2025 Region IV Honors and Awards Recipients
The 2025 Awards Committee is proud to announce the following award winners for 2025:
Honors
Distinguished Service Award
The committee received multiple well-deserved nominations this year for the Distinguished Service Award. After careful and thoughtful review, two individuals have been selected to receive this award
Kathy Durben
Marquette University
Kathy was nominated for this award by Suzanne Reinke (Purdue University). Suzanne commented on the great leadership for our profession and extensive involvement in NCURA as a few reasons Kathy is deserving of this award.
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“Kathy has always been so generous with her time and is willing to help out in any way she can. She is currently the chair of Region IV’s Site Selection Committee and she recently served as the Career Mapping Workgroup Lead for the NCURA Region IV Research Administration Career Path Pilot Project Final Report, a project that garnered our region much praise and visibility throughout NCURA nationally. A knowledgeable and seasoned presenter, Kathy also serves as faculty for Region IV’s Introduction to Research Administration workshops. Kathy has been a board member and chair-elect, chair and immediate past chair of NCURA Region IV, shepherding a very successful regional meeting in Madison, WI, in 2017.
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“Always generous with her time, Kathy has served as a mentor in Region IV’s Mentoring Our Own (MOO) program numerous times. Nationally, Kathy represented Region IV on NCURA’s
Nominating and Leadership Development Committee in 2022-2023, she has served as a national conference track co-chair numerous times and she has the honor of serving as the co-chair of NCURA’s next Annual Meeting, AM67, in August 2025, just to name a few contributions.” Roger Wareham, Chair, NCURA Region IV, Director, Office of Grants and Research, University of Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Beth Woods, University of Illinois Chicago stated,” Throughout her time volunteering with Region IV, Kathy has exemplified the highest standards of professionalism and service. She has played a pivotal role in nearly all aspects of service within NCURA.” And outside of her significant dedication to NCURA, she was recently awarded an NSF grant focused on supporting the university to develop strategies, processes and models that could be utilized by small to mid-size institutions to grow capacity, access and visibility within the post-award process. She serves as the Principal Investigator on this award, which could make a significant impact on the field of research administration.”
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Congratulations Kathy! We are lucky to have you as part of our Research Administration Community!
Diane Hillebrand
University of North Dakota
Diane Hillebrand, Assistant Director Research & Sponsored Program Development at University of North Dakota is awarded the 2025 Distinguished Service Award by NCURA Region IV. The Distinguished Service Award is for those who have shown continuing and long-term contributions to NCURA Region IV and research administration.
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Diane was nominated for this award by Sandy Fowler, (University of Wisconsin Madison) by saying “Good work by kind and conscientious people need to be celebrated.” She adds “Diane has been an active NCURA member from the day she joined in 2011. Her involvement spans both within the region and at the national level. She currently is serving as Secretary on the National Board. It is important to note that once members get involved at the national level that they curtail their involvement at the regional level. Not Diane!”
Michael Sadler, University of North Dakota says “Diane goes above and beyond to support research community growth both here at UND and throughout the country through her work with NCURA, developing website resources, training courses and materials, and organizing professional development opportunities for her peers whenever the opportunity presents itself. She values her work with NCURA and takes seriously the role she has to play in supporting the national community of research administrators.”
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“Diane has been an active and engaged member of Region IV for as long as I can remember. Diane is always volunteering through the year by serving on committees & boards and at Region IV events during the Spring Meeting and NCURA’s Annual Meeting. She is warm, welcoming person and is the first one to sign up for the New Member reception to make sure our newest members are welcomed and have a sense of belonging from the beginning.” Shannon Sutton, Director Sponsored Projects, Western Illinois University.
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Thank you, Diane, for your outstanding service to your Institution and to NCURA. We are lucky to have you as part of our Research Administration Community!
Travel Awards
Regional Travel Award
Tricia Sutton
Washington University
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Heather Taylor
Medical College of Wisconsin
John Philipps Travel Award
Shaunte Baboumian
Washington University
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Sarah Smith
Case Western Reserve University​
National Travel Award
Brianna Galli
University of Michigan
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Lupe Cotto
Northwestern University
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