Dr. Diane Klotz is Director, Office of Education, Training, & International Services and Associate Dean of Administration and Professional Development in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute in La Jolla, CA. In these positions Diane oversees a team responsible for creating and delivering innovative programs to support the professional growth and complement the scientific education and training of Sanford Burnham Prebys’s graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. She also participates in institute-wide efforts in strategic planning with respect to education and training initiatives, serves as an advisor to faculty on education and training best practices, and consults to executive leadership on education and training policy. Additionally, Diane serves as an internal educator for Sanford Burnham Prebys on topics surrounding leadership and management development, team building, conflict, and interpersonal dynamics.

Diane received her PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology from Tulane University, and pursued her postdoctoral research training at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS, NIH). Diane’s research focused on cross-talk between steroid hormone receptor and growth factor signaling pathways in the female reproductive tract and the impact of environmental chemicals on these pathways. Outside the lab, Diane served as a member and chair of the NIEHS postdoctoral association, and was a member and chair of the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) Board of Directors, where she remains active as a member of the NPA Advisory Council. Beginning in 2014 Diane served as a member of the External Scientific Panel of advisors for the recently completed NIH Broadening Experience in Scientific Training (BEST) Award program.

Diane’s career path has been shaped by her observations of and experiences with how scientific organizations function and how scientific leaders strive to effect change and make progress. Her focus in the education and training of scientists at all levels and in all career paths is on helping scientists find their voices as high impact leaders who are able to guide their teams with compassion, clarity, vision, and intent. Diane has worked with academic labs, professional associations, and biotech companies towards developing high-performing teams and cultures that support them. Diane has achieved a certification in Conflict Management and Change Management, is a certified DiSC® facilitator and MBTI® practitioner, and obtained a certificate for Negotiation and Leadership from the Harvard Program on Negotiation.

Dr. Andrew Bankston is the Manager, Graduate Student Success at the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute in La Jolla, CA. Andrew builds relationships with local institutions and companies to provide new training opportunities for their students/employees, create opportunities for Sanford Burnham Prebys students, and find the next group of talented SBP graduate students. He also provides one-on-one services to students in support of many aspects of their graduate careers and collaborates with other members of the OETIS team to help develop training workshops and programs specifically for SBP graduate students.

Andrew received his PhD in Biochemistry, Cell and Developmental Biology from Emory University where he uncovered new regulatory pathways regulating development of myelin in the brain. He then studied the role of autophagy in myelin development and repair at the Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center until joining Sanford Burnham Prebys in 2017. Through his involvement with the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA), first as the Outreach Committee Chair and now as a member of the Board of Directors, Andrew deepened his interest in graduate student and postdoc training that began with his own training experience. His passion for mentoring and training of young scientists has always had a strong influence on his career path and is a large part of his current role.

B. Bea Rajsombath oversees the Postdoctoral Office at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. She has been employed at the Salk since 2010 and has successfully served in various instrumental roles during this time. She earned a BA in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the Carlson School of Management with an emphasis on strategic management and international business. In her current position, B. Bea’s responsibilities include assisting postdocs in identifying funding, providing ongoing career development programs, developing strategies and tools to aid postdocs in finding independent positions and collaborating on diversity initiatives for Salk.