Kristina Ko has been appointed director of federal relations for research in the Office of the Vice President for Research. The appointment is effective March 1.
Working out of U-M’s Washington, D.C., office, Ko will coordinate the university’s interactions with Congress, the executive branch, federal agencies, research organizations, professional societies, and pubic policy organizations on research-related issues.
She will inform and advise U-M faculty and administrators on federal legislative, regulatory and policy developments that affect the conduct of research on campus, and will work with other institutions to develop appropriate responses. At the same time, she will advocate for the U-M research enterprise, keeping federal officials apprised of the achievements, needs and opportunities arising from the university’s research community.
“Kristina will be a great asset for the university as we work to strengthen and expand research on our campus,” says Stephen Forrest, vice president for research.
Since 2007 Ko has served as chief adviser on all health care and labor issues for the office of U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., in Washington, D.C. Prior to that, she held a variety of positions dealing with health care and government.
She is a graduate of the University of Chicago with a master’s degree in public policy, and earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of California, Berkeley.
