Dr. Elizabeth Festa serves as Managing Director in the firm’s Research Universities Practice. In this role, Elizabeth supports R1 and R2 universities in capacity building, strategic intelligence, project management, and proposal development. Elizabeth has substantial experience in leading large, multi-institutional proposals and developing faculty training. She particularly enjoys supporting her clients in long-term strategic planning, developing capacity building training materials for early and mid-career investigators, aligning their research strengths with opportunities across federal agencies and private foundations, and providing competitive intelligence to enhance their success. Outside her work with the firm, Elizabeth is an IRB affiliate at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and a facilitator for Scientific Communication Advances Research Excellence (SCOARE), an NIH-funded online research mentor training workshop developed at MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Prior to joining McAllister & Quinn, Elizabeth worked for 17 years at Rice University. She held leadership roles in the Office of Research Development and the Program for Writing and Communication and served 13 years on Rice’s faculty, teaching a variety of courses and leading curriculum development and skills assessments.
Elizabeth was a reviewer for the Fulbright National Geographic Digital Storytelling Fellowship in its inaugural year and assisted in developing criteria and guidance for applicants to this program. She has taught medical humanities and communication courses through several programs at Baylor College of Medicine. Before entering the academy, Elizabeth served as a quartermaster officer in the 101st Support Group, Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
Elizabeth is active in the National Organization for Research Development Professionals (NORDP). She is currently serving as a NORDP Mentor and is a past co-chair of the Membership Committee and Strategic Alliances Committee.
Affiliations and Awards
- National Organization for Research Development Professionals (2019-present)
- Volunteer of the Year (NORDP) (2024)