What We Do:
The Office of Extramural Policy (OEP) serves as a primary source of NIH policy knowledge and implementation for the Institute. In addition to these responsibilities, OEP coordinates NIDA’s Council activities, operations planning, initiative development, funding opportunity lifecycle including tracking and publication, extramural policy staff training, committee management activities and receipt and referral of applications submitted to NIDA funding opportunities.
Who We Are:
- Jeanette Marketon, Ph.D. – Director
301-443-5239
Dr. Jeanette Marketon is the Director of the Office of Extramural Policy (OEP) in NIDA’s Division of Extramural Research. As Director of OEP, she oversees the development of funding opportunities, the receipt and referral of grant application, the process of council review, and provides advice on policy matters related to extramural research. Jeanette was previously the Receipt and Referral officer for NIDA. Prior to joining NIDA, Jeanette was a Health Scientist Administrator in the National Cancer Institute’s Division of Extramural Activities, where she served primarily as a Referral Officer, but also acted as a Scientific Review Officer. Prior to joining the NIH, Jeanette was the Post Award Science Manager for the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas and as a Scientific Review Manager for the Congressionally-Directed Medical Research Programs (through a contract with General Dynamic Information Technology) and, before that, she was a Programme Manager at the Medical Research Council (UK). Jeanette received a Ph.D. from the University of Sheffield (UK) in biochemistry, and completed post-doctoral trainings at Stockholm University and the Karolinska Institute (Sweden). She was an Assistant Professor (2006-2013) at The Ohio State University Medical Center, where her research focused on glucocorticoid receptor function in the presence of a respiratory infection. - Gillian Acca, Ph.D. - Health Science Policy Analyst
301-827-5863
Dr. Gillian Acca serves as the Council Coordinator for NIDA and is responsible for all planning, coordination, and communication related to the National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse. In addition, she assists with the annual strategic operations planning for scientific initiatives. Dr. Acca also supports the ABCD Study and the HBCD Study as the Executive Secretary of the Observational Study Monitoring Board. Prior to this role, she worked with the Office of Research Training at NIDA coordinating the Loan Repayment Program and also as a Health Science Policy Analyst at the NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, where she provided research and analysis for a number of initiatives. Dr. Acca received her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Texas A&M University where she studied neural systems for memory processing. - Image
Marsha Nelson-Duncan – Extramural Policy Training Specialist
301-594-9088
Marsha Nelson-Duncan joined the Office of Extramural Policy in 2022 as the Extramural Policy Training Specialist, coming to NIDA from the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Office of Scientific Operations in Frederick, MD. Her experience in creating and providing training began in the non-profit world before moving into local and then federal government. She was certified as a Master Trainer, as well as a Master Resiliency Trainer, during her time with the Department of the Army prior to joining the NCI and used that knowledge to create a training program for both scientific and administrative mentors for the student training programs in Frederick. She is currently working on developing a platform for the newly created Extramural Policy Training Program that will house training opportunities, recordings, modules and other associated training resources, in addition to coordinating relevant trainings, events and workshops, for all NIDA staff. - Image
Yvonne Walker - Guide Liaison & Program Analyst
301-827-5848
Mrs. Yvonne Walker joined NIDA in August 2014 and serves as a Program Specialist within the Office of Extramural Policy. Yvonne is the Guide Liaison for NIDA and is responsible for managing all NIDA’s funding opportunities (NOFOs) and Notices. She is also NIDA’s primary point of contact for the NIH Funding Opportunity Announcement Management (FOAM) system. She is a Level II Contract Officer Representative and manages the Grants Review Support Services Contract for NIDA. Prior to coming to NIDA, she worked at The National Cancer Institute and the Federal Emergency Management Agency where she was the Executive Assistant to the Director. She also is a Veteran of the United States Air Force where she was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operative Iraqi Freedom. Recent awards include the 2021 NIDA Director’s Rising Star Award and several OD Special Act Awards. Mrs. Walker received her Bachelor of Science in Management Studies from the University of Maryland University College. - Image
Yuki Lama, Ph.D., M.P.H. - Receipt and Referral Officer
301-443-4577
Dr. Yuki Lama is the Receipt & Referral Officer in the Office of Extramural Policy in NIDA’s Division of Extramural Research. Her responsibilities include managing the referral of applications to the Divisions within NIDA, communicating with the Center for Scientific Review’s Division of Receipt & Referral and other ICs on application transfers and application compliance. Prior to joining NIDA, she was a Program Director in the Health Inequities and Global Health Branch at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. She is a former Cancer Research Training Award postdoctoral fellow in the Health Communication and Informatics Research Branch at the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Lama received her Ph.D. in Maternal and Child Health from the School of Public Health at the University of Maryland, College Park.