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          Office of the Director








Office of the Director FacebookEmailPrintFacebookEmail     
    The Office of the Director (OD) determines Institute programs, plans, and policies and provides management, program analysis, and scientific program reporting services to the Institute, as well as scientific leadership, policy guidance, and overall operational and administrative coordination.

The OD serves as the chief liaison with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) director, other components of of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), other federal agencies, Congress, professional societies, voluntary health organizations, and other public health groups. It also coordinates the activities of NIAMS extramural and intramural divisions.
        
                  Organization
      
  

    
            Financial Management BranchManagement Policies, Programs, and Initiatives BranchScience Communications and Outreach BranchScientific Information Technology BranchScientific Planning, Policy, and Analysis BranchStrategic InitiativesAdministrative Management Branch (for OD)
      Director
      
  

    
            Lindsey A. Criswell, M.D., M.P.H., D.Sc., became the director of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) in February, 2021. As NIAMS director, Dr. Criswell oversees the Institute’s annual budget of nearly $625 million, which supports research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases. The Institute seeks to advance health through biomedical and behavioral research as well as through research training and dissemination of information on research progress in these diseases.Read more about Lindsey A. Criswell
              
              Office of the DirectorDirector, NIAMS, Lindsey A. Criswell, M.D., M.P.H., D.Sc.Deputy Director, NIAMS, Robert H. Carter, M.D.Staff Assistant to the Director and Deputy Director, Stephanie HerndonOffice of Administrative ManagementExecutive Officer, NIAMS, Rick Phillips, M.B.A.Scientific Information Technology BranchLa'Tanya Burton, M.S.Financial Management BranchChristopher Nee, M.B.A.Administrative Management BranchAmita PatelManagement Policies, Programs, and Initiatives BranchSharon GlassScience Communications and Outreach BranchJennifer Morgan GrayScientific Planning, Policy, and Analysis BranchStephanie Burrows, Ph.D.
        
                  **Lindsey A. Criswell, M.D., M.P.H., D.Sc.**
      
  
Director
  

    
      301-496-4353
      
  


                        criswellla@mail.nih.gov
  **Robert H. Carter, M.D.**
      
  
Deputy Director
  

    
      301-496-3651
      
  


                        carterrob@mail.nih.gov
  **Rick Phillips**
      
  
Associate Director for Management & Operations
  

    
      301-496-4353
      
  


                        phillipsra@mail.nih.gov
  **Ryan C. Lombardi**
      
  
Deputy Executive Officer
          
      301-496-4353
      
  


                        lombardr@mail.nih.gov
  **Saumyadipta S. Pyne, Ph.D.**
      
  
Senior Research Fellow
  


                        saumyadipta.pyne@nih.gov
  **Anita Linde, M.P.P.**
      
  
Senior Advisor to the Director
  


            Senior Advisor to the Deputy Director for Management, NCI
          
      240-781-3365
      
  


                        lindea@mail.nih.gov
  **Stephanie Herndon**
      
  
Staff Assistant to the Director & Deputy Director
  

    
      301-496-4353
      
  


                        stephanie.herndon@nih.gov
  **Elizabeth Elliott**
      
  
Ethics Coordinator
  

    
      301-451-4884
      
  


                        elliotte@mail.nih.gov
  **Susana A. Serrate-Sztein, M.D.**
      
  
Associate Director for Strategic Initiatives
  

    
      301-827-3276
      
  


                        Susana.Serrate-Sztein@nih.gov
  **Kriti Sharma, M.D., M.P.H.**
      
  
Senior Program Manager
  

    
      301-927-7047
      
  


                        kriti.sharma@nih.gov
  **Robyn Strachan**
      
  
Senior Advisor
  

    
      301-496-5521
      
  


                        strachar@mail.nih.gov
  **Katrina Matthews**
      
  
Staff Assistant to the Executive Officer, Deputy Executive Officer, and Associate Director for Strategic Initiatives
  

    
      301-496-4353
      
  


                        katrina.matthews@nih.gov
  **Sherry Meltzer**
      
  
Contractor
  

    
      301-496-4353
      
  


                        meltzers@mail.nih.gov
  **Nikki Ostrenga**
      
  
Program Specialist
          
      301-451-4879
      
  


                        nikki.ostrenga@nih.gov
  **Robert Walker, Jr., Ph.D.**
      
  
Chief Diversity Officer
          
      301-402-2533
      
  


                        robert.walker2@nih.gov


Last Updated: September 2023


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