Post by CSA board member Eva Lewandowski

In May, four members of the CSA Board of Directors finished their terms and cycled off the Board. Many of you are familiar with Cat Stylinski, Alison Young, Michael Pocock, and Caren Cooper for their work in the citizen science field, but their contributions to the CSA Board over the past few years have been largely behind-the-scenes.  Below is a brief overview of some- not all- of the volunteer efforts these four have contributed to advancing CSA during their time on the Board. Please join us in thanking them for their leadership and commitment to CSA!

Caren Cooper has been a tireless advocate for CSA’s core principles and values, and the needs of our members. In addition to serving as Board Member-at-Large and then Vice Chair, she took the lead on several key initiatives. As part of the local host committee for CitSci2019, she brought powerful connections to the local community and worked to ensure the conference was diverse and inclusive, including securing an NSF grant to support environmental justice activities. She also drafted a plan for CSA awards and recognition, something our association does not yet have. Throughout her time on the Board, Caren’s focus on building a stable and sustainable CSA was unparalleled.

Michael Pocock approached his work with keen insight and a desire to get to the real heart of the issue. He served as Board Secretary and Liaison to the Working Groups, and he was instrumental in hiring of a new Editor-in-Chief first-ever Managing Editor for Citizen Science: Theory and Practice. He took on the lead role in the search committee that publicized, recruited, and selected two excellent scholars for these positions. Michael’s tact and kindness when handling difficult situations was always an asset.

Cat Stylinski kept the big picture in mind while ensuring all the details were correct when it came to several complex projects. She was part of the ad hoc task force that developed guidelines and a staffing transition for the CSA journal, Citizen Science: Theory and Practice. She served on and chaired the fundraising committee, ensuring that CSA had a robust and effective fundraising strategy, and she worked with Caren Cooper to create a budgetary reserve policy to increase CSA’s financial sustainability. Throughout these administrative projects she always maintained a sense of humor and an upbeat attitude.

Alison Young took on a number of leadership roles within the Board, serving as Board Vice Chair and Chair of the Program Committee. She provided continuity to some essential work, including securing conference sponsorships, inviting and reviewing conference proposals for CitSci2021, and fundraising. Alison often stepped up when no one else was able, and she brought a depth of understanding in organizational effectiveness and growth to our young Board. 

Pictures provided

Posted on: June 15, 2020  |  Category: Blog, CSA Blog