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
• Michael Franklin
• Christopher Martinez
• Adela Roa-Varon
• Beck Wehrle
• Molly Womack

(members updated 2021-02-16)

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

(reviewed 2021-02-16)

• Matthew Craig (co-chair) - matthewcraig4 [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
• 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
• Frank McCormick - asihcons [at] gmail.com

(updated 2021-02-16)

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

(updated 2021-02-16)

• Adam Summers (co-chair 2017-2022) - fishguy [at] uw.edu
• Dean Adams (2021-2025)
• Melissa Pilgrim (2017-2022)
• Catherine Malone (2019-2024)
• Fran Irish (2017-2022)

(Updated 2021-02-16)

• Dean Adams (Co-Chair ENFC)
• Chris Beachy (Past President) - christopher.beachy [at] selu.edu
• Kassi Cole (Prior Past President) - colek [at] hawaii.edu
• Robert Espinoza (Co-Chair LRPP)
• Adania Flemming (Chair GSPC)
• Katherine Maslenikov (Treasurer)
• Frank McCormick (President) - frank.h.mccormick [at] usda.gov
• Mark Sabaj (Secretary) - asihsec [at] outlook.com
• W. Leo Smith (Editor) - leo [at] ichsandherps.org
• Deanna Stouder (Co-Chair LRPP)
• Adam Summers (Co-Chair ENFC)
• Emily Taylor (President-elect) - etaylor [at] calpoly.edu

(updated 2021-02-18)

• Nancy Karraker (Chair) - nkarraker [at] uri.edu
• Maggie Hantak
• Chris Murray

(updated 2020-02-16)

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

(updated 2021-02-16)

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

(reviewed 2021-02-16)

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

(reviewed 2021-02-16)

• 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

(reviewed 2021-02-16)

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

(reviewed 2021-02-16)

• 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

(reviewed 2021-02-16)

• John Lundberg (Chair) - jgl43 [at] drexel.edu
• Karen Martin (2021-2023)
• Adam Summers (2020-2022)

(updated 2021-02-16)

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

(updated 2020-02-16)

• Christopher Martinez (Chair) - cmimartinez [at] ucdavis.edu
• Rayna Bell (2020-2022)
• Luiz Rocha (2021-2023)

(formerly Mid-Career Award,  updated 2021-02-16)

• Henry Mushinsky (Chair) - mushinsk [at] usf.edu
• Mollie Cashner (2021-2023)
• Kyle Piller (2020-2022)

(updated 2021-02-16)

• Mark Peterson (Chair) - mark.peterson [at] usm.edu
• Kate Bemis
• Michael Franklin
• Michelle Thompson
• Chris Beachy (ex officio)

(updated 2021-02-16)

• W. Leo Smith (Chair) - copeiaeditor [at] gmail.com
• Mia Adriani
• Catherine R. Bevier
• Donald G. Buth
• Matthew T. Craig
• Matthew P. Davis
• Robert E. Espinoza
• Julián Faivovich
• Matthew G. Girard
• Terry Grande
• Malorie Hayes
• Jacob Kerby
• 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 2021-02-17)

• Misty Paig-Tran (Chair) - empaig-tran [at] fullerton.edu
• Mollie Cashner (2020-2022)
• Michael Franklin (2021-2023)

(updated 2021-02-17)

• 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

(reviewed 2021-2-17)

• Devin Bloom
• Chris Murray
• Emily Taylor

(updated 2021-02-17)

• Henry L. Bart, Jr. (Chair) - hbartjr [at] tulane.edu
• Larry Allen (2021-2023)
• Devin Bloom (2021)

(updated 2021-02-17)

• Michael Douglas (Chair) - med1 [at] uark.edu
• Melissa Pilgrim (2021-2023)
• Kyle Piller (2020-2022)

(updated 2021-02-17)

• Meredith Mahoney  (Chair) - meredith.mahoney [at] illinois.gov
• Sarah Huber (2020-2022)
• Carol Spencer (2021-2023)

(updated 2021-02-17)

• Emily Taylor (Chair) - etaylor [at] calpoly.edu
• ichthyologist to be named by President McCormick

(updated 2021-02-17)

• Melissa Gibbs (Chair)
• Anat Belasen
• Maureen Donelly
• Kassandra Ford
• Bill Ludt
• Caleb McMahan
• James Watling
• Jackie Webb

(updated 2021-02-17)