Committees & Committee Officers

STANDING COMMITTEES
Board of Directors*	Committee Members
Executive Committee	Committee Members
Committee on Committees^†	Committee Members	Committee Description

OTHER COMMITTEES
Annual Meeting Program Committee	Committee Members	Committee Description
Development Committee*^†	Committee Members	Committee Description
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee*^†	Committee Members	Committee Description
Early Career Professional Development Committee*^†	Committee Members	Committee Description
Education Committee*^†	Committee Members	Committee Description
Election Committee*^†	Committee Members	Committee Description
Finance Advisory Committee*^†	Committee Members	Committee Description
Information Technology Committee*^†	Committee Members	Committee Description
International Affairs Committee*^†	Committee Members	Committee Description
Investment Committee*^†	Committee Members	Committee Description
Public Policy Committee*^†	Committee Members	Committee Description
Publications Committee*^†	Committee Members	Committee Description
Publications Ethics Committee	Committee Members

HONORS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE
AJB Synthesis Prize Committee	Committee Members
Cheadle Award Committee	Committee Members	Committee Description
Corresponding Members Committee	Committee Members	Committee Description
Darbaker Prize Committee	Committee Members
Distinguished Fellow and Emerging Leader Award Committee^†	Committee Members	Committee Description
Donald R. Kaplan Memorial Lecture Committee	Committee Members
Esau Award Committee	Committee Members	Committee Description
Graduate Student Dissertation Award in Phylogenetic Comparative Plant Biology	Committee Members
Graduate Student Research Award Committee^†	Committee Members	Committee Description
Grady L. Webster and Barbara D. Webster Structural Botany Publication Award	Committee Members	Committee Description
Kaplan Dissertation Improvement Award in Comparative Morphology Committee	Committee Members
Moseley Award Committee	Committee Members	Committee Description
Pelton Award Committee	Committee Members	Committee Description

AD HOC COMMITTEES
Website Redesign (Ad Hoc) Committee*	Committee Members

*These committees have students that serve as committee members. Click here for more information on student representatives on committees.
^†These committees currently have openings.
Years denoted below in paranthesis indicates the final year of service.

BSA Representatives to Other Societies

Standing Committees:

Board of Directors

Vivian Negron-Ortiz (2024), President
Michael Donoghue (2023), Past President
Brenda Molano-Flores (2025), President-Elect
Norm Wickett (2024), Secretary
Allison Miller (2025), Treasurer
Melanie Link-Perez (2023), Program Director
Eli Hartung (2024), Student Representative
Ioana Anghel (2023), Student Representative
Emily Sessa (2025), At-Large Director - Publications
Jennifer Cruse-Sanders (2023), At-Large Director - Development
Chelsea Specht (2023), At-Large Director - Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Rachel Jabaily (2024), At-Large Director - Education

Executive Committee

(designated in bylaws)

Vivian Negron-Ortiz (2024), President
Michael Donoghue (2023), Past President
Brenda Molano-Flores (2025), President-Elect
Norm Wickett (2024), Secretary
Allison Miller (2025), Treasurer
Melanie Link-Perez (2023), Program Director

Committee on Committees

Brenda Molano-Flores (2023), President Elect, Chair
Norm Wickett (2024), Secretary
Chase Mason (2023)
Jenny Xiang (2023)
Gretchen North, DEI Chair (2023)
Wendy Clement (2024)
Steven Handel (2025)
Cynthia Huebner (2025)

Other Committees:

Annual Meeting Program Committee

Melanie Link-Perez (2023), Program Director (Chair)
Program Organizer of each Section
Chair, Local Organizing Committee
Johanne Stogran, Conference Staff
Representatives of Other Societies meeting with BSA

Development Committee

Jennifer Cruse-Sanders (2023), At-Large Director - Development, Chair
Ned Friedman (2023)
Rebecca Rooney (2023)
Peter Wilf (2023)
Joe Williams (2023)
Katherine Charton, Graduate Student Representative (2024)
Jennifer Ackerfield (2025)
Heather Cacanindin, Executive Director, ex officio

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee

Chelsea Specht (2023), Chair
Janelle Burke (2023)
Charles Bush, Undergraduate Student Representative (2023)
Kadeem Gilbert (2023)
Keri Maricle (2023)
Madhav Nepal (2023)
Manya Singh, Graduate Student Representative (2023)
R. Shawn Abrahams (2024)
Ana Almeida (2024)
Rocio Deanna (2024)
Gretchen North (2024)
Adam Ramsey (2024)
Anna Monfils, PI PLANTS III
Melanie Link-Perez (2023), Program Director, ex officio
Vivian Negron-Ortiz (2023), President, ex officio
Heather Cacanindin, Executive Director, ex officio

Early Career Professional Development Committee

Ioana Anghel (2023) - BSA Student Representative
Eli Hartung (2024) - BSA Student Representative
Ben Blackman (2024)
Karolina Heyduk (2024)
Miranda Sinnott-Armstrong (2024)
Jill Spear (2025)
Min Ya (2025)

Education Committee

Rachel Jabaily (2024), Chair and At-Large Director - Education
Kiana Lee, Graduate Student Representative (2023)
Jorge Mena-Ali (2023)
Helen Holmlund (2024)
Terian Koscik, Undergraduate Student Representative (2024)
Karen Wellner (2024)
Emily Rollinson (2025)
Sonali Saha (2025)
Catrina Adams, BSA Education Director, ex officio
Phil Gibson, Editor, PlantED, ex officio
Ben Montgomery, Teaching Section Chair, ex officio
Norm Wickett (2024), Secretary, ex officio
Vivian Negron-Ortiz (2023), President, ex officio

Election Committee

Michael Donoghue (2022), Past President, Chair
Michael McKain (2023)
Imeña Valdes (2024), Graduate Student Representative
Lauren Eserman (2025)
Kathleen Pryer (2025)
Norm Wickett (2024), Secretary, ex officio

Finance Advisory Committee

Larry Hufford (2024), Chair
Sandra Davis (2023)
Alan Yocca (2023)
Laura Galloway (2024)
Linda Watson (2025)
Allison Miller (2025), Treasurer, ex officio

Information Technology Committee

Jill Wegrzyn (2023), Chair
Jasmine Zenderland, Graduate Student Representative (2024)
Eric Wada (2025)
Cheng-Chiang Wu (2025)
Rob Brandt, BSA Manager Technology Development, ex officio
Heather Cacanindin, Executive Director, ex officio

International Affairs Committee

Shengchen Shan (2024), Chair
Johanne Brunet (2023)
Suman Nupane (2023)
Oluwatobi Oso, Graduate Student Representative (2024)
Julie Barcelona (2025)
Funmilola Ojo (2025)
Susanne S. Renner (2025)
Heather Cacanindin, Executive Director, ex officio
Melanie Link-Perez, Program Director, ex officio
Vivian Negron-Ortiz, President, ex officio

Investment Committee

Kent Holsinger (2024), Chair
Peter Crane (2023)
Cecilia Ezeanya, Student Representative (2023)
Ned Friedman (2023)
Larry Hufford (2024)
Janice Coons (2025)
Maia Thomas (2025), Probono Professional advisor
Vivian Negron-Ortiz (2023), President, ex officio
Allison Miller (2025), Treasurer, ex officio
Heather Cacanindin, Executive Director, ex officio

Public Policy Committee

Krissa Skogen (2023), Co-Chair
Tanisha Williams (2023), Co-Chair
Michelle Gaynor, Graduate Student Representative (2023)
Scott Gevaert (2023)
Andrew Pais (2024)
Travis Marsico (2025)
Heather Cacanindin, Executive Director, ex officio

Publications Committee

Emily Sessa, BSA Director at large - Publications (2025), Chair
Rebecca Barrone - Student Representative (2023)
Rupesh Kariyat (2023)
Thales Leandro (2023)
Nora Mitchell (2023)
Jordan Dowell (2024)
H. Jochen Schenk (2025)
Pamela Diggle, Editor, AJB, ex officio
Briana Gross, Editor, APPS, ex officio
Mackenzie Taylor, Editor, PSB, ex officio
Amy McPherson, AJB Managing Editor, ex officio
Richard Hund, AJB Production Editor, ex officio
Beth Parada, APPS Managing Editor, ex officio

Publications Ethics Committee

Cindi Jones (2022), Past President, Chair, ex officio
Briana Gross: blgross@d.umn.edu
Pamela Diggle: pamela.diggle@uconn.edu
Sean Graham: swgraham@mail.ubc.ca
Judy Jernstedt: jjernstedt@ucdavis.edu
Cynthia Jones: cynthia.s.jones@uconn.edu
Karen Koster: Karen.Koster@usd.edu
Amy McPherson: amcpherson@botany.org
Beth Parada: bparada@botany.org
Andrew Schnabel: aschnabe@iusb.edu
Mackenzie Taylor: MackenzieTaylor@creighton.edu

Honors and Awards Committees:

AJB Synthesis Prize Committee

Richard (Dick) Olmstead (2023)
Cate Macinnis-Ng (2023)
Nora Mitchell (2023)

Cheadle Award Committee

Jessical Budke (2022), Chair as Chair of D&S Section
Andrew Doust (2022)
Carol Wilson (2023)
Heather Cacanindin, Executive Director, ex officio

Corresponding Members Committee

(Past Presidents)

Michael Donoghue (2025), Past President, Chair, ex officio
Cynthia Jones (2024)
Linda Watson (2023)

Darbaker Prize Committee

In partnership with the Phycological Society of America
Heather Cacanindin, Executive Director, ex officio

Distinguished Fellow and Emerging Leader Award Committee

Ann Sakai (2023), Chair
David Lee (2023)
Jim Leebens-Mack (2025)
Stacey Smith (2025)
Vivian Negron-Ortiz (2023), President, ex officio

Donald R. Kaplan Memorial Lecture Committee

Mark Olson (2023), Chair
Ned Friedman (2024)
Maria Alejandra Gandolfo (2025)
Heather Cacanindin, Executive Director, ex officio

Esau Award Committee

Cheng-Chiang Wu (2022)
Rebecca Povilus (2023)
Luke Nikolov (2024)
Heather Cacanindin, Executive Director, ex officio

Graduate Student Dissertation Award in Phylogenetic Comparative Plant Biology

Michael Donoghue, Chair
Petra De Block
Joyce Onyenedum
Ken Systma
David Tank
Barbara Whitlock

BSA Graduate Student Research Award Committee (Including the J.S. Karling Award)

Richard Moore (2025), Chair
Lisa Boucher (2023)
Jamie Kostyun (2023)
Elena Peredo (2023)
Norm Wickett (2023)
Liming Cai (2024)
Stephanie Conway (2024)
Cheryl Dunn (2024)
Helen Michaels (2024)
Michael Moody (2025)
Yujing Yan (2025)
Heather Cacanindin, Executive Director, ex officio

Additional Members as Needed

Monica Carlsen-Krause (1-Year Term, 2021)
Shawn Krosnick (1-Year Term, 2021)
Lucas Majure (2-Year term, 2021)
Allison Miller (1-Year Term, 2021)
Nora Mitchell (2-Year term, 2021)
Daniel Spalink (2-Year term, 2021)
Cynthia Huebner (1- Year term, 2021)
Madelaine Bartlett (1-Year term, 2020)
Hannah Marx (1 - Year term, 2020)
Jason Cantley (1-Year Term, 2019)
Abigail Moore (1-Year Term, 2019)

Grady L. Webster and Barbara D. Webster Structural Botany Publication Award Committee

Kaplan Dissertation Improvement Award in Comparative Morphology Committee

Lena Hileman (2023), Chair
Sean Graham (2022)
Joe Williams (2022)
Jessica Budke (2024)
Paula Rudall (2024)

Moseley Award Committee

Chelsea Specht (2022)
Luiza Teixeira-Costa (2023)
Kelly Matsunaga (2024)
Heather Cacanindin, Executive Director, ex officio

Pelton Award Committee

Andrew Doust (2022)
Rob Baker (2023)
Yaowu Yuan (2024)
Heather Cacanindin, Executive Director, ex officio

Ad Hoc Committees:

Website Redesign (Ad Hoc)

Heather Cacanindin, Chair
Marian Chau
Karolina Heyduk
Tanisha Williams, Student Representative
Min Ya, Student Representative
Rob Brandt, Staff Representative, ex-officio

Representatives to Various Organizations:

AAAS COUNCIL

Cindi Jones (2021), President

AIBS COUNCIL

Krissa Skogen (2020-2022), AIBS Board member, BSA Public Policy Committee Co-Chair

ANNUAL INCORPORATION, STATE OF CONNECTICUT

Heather Cacanindin, Executive Director

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