Bethany DeCarolis has been named director of UNMC Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA), effective Sept. 1. She had served as interim director since July 2025.
DeCarolis brings more than two decades of experience at UNMC to the role. She joined SPA in 2005 as a grants and contracts specialist and became assistant director in 2014. She also served two previous periods as interim director. Before joining UNMC, DeCarolis was a director at the federally funded National Fish and Wildlife Foundation in Washington, D.C.
“After working with Beth for years in various capacities, I am more than confident she is up to the task of leading SPA into the future,” said Ken Bayles, PhD, vice chancellor for research. “She is cool under pressure and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this role. I am looking forward to working with her as we navigate a changing funding landscape.” SPA supports the UNMC research community throughout the sponsored project lifecycle, including proposal submission, award acceptance and administration.