Research Administration Team
Christopher J. Wang, M.B.A., C.R.A.
Director of Research Administration
chjwang@ucdavis.edu
Christopher serves as the director of our Research Administration Unit. As director, he oversees the unit's daily operations, which provides resources to departments and centers within the School of Medicine, such as pre-award services, training for research administrators, and hosts quarterly research administration networking meetings. Christopher has over 20 years of experience in research administration, serving as the Chief Administrative Officer for the Center for Precision Medicine and Data Sciences, as well as serving as the research manager and creating research administration infrastructure for various departments at the UC Davis School of Medicine. He has also worked at the UC Davis Office of Research Sponsored Programs, reviewing and negotiating research proposals, clinical trials, contracts, and agreements.
Chris has been involved in many research committees at UC Davis Health and holds a national certification in research administration. He has Bachelor's degrees in both Finance and Media Arts and Animation. He is a graduate of the Sacramento State M.B.A. program. In his free time, Chris enjoys traveling with his family, cooking and exploring different recipes, and working on cars.
Jennifer Sanchez
Trainer/Program Manager
jnnsanchez@ucdavis.edu
Jennifer is the program manager for the Research Administration Unit. She is responsible for providing high-level program and project management and operational support for the unit. She is developing a school-wide research administration training program and will be the trainer for the program upon its launch. She will host the quarterly research administration networking meetings and hopes they will provide an inclusive space for anyone involved in research administration to ask questions, share best practices, and network with colleagues. Jennifer has over ten years of project management experience, including five years at UC Davis Health in an academic research department. She earned her Project Management Certificate Program online through UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education and sees the value in inclusive, cohort-based training experiences. In her free time, Jennifer enjoys being outdoors with her family and improving her baking skills.
Matt Nguyen
Research Administrator 4
mannguyen@ucdavis.edu
Matt has been in research administration at UC Davis for 22 years. He has worked in the central office (Sponsored Programs Office, Davis campus) and the departments on both Davis and Sacramento campuses. He is very knowledgeable in pre- and post-award processes and policies. As the research administrator on the School of Medicine Research Administration Team, he will support School of Medicine departments with pre-award services and assist with training new research administrators. Outside of work, Matt enjoys spending time with his family, cooking, and working on home renovation projects.
Tracy Huff
Executive Assistant
tahuff@ucdavis.edu
Tracy brings over 15 years of administrative experience to our unit. She has been with UC Davis Health for three years, most recently in the Urologic Surgery department, where she supported faculty and wore many hats. She joined the Office of Research as an administrative assistant in October 2023. Tracy provides administrative support to the Research Administration Unit director, operational support for the research administration program, and assists with organizing the quarterly research administration meeting. She also provides backup support for some of the other units within the department, as needed. Before joining UC Davis Health, Tracy spent 13 years working for a sole proprietor who researched and filed UCCs, liens, and judgments. Away from work, she likes to spend time with family and share her love of paper crafting with others.