We have a highly-qualified slate this year. Please vote carefully. There are four officers, who are running without opposition for their positions. There are five candidates for the remaining five at-large positions. Some of these are new candidates and some are board members choosing to return again for another year of service.
Below the ballot you will find information that the candidates provided to support their nomination.
VOTING GUIDELINES:
Your completed ballot must be sent via email to 2015 NSWA Election Chair David Williams at voting@nwscience.org by 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 2, 2015. Results will be officially announced at the NSWA annual event on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015. More information on the event is available here.
The copy below can be pasted into an e-mail and filled out in the body of the message.
OFFICER CANDIDATES
President: Mary Guiden: _____
Vice President: Keith Seinfeld: _____
Secretary: David George Gordon: _____
Treasurer: David Ansley: _____
Or write-in (include office and candidate’s name): __________________________
AT-LARGE CANDIDATES
Maria Dolan: _____
Jane Hu: _____
Michelle Ma: _____
Lynne Peeples: _____
Matt Vivion: _____
Or write-in (include office and candidate’s name): ___________________________
President:
Mary Guiden – I’m currently working as a communications manager/public information officer for the Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering at the University of Washington. I’ve worked in the PR realm for nearly 10 years, and worked as a reporter covering science, medicine and health policy prior to that time here in Seattle and in Washington, D.C. I’ve been a member of NSWA since 2007 and have enjoyed becoming more connected and involved over the last year.
After one year as an at-large board member and having watched David and Molly lead us through a great year, I’ve decided to run for NSWA president. If I am elected, I’ll plan to implement some ideas that come from our fearless leaders, including shaking up the program schedule and holding more social events. I’d like to draw in new members and continue to engage our current members. I’d also like to boost our social media presence, and hope to find a college student or young scientist who might want to become a NSWA intern. Thanks for your vote.
Vice President:
Keith Seinfeld – I am a communications officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County, where I’ve been for a year-and-a-half. Prior to that, for about 16 years, I was a Health & Science reporter and assistant news director at KPLU in Seattle. I’ve also had brief stints at the Seattle Times and News Tribune, and spent 2007-08 with the Knight Fellowships at MIT. I joined the NSWA board in 2011.
While my writing these days veers more towards policy than science, I still find myself in the front lines of communicating about diseases, risk, and research. I love to follow the twists and turns of the latest research, and I care about nurturing and advancing quality science writing aimed at the wider public. NSWA has been a great way to expand my knowledge and to make connections in our local community.
Our board has embraced new forms of writing and communicating, through a variety of programs over the past couple years, and I strongly support continuing to have programs that focus on the craft of writing/producing/Tweeting/promoting our work, along with backgrounders on current scientific research. I support continuing to hold a monthly NSWA gathering. But I also support a variation that some members have been discussing for next year: Alternate between regularly scheduled programs (on the second Wed. of every other month) and programs that are a bit more social in nature (such as field trips to local research hubs or businesses, partnering with other groups holding events, meet-ups with visiting authors, etc.).
Secretary:
David George Gordon has been an at-large board member for the past two years. He is now running for the position of Secretary on the NSWA board. David is a freelance writer, public speaker and insect chef, specializing in topics of so-called fringe science. His 20th book, best described as “citizen science meets the Sasquatch,” will be released in May 2015. He is passionate about science writing and interested in all aspects of the craft— especially making a living at it. He is eager to continue making NSWA a rewarding, vital and fun organization.
Treasurer:
David Ansley – After several decades covering science and medicine for newspapers, magazines and websites, I now run ConsumerHealthChoices.org for Consumer Reports. I also have contributed to the UC-Santa Cruz science writing program and the Knight Fellowships at MIT. I’ve enjoyed serving as NSWA Treasurer for several years now and would like to keep doing so. The duties include managing our funds, keeping our state and federal records up to date, and running the software that keeps track of your membership.
Members At Large (Vote for up to Five)
Maria Dolan – I have been a freelancer in Seattle for more than 15 years, writing on a variety of subjects including natural history, travel, the environment and health for The Seattle Times, Seattle Magazine, Seattle Metropolitan, Sunset, Slate, Smithsonian.com and many other publications. I have also worked as a copywriter, book reviewer, ghost and guidebook writer. I’d love to support local science writers by joining the NSWA Board. I’m also a member of the Society of Environmental Journalists, and I’d be happy to help strengthen the connection between NSWA and SEJ.
Jane Hu – As a new Seattlite, I’m eager to get involved with the local science writing community. I joined NSWA the first week I moved here, and joining the board would be a great opportunity to further connect with and support local writers, and to explore topics in science and writing that I may not have the chance to explore otherwise.
If elected, I’d bring my diverse experiences as a scientist, journalist, freelancer, and science communicator to the NSWA board. I’m currently an outreach specialist at UW’s Institute of Learning & Brain Sciences (I-LABS), while freelance science writing on the side. I spent my summer at Slate as a AAAS Mass Media fellow, and before that, I completed a PhD in psychology at UC Berkeley.
I’d also bring my event-planning skills to NSWA. In my grad student years, I spearheaded several new endeavors around campus, including two talk series in my department, the alt-ac career conference Beyond Academia, and the Berkeley psychology department’s newsletter, PsychologiCal, so I’m very comfortable coordinating speakers, publicizing events, and other event logistics!
Michelle Ma – I’m a science writer and public information officer in the University of Washington’s news office. For the past two years I’ve covered research out of the engineering departments on topics ranging from big data and gesture-based technologies to smarter prosthetics, fusion power and hydrology in the Pacific Northwest. I just recently moved into the position of assistant director, and along with that a new beat that focuses on natural resources, sustainability and environmental research around Puget Sound. I started covering science topics as a small-town newspaper reporter and have always found a way to indulge that passion, even when it’s not directly part of my job. I appreciate the comradery and support that our science writing community offers, and I would love to contribute to maintaining and even strengthening this organization. As a board member, I think I could contribute fresh ideas and my passion for the craft. I’m organized, reliable, trustworthy and enjoy a good challenge in the company of others. I hope you’ll consider me for the board.
Lynne Peeples covers the environment and public health for The Huffington Post, and as a freelancer. She has written for outlets including Scientific American, Reuters Health, Popular Science, Audubon Magazine and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Lynne completed a master’s in Biostatistics from Harvard and a master’s in “Science, Health and Environmental Reporting” from New York University. After 15 years away, she is grateful to be back home in the Pacific Northwest and would be honored to help NSWA continue building a vibrant community of science writers and science writing-connoisseurs!
Matt Vivion – I’m a Seattle-based Web designer and copywriter. I’m currently NSWA’s webmaster and have served as an at-large board member for two years. I redesigned our website in fall of 2010 and again in winter of 2012. The website features a calendar of science events, Facebook and Twitter integration, a ScienceWire blog highlighting recent writing by members, and more. I joined NSWA in April 2008 and also worked as our calendar editor during my first year as a member. I also established our Facebook and Twitter accounts and co-maintain them. I’m currently the web manager for the fundraising team at Swedish and have had similar roles for the UW. In a former life, I was the secretary for the communications director at The Seattle Public Library during an ambitious capital campaign. I have a bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in screenwriting from the University of California, Riverside. I would like to continue helping fellow members engage with peers and reach their professional goals in 2015 and beyond.