NAGT Committees

Much of NAGT's work is accomplished through the work of members who volunteer their time and effort on our committees. Our committees and their members are listed below, along with their terms of service by year.

Professional Development | Programs | Awards | Grants and Scholarships | Management | Ad hoc Committees

Professional Development

Professional Development Planning Committee

The Professional Development (PD) Planning Committee is responsible for the planning of NAGT's Professional Development Program. The scope and budget for the program is set by the NAGT Executive Committee. The PD Planning Committee is responsible for the ensuring that workshop and website offerings in aggregate address the needs and priorities of the membership. The PD Planning Committee is appointed by the Executive Committee and reports to the Executive Committee.

  • Karen Viskupic (Chair)
  • Walt Robinson (TWP Chair) ('21-'25)
  • Cailin Huyck Orr (SERC staff)
  • Rory McFadden ('19-'25)
  • Megan Plenge (EER 2023)
  • Andrea Bair (EER 2024)
  • Brendan Hanger ('23-'26)
  • Jen Wenner (TTE Subcommittee Chair) ('22-'25)
  • Adrianne Leinbach (Webinar Subcommittee Chair) ('22-'25)
  • Mitchell Bender-Awalt (SERC staff)
  • Anne Egger (ex officio)

Teach the Earth Website Committee

The TTE website management committee will provide stewardship for the NAGT websites, including setting editorial policies. The committee provides expertise to NAGT on matters of website development and use. SERC is responsible for development of the website and implementation of the committee's policies. This committee reports to the professional development planning committee. Members will serve three-year terms unless they are serving by virtue of their position.

  • Jennifer Wenner (Chair) ('16-'21, '22-'25)
  • Sean Fox (SERC staff)
  • Kyle Fredrick ('16-TBD)
  • Becca Walker ('20-'26)
  • Andy Bobyarchick ('20-'26)
  • Laura Guertin ('20-'26)
  • Chris Berg ('23-'26)
  • Ander Sundell ('23-'26)
  • Disha Okhai ('23-'26)
  • Christy Visaggi (ex officio)

Traveling Workshops Program Management Committee

The Traveling Workshops Program (TWP) brings national leaders in environmental, sustainability, and geoscience education to your campus, regional, or national event. The Traveling Workshops Program focuses on opportunities to strengthen both courses and programs including attracting and supporting diverse students.

  • Walt Robinson (co-Chair) ('19-'25)
  • Catherine Riihimaki ('19-'25)
  • Reginald Archer ('21-'24)
  • Mitchell Bender-Awalt (SERC staff)
  • David Blockstein ('21-'24)
  • Diane Doser ('20-'26)
  • Edith Davis ('21-'24)
  • Rachel Teasdale ('19-'25)
  • Cindy Shellito ('20-'26)

Webinar Planning Committee

The committee will design and implement an annual NAGT Webinar Series that serves community needs and will find appropriate speakers to fill the schedule. SERC will set up websites and technology etc. NAGT staff will to do marketing with input from the committee. The committee is appointed by the PD committee, is represented by a member on the PD committee and reports to them.

  • Adrianne Leinbach (Chair) ('19 -'25)
  • Aida Awad ('19 -'25)
  • Margie Turrin ('19 -'25)
  • Emily Scribner ('21-'24)
  • Karen Layou ('21-'24)
  • Debbie French ('23-'26)
  • Julie Ferguson ('23-'26)
  • Ashley Carlson (SERC staff)
  • Cailin Huyck Orr (SERC staff)

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Programs

NAGT Advocacy Committee

In consultation with the Executive Committee, the Advocacy Committee leads NAGT's advocacy efforts. Membership will consist of at least five and no more than ten members of the NAGT appointed by the Executive Committee. Members will serve in staggered three-year terms. Membership will ideally include representatives who serve as liaisons to policy or advocacy committees for other geoscience professional organizations and include a diversity of expertise, experience, and geographic region. The NAGT Executive Committee shall appoint one of its members as the Advocacy Committee Chair.

  • Mike Phillips (Chair) ('19-'26)
  • Don Haas ('18-'26)
  • Wendi J. W. Williams ('18-'26)
  • Suzanne Metlay ('18-'24)
  • Brendan Anderson ('22-'25)
  • Guang Zeng ('23-'26)

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee facilitates NAGT's DEI efforts to build an inclusive and equitable organization, and achieve its goals related to diversity of its membership, leadership, committees, award winners, and participants in all events. The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee reports to the Executive Committee.

  • Susan Meabh Kelly (Chair) ('22-'25)
  • Anika Knight ('22-'25)
  • Meghan Cook ('23-'26)
  • Ashleigh Quiroz ('23-'26)
  • Dana Thomas (ex officio)


Award Committees

Robert Christman Distinguished Service Award Committee

The Executive Committee administers the selection of the Robert Christman Distinguished Service Award.

Neil Miner Award Committee

This committee selects the recipient of the annual Neil Miner Award. The Committee is composed of the President, who serves as Chair, the immediate Past-President; the Secretary/Treasurer; and two members recommended by the Executive Committee. No one may serve as an appointed member for more than two years in succession. The Committee shall select the recipient of the Neil Miner Award.

  • Reginald Archer (Chair) (ex officio, President)
  • Christy Visaggi (ex officio, Past President)
  • Michael Phillips (ex officio, Secretary/Treasurer)
  • Michael Hubenthal ('22-'24)
  • Alec Aitken ('23-'25)

James H. Shea Award Committee

This committee selects the recipient of the James H. Shea Award. The Committee consists of five members, four of whom are appointed by the Executive Committee for staggered four-year terms (one new member is appointed each year for a four-year term. The Editor of the Journal of Geoscience Education is an ex officio, voting member of the committee. The senior member of the Committee (that member who is in the last year of his/her term) serves as the Chair of the Committee.

  • Laura Guertin ('20-'24)
  • Avery Shinneman ('22-'26)
  • Maxwell Dahlquist ('23-'27)
  • Angela Hessler (JGE Editor, ex officio)

Excellence in JEDI Award

The DEI Committee selects the recipient of the annual Excellence in JEDI award.

Outstanding Earth Science Teacher Award Committee (OEST)

This is a committee to administer the annual Outstanding Earth Science Teacher Awards.

  • Meghan Cook (Chair) ('23-'25)
  • Christopher Roemmele (Eastern)
  • Nancy Chen (Far West)
  • Susan Meabh Kelly (Northeastern)
  • Jodie Harnden (Pacific Northwest)
  • Cheryl Manning (Rocky Mountain)

Outstanding Teaching Assistant Awards

NAGT recognizes outstanding teaching assistants in geoscience education with up to 30 awards annually. Both undergraduate and graduate teaching assistants are eligible for the award.

  • Katherine Ryker (Chair)
  • Rick Ford
  • Chelsea Lancelle
  • Dana Thomas

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Grants and scholarships committees

Dottie Stout Professional Development Grants Committee

This Committee administers the selection of the recipients of the Dottie Stout Professional Development Grants "in honor of Dottie's outstanding work and lifelong dedication to Earth science education".

  • David Voorhees (Chair) ('16-'26)
  • Alec Aitken ('19-'26)
  • Pete Berquist ('23-'26)
  • Bill Richards ('23-'26)
  • Deborah Steller (Daughter of Dottie Stout)
  • Diana Steller (Daughter of Dottie Stout)

Scholarships for Field Study Committee

This committee reviews the NAGT Scholarships for Field Study applications and selects the scholarship recipients.

  • Lydia Fox (Chair) ('16-'26)
  • Claire McLeod ('20-'26)
  • Ander Sundell ('23-'26)

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Management committees

Investment Committee

The Investment Committee is responsible for reviewing the performance of investments and recommending changes to the Executive Committee in accordance with the National Association of Geoscience Teachers endowment policy. The Committee is composed of a Chair and three other members as directed by the Executive Committee. The membership of the Investment Committee will include the Second Vice President and two NAGT at-large members appointed by the Executive Committee to 3-year staggered terms.

  • Gene Pearson (Chair)
  • Randy Richardson ('18-'24)
  • Katherine Ryker (2nd Vice-President, ex officio)
  • Michael Phillips (Secretary/Treasurer, ex officio)

Nominating Committee

This Committee shall present to the Executive Director a list of nominations to be sent to the membership of the Association. The Committee shall be composed each year of the five most recent available Past-Presidents of the Association, the immediate Past-President serving as Chair.

Development Committee

The Development Committee will oversee and implement fundraising strategies to support NAGT's programs, scholarships and stipends, new initiatives, and general financial health. The committee reports to the Executive Committee.

  • Anne Egger (Executive Director, ex officio)
  • Mitchell Bender-Awalt (SERC Staff)
  • Karen Viskupic (Professional Development Committee Chair, ex officio)
  • Michael Phillips (Secretary/Treasurer, ex officio)
  • Katherine Ryker ('23-'26)

Membership Committee

The Membership Committee is charged with developing and implementing strategies for identifying and recruiting potential members and engaging and retaining current members. The committee reports to the Executive Committee.

  • Alex Manda (Chair)
  • Anne Egger (ex officio)
  • Kim Cheek ('23-'26)
  • Becca Walker ('23-'26)
  • Steve Mattox
  • Michael Phillips
  • Katherine Ryker
  • Dana Thomas
  • Christy Visaggi
  • Mitchell Bender-Awalt (SERC staff)

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Ad hoc Committees

K-12 Committee (2022)

This committee is charged with developing recommendations for how to increase the value of NAGT's programming and member benefits for K–12 educators, and implement these recommendations as supported by the Executive Committee.

  • Nancy Chen (Chair)
  • Christy Visaggi
  • Kellyn Griffin
  • Cheryl Manning
  • Enrique Reyes
  • Sabrina Ewald
  • Belinda Jacobs
  • Dawn Chegwidden

Sections Committee (2022)

This committee is charged with re-envisioning and strengthening our framework for sections and making recommendations to the Executive Committee for implementation.

  • Mitchell Bender-Awalt
  • Margaret Crowder
  • Lynsey LeMay
  • Susan Meabh Kelly
  • Craig Nichol
  • Sean Tvelia
  • Christy Visaggi (Chair)
  • Emily Ward

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