Developing Grant Proposals: Tools and Techniques to Help You Secure Funding for Your Programs

Mark Risse, Director, Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant

Mark Risse has served as the director of the Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant since 2013. His expertise is in areas including stormwater management, soil and water conservation, and non-point source pollution management. In his current role, Risse oversees the unit’s research, education and extension programs, and manages budgets, policy and personnel related to the unit. Risse earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural engineering at UGA. Prior to joining the Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, Risse spent nearly two decades in the UGA Cooperative Extension as a water resources specialist. Additionally, Risse is a Walter Bernard Hill Fellow — the highest honor at UGA for public service and outreach.

Nate Nibbelink, Associate Vice President for Research, Strategic Research Growth, Office of Research

Nate Nibbelink has served as the associate vice president for research and strategic research growth at the Office of Research since 2021, though he has worked at UGA for over 20 years. In his current role, responsibilities are related to strategic research development, internal seed grant programs and integrative team initiatives. Nibbelink’s research interests include spatial patterns in fish and wildlife populations, geospatial information science (GIS) tools for natural resource decision-making, and the application of spatial theory and technology to various ecological and management issues. Additionally, Nibbelink is a professor at the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. Prior to his time at UGA, Nibbelink was an associate research scientist at the University of Wyoming, where he also received his Ph.D. in zoology and physiology.

Jessica Legge Muilenburg, Associate Vice President for Research, Faculty Affairs & Campus Engagement, Office of Research

Jessica Legge Muilenburg serves as the associate vice president for research at the Office of Research. Her work focuses on the elimination of disparities in vulnerable populations, with an interest in substance use behaviors. In her experience as a PI or co-investigator on several NIH and other federally funded grants, Muilenburg has laid the groundwork for her research by investigating implementation issues in health services for drug and alcohol treatment centers. Muilenburg’s background also includes training in the application of behavioral theories in the context of risky behaviors. She received her master’s in public health from Emory University and her Ph.D. from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Shana Jones, Associate Director, Carl Vinson Institute of Government

Shana Jones has been with the Carl Vinson Institute of Government since 2014, where she has held the title of associate director since. In her work, Jones assists communities with managing legal and policy issues related to natural resources, coastal flooding and land use. Prior to joining the Institute of Government, Jones was the director of the Virginia Coastal Policy Clinic at William and Mary Law School. Jones also has previous experience in nonprofit policy group management, clerking at the state and federal levels, and worked in the Texas Governor’s Office.

Jess Brown, Stormwater Specialist, Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant

Jess Brown has been a stormwater specialist at Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant since 2016. A licensed engineer, her extensive knowledge and experience allow her to help communities address challenges of stormwater runoff, nonpoint source pollution and flooding. Brown has worked at multiple land and sea grant universities, bringing her wealth of knowledge to streams, marshes and local policy along the east coast. Upon joining Marine Extension, Brown worked to develop the unit’s stormwater program, with a focus on applications of green stormwater infrastructure. Brown earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biological and agricultural engineering from North Carolina State University.

Karen DeMeester, Public Service Associate, Carl Vinson Institute of Government

Karen DeMeester joined the Carl Vinson Institute of Government in 2017. In her role, she designs and conducts research studies and evaluations with the Institute of Government’s Survey Research and Evaluation unit. DeMeester has over 20 years of experience as a financial, policy and program analyst in the areas of education, health care and social services. Prior to joining the Institute of Government, DeMeester served in the College of Education as director of the Program Evaluation Group and was responsible for evaluation and research projects from multiple funders including the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and the National Science Foundation. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Auburn University; a master’s from the University of Southern Mississippi and a Ph.D. from Florida State University.