Jeremy M. Berg, Ph.D., director of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), has appointed Sally Lee as the institute's new executive officer. NIGMS, a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), supports research that increases understanding of life processes and lays the foundation for advances in disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

"Ms. Lee is a seasoned administrator who has the vision, personality, and leadership skills needed to oversee the institute's administrative management infrastructure," said Berg. "Her extensive knowledge about NIGMS policies, programs, and administrative operations will enable her to hit the ground running."

In her new position, Lee will be in charge of the institute's administrative functions, including financial management, information technology, and management analysis. She will also advise Berg and other senior officials on administrative management issues and their implications for NIGMS scientific programs.

NIGMS has a staff of approximately 150 employees plus contractors and Division of Extramural Activities Support personnel. The institute has a fiscal year 2007 budget of $1.9 billion, most of which funds research and training grants to scientists at universities, medical schools, hospitals, and research institutions throughout the country.

"I've worked at NIGMS for 19 years. During that time, I've watched the institute evolve and had the opportunity to help shape it in some ways," Lee said. "I look forward to continuing to play a role in the decision-making processes that impact the superb science we support."

Lee joined NIGMS as an administrative technician in 1988 and became a management analyst in 1991. She participated in the Women's Executive Leadership Program in 1997 and 1998, with rotational assignments in the NIH Office of Administrative Services and Resources and at the National Partnership for Reinventing Government. In 2000, Lee rose to the rank of NIGMS deputy executive officer. She has been the institute's acting associate director for administration and operations since September 2006.

A strong advocate for enhancing the quality of work life for NIGMS employees, Lee was a pioneer at NIH in launching telework and alternative work schedule programs. She has also played instrumental roles in workforce planning, promoting workplace diversity, and developing staff in a teamwork environment.

Lee has served on several NIH committees, including the Administrative Training Committee and its Mentoring Subcommittee, which she chaired. She was a founding member of the NIH Management Analyst Working Group. Lee currently serves as chair of the NIH Focus Group on Telework.

Lee earned a B.A. in history from the University of Maryland, College Park. Her honors include the NIH Merit Award in 1994 and 2006.

NIGMS (http://www.nigms.nih.gov) supports basic biomedical research that is the foundation for advances in disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — The Nation's Medical Research Agency — includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.