Biography

Rachel R. Ratz is a grants management specialist in the Grants Management Branch, Grants Section B, within NCATS’ Division of Extramural Activities (DEA), where she manages a portfolio of cooperative agreements, career awards, training grants, conference grants and various other research grants.

Prior to joining NCATS, Ratz served for more than six years managing grants for the nonprofit organization Mines Advisory Group (MAG) America, where she managed more than $100 million in foreign assistance grants from the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Department of State, including U.S. Embassies, across 20 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America. These grants included conventional weapons of destruction and emergency assistance programs addressing the threat to civilians posed by landmines and other explosive remnants of war. Her areas of oversight included full-cycle grants management and acting as a liaison to programs, donors and other stakeholders.

Before joining MAG America, Ratz worked for ALTSEAN-Burma in Bangkok, Thailand, undertaking policy research to create an economic literacy training manual and provide a variety of international humanitarian law training opportunities to young Burmese women. Ratz also has taught for the Cambodian National Defense University and delivered high-level language training for business professionals in the Phnom Penh area.

In 2013, Ratz received her Global M.A. in international relations from Webster University, with a focus on international law, having completed courses in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Austria and Thailand. In 2011, she received her Bachelor’s degree in political science from Truman State University, with a focus in both public administration and sociology.

Professional Interests

Ratz enjoys learning and reading about the latest innovations in medical and health science, as well as the natural and social sciences, especially in international contexts. She is proud to be a member of NCATS’ DEA team in support of the Center’s mission.