Tracy Bainter, our newly hired senior grants specialist, is returning to Drake. She has two degrees from Drake, a B.A. in English and Magazines with University Honors in 2001, and a Master of Public Administration with an emphasis on Executive Development in 2008. She also received a Certificate for Grant Writing and Management from Drake’s Center for Professional Studies.

Tracy worked as the coordinator of marketing and special events in the School of Education from 2005 until 2010. After leaving Drake, she founded and ran her own business, TAB Media and Marketing, which provided support for nonprofit agencies including writing, submitting, and managing grant proposals. Since 2013, she has been the communications director for the Iowa Association of School Boards. She started on Nov. 23, so please welcome her.

This fills one of two openings in the Sponsored Programs Office. We are initiating the search for the director of sponsored programs and hope to hire someone by the start of spring semester.

—Submitted by Provost Joe Lenz