SPARC brings together a multidisciplinary team of experts in strategic research development, proposal management, budget design, technical writing, compliance, and scientific visualization. Team members have deep experience supporting complex, multi-institutional proposals, translating specialized research into compelling narratives for diverse sponsors, and ensuring submissions meet rigorous federal and non-federal requirements.
If you are interested in working with us, please complete the request form for SPARC Team support. If you have questions about SPARC, please email us at sparcteam@case.edu.
Meet the Team
Ravenel Richardson, PhD, MPAP Executive Director of SPARC
Ravenel Richardson oversees strategic research partnerships at CWRU, directing the SPARC team to develop and support major interdisciplinary research proposals. Her work centers on building collaborative research initiatives, strengthening external partnerships, and aligning large-scale research initiatives with federal funding priorities and emerging national needs.
Lisa Alloway, MA, CRA Associate Director of SPARC
Lisa Alloway brings precision and deep regulatory fluency to the budget process. She specializes in developing accurate, compliant budgets and justifications for large, complex submissions across federal and non-federal sponsors, working closely with internal teams and partner institutions to ensure every line item meets sponsor requirements. Her coordination ensures that when a proposal crosses the finish line, it is complete, compliant, and on time.
Juliann Reineke, PhD, Senior Director of Proposal Development
As senior director of proposal development, Juliann Reineke elevates research writing across the CWRU community. Specifically, she collaborates with multidisciplinary research teams to translate technical content into language appropriate for targeted funding opportunities, provides research-based feedback on federal proposals and medical manuscripts, and manages cross-disciplinary proposal working groups to facilitate efficient development and submission of proposals. Additionally, she designs new initiatives to harmonize SPARC-specific and university-wide policies and procedures for effective proposal development, as well as creates multimedia proposal development and technical writing resources that support investigators at all career stages.
Eleni Markakis, PhD, Proposal Manager
As a SPARC proposal manager, Eleni Markakis works with investigators to strategically analyze funding opportunities, breaking complex requirements down into clear, manageable tasks. She manages workflow from the earliest stages of proposal development through final submission—coordinating team contributions, integrating proposal components, and reviewing and refining content and figures to ensure a strong, competitive proposal. Eleni helps researchers get on track, stay on track, and successfully cross the finish line.
Caitlin Guttu, BFA, Technical Illustrator
Visuals are not an afterthought in competitive grant applications—they are often what makes a complex scientific argument legible, memorable, and persuasive to reviewers. As SPARC's lead technical illustrator and graphic designer, Caitlin Guttu partners with investigators to translate complex scientific concepts into clear, compelling illustrations that strengthen grants and publications across the university. Her work is tailored to the specific needs of diverse research teams, enhancing clarity, impact, and accessibility. She also provides design support for center logos, PowerPoint redesigns, and other strategic visual initiatives.
Julia Myers, PhD, Proposal Manager
As a SPARC proposal manager, Julia Myers partners with investigators to develop competitive, high-quality grant submissions. She provides strategic guidance, project coordination, and expert editing to strengthen narrative clarity, ensure full compliance with sponsor requirements, and facilitate seamless collaboration across team members—resulting in a cohesive, high-impact proposal.