Leadership
Committed to expanding the scope and pace of collaborative clinical research opportunities across the University of Minnesota and to our hub partners.
CTSI Multi-PIs
![Dr. Bruce Balazar headshot in a lab coat](/sites/ctsi.umn.edu/files/styles/profile_image/public/2021-01/bruce-blazar.jpeg?h=0c759dfd&itok=gOxZYh4E)
Bruce Blazar, MD
Director and Contact PI
![Peter Crawford](/sites/ctsi.umn.edu/files/styles/profile_image/public/2024-01/peter-crawford-440x450.jpg?h=b80e3df5&itok=_XhmsA3w)
Peter Crawford, MD, PhD
Multi-PI, Deputy Director, and Clinical Translational Research Services (CTRS) core Director
![Damien Fairr](/sites/ctsi.umn.edu/files/styles/profile_image/public/2024-01/damien-fair-440x450_0.jpg?h=b80e3df5&itok=cY9Hf98-)
Damien Fair, PA-C, PhD
Multi-PI, Deputy Director
Executive Leadership Team
CTSI's Executive Leadership Team convenes weekly to collaborate on organizational strategic objectives, respond proactively to opportunities, and guide priorities across the Institute, including clinical and translational research support and collaboration, community-engaged research, research workforce development, and team science. Executive Leadership Team meetings are convened by Dr. Bruce Blazar, CTSI's director.
![Dr. Bruce Balazar headshot in a lab coat](/sites/ctsi.umn.edu/files/styles/profile_image/public/2021-01/bruce-blazar.jpeg?h=0c759dfd&itok=gOxZYh4E)
Bruce Blazar, MD
Director and Contact PI
![Dr. Constantin Aliferis](/sites/ctsi.umn.edu/files/styles/profile_image/public/2021-04/constantin-aliferis1.png?h=b80e3df5&itok=XoJnvQn_)
Constantin Aliferis, MD, MS, PhD, FACMI
Chief Research Informatics Officer
![Michelle Allen](/sites/ctsi.umn.edu/files/styles/profile_image/public/2021-04/michelle%20allen_0.jpg?h=ad250337&itok=IxNmjDq1)
Michele Allen, MD, MS
Director, Community Engagement to Advance Research and Community Health (CEARCH) and Lead, Community & Collaboration
![Tim Beebe](/sites/ctsi.umn.edu/files/styles/profile_image/public/2021-04/tim-beebe1.jpg?h=bdd4820f&itok=kHCGsTfR)
Timothy Beebe, PhD
Senior Advisor, Community & Collaboration
![Melena Bellin](/sites/ctsi.umn.edu/files/styles/profile_image/public/2024-07/melena-bellin-web.jpg?h=58ea7975&itok=TPgpf6n-)
Melena Bellin, MD
Co-Medical Director, Clinical Translational Research Services
![Joanne Billings](/sites/ctsi.umn.edu/files/styles/profile_image/public/2024-07/joanne-billings-web_1.jpg?h=7338b57b&itok=BhA9lvBE)
Joanne Billings, MD, MPH
Co-Medical Director, Clinical Translational Research Services
![John Bischof](/sites/ctsi.umn.edu/files/styles/profile_image/public/2022-03/John-Bischof%20%281%29.jpg?h=46c9a435&itok=0u7f6qMp)
John Bischof, PhD
OACA Sr. Research Advisor for ODAT Grant Programs
![Jennifer Cieslak](/sites/ctsi.umn.edu/files/styles/profile_image/public/2021-04/2018_Cieslak_Jennifer_web%20%281%29.jpg?h=552bee88&itok=KvcgTT6b)
Jennifer Cieslak, EdM
Chief of Staff
![Peter Crawford](/sites/ctsi.umn.edu/files/styles/profile_image/public/2024-01/peter-crawford-440x450.jpg?h=b80e3df5&itok=_XhmsA3w)
Peter Crawford, MD, PhD
Multi-PI, Deputy Director, and Clinical Translational Research Services (CTRS) core Director
![Damien Fairr](/sites/ctsi.umn.edu/files/styles/profile_image/public/2024-01/damien-fair-440x450_0.jpg?h=b80e3df5&itok=cY9Hf98-)
Damien Fair, PA-C, PhD
Multi-PI, Deputy Director
![Jayne Fulkerson](/sites/ctsi.umn.edu/files/styles/profile_image/public/2023-06/jayne-fulkerson-440x450.jpg?h=b80e3df5&itok=8SGiiU2x)
Jayne Fulkerson, PhD
Co-Director, Research Education, Training, and Career Development (CTSI-Ed)
![Carrie Henning-Smith](/sites/ctsi.umn.edu/files/styles/profile_image/public/2021-04/carrie-h-s.jpeg?h=5f3bc74b&itok=nPOIAk7m)
Carrie Henning-Smith, PhD
Co-Director, Rural Health Program
![David Ingbar](/sites/ctsi.umn.edu/files/styles/profile_image/public/2023-08/david-ingbar%20%281%29.jpg?h=50dc83c2&itok=wzzOIDjL)
David Ingbar, MD
Co-Director, Research Education, Training, and Career Development (CTSI-Ed)
![Dr. Kozhimannil](/sites/ctsi.umn.edu/files/styles/profile_image/public/2021-04/katy-k.jpg?h=b80e3df5&itok=eeU29wNz)
Katy Kozhimannil, PhD
Co-Director, Rural Health Program
![Hubert Lim](/sites/ctsi.umn.edu/files/styles/profile_image/public/2024-01/lim-hubert-ctsi.jpg?h=8a43a7d0&itok=QtJ7FSQt)
Hubert Lim, PhD
ODAT Senior Advisor
![Dr. Nunez](/sites/ctsi.umn.edu/files/styles/profile_image/public/2021-04/ana-nunez.jpeg?h=5f3bc74b&itok=bhP01Fl-)
Ana Núñez, MD, FACP
Integration Strategist and Co-Director, Pathways to Research Program (PReP) and Advanced Pathways to Research Program (A-PReP)
![Beth Nunnally](/sites/ctsi.umn.edu/files/styles/profile_image/public/2021-04/fb_profile.jpg?h=82659894&itok=HvvLL2n6)
Beth Nunnally, CPA, MA
Chief Financial Officer
![Dr. Volkov](/sites/ctsi.umn.edu/files/styles/profile_image/public/2021-04/Boris%20Volkov.png?h=47d58fe2&itok=sj3Pwcst)
Boris Volkov, PhD
Monitoring & Evaluation Director, Affiliate Assistant Professor, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health
![John E. Wagner, MD](/sites/ctsi.umn.edu/files/styles/profile_image/public/2021-09/john-wagner-web.jpg?h=b80e3df5&itok=lXo4OKaS)
John E. Wagner, MD
Senior Advisor
![Sandra Wells](/sites/ctsi.umn.edu/files/styles/profile_image/public/2022-10/sandra-wells.png?h=0ee1c29b&itok=oZ0-oiAC)
Sandra Wells, PhD
Director, Office of Discovery and Translation
Hub Leadership Team
CTSI’s Hub Leadership Team meets monthly. It brings together leadership from CTSI, hub partners and collaborators, the community, University of Minnesota Duluth, and the Research and Innovation Office. The team focuses on collaboration to expand our CTSA hub’s research capacity, extending collaborative clinical and translational research opportunities, and strategies for harnessing our collective research capacity to address community and state-wide health needs. Hub Leadership Team meetings are convened by Dr. Blazar.
![Roli Dwivedi](/sites/ctsi.umn.edu/files/styles/profile_image/public/2023-05/roli-dwivedi_1.jpg?h=cf90b427&itok=VdjDexJE)
Roli Dwivedi, MD
Hub Leadership Team member—Community-University Health Care Center (CUHCC)
![Steven Fu](/sites/ctsi.umn.edu/files/styles/profile_image/public/2021-04/steven-fu-crop.jpeg?h=57516dee&itok=lLtPPXmU)
Steven Fu, MD, MSCE
Hub Leadership Team member—Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System
![Dr. Kristen Jacklin](/sites/ctsi.umn.edu/files/styles/profile_image/public/2021-05/kristen-jacklin.jpeg?h=4d14d405&itok=Crn6m6cm)
Kristen Jacklin, PhD
Hub Leadership Team member—University of Minnesota Duluth
![Kirsten Johansen, MD](/sites/ctsi.umn.edu/files/styles/profile_image/public/2024-01/johansen-kirsten.jpg?h=47df43f4&itok=xscj9dWr)
Kirsten Johansen, MD
Hub Leadership Team member—Hennepin Healthcare
![Mark Schleiss](/sites/ctsi.umn.edu/files/styles/profile_image/public/2024-02/mark-schleiss-440x450.png?h=b80e3df5&itok=6M2PqLAG)
Mark Schleiss, MD
Child Health Champion
![Tyler Winkelman](/sites/ctsi.umn.edu/files/styles/profile_image/public/2024-02/tyler-winkelman.jpg?h=8a43a7d0&itok=WziheNk7)
Tyler Winkelman, MD, MSc
Hub Leadership Team member—Hennepin Healthcare
Contact
To learn more about CTSI's leadership team, contact:
Rachel Matthes
Administrative Core Program Manager
[email protected]
(612) 626-6032