Cassandra Lucas

BA 1995, History & Sociology

COO, Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital, Chicago, IL

Cassandra Lucas is Chief Operating Officer of the Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute (SMCRI) at the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital. She is responsible for the administration of the Institute including the operations of the Sponsored Programs, Research Integrity and Compliance, Research Business Management, Clinical Trials, communications, research navigation, research safety, scientific research services, and tech transfer;  fiscal management of the research institute; and the operation of assignment of research facilities. Cassandra is a mission-drive leader with over twenty years of research administration, operations, program development, and strategic planning experience. She has developed performance-based, team-focused approaches to effectiveness and success through the creation of customer service-oriented environments.

Prior to joining the Manne Research Institute, Cassandra was the Vice President for Research Administration and Operations Management at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) where she led the Institute’s research administration and operation functions, including the Office of Sponsored Research, Office of Research Compliance and Quality Management, Clinical Research Coordination, Scientific Affairs, and Project Management, and ensured effective services and operational efficiencies were provided to the researchers and the Institute.

Additional positions include: Executive Administrator for the Department of Microbiology at the University of Chicago from 2004 to 2007, Financial Administrator and Grants and Contracts Administrator, Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology at the University of Chicago from 2001 to 2004, and Administrative Coordinator, Minnesota Population Center, University of Minnesota from 1996-2001.

Cassandra received her Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota and her B.A. from Purdue University. She also holds a Certificate from the Chicago Graduate School of Business Management Institute and is a Certified Research Administrator.