Staff Spotlight: Morgan Keys, MHS, Grant & Contract Manager

The UW Medicine Division of Dermatology is fortunate to have a small, but passionate team of professional staff members whose talent and dedication to our faculty and trainees help make the division such a great place to learn, work and teach. Check-out our Staff Spotlights to learn how our staff contributes to the academic, research, patient care, and service missions of the Division of Dermatology.

Meet Morgan Keys, MHS, the Grant & Contract Manager for the Division of Dermatology. Morgan began her position at the University of Washington on July 1, 2021.

What is your work and educational background?

I graduated from Western Washington University in 2011 with my bachelor’s degree in Humanities and Social Sciences, and then again from the University of the Rockies in 2015 with my master’s degree in Human Services with an emphasis in Nonprofit Management. I have a history of managing grants and contracts for the Department of Social and Health Services, as well as experience in healthcare administration. I most recently joined the UW Dermatology team from my role as Operations Manager at an outpatient treatment facility for Medicaid funded clients, where I supervised the administrative team and provided quality improvement and compliance support for their many different contract requirements.

Tell us about your position; what does a typical day look like? 

My position manages all pre and post award activities for foundation, federal research grants, clinical trials and contracts, in compliance with university, state and sponsor standards for the Dermatologic Melanoma Research Program. On a typical day, I am working with various faculty and staff members to submit grant applications as well as helping to stay in compliance with grants that have already been awarded.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with family, including my two young sons King and Carter and my husband Chris. Together we love to take long drives to explore beautiful Washington state. We also love to cook together and try out new recipes. In my free time I like to grow different types of plants from seeds and also attempt to keep my many houseplants alive.

What is your favorite place to spend time in Seattle?

My favorite place to spend time is at Seattle’s many parks and beaches. I love taking my kids to play in the sand at Alki.