Dr. McBride has worked in publishing, industry, the non-profit sector, and higher education, and has a strong background in writing, editing, proposal and research development, and project management. She helped found the Office of Proposal Development at Texas A&M University in 2003, then joined Rice, where she conceptualized, founded, and developed the Office of Proposal Development (now the Office of Research Development) in 2010. She has worked with faculty and research scientists across disciplines on proposals to a wide range of federal and state agencies and foundations to aid faculty in successfully securing funding for individual-investigator projects, career and young investigator awards, and multi-institutional research centers, as well as for research training programs, equipment and instrumentation, and fellowships. She has also published in American Literature, Shakespeare Survey, the South Central Review, and other peer-reviewed journals. She is a member of the National Organization of Research Development Professionals (NORDP), and has served as a mentor for other members of that organization. BA, Journalism and English, Baylor University; MA, English, Texas A&M University; PhD, English, Texas A&M University.