Our Team

Meet Our Team

University of Maryland FIRST is led by two senior leaders, each with over 30 years of experience at their institution and a proven commitment to increasing diversity in the biomedical sciences.

Dr. James Kaper is the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs at UMSOM, and Dr. William LaCourse is the Dean of the College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences at UMBC.

Leadership Team

James B. Kaper, PhD
Principal Investigator (Contact PI)
Vice Dean for Academic Affairs
James and Carolyn Frenkil Distinguished Dean’s Professor and Chair
Department of Microbiology & Immunology
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Dr. Kaper's Faculty Profile

William R. LaCourse, PhD
Principal Investigator
Professor and Dean, College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences
University of Maryland Baltimore County
Dr. LaCourse's Faculty Profile

Wonder P. Drake, MD
Director of Mentoring
Senior Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs
Professor, Medicine
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Dr. Drake's Faculty Profile

Joni M. Prasad, PhD
Co-Core Director, Administrative Core
Assistant Dean for Research Affairs
Assistant Professor, Microbiology & Immunology
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Dr. Prasad's Faculty Profile

Justine Johnson
Co-Core Director, Administrative Core
Assistant Dean, College of Natural Mathematical Sciences
Associate Director, IMSD Meyerhoff Graduate Fellows Program
Executive Director, UMBC STEM BUILD Program
University of Maryland Baltimore County

Marey Shriver, PhD
Co-Core Director, Faculty Development Core
Executive Director for Faculty Development
Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Dr. Shriver's Faculty Profile

Robin Cresiski, PhD
Co-Core Director, Faculty Development Core
Assistant Vice Provost for Graduate Student Development & Postdoctoral Affairs
Director, Maryland’s AGEP PROMISE Academy Alliance
University of Maryland Baltimore County
Dr. Cresiski's Faculty Profile

Michelle A. Starz-Gaiano, PhD
Co-Core Director, Faculty Development Core
Professor & Chair, Department of Biological Sciences
University of Maryland Baltimore County
Dr. Starz-Gaiano's Faculty Profile

Jessica Brown, PhD
Co-Core Director, Evaluation Core
Associate Professor, Epidemiology & Public Health
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Dr. Brown's Faculty Profile

Shuyan Sun, PhD
Co-Core Director, Evaluation Core
Associate Professor, Department of Psychology
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Dr Sun's Faculty Profile

Kathleen Stolle-McAllister
Project Coordinator, Evaluation Core
Research Associate
BUILD Evaluation Team
University of Maryland Baltimore County

Recruitment Leadership

Recruitment Leadership Team

James B. Kaper, PhD
Infectious Disease/Vaccine/Microbiology & Immunology cluster lead at UMSOM
Vice Dean for Academic Affairs
James and Carolyn Frenkil Distinguished Dean’s Professor and Chair
Department of Microbiology & Immunology
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Dr. Kaper's Faculty Profile

William R. LaCourse, PhD
Professor and Dean, College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences
University of Maryland Baltimore County
Dr. LaCourse's Faculty Profile

Margaret M. McCarthy, PhD
Neuroscience cluster lead at UMSOM
James and Carolyn Frenkil Dean’s Professor and and Chair
Department of Pharmacology
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Dr. McCarthy's Faculty Profile

Stuart S. Martin, PhD
co-Cancer Biology cluster lead at UMSOM
Drs. Angela and Harry Brodie Professor of Translational Cancer Research
Department of Pharmacology
University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Dr. Martin's Faculty Profile

Clement A. Adebamowo, BM, ChB, ScD, FWACS, FACS
co-Cancer Biology cluster lead at UMSOM
Professor and Director For Global Health Cancer Research
Associate Director for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion of the Marlene & Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center
Department of Epidemiology & Public Health
University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Dr. Adebamowo's Faculty Profile

Charles Bieberich, PhD
Professor, Department of Biological Sciences
Associate Dean for Research, College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences
University of Maryland Baltimore County
Dr. Bieberich's Faculty Profile

Phyllis Robinson, PhD
Professor, Department of Biological Sciences
Program Director, UMBC U-RISE
University of Maryland Baltimore County
Dr. Robinson's Faculty Profile

Tonya J. Webb, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Assistant Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Dr. Webb's Faculty Profile

Autumn Reed, PhD
Assistant Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs
University of Maryland Baltimore County
Dr. Reed's Faculty Profile