Brian Smith, CRA

  • Director of Fiscal Operations

Mr. Smith is the Director of Fiscal Operations for the Center for Military Medicine Research as well as the Department of Plastic Surgery. He also serves as Financial Officer for the Wound Research Alliance (WRA) as a “clinical accelerator” - based out of the Department of Plastic Surgery - moving wound care research into clinical practice. 

Brian’s research administration experience includes fifteen years as a senior member of the fiscal operations team at the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine. During his tenure, Brian has been instrumental in managing special projects and tasks requested by his Department Chairs and has ensured that the general ledger, accounting transactions and personnel reporting are maintained in accordance with GAAP, University policies and procedures and other external requirements from federal and state governments, private industry, and philanthropic sources. 

Prior to this, Brian was an Accountant and Assistant Manager of General Accounting at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute where he was responsible for daily management and accounting activities relating to UPCI’s institutional funding. 

Brian received his BSBA in Accounting from Robert Morris University in 2002. While working full-time at the University of Pittsburgh, he obtained the necessary experience and knowledge to pass testing to be recognized as a Certified Research Administrator (CRA). This certification is administered by the Research Administrators Certification Council. Mr. Smith has over nineteen years of combined financial experience in the academic and hospital administration sectors.