Research & Economic Development Team

Dr. Alison Harmon is Vice President for Research and Economic Development at Montana State University. Prior to this role, she served as Dean of the College of Education, Health and Human Development at MSU and remains a professor of food and nutrition and sustainable food systems in the Department of Health and Human Development. Harmon’s scholarship has focused curriculum development and educator guidance around food systems and sustainability.  She has provided leadership in the development of innovative curricula at Montana State University including the Sustainable Food & Bioenergy Systems Degree program; the Montana Dietetic Internship; the campus farm -- Towne’s Harvest Garden; Hospitality Management & Culinary Arts; and the LIFE Scholars Program.  She has a passion for leadership development among higher education administrators, widening access to undergraduate and graduate higher education, and integrating discovery into all aspects of the curriculum at MSU.  She enjoys the fine arts, culinary experimentation, and ‘getting lost’ in the great outdoors of Montana with her family.

Dr. Sandra (Sandy) Sward is the Associate Vice President of Research Administration at Montana State University.  Prior to this role, she served as the Director of Sponsored Programs for many years.  She began her career in research administration in 1999 as the Assistant Director of the Office of Sponsored Programs at MSU.   Her experience spans both pre- and post-award research administration and she has been a Certified Research Administrator (CRA) since 2007.  She is the past Board Chair (2014-2016) for the National Research Administration Certification Council (RACC) and was also recently appointed as a faculty member to the National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA) Level II:  Sponsored Projects Administration workshop team.

Sward’s scholarship has focused on American civil religion and its manifestation in historical ecclesiastical stained-glass windows.  She enjoys exploring new golf courses, traveling, and spending time with her family and friends.

Dr. Elizabeth (Liz) Shanahan is the Associate Vice President for Research Development as well as a Professor in the Department of Political Science. As a public policy scholar, her research centers on how policy narratives influence public opinion and policy decisions. She is a co-architect of the Narrative Policy Framework (NPF), a popular and internationally renowned policy process theory. Her current application of the NPF is centered on risk communication, specifically the development of a narrative risk communication framework that situates scientific risk information in story form. Her research crosses multiple policy domains—zoonotic spillovers, natural hazards, human-wildlife conflict, and cyber security. She has been awarded over $6.5 million in research from National Science Foundation, Department of Homeland Security, and other agencies and foundations. She enjoys skiing and hiking in the mountains of Montana.   

Mike Veselik is the Director of Economic Development and Impact at Montana State University. In this role, he works closely with faculty, university staff, and key stakeholders to ensure research conducted on campus helps to grow opportunities for all Montanans to thrive. Prior to joining MSU, Mike spent nearly four years working at the City of Bozeman in Economic Development. He also has eight years of experience on Capitol Hill and in federal policy non-profits in Washington, D.C. Mike has a Master of Public Administration degree from George Washington University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Human Rights Studies from the University of Dayton.

Emily has a passion for developing systems that help other researchers maximize their time and effort, and she is excited to offer her support to MSU’s core laboratories. She holds a B.A. in chemistry from St. Olaf College and a Ph.D. in chemistry from Montana State University, where her research focused on palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and church community, playing music, and volunteering.

Anna will work closely with students, researchers, and university staff to lead MSU’s growth of undergraduate research. As a 13-year member of the MSU community, Anna has taught in the Honors College, the College of Letters and Sciences, and University Studies. She has served as the program manager at the Institute on Ecosystems and was an editor and project leader on the 2017 Montana Climate Assessment. Anna was the Program Director at the Wild Rockies Field Institute (WRFI) and has a history leading field courses for both WRFI and the National Outdoor Leadership School. She holds an M.S. from the University of Montana and a B.A. from Colorado State University.

Mai Allen was born and raised in Bangkok, Thailand. After she graduated from the University of Thai Chamber of Commerce with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities, she took a hospitality management program in Brussels, Belgium, to fulfill her passion for the tourism industry. Mai worked for the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Bangkok before deciding to further study in Chicago in 2003. Before moving to Bozeman in 2017, she worked for a Nonprofit Organization as an administrative assistant for nine years. For her role in the Office of Research, she manages the VP’s schedule, planning travel, meetings, events as well as providing support to the VP. When not at work, Mai likes to cook and spend time with her friends and family.

Mary Pat moved to Bozeman in 2019 to be closer to her daughter’s family. Before beginning her Montana adventure, Mary Pat lived in Mount Vernon, WA, where she worked as an administrator for a non-profit for 20 years. She has also worked in several different roles at a community newspaper, including reporting, editing and production. Mary Pat graduated from Whitworth University in Spokane, WA, with a B.A. in History. She has thoroughly enjoyed learning what it means to be a Bobcat at MSU.

Tawnya Morgan is the Budget Director for the Office of Research and Economic Development. She has expertise in budget analysis, revenue projections, process improvement, and organization development. She is a graduate of Montana State University, where she received her undergrad in Animal Science. She also holds a Master’s in Business Administration. What she enjoys most about working at MSU is the opportunity it has provided to meet so many great people. When not at work, you can find Tawnya exploring the outdoors with her family.