Current Issues at NIH: Grants Policy Updates

<p>Kasima Garst is the Director of the Division of Grants Systems Integration (DGSI) within in the OER’s Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA). Prior to her appointment as Director of DGSI, she served as the DGSI Deputy Director and was a Systems Policy Analyst within DGSI’s Systems Policy Branch. She represents NIH on systems policy initiatives at the HHS and Federal-wide levels and works with key NIH stakeholders to ensure successful implementation of critical systems, policies, and compliance requirements across the NIH. Prior to joining OPERA in 2019, Mrs. Garst was a Grants Management Officer at the NIH Fogarty International Center and a Grants Management Specialist at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from Middlebury College and a Master of Forensic Sciences degree in Forensic Molecular Biology from the George Washington University.</p>

<p>Kristin Ta joined the Division of Grants Policy as a Grants Policy Analyst and currently serves as Deputy Director to the OPERA Director. Ms. Ta has been with NIH for over 11 years, and previously served as a Senior Program Analyst in the Office of Management Assessment, Division of Program Integrity, where she led reviews of allegations of misuse of NIH grant and contract funds and employee misconduct. Prior to that, she worked as a post-award administrator in the Department of Biochemistry at George Washington University. Ms. Ta studied health and societies and environmental studies at the University of Pennsylvania and has an MPH in health promotion from George Washington University.</p>