CERF Committees

We could not do the important work of the Federation without the generosity, expertise, and dedication of our volunteers! We thank all of our chairs and committee members for their invaluable contributions. If you would like more information about committee work, please review the “About CERF Committees and Volunteer Opportunities” below and email [email protected].

About CERF Committees and Volunteer Opportunities | 20252027 Committees
Short-Term Task Forces | CERF Publications

2025–2027 Committees

2027 Biennial Conference
Co-Chairs – Arnoldo Valle-Levinson, Margaret Mulholland, and Julio Morrell
Develops the scientific, attendee experience, and inclusive culture programs for the conference.

Affiliate Society Presidents
Chair – Stephanie Archer
Maintain and improve coordination, communication, and knowledge sharing across the Affiliate Societies (AS) and between the Affiliates and CERF.

Finance, Investment, and Audit
Chair – Dave Tomasko
Provide oversight of the Federation's financial status and make recommendations to the Governing Board about CERF's investment asset allocations and financing activities.

Globalization
Chair – Alia Al-Haj
Serve an advisory role when needed to provide input on how CERF can be more welcoming to a global community.

Leadership and Volunteer Development
Chair – Joe Reustle
Develop and implement content and programs to recruit and retain volunteers and generate a pipeline of future CERF and the Affiliate Society leaders.

Mentorship Program
Chair – Aaron Ridell
Continue implementation of the newly developed year-round mentoring program.

Online CERF Communities
Chair – Justine Whitaker
Recruit new online communities; assist communities in increasing engagement.

Policy and Advocacy
Chair – Jes Watts
Develop activities to meet CERF’s mission of translating science to policy and management.

Publications and Communication
Co-Chairs – Elisa Baldrighi and Kyle Capistrant-Fossa
Works to coordinate all CERF publications and to improve and promote our publications and communication to maximize the impact of the work of CERF.

Task Forces

Achievement Awards
Chair – TBD
Recruit nominations and select achievement award recipients.

Business Model
Chair – Dave Tomasko
The task force will analyze the current business model and business lines of CERF and make recommendations to improve long-term solvency and sustainability.

Continuing Education Program Development
Chair – Anna Braswell
Develop topics and mechanisms for continuing education programming, such as reviewing papers, policy and advocacy, and developing business skills, for members in an off-conference year.

Early Career Peer Reviewer Training Program
Chair – Jeff Clements
Develop and implement an annual training program for early-career researchers to contribute to their professional development and increase the quantity and quality of reviewers for ESCO.

Governing Board Nominations
Chair – Linda Blum
Recruit and review Governing Board nominations.

Legacy Fund Scholarship
Chair – TBD
Develop and implement mechanisms to evaluate and determine the future course for the Legacy Fund.

Rising TIDES and ILP Fundraising
Co-Chairs – Allison Fitzgerald and Christine Whitcraft
Seek funding support to sustain Rising TIDES and the Inclusive Leadership Program.


CERF Publications Editors

Estuaries and Coasts

Coeditors in Chief
Just Cebrian
Independent Consultant

Paul Montagna
Harte Research Institute / Texas A&M
University Corpus Christi

Melisa Wong
Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Reviews Editor
Ken Heck
Dauphin Island Sea Lab / University of South Alabama

Managing Editor
Taylor Bowen

CERF's Up! 

Coeditors
Kyle A Capistrant-Fossa
The University of Texas Marine Science Insitute

Julie Walker
University of Massachusetts Amherst

 

About CERF Committees and Volunteer Opportunities

As a member-driven organization, CERF relies on volunteers to develop and implement the majority of its programming. Committees and volunteer service are critical to the functioning of the Federation and are important pathways for leadership development. The Governing Board intentionally seeks to form committees with diverse membership in line with our values and diversity statement, create equitable opportunities for participation and leadership, minimize known barriers to participation, promote a welcoming environment, and provide meaningful and rewarding volunteer opportunities. The Governing Board is responsible for ensuring committee work is implemented effectively and responsibly to advance the work of the Federation, and volunteer time is valued.

While most committees continue from year to year, CERF has no standing committees per our bylaws. Every two years, the President and Governing Board determine the committees and short-term task forces needed to accomplish the board’s biennial goals, guided by the Visions V Strategic Plan. Committees operate for the two year period between biennial CERF conferences; short-term task forces are intended to quickly address an emerging opportunity or challenge. CERF also offers many “micro-volunteering” opportunities – discrete tasks with a definitive endpoint that can be done within a relatively short period of time (e.g., 2-3 hours) – for those who would like to volunteer but cannot make a two-year commitment or want to try out volunteering before committing to a larger role.

A call for volunteers is released the summer before each CERF conference for the upcoming biennium; however, we welcome new volunteers at any time! You can contact the chair(s) of the committee you are interested in or email [email protected].