Shaunna Bach, M.A. is Executive Assistant to Dr. John Ngai and Operations Coordinator in the Office of the NIH BRAIN Director. Prior to joining BRAIN in 2020, Ms. Bach supported the Director in the Division of Extramural Activities (DEA) at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Over the course of her 11 years with NIMH, her responsibilities expanded to include administration of the Grants Management, Scientific Review, and Extramural Policy Branches with a staff of 50+ employees. Ms. Bach has had an eclectic work history, including teaching English conversation in Japan and working as a cave guide/interpretive naturalist-turned-bookstore-manager in Sequoia National Park. She earned her undergraduate degree in International Communications (emphasis in Spanish) at Pacific Union College in Napa County, CA and Master of Arts in Psychology from the University of Santa Monica. When not working, you can find her somewhere in nature!