Committees

Who we are:

The Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee (DEIB) of ASIH was formed as a result of a resolution read at the 2016 JMIH in New Orleans. Acting President at the time, Mo Donnelly, founded the group by selecting Michael Franklin and Rocky Parker as the co-chairs, and it was named the Diversity Committee. Since then, the committee officially changed its name to the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee. This name reflects the committee’s aims to recruit and support diversity within ASIH and promote ASIH as a welcoming home to all who want to join and participate.

What we do:

The main charge of the DEIB Committee is to improve the experiences of all members of ASIH, both in the Society and at our meetings, especially the experiences of Black, indigenous and other people of color as well as those from additional underrepresented backgrounds (e.g., LGBTQ+ people, first generation college students). The purpose is to facilitate the career development of anyone who wants to dedicate their professional life to studying fishes, amphibians, and/or reptiles regardless of a person’s background, experience, or access. Our recurring membership surveys indicate that the membership of ASIH is not representative of the demographic diversity in the U.S., even compared to STEM graduates broadly. By developing programming (e.g., professional development panels, affinity working groups) and funding opportunities (e.g., Cashner Student Awards), the DEIB Committee is positioned to remain action-based. We have also assisted in broadcasting messaging on issues of historical oppression (e.g., the name change of ASIH’s journal) as well as those that continue to plague progress in our discipline (e.g., signing on to the statement from Inclusive Herpetology). Our work is far from done, and if any of this motivates you to join us, please reach out.

How to contact us:

If you have any ideas for how to improve ASIH culture or better support ASIH community members, please reach out to us at diversitycommiteeasih [at] gmail.com. We value and act upon community feedback. No idea/issue is too small or too big!

And please don’t hesitate to contact us if you would like to get involved with current DEIB initiatives or spearhead a new initiative.

• Mariangeles Arce (co-chair) - m.arce [at] drexel.edu
• Rayna Bell (co-chair) - rbell [at] calacademy.org
• Anat Belasen
• Corinthia Black
• Adania Flemming
• Kimberly Foster
• Michael Franklin
• Christopher Martinez
• Rocky Parker
• Adela Roa-Varon
• Beck Wehrle
• Molly Womack

(members updated 2020-07-01)

Officers:

• Adania Flemming (Chair) - aflemming [at] flmnh.ufl.edu
• Helen Plylar (Chair-Elect) - plylar [at] aggiemail.usu.edu
• Whitney Walkowski (Secretary) - wwalko [at] lsuhsc.edu
• Katheryn Boole (Web Coordinator) - kboole [at] ufl.edu
• Adania Flemming (Travel Award Coordinator) - aflemming [at] ufl.edu
• Jaime Smith (JMIH Liaison) - twig818 [at] gmail.com
• Cody Godwin (International Liaison) - codydg1dwin [at] gmail.com

Book Raffle Committee:

• Florence Wen (Co-Chair) - florence.wen [at] selu.edu
• Lindy Muse (Co-Chair) - lindy.muse [at] selu.edu
• Kearstin Findley - kearstin.findley [at] selu.edu
• Brooke Perrera - brooke.perrera [at] selu.edu

Conservation Committee Representatives:

• Cody Godwin - codydg1dwin [at] gmail.com
• Alejandro Grajal
• Kelly Hoyer - kxh40910 [at] ucmo.edu

Early Career Award Committee (Preliminary):

• Allie Litmer - arlitmer [at] uark.edu
• Helen Plylar - plylar [at] aggiemail.usu.edu
• Florence Wen - florence.wen [at] selu.edu

Long Range Planning and Policy Committee Representatives:

• Jennifer Gardner - jgardn92 [at] uw.edu
• Alejandro Grajal

Social Committee:

• Kearstin Findley (Coordinator) - kearstin.findley [at] selu.edu
• Erin Schwarzbach - eschwarzbach [at] my.apsu.edu

Workshop Committee:

• Allison Litmer (Chair) - arlitmer [at] uark.edu
• Lindy Muse - lindy.muse [at] selu.edu
• Florence Wen - florence.wen [at] selu.edu

(updated 2020-01-07)

• Frank McCormick (co-chair) asihcons [at] gmail.com
• Brian Todd (co-chair) - btodd [at] ucdavis.edu
• Jonathan Baskin - jnbaskin [at] pacbell.net
• Todd Campbell - tcampbell [at] ut.edu
• Barry Chernoff - Bchernoff [at] wesleyan.edu
• Matthew Craig - matthewcraig4 [at] gmail.com
• Anna George - alg [at] tnaqua.org
• David Green - david.m.green [at] mcgill.ca
• Pat Gregory - viper [at] uvic.ca
• Gene Helfman - genehelfman [at] gmail.com

(updated 2020-01-07)

• Michael Pauers (Chair) - mjpauers [at] gmail.com
• Sara Ruane (Co-Chair) - sararuane [at] gmail.com
• Carol Johnston
• Steve Kimble

(updated 2018-12-20)

• Adam Summers (co-chair 2017-2022) - fishguy [at] uw.edu
• David Hillis (co-chair 2018-2023) - dhillis [at] austin.utexas.ed
• Melissa Pilgrim (2017-2022)
• Catherine Malone (2019-2024)
• Fran Irish (2017-2022)
• Margaret Neighbors (2015-2020)

(Updated 2020-01-07)

• Chris Beachy (President) - christopher.beachy [at] selu.edu
• Kassi Cole (Past President) - colek [at] hawaii.edu
• Brian Crother (Prior Past President) - brian.crother [at] selu.edu
• Frank McCormick (President-Elect) fhm.usfs [at] gmail.com
• W. Leo Smith (editor) - leo [at] ichsandherps.org
• Mark Sabaj (Secretary)  - asihsec [at] outlook.com
• David Hillis (co-chair ENFC)
• Katherine Maslenikov (Treasurer)
• Robert Espinoza (LRPP Co-Chair)
• Deanna Stouder (LRPP Co-Chair)
• Adam Summers (co-chair ENFC)

(updated 2021-01-05)

• Sara Ruane (2018-2020) - sara.ruane [at] rutgers.edu
• Nancy Karraker (2019-2021)

(updated 2020-01-07)

• Emily Taylor (Chair) - etaylor [at] calpoly.edu
• Sara Ruane (2020-2022) - sara.ruane [at] rutgers.edu

(updated 2021-01-23)

• Christopher Parkinson (Chair) -  viper [at] clemson.edu        
• Jennifer Deitloff
• Matthew Gifford
• Sean Graham
• Alan Savitzky
• David Steen

(updated 2018-12-24)

• David G. Smith (Chair) - smithd [at] si.edu
• Inci Bowman
• Eric Hilton
• Vic Hutchison
• Susan Walls
• Gregory Watkins-Colwell

(updated 2020-01-07)

• Gregory Watkins-Colwell (Chair) – gregory.watkins-colwell [at] yale.edu
• Sarah Huber (Co-Chair) – skhuber [at] vims.edu
• Kate Bemis (Student Representative) – kebemis [at] vims.edu
• Jennifer Gardner (Student Representative) – jgardn92 [at] uw.edu
• Adania Flemming
• Andrew Williston
• Andy Bentley
• Ben Frable
• Bill Lindt
• Calder Atta
• Caleb McMahan
• Casey Dillman
• Coleman Sheehy
• Cristina Cox Fernandes
• Cynthia Klepadlo
• Dave Catania
• David L. Auth
• David Werneke
• Diane Pitassy
• Emily DeArmon
• Emily McFarland
• Eric Hilton
• Esther Langan
• H. J. Walker, Jr.
• Jessa Watters
• Jonathan Huie
• Jose Rosado
• Justin Mann
• Karsten Hartel
• Katherine Maslenikov
• Katie Boole
• Ken Thompson
• Kevin Swagel
• Kirsten E. Nicholson
• Lauren Scheinberg
• Leroy Nunez
• Mariangeles Arce H.
• Mark Sabaj
• Marta Gomez-Buckley
• Meredith Mahoney
• Norma Salcedo
• Randy Singer
• Rick Feeney
• Sam Ghods
• Sara Cartwright
• Susan Mochel
• Worth Pugh
• Zach Randall

(updated 2019-07-31)

• Phil Harris (Chair) - pharris [at] ua.edu
• Nate Frassen
• Mike Heithaus
• Edie Marsh-Matthews
• Frank McCormick
• Alexandra Snyder

(updated 2018-12-24)

• Larry Page (Chair) lpage1 [at] ufl.edu
• Kate Bemis            
• Bruce Collette
• Lloyd Findley
• Carter Gilbert
• Karsten Hartel
• Robert Lea
• Nicolas Mandrak
• Margaret Neighbors
• Ross Robertson
• Juan Jacobo Schmitter-Soto
• HJ Walker

(updated 2018-12-24)

• John Lundberg (Chair) - jgl43 [at] drexel.edu
• Adam Summers (2020-2022)

(updated 2021-01-23)

• Robert Espinoza - robert.e.espinoza [at] csun.edu
• Deanna Stouder - deanna [at] execvisionvalue.com
• Eric Hilton - ehilton [at] vims.edu
• Rocky Parker - mrockwellparker [at] gmail.com
• Margaret Neighbors - mneighbors [at] prodigy.net
• Larry Allen - larry.allen [at] csun.edu

(updated 2020-01-07)

• Christopher Martinez (Chair) - cmimartinez [at] ucdavis.edu
• Rayna Bell (2020-2022)

(formerly Mid-Career Award,  updated 2021-01-23)

• Henry Mushinsky (Chair) - mushinsk [at] usf.edu
• Marlis Douglas (Co-Chair)
• Kyle Piller

(updated 2018-12-20)

• Luke Tournabene - luke.tornabene [at] gmail.com
• Mollie F. Cashner
• Mark Peterson
• Kelsey E. Reider
• Kassi Cole (ex officio)

(updated 2020-01-07)

• W. Leo Smith (Chair) - copeiaeditor [at] gmail.com
• Catherine R. Bevier
• Donald G. Buth
• Matthew T. Craig
• Matthew P. Davis
• Robert E. Espinoza
• Matthew G. Girard
• Terry Grande
• Jacob Kerby
• Cynthia Klepadlo
• Michael J. Lannoo
• Jacqueline Litzgus
• Karen Martin
• Jay W. Orr
• Roberto Reis
• Dustin Siegel
• Katie Smith
• Joel Snodgrass
• Bryan Stuart
• Luke Tornabene
• Jacqueline F. Webb

(updated 2019-01-03)

• Rebecca E Johansen (2018-2020) - johansenr [at] apsu.edu
• Misty Paig-Tran (2019-2021) - empaig-tran [at] fullerton.edu
• Mollie Cashner (2020-2022)

(updated 2020-01-07)

• American Elasmobranch Society
  Charles "Chip" Cotton - ccotton [at] fsu.edu
• American Fisheries Society
  Marlis R. Douglas - mrd1 [at] uark.edu
• American Institute of Biological Sciences
  Alan Savitzky - savitzky [at] usu.edu
• BioOne
  Alan Savitzky - savitzky [at] usu.edu
• Herpetologist' League
  Alan Savitzky - savitzky [at] usu.edu
• Natural Science Collections Alliance
  Larry M. Page - lpage1 [at] ufl.edu
• Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections
  Randy Singer - rsinger [at] flmnh.ufl.edu
• Society for Study of Amphibiams and Reptiles
  Alan Savitzky - savitzky [at] usu.edu

(updated 2019-01-03)

• Ai Nonaka
• Harry Green
• Dave Johnson
• Luke Tornabene

• Henry L. Bart, Jr. (Chair) - hbartjr [at] tulane.edu
• Karsten Hartel (2019-2021)

(updated 2021-01-23)

• Michael Douglas (Chair) - med1 [at] uark.edu
• Kyle Piller (2020-2022)

(updated 2021-01-23)

• Meredith Mahoney  (Chair) - meredith.mahoney [at] illinois.gov
• Sarah Huber (2020-2022)

(updated 2021-01-23)

• Brian Crother (Co-Chair) - brian.crother [at] selu.edu
• Jackie Web (Co-Chair) - jacqueline_webb [at] uri.edu

• Melissa Gibbs (Chair)
• Anat Belasen
• Caleb McMahan
• James Watling
• Jackie Webb

(updated 2019-01-03)