructor for ACES.
 
Jane began her Penn State career as an Administrative Assistant in the Nutritional Sciences department in the College of Health and Human Development. She joined OSP in 2015 as a Processor before moving to the College of Agricultural Sciences in 2016 as a Post Award Administrator. She returned to OSP in 2019 as a Grants Coordinator and subsequently was promoted to Junior Negotiator and then to her current role as a Senior Contracting Officer. Jane holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from The Pennsylvania State University.

Jane negotiates the following:

• Data Use Agreements (S-Z)
• Data Security Reviews (DUA & Non-DUA)

As an OSP contract negotiator, Lindsey reviews RFPs, processes gifts and grants, and negotiates contracts, subawards, NDAs, and modifications and amendments thereto. Lindsey currently serves on three committees within the Office of Sponsored Programs: the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Committee, the Federal Research Terms and Conditions Committee, and the OSP Diversity & Events Committee.  

Lindsey began her career at Penn State in 2006. Her early years were spent working as a Financial Assistant, entering Research Administration in 2018. Lindsey joined the Office of Sponsored Programs in 2020 as a Junior Negotiator and was subsequently promoted to full Negotiator.

Jamey began her career in OSP in 2019 as a Processor following completion of a research administration internship. She was promoted to Junior Negotiator in 2022 and to a Contracting Officer in 2023. In this role she reviews RFPs, processes gifts and grants, and negotiates contracts, subawards, and modifications thereto. Prior to working in the Office of Sponsored Programs, Jamey held positions in business management and banking.

Jamey also negotiates the following special agreements:

• Field Trial Agreements (AG)

Kristen serves the Penn State research community with a particular focus on data acquisition. She works with Penn State faculty and OSP contracting officers to coordinate review of data use agreements for sponsored research as well as reviewing contracts for data security compliance. Kristen also reviews RFPs, processes gifts and grants, and negotiates contracts, subawards and modifications thereto.

Prior to working in the Office of Sponsored Programs, Kristen held roles such as the Director of Grants for a non-profit agency and also worked for the Executive Office of the President in the White House Press Office under the Obama-Biden Administration. Kristen holds an associate’s degree in Management Information Systems and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Lock Haven University. Kristen also holds both a Master's certificate in Human Resource Management and a Master's degree in Public Administration from The Pennsylvania State University.

• Kristen negotiates the following:
  • Data Use Agreements (A-E)
  • Data Security Reviews (DUA & Non-DUA)

Sarah serves the PSU Research Administration community by leading a team of Negotiators who are each responsible for diverse negotiation portfolios. She provides training and guidance to assist Negotiators with negotiating terms and conditions appropriate for an educational institution.  In addition to her management responsibilities, she also has her own negotiation portfolio.

Sarah serves as Chair of the Templates Committee, which is responsible for maintaining and updating PSU’s library of industry templates. She also has an extensive background in FAR Contracts and serves on Penn State’s FAR Committee, assisting with maintaining PSU’s FAR Matrix. Additionally, she is responsible for managing the bi-weekly OSP Negotiator Trainings. Sarah has also presented at the National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA) and is a Penn State ACES Instructor.

Sarah began her career in negotiation in 2004 as a Contract Specialist working with the U.S. Department of Labor. In 2007, she came to Penn State as a Subcontracts Administrator in Penn State’s Applied Research Laboratory, and in 2010 accepted a position as Negotiator in the Office of Sponsored Programs. Sarah was subsequently promoted to Senior Negotiator and then Associate Director of the Office of Sponsored Programs in 2021.

Sarah also negotiates the following special agreements:

• PLCB Wine and Beer Grants (multiple sponsors)

Melissa Long is a Senior Contracting Officer with a focus on industry sponsored research contracts. In coordination with units across the university, Melissa negotiates and processes agreements from a variety of external sponsors, concentrating primarily on those from for-profit partners.
 
Originally from California, Melissa received a Bachelor of Science in Genetics from the University of California at Davis. Melissa attended graduate school at Penn State and holds a Master of Science in Cell and Developmental Biology. Prior to joining the Office of Sponsored Programs, Melissa focused on the protection and commercialization of inventions developed at Penn State. Melissa started her professional career in the Eberly College of Science Office for Innovation, where she connected inventors/entrepreneurs with needed resources and coordinated innovation-focused events. She then transitioned to the Office of Technology Management, where she facilitated technology transfer through the protection, marketing, and licensing of inventions developed at the university.

• Melissa also negotiates the following special agreements:
  • College of Earth & Mineral Sciences - Industry NDAs