In her role, she will manage the overall financial, space management, business and operational functions of the department.
Wendy Bridges has joined the WashU Medicine Department of Neuroscience as its new business director.
Her duties include overseeing the overall financial, space management, business and operational functions of the department, as well as managing the business office team.
Bridges comes to the department from the Danforth campus, where she previously was the director of school accounting and adaptive planning in Financial Services — Office of Financial Planning & Budgets. In that office, she directed the planning and implementation of long-term business strategies.
“Joining this renowned department and collaborating with Dr. Richards and the exceptional faculty and staff is an incredible opportunity,” Bridges said. “I’m eager to work with our talented business team to provide resources, strengthen collaboration and support the research, education and student ambitions that drive innovation in neuroscience.”
Bridges has over 20 years of experience in higher education finance, research management and strategic leadership. She holds a master’s degree in educational administration with an emphasis in higher education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a Bachelor of Science in business administration with an emphasis in accounting and management from Peru State College. She has also completed various professional development courses, including an Executive Leadership Certificate from the University of Nebraska.
Bridges previously held positions as a grants administrator working directly with faculty and then as a finance director with compliance responsibility at the Creighton University School of Pharmacy and Health Professions. She also served as assistant dean of business and finance and chief operations officer at the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, overseeing all business administration operations.
Bridges’ past key achievements at the University of Nebraska include increasing endowment resources by 80% through innovative program introduction and strategic resource utilization and launching a new student emergency support fund. For her work, she was recognized with the university’s Nancy Kenny Academic Business Leader Award for demonstrating exceptional collaborative leadership in academic business matters.
Outside of work, some of Bridges’ interests include traveling, spending time with family and friends, reading and community volunteering.