Debra Lappin to Address NIH Scientific Management Review Board

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Debra Lappin, Senior Vice President of B&D Consulting, has been invited to present at the National Institute of Health (NIH) Scientific Management Review Board's (SMRB) inaugural meeting on April 27 in Bethesda, Maryland. Lappin has been asked to present an Overview of the National Research Council Report — "Enhancing the Vitality of the NIH: Organizational Change to Meet New Challenges."

The SMRB was authorized by the NIH Reform Act of 2006 and signed into law by the President in January 2007. The NIH Reform Act of 2006 provides new authorities to the NIH Director to enhance program coordination, data collection and analysis, strategic planning, resource allocation, and investigator-initiated research in high impact and emerging research areas.

In particular, the Act provides authority for the establishment or abolition of NIH Institutes and Centers and the reorganization of administrative units within them as well as the Office of the Director. The SMRB is charged with providing advice on the use of these organizational authorities. The purpose of the Scientific Management Review Board is to advise the Department of Health and Human Services and NIH officials on the use of those organizational authorities.

Lappin is recognized across government, academic and nonprofit sectors as a public servant and leading strategist in public health and science policy. She consults on innovative public-private partnerships and other alliances to drive translational research and public health promotion and prevention. Calling upon her experiences as former National Chair of the Arthritis Foundation, Lappin is a recognized national spokesperson on public engagement in the nation's public health and scientific enterprise.

B&D Consulting is a national advisory and advocacy firm based in Washington, D.C. since 1985. The firm's professionals serve clients across key sectors, advancing their objectives within increasingly complex policy environments. Whether developing a business or advancing a mission, the B&D Consulting team has the multi-faceted skills to help clients succeed. B&D Consulting is a division of Baker & Daniels LLP, an international law firm with offices in Indiana, Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Beijing.