Leadership Biographies
Allison C. Lerner assumed duties as Inspector General of the National Science Foundation in April 2009, reporting to the National Science Board and the Congress. As head of the Office of Inspector General, she recommends policies for promoting economy, efficiency and effectiveness of NSF programs and operations. She leads efforts to prevent and detect fraud, waste, and abuse; improve the integrity of NSF programs and operations; and investigate allegations of misconduct in science. She has chaired the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency since January 2021 and served as its vice chair from January 2015 through December 2020.
In September 2016, Mark Bell was appointed Assistant Inspector General for Audits at the National Science Foundation OIG. Prior to his arrival at NSF, Mr. Bell served nine years with DHS OIG. At DHS OIG, Mr. Bell had several roles in the Office of Audits, including Chief of Operations, Deputy Assistant Inspector General, and Assistant Inspector General. Prior to his arrival at DHS OIG, Mr. Bell worked at the Department of Interior OIG in the Central Region Office in Denver as a program analyst, and then as the Chief of Staff for Audits. From 1992 to 2001, Mr. Bell was self-employed in the financial services industry and worked as a consultant to Bearing Point. He began his career in the U.S. Army, serving more than 11 years, including 8 years overseas, as a tactical communications officer with the 93rd Signal Brigade in Desert Shield/Desert Storm. Mr. Bell graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and he earned a master’s degree in management from Webster University.
Mr. Chason joined NSF OIG as Counsel to the Inspector General in 2006. Prior to this, he held positions as an attorney with the United States Department of Justice and with the Government Accountability Office. Earlier in his career, Mr. Chason served for several years in the United States Army JAG Corps. He is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and the District of Columbia Bar.
As Deputy IG and Counsel, Mr. Chason leads the OIG Immediate Office, which serves the Office of Inspector General on a wide variety of matters. Legal Counsel provides comprehensive legal advice, counsel, and critical analysis to the IG and all OIG divisions; administers financial disclosure requirements for OIG staff; performs functions related to the Freedom of Information and Privacy Acts; and represents the office in external forums.
Megan E. Wallace has more than 27 years of experience as a federal law enforcement agent, of which more than 15 years have been in the IG community. Ms. Wallace joined the National Science Foundation Office of Inspector General as the Special Agent in Charge in 2014 and became the Assistant Inspector General for Investigations in 2018. As head of the Office of Investigations, Ms. Wallace is responsible for a wide spectrum of investigations, including civil, criminal, and research misconduct matters, involving organizations or individuals that receive awards from, conduct business with, or work for NSF.
Ms. Wallace earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of San Diego in 1992 with a degree in Education and Spanish. She earned her Masters Degree in Policy Management from Georgetown University in 2011. Ms. Wallace is also a certified fraud examiner and earned a certificate in Key Executive OIG Leadership from American University in 2009.
Javier E. Inclán joined the National Science Foundation Office of Inspector General as the Assistant Inspector General for Management and Chief Information Officer in May 2022. In this role, Mr. Inclán has responsibility for the OIG’s budget planning and execution; human capital; IT operations; diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA); training; policy and planning; and other administrative support services.
Previously, Mr. Inclán served in several different capacities at NSF, including Deputy Office Head for the Office of Equity and Civil Rights, Deputy Office Head for the Office of Information and Resource Management, Acting Division Director for the Division of Human Resource Management, and Acting Division Director and Deputy Division Director for the Division of Administrative Services. In addition, Mr. Inclán has also worked for the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Department of Transportation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services, and the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Research, Development, and Engineering Center. Mr. Inclán earned his B.A. degree in History from William Paterson College and his master’s degree in Administrative Science from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Lisa Vonder Haar is NSF OIG’s chief of staff. She started her federal career in 2002 at the Department of Interior OIG and joined NSF in 2018. She serves as the IG's primary officer for legislative and press matters, and provides other senior-level support to the Inspector General. She can be reached at oigpublicaffairs@nsf.gov or 703-292-2989.