VMRF Management Team

Kerstin Lynam
Chief Executive Officer x3070

Kerstin Lynam serves as the Chief Executive Officer at the Veterans Medical Research Foundation (VMRF) in San Diego and has worked in the hospital, academic and grant administration field for the past sixteen years. Ms. Lynam was appointed at VMRF in January 2003.

Ms. Lynam authored several articles and edited two books on financial and medical group practice management. In addition, she has been an invited speaker at several national conferences with topics ranging from the use of electronic medical record software in health care to research administration and compliance as well as leadership for not for profit corporations. As the Chief Executive Officer of VMRF, her interests include governance, fundraising, data-driven management, and strategic operational alignment with VMRF’s rich research community including our affiliates, researchers, staff and patients.

Ms. Lynam has a political science degree from the University of New Mexico and an MBA from the University of Colorado in Denver.

Barbara Dovenbarger
Chief Financial Officer x3069

Barbara Dovenbarger serves as the Chief Financial Officer. As CFO, she is responsible for the fiscal integrity and financial oversight of the Veterans Medical Research Foundation. Specific responsibilities include financial reporting and analysis, internal control assessment and strengthening, financial accuracy and regulatory compliance, fiscal policy development and interpretation, and audit coordination.

Ms. Dovenbarger has an MA in (Business) Management from the University of Redlands, CA and is a Certified Internal Auditor as well as a Certified Control Self-Assessment Auditor. She brings significant financial management experience; thirteen years from the California State University system where she served as a University Controller and recent experience as Director of Internal Audit at a local company in the San Diego biotech community.

Maria Sittmann
Director, Human Resources x3375

Maria Sittmann provides Human Resources strategic planning and operational implementation, aligning policies and practices with organizational objectives and corporate culture. She provides leadership and guidance in areas of HR programs, employment policies and processes, compensation, benefits, employment law, performance management, employee relations, safety and health, payroll, worker’s compensation, professional development, and organization development.

Ms. Sittmann has served as a Senior Corporate HR/OD Executive, University Faculty, and Consultant for profit and not-for-profit organizations, academic and educational institutions, and also components of the Department of Defense. She has also served on DOD Inspector General teams, non-appropriated fund personnel policy administration advisory teams and Development Steering Committees for not-for–profit organizations.

Ms. Sittmann has 20 years of HR experience, an MBA and a B.S. in Business Administration and joined VMRF in 2004.

Alma Muñoz Cañete
Contracts and Grants Director x3012

Alma Cañete joins the Veterans Medical Research Foundation as the newest member of the VMRF Management Team. In her capacity as Contracts and Grants Director, Alma leads the Contracts and Grants team providing pre-award and post-award support for VMRF Principal Investigators. She is responsible for the oversight of Contracts and Grants administration, ensuring adherence to applicable federal, state, or local legislation, establishing and coordinating activities of Contracts and Grants administration with overall institution strategies, corporate culture and management values.

Ms. Cañete comes to VMRF with more than 10 years experience in Research Administration, and has worked over 18 years in accounting and finance. Her background and focus include non-profit research and service organizations, banking, and public accounting.

Ms. Cañete holds a B.S. in Accountancy from San Diego State University and is currently pursuing her M.S. in Accounting Information Systems. Alma is a Certified Research Administrator and is also a candidate for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation. She is an active member of several professional research and accounting societies.

Beth Bieger
Pre Award Contracts and Grants Manager x3066

Beth Bieger joined VMRF in August, 2005, and manages the day-to-day operations of the Contracts and Grants Administration. She oversees and coordinates the activities of VMRF grant administrators on behalf of their investigators’ funding portfolios, including Pre- and Post-award grant management, consortium negotiations, budget projections, personnel agreements, and other duties associated with fund management.

Ms. Bieger brings to VMRF her 30 years of experience in grant and clinical trial management from her previous role as Administrative Director of an NIH-funded General Clinical Research Center at a local institution. She served as President of the national Association of GCRC Administrative Directors, and conducted orientation workshops at the national annual meetings for nearly a decade.

Bob Millington
Director, Information Technology x1041

Bob Millington is responsible for planning, managing and maintaining all of VMRF Core computer resources. Additionally, Mr. Millington serves as a liaison between VMRF and the VASDHS and UCSD Information Technology departments. Mr. Millington has over 10 years experience in information technology and has served as Vice President of Technical Services for a major investment brokerage house and later Information Technology Manager/Director and member of the board of directors for a financial software corporation, before joining VMRF in 2003. Mr. Millington received his B.S. in Finance from Western Illinois University.

Eileen Vinnola
Controller x2801

Eileen Vinnola has over 18 years experience in accounting and financial operations, joined VMRF in 1998 and oversees the day-to-day operations of the Accounting Department. As Controller, she is the primary point of contact for Principal Investigators and their staff on issues related to Accounts Payable and Receivable, Purchasing, and Inventory Control. In conjunction with VMRF’s Information Technology Department, Ms. Vinnola helps manage the VMRF financial accounting software application, Fundware.

Caryl Finch
Post Award Contracts and Grants Manager x3629

Caryl Finch has over ten years of experience in administration and joined VMRF in September 2003. She manages the compliance of all VMRF research and education projects, working closely with the Contracts and Grants staff to ensure that all projects have active approval by the appropriate VA San Diego Healthcare System compliance committees.  In addition to her compliance-related duties, she also manages many facets of VMRF’s clinical projects including pre-award compliance, monitoring and expediting agreement execution and project funding, and sponsor billing and patient compensation. Ms. Finch also assists with the initiation of education activities as well as research donation activities.

Ms. Finch is a San Diego native and received a B.A. in Psychology from San Diego State University in 1999. Her career interests include organizing and improving workflow processes, as well as project management and systems organization.