Research Tracks

A publication of the Office of the Vice Provost for Research at Baylor University

OVPR appoints new director of compliance

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Deborah Holland is Baylor University's new assistant vice provost for research, director of compliance.

Deborah Holland is Baylor University’s new assistant vice provost for research, director of compliance.

Deborah L. Holland has joined the Office of the Vice Provost for Research staff as assistant vice provost for research, director of compliance.

An alumna of Trinity University, Holland holds a juris doctor degree from the University of Tulsa College of Law and is licensed to practice in Texas. She earned a master of public health degree from the Texas A&M Health Science Center, specializing in health policy and management, and is a certified institutional review board professional. She is a member-in-good-standing of the State Bar of Texas, Public Responsibility in Medicine & Research, and of the Health Care Compliance Association. She is published in her field and has spoken at professional conferences and seminars, including as guest lecturer at the University of Washington.

Baylor vice provost for research, Dr. Truell Hyde, is pleased and excited to have Holland aboard.

“Compliance is absolutely key to any institutional research program, but it’s also one of the most complex roles to perform,” he says. “You have to have an expert in that position who can stay out front of things on both the regulatory and research sides; someone administrators and researchers alike can have confidence in. Deborah has aptly demonstrated her ability to do that.”

Holland joins Baylor following a five-year tenure at Quorum Review, Inc., a top international human research review board co-based in Seattle and Boston, where she held the position of senior regulatory attorney at the time of her move. Previously, she served for six years as research compliance specialist and research analyst with Baylor Scott & White Health. Even with her depth of experience — or perhaps because of it — she knows there will be challenges.

“One area that is usually challenging is integrating a research-compliance mentality into the culture of the institution. It’s imperative to stress that research compliance is meant to educate researchers and support their research endeavors. Our processes and policies should make conducting research as easy as possible while also enabling the institution and our investigators to meet ethical and regulatory obligations.”

Holland grew up in the Houston area, but much of her family now lives in Central Texas. So returning to the area is a homecoming of sorts.

“What I like most about coming back to Central Texas is being closer to my parents and my sister and her family,” she says. “But, I feel that Central Texas really is the most beautiful area in the state and it’s populated with kind and generous people. I’ve always considered it to be ‘home’ — even for the five years I lived outside the state.”

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