The NCURA Region III Nominations and Elections Committee is pleased to announce the results of the Chair-Elect Election.
Celeste Rivera Nunez has been elected as the Region III Chair-Elect.
Celeste Rivera-Nuñez is the Director of Sponsored Programs Pre-Award and Research Training and Outreach within the Office of Research at the University of Central Florida. With over 25 years of experience in research administration, Celeste has honed her expertise in various domains, including pre-award processes, contract negotiations, post-award management, subaward oversight, and research administration training. She has played a pivotal role in grant business systems implementation and workforce development initiatives, demonstrating her commitment to advancing best practices in research administration.
Celeste’s career has been shaped by influential mentors who emphasize the importance of diversity and inclusion. She actively participates in mentorship programs such as the UCF Leadership Empowerment Program and the NCURA Region III RAMP Program. Her dedication to fostering inclusivity is evident through her leadership roles on NCURA committees, including the NCURA Diversity and Inclusion Committee and the NCURA Region III Program Committee.
Beyond mentorship and committee involvement, Celeste has co-chaired the UCF Annual FRAC Conference and currently leads the UCF Office of Research’s training and education initiatives through the Office of Research Training and Outreach and “The Hub.” Her commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in research administration is highlighted by her co-authorship of “Perhaps We Should Have a Conversation About Racial Disparity in Research Administration” in NCURA Magazine and her recognition with an NCURA Annual Conference Best Poster Award for “Is Ethnicity Disparity Present in Research Administration?”
Recently, Celeste co-presented on topics such as “Evaluating Proposal Success Based on Timelines and Other Factors” alongside her colleagues Joshua Roney and Hanin Alhaddad. Her insights on the impact of proposal deadlines on proposal success were featured in the NCURA Sponsored Research Administration Guide October 2023 issue. In addition, her recent contributions on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) topics include an article, “What Keeps You Up At Night” with colleagues, Natasha Williams and Steven Koogler and co-presented on the topic at the 2024 NCURA Region III Spring Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.