The American Ornithological Society (AOS) 2025 (AOS 2025) Meeting Coordination Committee oversees and facilitates the organization, logistics, and overall running of the meeting. This includes working closely with other committees to ensure that the meeting runs smoothly, that it is inclusive for all.
Jameson (Jim) Chace
Meeting Chair
he/him/his
Professor, Salve Regina University
Jim Chace is Professor of Biology and chair of the department of Cultural, Environmental and Global Studies at Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island. He earned his Ph.D. at the University of Colorado-Boulder studying cowbird-host interactions in human modified landscapes. He currently studies abundance and distribution of wintering sea duck populations and stopover habitat use by songbirds in an urban riparian conservation easement.
Sarah Saunders
Chair, Local Host Committee
Co-chair, Student Presentation Awards, Travel & Caregiver Grants Committees
she/her
Senior Manager of Quantitative Science, National Audubon Society
Sarah Saunders received her Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota, where she studied Great Lakes Piping Plovers. As a postdoc at Michigan State University, she developed models for estimating monarch butterfly abundance throughout the annual cycle. Since coming to Audubon in 2018, Sarah has leveraged innovative quantitative approaches to inform conservation decision-making for birds across the Americas.
Jen Walsh
Chair, Scientific Program Committee, SAFE Meeting Committee
she/her
Research Associate, Cornell University
Jen Walsh is a Research Associate in the Fuller Evolutionary Biology Lab at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Jen has been a member of AOS since 2008, and has served on several committees within the society. Her research focuses on applying genomic tools to address questions in avian ecology, evolution, and conservation with a focus on the genomics of adaptation to harsh environmental conditions.
Sara Morris
AOS President
she/her
Executive Director, Shoals Marine Lab
Sara Morris is the President of the American Ornithological Society (AOS). She has worked on numerous AOU and AOS meetings, NAOC steering and scientific program committees, and Wilson Ornithological Society meetings. Sara currently serves as the Executive Director of the Shoals Marine Laboratory, which is the field station where she studies songbird migration. She enjoys mentoring ornithologists at any career stage and mentoring people into leadership positions.
Morgan Tingley
AOS President-elect
he/him
Professor, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles
Morgan Tingley is the President-elect of the American Ornithological Society. He is a professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Los Angeles. He has served ornithology for many years, first on the Cooper Society’s Board of Governors, as a non-voting member to AOS council for two years, and then as a full elected member of AOS Council (2020–2023). For six years, he helped organize AOS conferences as co-chair of the Student Travel and Presentation Awards committee.
Erin Morrison
Chair, Technology Committee
she/her
Clinical Assistant Professor in Liberal Studies at New York University
Erin Morrison is an evolutionary biologist studying the mechanisms of diversification of avian carotenoid coloration and the evolution of metabolic networks. At NYU, she focuses on teaching and her courses span from introductory biology, research methods, and the Bridgerton TV show. Erin is also the chair of the AOS Membership Committee and has been a member of the AOS Meeting Coordination Committee since 2018.
Zachery Holmes
Chair, Volunteer Coordination Committee
Member, BRIDGE (Belonging, Respect, Inclusion, Diversity, Growth, Equity) Committee
he/him/his
Ph.D. Student, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming
Zachery Holmes is a Ph.D. student at the University of Wyoming. He has served on the Meeting Coordination Committee since 2023 as chair of the Volunteer Sub-Committee and co-chair of the BRIDGE (DEI) Sub-Committee. His research broadly focuses on listed species and systems, specifically on bridging the gap between research and management. His Ph.D. is studying seed dispersal of non-native frugivorous species on O’ahu, Hawai’i.
Nicole Michel
Chair, BRIDGE (Belonging, Respect, Inclusion, Diversity, Growth, Equity) Committee
she/her
Director of Quantitative Science with National Audubon Society
Dr. Nicole Michel, Director of Quantitative Science at National Audubon Society, leads a team that develops conservation impact metrics & models bird population trends & drivers. Nicole is an AOS Fellow, where she leads the BRIDGE Committee and serves on the Conservation and Nomination Committees.
Jenn Houtz
Co-chair, Early Professionals Committee
Member, SAFE Meeting Committee
she/her
Assistant Professor, Allegheny College
Dr. Jenn Houtz is an Assistant Professor of Biology at Allegheny College. She studies stress physiology and gut microbiomes in wild songbirds. She is the co-chair of the Early Professionals Committee and a member of the Safe Meeting Committee.
Nandadevi Cortes-Rodriguez
Co-chair, Early Professionals Committee
she/her
Assistant Professor, Ithaca College
Nandadevi Cortes studied at UNAM in Mexico City and completed her Ph.D. research at UMBC, University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She is an Assistant Professor at Ithaca College, where her research focuses on molecular ecology, and she is particularly interested in the role that past or present geographic barriers play in the evolutionary history of species, emphasizing their phylogeography, genomics, vocalizations and conservation.
Sahas Barve
Co-chair, DEAI (Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, Inclusion) Travel Grants Committee
Member, Student Presentation Awards Committee
he/him
Program Director of Avian Ecology, Archbold Biological Station
Sahas Barve is an avian ecologist at Archbold Biological Station in Florida where he manages a long-term study of the threatened Florida Scrub-Jays. Sahas is broadly interested in the evolutionary ecology and conservation biology of birds. He loves Indian music and is an award-winning grilled cheese chef.
Pamela Yeh
Co-chair, DEAI (Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, Inclusion) Travel Grants Committee
Member, Student Presentation Awards Committee
Associate Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UCLA
Pamela Yeh is an Associate Professor and Vice Chair of the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UCLA. Her research focuses on how populations evolve in novel environments, and she conducts work in both the field and the lab. In the field, she examines bird populations in urban and native habitats, with the goal of understanding how birds may be evolving differently in urban areas compared to native environments. In the lab, she examines how bacteria populations evolve in a range of drug combinations, with the ultimate goal of using evolutionary processes and phenomena to develop strategies to combat multi-drug resistant pathogens. Pamela directs UCLA’s Evolutionary Medicine program, as well as the UC-Historically Black Colleges and Universities Pathways to PhDs: Ecological and Evolutionary Medicine program. In addition, she is actively involved in both public outreach for STEM education as well as in community-engaged research in the Los Angeles community.
Viviana Ruiz-Gutierrez
Chair, Latin America & Caribbean Travel Grants Committee
Assistant Director, Center for Avian Population Studies; Program Leader, Conservation Science; Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Dr. Viviana Ruiz-Gutierrez is a quantitative ecologist specializing in avian population ecology and conservation science. Her research focuses on understanding how environmental changes impact bird populations, using quantitative modeling to inform conservation strategies. She collaborates with decision-makers and local communities to develop science-based solutions that balance biodiversity conservation and human well-being.
Jared Elmore
Chair, Workshops Committee
Member, Early Professionals Committee
he/him
Research Assistant Professor, Clemson University
Jared Elmore is a Research Assistant Professor in Forestry and Environmental Conservation at Clemson University and Science Coordinator for the National Bobwhite and Grassland Initiative. He has an AS in General Studies, a BS and MS in Biology, and a PhD in Natural Resource Ecology and Management, and a GIS certification. His research includes Northern Bobwhite, grasslands and grassland birds, and other associated species and systems.
Lan-Nhi Phung
Mentor and Co-chair, Student Affairs Committee
she/her
Biology Ph.D. Candidate, Penn State University
Lan-Nhi Phung is currently a Ph.D. candidate at The Pennsylvania State University. She studies the geographic variation of vocalization in wood-warblers using genomic methods. Lan-Nhi has been a member of the AOS’s meeting coordination committee since 2021.
Evan Adams
Co-chair, Student Presentation Awards Committee; Travel & Caregiver Grants Committee
he/him
Director of the Quantitative Wildlife Ecology Research Lab
Dr. Evan Adams is the co-director of the Quantitative Wildlife Ecology Research Lab at the Biodiversity Research Institute. He loves thinking about statistical models and his research focuses on the distribution and movements of animals and their responses to environmental change.
Kristen Rosamond
Co-chair, Student Affairs Committee
she/her
Biology Ph.D. Candidate, University of Missouri-St. Louis
Kristen Rosamond is a Ph.D. candidate at University of Missouri–St. Louis. Her research focuses on interactions between the gut microbiome and physiology, including immunity, in nestling House Sparrows. Kristen serves as a co-chair for the AOS Student Affairs Committee (SAC) and is involved with planning the SAC Webinar Series.
AOS Staff Support
Judith Scarl
AOS Executive Director & CEO
she/her
Dr. Judith Scarl joined the AOS as executive director and CEO in July 2021. She brings years of experience developing partnerships with state and federal agencies and non-profit organizations to identify common goals and develop a unified voice for bird conservation. Most recently, she served as the U.S. Coordinator for the North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI) and the Bird Conservation Program Manager of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA). Judith has a strong passion for and commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in science and conservation, indispensable assets for the AOS and ornithology. Her extensive connections with a broad network of conservation partners, her deep understanding of the need to support students and early-career professionals, and her passion for expanding inclusivity and equity in the field of ornithology will drive key areas of program development for the society. Judith is also deeply engaged in volunteer work with teens and young adults whose lives have been affected by foster care. She loves indoor rock climbing, riding her motorcycle, sushi, and curating her Little Free Library.
Ramona Fletcher
AOS Meeting Manager
she/her
Ramona Fletcher joined the AOS in late 2023, and has extensive experience in meeting and event planning for associations, government vendors, and corporations. She has managed scientific meetings, educational symposia, conferences, and events, both in person and virtually. Ramona manages the AOS annual meeting and other AOS events throughout the year, and enjoys witnessing the life cycle of an event, from conception to execution. She lives with her husband in Michigan, and has a passion for travel and learning new things.
Chris Mulvaney
AOS Membership & Data Operations Manager
he/him
Chris Mulvaney joined the AOS as an independent contractor in 2017 and transitioned to a full-time role with the Society in January 2019. Previously, he served thirteen years with Chicago Wilderness, a regional conservation alliance of more than 200 organizations, where he helped to foster partnerships, facilitate regional biodiversity recovery strategies, and develop and monitor metrics toward collective impact.
Chris Anne Handel
AOS Communications & Marketing Manager
she/her
Chris Anne Handel joined the AOS in June of 2020. For more than 30 years, she’s worked as a communicator and marketer, developing communications plans for various organizations, including governmental agencies, nonprofits, and both private and publicly traded corporations. She has co-developed and deployed NASA-mission-based STEAM curriculum in K–12 and institutional environments across the U.S., while mentoring a new generation of female science educators and communicators. When she’s not avidly enjoying the Colorado outdoors, sustainably gardening, or practicing yoga in her free time, she’s likely working on paintings and drawings of animals.
Crystal Ruiz
AOS Director of Operations & Administration
she/her
Crystal Ruiz joined the AOS in March 2015 and holds a B.S./B.A. degree in accounting and Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential. Prior to AOS, Crystal worked as an administrator at a regional-based environmental non-profit and as an international accountant in a private firm.
Amani Edwards
AOS Diversity & Inclusion Coordinator
she/her
Amani Edwards joined the AOS as the diversity and inclusion coordinator in April of 2024. She has served in the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) space for more than ten years. During this time, she has helped professionals across different sectors understand their DEI needs and create strategies to build more inclusive environments. Amani has facilitated DEI workshops, focusing on understanding and mitigating bias and discrimination. She has also worked with educators to create bias-free classrooms and develop successful and engaging curricula. She has experience in higher education, healthcare, the legal field, Fortune 500 organizations, and nonprofit organizations. Amani completed her Ph.D. in Public Administration and Policy in April 2021, with a specialty in public management, and holds a bachelor’s degree in Modern Languages and Literature, with a language focus in Mandarin and Russian.
Mint Jang
AOS Administrative Assistant
she/her
Mint Jang joined the AOS part-time in August 2019 and assists staff with day-to-day operations. She hails from the Peachtree state of Georgia, loves to travel (especially for food!), and enjoys following rabbit holes of information. Her current areas of interest include sustainable living and traditional food cultures.
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