Meet the Staff

With over 35 years of combined experience in proposal development, grants management and accounting, the SPARC staff is dedicated to assisting faculty and staff through all stages of program sponsorship, from searching out funding sources to tracking program expenses for secured grant projects.

Additional Information

Lori Byrd, M.S., Director of SPARC

As the Sponsored Programs Administrator, Lori oversees pre- and post-award activities, is responsible for SPARC policies and procedures, develops and provides grant-related training, and ensures all grants comply with all federal and state regulations and funder guidelines.  As the Research Compliance Officer, she assures that all research projects, whether funded or not, comply with all federal guidelines and research ethics. In that role, she provides oversight and support for the IRB and IACUC. She also serves as the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR), which means she is Drake University’s representative to sign off on all grants and contracts. You can reach Lori at lori.byrd@drake.edu or by telephone at (515) 271-3717.

Preston Miller, Senior Grants Specialist

Preston works with faculty members and staff in preparing, planning, and submitting grant materials to funding agencies. He also assists individuals with finding grant opportunities that fit their needs or research goals. Lastly, Preston works closely with Drake’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) as an administrator for both committees. You can reach Preston at preston.miller@drake.edu or by telephone at (515) 271-2850.

Brandi Herman, Senior Grants Accountant

Brandi provides post-award support for grant recipients including fund set up, budget monitoring, balance updates, expense approval, invoicing, and provision of financial information for reporting needs. Brandi provides oversight to the following groups on campus: Zimpleman College of Business, John Dee Bright College, School of Education, School of Journalism & Mass Communication, Law School, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, and SPARC. You can reach Brandi at brandi.herman@drake.edu or by telephone at (515) 271-3828.

Suzanne Stewart, Grants Accountant

Suzanne provides post-award support for grant recipients including fund set up, budget monitoring, balance updates, expense approval, invoicing, and provision of financial information for reporting needs. Suzanne provides oversight to the following groups on campus: College of Arts & Sciences, Athletics, Community Engagement, International Center, the Harkin Institute, and the Student Alumni Association. You can reach Suzanne at suzanne.stewart@drake.edu or by telephone at (515) 271-3907.