Any active DCSWA member is eligible to join our volunteer board. Board members plan professional development and social events and attend a monthly board meeting. The time commitment is just a few hours per month, plus attendance at DCSWA events as your schedule allows. If you’re interested or would like more information, email the DCSWA president (address below).
DCSWA Board of Directors
2026-2027
Officers
Leigh Anne Kelley, President
Director of Communications, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
email: president@dcswa.org
Daniela Benites, Vice President
Communications Coordinator, A. James Clark School of Engineering at UMD
email: vicepres@dcswa.org
Anashe Bandari, Secretary
Science Writer, American Institute of Physics
email: secretary@dcswa.org
Ben Stein, Treasurer
Managing Editor, National Institute of Standards and Technology
email: treasurer@dcswa.org
Wayne Pereanu, Deputy Treasurer
Science Writer, National Institutes of Health
Abha Eli, Social Media Chair
Freelance
Ruscena Wiederholt, Co-Social Events Chair
Science Writer, TriplePundit
email: socialchair@dcswa.org
Brianna Barbu, Co-Social Events Chair
Physical Sciences Reporter, Chemical and Engineering News
Charles Armstrong, Membership Chair
Freelance
email: membership@dcswa.org
Martha Heil, Development and Sponsorships
Freelance
Margarita Yatsevich, Newsbrief Awards
Freelance
Members at Large
Josh Chamot
Host, Someday, in Science
Jessica Frost
Scientific Technical Writer
Isabell May
Associate Professor and Director, Science Communication Program, UMB
Rebekah Mikeasky
Communications Specialist, Johns Hopkins Medicine
Leanne Wiberg
Freelance
Past DCSWA Presidents
2025 – 2026…… Elizabeth Landau
2024 – 2025…… Michael E. Newman
2023 – 2024…… Samantha Jones
2022 – 2023…… Richard Sima
2021 – 2022…… Emily Conover
2020 – 2021…… Rachael Lallensack
2019 – 2020…… Sushma Subramanian
2018 – 2019…… Matthew Wright
2017 – 2018…… Lauren Lipuma
2016 – 2017…… Kasha Patel
2015 – 2016…… Gabriel Popkin
2014 – 2015…… Jennifer Lauren Lee
2013 – 2014…… Aries Keck
2012 – 2013…… Charles Blue
2011 – 2012…… Jennifer Huergo
2010 – 2011…… Andrea Widener
2009 – 2010…… James Riordon
2008 – 2009…… Shawna Williams
2007 – 2008…… Brian Vastag
2006 – 2007…… Gail Porter
2005 – 2006…… Anne Bolen
2004 – 2005…… Mitch Waldrop
2003 – 2004…… Aaron Levin
2002 – 2003…… Craig Hicks
2001 – 2002…… Josh Fischman
2000 – 2001…… Lisa Orange
1999 – 2000…… Colin Macilwain
1998 – 1999…… John Travis
1997 – 1998…… David Jarmul
1996 – 1997…… Carol Ezzell
1995 – 1996…… Mary Knudson
1994 – 1995…… Larry Shuster
1993 – 1994…… Rick Borchelt
1992 – 1993…… Tim Beardsley
1991 – 1992…… David Wheeler
1990 – 1991…… Larry Thompson
1989 – 1990…… Joe Palca
1988 – 1989…… Richard Harris