WAS Committee Assignments 2025-2026

WAS Committee Assignments 2025-2026

EXCOM - Consists of the president, Immediate past president, president elect and the treasurer

Chair

Members

Contact

Wendy Sealey

   
Wendy.Sealey@usda.gov

David Cline

clinedj@auburn.edu

 

Foluke Areola

foareola@gmail.com

 

Matt Parker

mparke11@umd.edu

Ex-officio

John Cooksey

worldaqua@was.org

Ex-officio

Judy Andrasko

judy@was.org

 

   

ELECTIONS COMMITTEE- shall consist of the Immediate Past-President as chairperson, the current President, and the President-Elect, a representative from each Chapter, two Board-approved members who have not previously served on the board, and may include one or two other members, appointed at the discretion of the President. The Election Committee shall be responsible for all matters pertaining to the conduct of the annual election, including assembling a slate of nominees for the approval of the Board, compiling and distributing the ballot, and tabulating the votes cast by the membership

Chair

Members

Contact

David Cline

   

clinedj@auburn.edu

Wendy Sealey

Wendy.Sealey@usda.gov

wendy.sealey22@gmail.com

 

Foluke Areola

foareola@gmail.com

 

Adriane Michaelis

amichaelis@vims.edu

 

Khalid Salie

ks1@sun.ac.za

 

Imad Saoud

is08@aub.edu.lb

 

Luis Gonzalez Agraz

oceanologo@gmail.com

 

Mario Velasco

mariovelasco004@gmail.com

 

Lorenzo Juarez

lorenzojuarez@yahoo.com

 

Karen Veverica

veverkl@gmail.com

 

 

 

FINANCE & LONG-RANGE PLANNING COMMITTEE - shall consist of the Treasurer and three or more appointed members. The committee shall consult with the WAS Executive Director and shall also be responsible for planning and evaluating the financial aspects of proposed conferences, projects and activities of the Society.

Chair

Members

Contact

Matt Parker

Amy Stone

amy@aquaticed.com

Mparke11@umd.edu

Jonathan van Senten

jvansenten@vt.edu

 

Ganesh Karunakaran

gkk27@msstate.edu

 

Anita Kelly

amk0105@auburn.edu

 

Luis Agraz Gonzalez

oceanologo@gmail.com

 

John Cooksey

worldaqua@was.org

 

Judy Andrasko

judya@was.org

Ex-officio

David Cline

clinedj@auburn.edu

Ex-officio

Wendy Sealey

wendy.sealey@usda.gov

wendy.sealey22@gmail.com

 

   

RULES & REGULATIONS COMMITTEE – shall consist of the Secretary and two or more additional members. The Rules and Regulations Committee shall consist of the Secretary and two or more additional members. It shall be the duty of this committee to study the Articles, Bylaws, Rules and Regulations of the Society and make recommendations for revisions.

Chair

Members

Contact

Angela Caporelli

Mick Walsh

michelle.walsh@fulbrightmail.org

angela.caporelli@ky.gov

Maria Portella

maria.c.portella@unesp.br

 

Benter Anyango

anyangobenter2017@gmail.com

 

Reg Blaylock

reg.blaylock@usm.edu

 

Matt Parker

mparke11@umd.edu

 Ex-officio

Wendy Sealey

wendy.sealey22@gmail.com

wendy.sealey@usda.gov

 Ex-officio

David Cline

Clinedj@auburn.edu

 

   

 

Conference Steering Committees. WAS representatives to Conference Steering Committees shall be appointed by the President. The WAS Conference Steering Committee representatives will represent the Society’s interest in planning and producing the meeting.

Members

Contact

 
   
     
     
     

HONORS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE – shall consist of a chairman, who is the President -Elect, and five or more additional members appointed by the President Elect including all Chapter Presidents and one industry representative. This committee shall establish criteria for awards, review honors candidates and award nominees, provide judging for competitive awards and make award and honor-related recommendations to the Board.

Chair

Members

Contact

Foluke Areola

Khalid Salie (AFRICA)

ks1@sun.ac.za

foareola@gmail.com

Imad Saoud (APC)

is08@aub.edu.lb

 

HK Lim (korea)

limhk@mokpo.ac.kr

 

Luis Gonzalez Agraz (LACC)

oceanologo@gmail.com

 

Mick Walsh (USAS)

michelle.walsh@fulbrightmail.org

 

Yahira Piedrahita

ypiedrahita@cideea.org

Ex-officio

David Cline

clinedj@auburn.edu

Ex-officio

Wendy Sealey

wendy.sealey@usda.gov

wendy.sealey22@gmail.com

 

   

PAST PRESIDENTS - The Past Presidents Committee will be chaired by the Immediate Past President. Other members will consist of the past presidents of the World Aquaculture Society who are not serving on the Society's Board of Directors. This committee shall confine its deliberations to broad policy issues and special issues as requested by the Board and shall avoid direct involvement in routine affairs of the Society. The committee shall not meet with the Board of Directors, but shall report its findings to the Board through its chairman in the form of a committee report.

Chair

Members

Contact

David Cline

All past presidents

 

clinedj@auburn.edu

   

Ex-officio

Wendy Sealey

wendy.sealey@usda.gov

wendy.sealey22@gmail.com

 

   

PUBLICATIONS - The Publication Committee shall consist of a chairman, and at least two additional members, appointed by the President. The editors of the World Aquaculture magazine, the Journal of the World Aquaculture Society and the Advances in World Aquaculture book series will serve As ex-officio members. The committee shall be responsible for the content, production, and fiscal Management of the Society's publications, the appointment of editors, the enforcement of publication policy, and the preparation of an annual publication budget. Publication editors will be responsible for submitting a budget for their publications to the Treasurer as part of the annual budgeting process. Editors will be responsible for assuring that expenditures remain within approved budgets.

Chair

Members

Contact

Catriona Macleod

David Cline

clinedj@auburn.edu

catriona.macleod@utas.edu.au

Nicole Rhody

nrhody@mote.org

 

Benter Anyango

anyangobenter2017@gmail.com

Ex-officio

Ken Cain kcain@uidaho.edu

Ex-officio

Greg Lutz

glutz@agcenter.lsu.edu

Ex-officio

Wendy Sealey

wendy.sealey@usda.gov

wendy.sealey22@gmail.com

 

   

 

STUDENT ACTIVITIES - The Student Activities Committee shall consist of a chairman and two or more additional members including the Chapter student representatives. The committee shall encourage the active participation of students in the affairs of the World Aquaculture Society, provide judging for competitive awards and pursue appropriate activities.

Chair

Members

Contact

Nicole Rhody

Khalid Salie (Co-Chair)

ks1@sun.ac.za

nrhody@mote.org

Benter Anyango

anyangobenter2017@gmail.com

  Mariam Oyinade

mizzybakare@gmail.com

 

Ana Viskovic

ana@aquaeas.eu

 

 

 

 

INDUSTRY RELATIONS - The Industries Relations Committee shall consist of a chairman who is a board member, and at least two additional members, appointed by the President. The Industrial Relations Committee is responsible for maintaining positive relations between the World Aquaculture Society and the aquaculture industry. The Industry Relations Committee will administer a survey of the tradeshow participants at each annual meeting and report the results to the board with the goal of improving tradeshow quality.

Chair

Members

Contact

Yahira Piedrahita

Luis Gonzalez Agraz

oceanologo@gmail.com

 ypiedrahita@cideea.org

Shivaun Leonard

shivaunleonard@gmail.com

 

Bibha Kumari

bibhak136@gmail.com

 

John Cooksey

worldaqua@was.org

  Rusty Grice

rtg0010@auburn.edu

 

   

PROMOTIONS & MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE - shall consist of a chairman or co-chairman, at least one representative from each Chapter, and one student member appointed by the President. The Committee shall interact with the Student Activities and Industry Relations Committees to solicit ideas and coordinate promotion and membership activities. The Committee shall develop recommendations to the Board of Directors associated with expanding global awareness of the World Aquaculture Society, improving member services, and retaining and increasing membership.

Chair

Members

Contact

Shivaun Leonard

Catriona Macleod (Co-Chair)

catriona.macleod@utas.edu.au

shivaunleonard@gmail.com

Foluke Areola

foareola@gmail.com

  Rusty Grice

rtg0010@auburn.edu

 

Kathleen Hartman

khartman@kennebecbio.com

 

Scott Snyder

Scott.snyder@zeiglerfeed.com

Ex-officio

Cassie Brown

marketing@was.org

Ex-officio Killian Haydel

killianh@was.org

Ex-officio

David Cline

clinedj@auburn.edu

Ex-officio

Wendy Sealey

wendy.sealey@usda.gov

wendy.sealey22@gmail.com

 

   

 

FELLOWS  COMMITTEE – shall consist of all WAS Fellows and shall elect a Chair from within its membership. This committee shall confine its deliberations to broad policy issues, strategic recommendations, special issues as requested by the Board or the President, and to activities that further the mission and global presence of WAS. Unless so charged, the Committee shall avoid direct involvement in routine affairs of the Society. The Committee shall not meet with the Board of Directors, but shall report its findings to the Board through its Chairman in the form of a committee report. (Established as a Standing Committee and defined by Board action September 2013, ratified by the membership May 2014).

Chair

Members

Contact

Sandy Shumway

All Fellows

 

sandra.shumway@uconn.edu

   

Ex-officio

David Cline

clinedj@auburn.edu

Ex-officio

Wendy Sealey

wendy.sealey@usda.gov

wendy.sealey22@gmail.com

COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE – shall consists of a Chair, the Executive Director, a member of the Home Office staff, a representative from each Chapter (preferably Chapter secretary or Secretariat), and up to two additional members appointed by the President. The editors of the World Aquaculture magazine, the Journal of the World Aquaculture Society and the Advances in World Aquaculture book series will serve as ex-officio members.

Chair

Members

Contact

Brian Small

Angela Caporelli

angela.caporelli@ky.gov

bcsmall@uidaho.edu

Blessing Mapfumo 

africanchapter@was.org

 

Natchavee Angsuwattananon (Nate)

apcsec@was.org

 

Jeongwhui Hong

jhong@chonnam.ac.kr

 

Carolina Amézquita

Carolina@was.org

 

Adriane Michaelis

amichaelis@vims.edu

 

Nicole Rhody

nrhody@mote.org

Ex Officio

Killian Haydel

killianh@was.org

Ex Officio

Cassie Brown

marketing@was.org

Ex Officio

Greg Lutz

glutz@agcenter.lsu.edu

Ex Officio

Ken Cain

kcain@uidaho.edu

Ex Officio

John Cooksey

worldaqua@was.org

 

   

STRATEGIC PLAN COMMITTEE – shall consist of the President, Past-President, President-Elect, Treasurer, Executive Director and two other members. *Voted to become a stand alone committee AQUA24 board meeting*

Chair

Members

Contact

Kathleen Hartman

David Cline

clinedj@auburn.edu

khartman@kennebecbio.com

Wendy Sealey

Wendy.Sealey@usda.gov

  Foluke Areola

foareola@gmail.com

 

Matt Parker

mparke11@umd.edu

 

John Cooksey

worldaqua@was.org

 

Michael Denson

densonm@dnr.sc.gov

 

Khalid Salid

ks1@sun.ac.za

 

Imad Saoud

is08@aub.edu.lb

 

HK Lim

limhk@mokpo.ac.kr

 

Luis Gonzalez Agraz

oceanologo@gmail.com

 

Adriane Michaelis

amichaelis@vims.edu

 

Nicole Rhody

nrhody@mote.org

 

Benter Anyango

anyangobenter2017@gmail.com