Contact Us
The HSO staff and IRB chairs are here to assist you. The HSO is located in Hardin Library for the Health Sciences, 600 Newton Road, Suite 105A. Our business hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30* p.m., Monday through Friday. We encourage you to contact us regarding the IRB application process or policies and procedures. If you are not sure who to contact, please use the main HSO phone number -- (319) 335-6564 or send us an e-mail at irb@uiowa.edu.
*Please note, HSO staff are not available to answer the main number between 12 – 12:30 p.m. daily. All voicemails received during this hour will be returned after 12:30 p.m.
For general assistance with HawkIRB, please call the HSO Main Line at 319-335-6564.
All HSO Staff and Chairs
Staff and Chairs by Alphabetical Order
Staff and Chairs by Alphabetical Order
| Meredith Abbouassaly, MPH | Application Analyst | 319-335-1712 |
| J. Andrew "Andy" Bertolatus, MD (link sends e-mail) | Primary IRB Chair | 319-384-4424 |
| Brian Bishop, MA, CIP (link sends e-mail) | IRB Chair Designee | 319-335-6563 |
| Mark Brunt, MBA, CIP (link sends e-mail) | External IRB/Regulatory Manager | 319-335-7297 |
| Tarah Colaizy, MD | Biomedical (01) Chair | 319-356-3508 |
| Alyssa Conrad, CCRC | Senior IRB Education and Compliance Specialist | 319-335-0248 |
| Michele Countryman, CIP (link sends e-mail) | Director | 319-353-4452 |
| Wendy Daubert, MA (link sends e-mail) | IRB Application Analyst | 319-384-1736 |
| Brenda Durosinmi, PhD | Senior Application Analyst | 319-467-1766 |
| Dixie Ecklund, RN, MSN, MBA | Biomedical (01) Chair | 319-335-8446 |
| Jarrod Feld (link sends e-mail) | Senior External/sIRB Application Analyst | 319-467-1806 |
| Catherine Fruehling, MBA CHRC (link sends e-mail) | Compliance Manager | 319-467-1460 |
| Fozia Ghafoor, MBBS (link sends e-mail) | ClinicalTrials.Gov PRS Manager | 319-467-3250 |
| Lance Hanson, MA (link sends e-mail) | IRB Application Analyst | 319-467-4161 |
| Martha Hedberg, MPA (link sends e-mail) | Conflict of Interest in Research Manager | 319-384-4256 |
| Mary Kainec (link sends e-mail) | Application Analyst | 319-467-1116 |
| Rachel Kinker, MPA (link sends e-mail) | IRB Education and Outreach Specialist | 319-467-1449 |
| Julia Lassner | Application Analyst | 319-467-1113 |
| Kela "Kay" Lewis, MBA, CIP (link sends e-mail) | Biomedical Focus Manager (01/03) | 319-467-1734 |
| Michael Lovaglia, PhD | Social Science/Behavioral (02) Chair | 319-335-2694 |
| Jeffery Meier, MD | VAHC (03) Chair | -- |
| Kelly O'Berry, CIP (link sends e-mail) | Assistant Director - Education and Outreach | 319-335-8477 |
| Amanda Owings, PhD | Compliance and Education Specialist | 319-467-4650 |
| Carly Okken (link sends e-mail) | HSO/IRB Project Specialist | 319-467-3004 |
| Kristine Pinter, MPH (link sends e-mail) | IRB Application Analyst/Backup Full Board Coordinator | 319-467-0471 |
| Tony Quinlan, MBA, CIP (link sends e-mail) | Assistant Director - IRB Review | 319-335-9848 |
| Joanne Seeberger, MA (link sends e-mail) | Senior IRB Application Analyst | 319-353-3052 |
| Douglas L. Somers, MD | Biomedical (01) Chair | 319-356-8252 |
| Svetha Swaminathan, MS (link sends e-mail) | Senior IRB Application Analyst | 319-467-1871 |
| Christopher Taylor, MLIS, CAPM (link sends e-mail) | Senior Conflict of Interest in Research Application Analyst | 319-467-1012 |
| Mayzie Tucker (link sends e-mail) | WIRB/Biomedical IRB Application Coordinator | 319-467-4182 |
| John Wadsworth, PhD | Social Science/Behavioral (02) Chair | 319-335-5246 |
| Janet Karen Williams, PhD, RN, FAAN | Social Science/Behavioral (02) Chair | 319-335-7046 |
| Catherine Woodman, MD | Biomedical (01) Chair (Expedited) | 319-339-7186 |
HSO Staff by Subject Matter
CITI Training
CITI Training
| Rachel Kinker, MPA | HSO CITI Administrator | 319-467-1449 |
ClinicalTrials.Gov Registration
ClinicalTrials.Gov Registration
| Fozia Ghafoor, MBBS | ClinicalTrials.Gov PRS Manager | 319-467-3250 |
Compliance Program
Compliance Program
| Catherine Fruehling, MBA | Compliance Manager | 319-467-1460 |
| Alyssa Conrad, MS, CCRC | Senior IRB Compliance and Education Specialist | 319-335-0248 |
| Amanda Owings, PhD | Compliance and Education Specialist | 319-467-4650 |
Conflict of Interest in Research Committee (CIRC)
Conflict of Interest in Research Committee (CIRC)
| Martha Hedberg, MPA | Conflict of Interest in Research Manager | 319-384-4256 |
| Christopher Taylor, MLIS, CAPM | Senior Conflict of Interest in Research Application Analyst | 319-467-1012 |
Education and Outreach
Education and Outreach
| Kelly O'Berry, CIP | Assistant Director - Education and Outreach | 319-335-8477 |
| Rachel Kinker, MPA | IRB Education and Outreach Specialist | 319-467-1449 |
Emergency Use/Compassionate Use/Single Patient IND
Emergency Use/Compassionate Use/Single Patient IND
| Kela 'Kay' Lewis, MBA, CIP | Biomedical Focus Manager (01, 03) | 319-467-1734 |
| Michele Countryman, CIP | Director | 319-353-4452 |
| Tony Quinlan, MBA, CIP | Assistant Director - IRB Review | 319-335-9848 |
External/Single IRB Use
External/Single IRB Use
| Mark Brunt, MBA, CIP | External IRB/Regulatory Manager | 319-335-7297 |
| Mayzie Tucker | WCG/Biomedical IRB Application Coordinator | 319-467-4182 |
| Jarrod Feld | Senior External/sIRB Application Analyst | 319-467-1806 |
| Lance Hanson, MA | IRB Application Analyst | 319-467-4161 |
IRB Chairs
IRB Chairs
| J. Andrew Bertolatus, MD | Primary IRB Chair | 319-384-4424 |
| Catherine Woodman, MD | IRB-01 Expedited | 319-339-7186 |
| Tarah Colaizy | IRB-01 | 319-356-3508 |
| Dixie Ecklund, RN, MSN, MBA | IRB-01 | 319-335-8446 |
| Douglas L. Somers, MD | IRB-01 | 319-356-8252 |
| Janet Karen Williams, PhD, RN, FAAN | IRB-02 | 319-335-7046 |
| John Wadsworth, PhD | IRB-02 | 319-335-5246 |
| Michael Lovaglia, PhD | IRB-02 | 319-335-2494 |
| Jeffrey Meier, MD | IRB-03 | |
| Laura Shinkunas, MA | IRB-01 Chair Designee | |
| Brian Bishop, MA | IRB-01 Chair Designee | 319-335-6563 |
IRB Full Board Scheduling
IRB Full Board Scheduling
| Meredith Abouassaly, MPH | Full Board Coordinator | 319-335-1712 |
IRB Full Board Submissions: Pre-Screen, Minutes, Minutes Response
IRB Full Board Submissions: Pre-Screen, Minutes, Minutes Response
| Tony Quinlan, MBA, CIP | Assistant Director - IRB Review | 319-335-9848 | |
| Kela 'Kay' Lewis, MBA, CIP | Biomedical Focus Interim Manager (01, 03) | 319-467-1734 | |
| Mark Brunt, MBA, CIP | External IRB/Regulator Interim Manager | 319-335-7297 | |
| Joanne Seeberger, MA | Senior IRB Application Analyst | 319-335-3052 | |
| Svetha Swaminathan, MS | Senior IRB Application Analyst | 319-467-1871 |
Social/Behavioral Science (IRB 02) Program
Social/Behavioral Science (IRB 02) Program
| Wendy Daubert, MA | IRB Application Analyst | 319-384-1736 |
| Brenda Durosinimi, PhD | Senior IRB Application Analyst | 319-467-1766 |
| Julia Lassner | IRB Application Analyst | 319467-1113 |
VAHCS (IRB 03) Program
VAHCS (IRB 03) Program
| Tony Quinlan, MBA, CIP | Assistant Director - IRB Review | 319-335-9848 |
| Lori Fisher | VA Liaison | 319-388-0581 x63-7654 |
| Kela 'Kay' Lewis, MBA, CIP | Biomedical (01/03) Manager | 319-467-1734 |
| Svetha Swaminathan, MS | Senior IRB Application Analyst | 319-467-1871 |
Minimal Risk Studies
Minimal Risk Studies
| Brian Bishop, MA, CIP | IRB Chair Designee | 319-335-6563 |
| Wendy Daubert, MA | IRB Application Analyst | 319-384-1736 |
| Mary Kainec | IRB Application Analyst (01) | 319-467-1116 |
| Julia Lassner | IRB Application Analyst (02) | 319-467-1113 |
Policies and Guidance
Policies and Guidance
| Michele Countryman, CIP | Director | 319-353-4452 |
| Tony Quinlan, MBA, CIP | Assistant Director - IRB Review | 319-335-9848 |
| Kelly O'Berry, CIP | Assistant Director - Education & Outreach | 319-335-8477 |
| Kela 'Kay' Lewis | Biomedical Supervisor | 319-467-1734 |
| Mark Brunt | External/Regulatory Supervisor | 319-355-7297 |
| Catherine Fruehling | Compliance Manager | 319-467-1460 |
Last revised: 2/5/25