Dr. Britany L. Affolter-Caine

Executive Director
Research Universities for Michigan

CURRENT FOCUS

Dr. Britany Affolter-Caine is the executive director of Research Universities for Michigan (RU4M), an alliance of Michigan State University, the University of Michigan and Wayne State University. One of the nation's top university innovation clusters, the RU4M is focused on increasing economic prosperity and connecting Michigan to the world. Britany has been with RU4M since 2012, in which time she has managed research on the organization’s critical contributions to key industries, talent and the state economy. She has also managed programs and events that foster greater research connections across the member universities and industry.

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

Prior to the RU4M, Britany was the talent director for Ann Arbor SPARK, director of Intern In Michigan at the Detroit Regional Chamber and a senior research associate for the Metropolitan Policy Program of the Brookings Institution on the Great Lakes Economic Initiative. She has also consulted with Michigan-based organizations, such as Detroit Public Television, Macomb Community College, National Wildlife Federation-Midwest, the Great Lakes Metro Chambers Coalition and the Michigan Colleges Foundation.

EDUCATION/PERSONAL

Britany has served as a director on the Michigan Strategic Fund board since 2019. She earned her PhD in higher education policy from the University of Michigan (2008), a M.Ed. in secondary education from Wright State University (1999), and a BA in political science from Wittenberg University (1996).