Prsident message September 2021
Greetings Cal-Neva Members! Hopefully this finds you well, despite the continuing COVID-19 pandemic and yet another devastating California-Nevada fire season. Our lives continue to be affected by a changing world, but the fish persevere, as do we! The continued hard work of our membership throughout these last 18 months has been truly impressive.
Despite the continuing inability to meet face-to-face, the Cal-Neva Executive Committee still holds monthly conference calls and is conducting chapter business as usual. This includes the recent award of small research grants to well-deserving recipients, beginning to engage with other chapters and Western Division AFS to develop early career mentorship programs, and plan for our Chapter’s annual meeting. For details of these and other ongoing business please check out the Executive Committee meeting minutes at the chapter website (afs-calneva.org/communications/meeting-minutes), or reach out to myself [[email protected]] or an ExComm member directly.
Our 2022 annual general meeting is scheduled for February 14-17th and, although the constantly changing public health concerns of the COVID-19 pandemic necessitate flexibility, President-Elect Eva Bush and the Planning Committee are dedicated to organizing an event highlighting the breadth and quality of science and conservation driven by chapter members and others. If you have any interest in joining the Planning Committee please contact myself or Eva Bush [[email protected]].
I would like to take a second to acknowledge two members of the Executive Committee who have stepped down. Lisa Thompson was Chair of the Communications Committee for five years, and did a fantastic amount of work coordinating communications among the Chapter. Stephanie Durkacz was Chair of the Continuing Education Committee and coordinated continuing education events at our 2021 virtual annual meeting, as well as previous meetings. Many thanks to them both, and we (both the Chapter and the Executive Committee) greatly appreciate all of their time and effort.
I hope to see you soon at the annual meeting (in whatever format it takes), and until then, take care of yourselves, your loved ones, and the fish!
Signed,
Chapter President Matt Young