U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NIH
News
NIH Office of the Director (OD) <http://www.nih.gov/icd/od/>
For
Immediate Release: Thursday, June 11, 2015

CONTACT: NIH Office of
Communication, 301-496-5787, <e-mail:xxxxxx@od.nih.gov>

June 11, 2015

NIH
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT REGARDING DR. SALLY ROCKEY’S DEPARTURE

It is with truly
mixed emotions that I announce that Dr. Sally Rockey will be leaving her post as
Deputy Director for Extramural Research to become the Director of the Foundation
for Food and Agriculture Research.  On the one hand, I’m very happy for Sally
and proud that she will be bringing her considerable skills to the leadership of
this new and important endeavor.  This foundation, authorized by the 2014 Farm
Bill, is a non-profit corporation that will focus on important national and
international issues of agriculture where expanded investments will generate
innovative solutions.  Sally has a long history in agriculture, having spent 19
years with the USDA before joining the NIH, so this looks like an ideal fit.  On
the other hand, I will greatly miss her wisdom, courage, and creativity as we
tackle the knotty issues associated with extramural grant funding, especially in
this particularly stark budget climate.  Sally has done an outstanding job of
steering the NIH through many challenging times and we will be forever in her
debt.  Among her many accomplishments, she managed the successful implementation
of ARRA, led the focus on the biomedical research workforce, and greatly
enhanced NIH’s partnership and dialogue with the extramural community,
especially through social media and her “Rock Talk” blog where she shares
information about NIH grants policy, extramural research activities, and data
about NIH-extramural research.  

I wish Sally all the best in her new
position.  We will truly miss her.  The good news is that she’s not leaving
right away.  She will be with us until mid-September while we mount a vigorous
search for her successor.  

Francis S. Collins
NIH Director

About the
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<www.nih.gov>.

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###
This NIH Director's Statement is available online
at:
<http://www.nih.gov/about/director/06112015_statement_sally_rockey.htm>.

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