Kristen Wolf, budget and finance officer for the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR), is the 2026 recipient of the university’s Outstanding Strategic Business Partner Award.

Sponsored by the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, the award recognizes experienced professionals who demonstrate excellence in attention to detail, financial analysis, relationship building, critical thinking, service, and team building.

“Kristen truly shines as a centerpiece among the many outstanding employees at the University of Iowa,” said David Schwebel, vice president for research. “She manages our complex budget with apparent ease, balancing the big picture of organization-wide financial health with the detailed minutiae of daily financial transactions.”

Wolf has 18 years of finance experience at the university, including more than a decade in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office. She joined the OVPR in 2022, where she oversees budget planning, financial analysis, and resource allocation across a diverse portfolio of reporting units.

In addition to traditional financial management, she improves processes and implements best practices that strengthen accuracy and consistency across the research enterprise.  She’s overseen the financial restructuring of several units, evaluated and refined pay structures for highly specialized employee groups, and implemented a unified billing and invoicing system across multiple service and support units. 

“What truly sets Kristen apart is the trust she builds,” said Wendy Loney, OVPR director of operations. “She makes complex financial information accessible to colleagues at all experience levels, never making anyone feel overwhelmed or excluded.”

Wolf was recognized at an awards ceremony for the university’s Enterprise Summit Leadership Awards on April 8.