The ASA announces the candidates for the 2021 election. Voting begins April 1 and goes until May 1. Make sure to look for your ballots in your email inbox.
Running for Board of Directors President-Elect 2022
David Williamson
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
It’s still “Communication, communication, communication!”
In 2016, I wrote, “It’s communication, communication, communication!” into my candidacy statement for ASA vice president because each of the ASA’s priorities and the statistics profession’s challenges/opportunities can be addressed more effectively with enhanced communication. This was reinforced the last five years as I served three years as ASA vice president and on the Board of Directors, was liaison for 20+ ASA committees, served as chair of the Membership and Professional Issues and Visibility councils, and as I continue to direct the ASA’s Statistical Impact Task Force. These experiences, plus my scientific leadership of complex studies at CDC, position me well to direct the scientific and administrative roles of ASA president.
Though circumstances may shift priorities, the following ones demand our most attention:
Enhance the value of ASA membership. Growing up in the south and seeing segregated water fountains as a youngster ingrained in me a commitment to equality and justice for all, and I commend and commit to the ASA’s Anti-Racism Task Force and the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Outreach Group to ensure all ASA members are treated respectfully/fairly and have opportunities to contribute to and lead the ASA. We need to strive to increase the number of minorities and students in the ASA and incorporate them into vibrant roles, hear what all our members want/need, and be responsive.
Increase statistical impact. Let’s continue our commitment to the Leadership Institute to give our members the tools they need to be successful and to the Impact Initiative to raise awareness of the positive impacts the field has already contributed to and in areas where the promise for impact is present.
Be proactive in data modernization efforts. We must continue to engage at the highest levels on big data/data modernization to best leverage data access, use, and analysis in, for example, responses to emergencies such as COVID-19.
Dionne Price
US Food and Drug Administration
The year 2020 will not be forgotten. We grappled with a pandemic, social injustices, and natural disasters. Our expertise equipped us to address these problems, and our humanity caused us to reflect on our inclusiveness. I felt pride about our contributions, and I was encouraged by our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). It is with this pride that I am excited to be a candidate for ASA president. I believe a continued focus on awareness, advocacy, and adaptability are imperative. Please visit www.dionneforasapresident.net.
Awareness: While an undergraduate, an internship exposed me to the impact of statisticians and set me on the path to becoming a statistician. Although much time has passed, there remains a need to increase awareness of our profession. Moreover, many are not members of the ASA. There is a need to highlight and broaden the value of membership such that we continue to grow and have influence across diverse areas, and we must ensure our collective awareness and engagement around DEI.
Advocacy: Throughout 2020, data was paramount to critical decisions. As such, we must continue to ensure that statistics are properly used to answer questions of interest. This will require communication, education, and advocacy for sound statistical science. We must critically evaluate how to best lead, engage, and collaborate to guarantee that statistical principles are applied to drive discovery and inform decisions.
Adaptability: In drug development, adaptive designs allow for modifications to clinical trials. Like these designs, we need to continue to evaluate where we need to make modifications to keep pace with contemporary questions and movements. We must also continue to play an active role in science policy to ensure our value is not diminished.
Awareness, advocacy, and adaptability are essential to our future. The privilege of leading the ASA in partnership with all members would be an honor.
Running for Board of Directors Vice President 2022–2024
Nick Horton
Amherst College
If elected, I would focus my efforts on aspects of visibility of the profession, diversifying the profession, and extending our ongoing research and education efforts.
As the world’s largest community of statisticians, the American Statistical Association plays a key role in the development, application, and dissemination of statistical methods and practice. At a time when data are increasingly used to make decisions, this is a wonderful time to be a statistician. But there are a number of internal and external challenges and opportunities that we face as a profession. As vice president, I would work to promote the practice and profession of statistics in the following ways:
- Help ensure that statistics is at the core of data science
- Build on efforts to ensure that the profession is diverse and inclusive and to foster the success of those that have been historically underrepresented and underappreciated
- Work to make statistical careers more attractive and increase the visibility of the discipline in areas of science, government, and business that rely on data
- Prepare statisticians for success by continuing to transform statistics and data science education at the secondary and university levels
I work as an applied biostatistician on a variety of biomedical and behavioral research projects. These experiences have demonstrated the power of statistics to ensure that science is on a solid foundation. Through my prior work on the ASA Undergraduate Guidelines Group and several data science education initiatives of the National Academies, I see the explosive growth of interest and enrollments in statistics and data science. There are critical aspects of statistical thinking and practice that are needed for effective data science. The expansion of our programs provides an opportunity for us to help ensure that statisticians are not left behind while other fields define the field.
David Banks
Duke University
Back in December, Ron Wasserstein, the ASA director, sent all the candidates for the ASA Board his assessment of the strengths and challenges our association faces. Many are longstanding: Our membership is flat at a time when we should be expanding; we are struggling to define ourselves in the context of data science and machine learning; the business model for journal publication is changing under our feet. Those who know me know I have informed ideas about all of these topics.
One issue was new, and I want to use this very public forum to address it. Partly in response to the murder of George Floyd, but also for many other good reasons, the ASA has launched an anti-racism task force, JEDI Outreach, where JEDI stands for Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. I am proud to be part of an organization that takes this issue on. And I am proud to see that two of the candidates on this year’s slate for the ASA Board are African American. We need that.
But I am also disappointed that none of this year’s candidates is of Chinese descent. Our field is filled with eminently qualified Chinese statisticians who have made huge contributions to our profession over many, many decades. But there has never been an ASA president with that heritage, and too few board members. I think this lack is an embarrassing oversight.
This is supposed to be a candidate statement. So, if elected, I shall advocate for the nomination of well-qualified Chinese statisticians to leadership roles in the ASA. And to avoid the unseemly taint of identity politics, I hope the ASA Committee on Nominations will have the wisdom to select two people of Chinese descent to run against each other for the office of ASA president. It is long overdue.
Running for Board of Directors Council of Sections Representative 2022–2024
Michelle Shardell
University of Maryland School of Medicine
As many of us continue to work at home, the ASA has expanded its service to our professional community. As a scientist, educator, and active member in ASA sections and the Statistical Partnerships Among Academe, Industry, and Government (SPAIG) Committee, I am poised to contribute to this service as an ASA Board of Directors Council of Sections Governing Board representative. It is an honor to be considered for this role.
This past year, the ASA responded to the challenges of COVID-19 and the 2020 Census, which exemplify the need for statistical rigor and provide opportunities to enhance the visibility and future of our profession. K–6 Statistics and Data Science is a key initiative. As a Biometrics Section Outreach Award recipient, I also aim to promote our profession among students at 2- and 4-year colleges.
Interest in statistics and data science has increased, but ASA and section membership have not. To find out why, we must engage statistics and data science professionals who are not ASA or section members. As part of SPAIG, I have promoted ASA sections’ value by highlighting section collaborations. I also aim to identify the needs of professionals who have yet to find a home in the ASA.
The ASA community is strengthened by diversity. To realize this strength, we must remove bias as a barrier to participation. ASA efforts to prevent sexual harassment, assault, and racism and [create] groups that promote justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion are key agents to this end. Meeting this goal also requires that we listen to professionals who are part of underrepresented groups, but not yet ASA members.
We must identify how the ASA can be a welcoming professional home for all statisticians and data scientists. The long-term goal is a strong community that serves society via statistical best practices. Thank you for considering me for the privilege of serving on the ASA Board of Directors. I am enthusiastic to contribute toward community and collaboration both within and beyond the ASA.
Mulugeta Gebregziabher
Medical University of South Carolina
I am honored to be nominated for the Council of Sections Governing Board representative to the ASA Board of Directors. I am excited by the opportunity to contribute to the betterment of the ASA and its sections.
Through my leadership and service experience in academia, ASA sections, and ASA chapters, I am familiar with the opportunities and challenges the ASA faces in its endeavors to contribute to the growth and recognition of the science of statistics in education, practice, and research. The ASA brings together statisticians and students from across the world and provides a voice to advocate collectively on matters of fundamental importance to society. If elected, I will bring global/local perspectives that contribute to the diversity of views needed to be impactful in today’s world.
In recent years, the ASA has boldly and impactfully taken an anti-racism stand in addition to the many activities of advocacy on issues that directly impact humanity. These issues are closer to the hearts of all ASA members and hence I pledge to contribute to increasing the ASA’s impact in this area. The professional development programs, including mentoring for junior and underrepresented minorities, are something that I would like to advocate [for] and see grow. I am personally grateful for the positive impact the ASA has had on my career through my participation in those programs and hence, if elected, I would like to help in their growth.
I joined the ASA in 2004 and have benefited from membership via its career building trainings, world-class conferences, and, more importantly, the people that I meet through all the networking opportunities that the ASA provides. I have served the ASA community in different capacities, which provided me with understanding of the ASA and its operations. As a faculty [member] who is originally from Africa and with interests in both local and global research and education, I will serve the ASA community by bringing a unique perspective.
It’s my honor to ask you to vote for me!
Running for Board of Directors Council of Chapters Representative (Region 2) 2022–2024
Kendra Schmid
University of Nebraska Medical Center
It is an honor to be nominated to serve as the Board of Directors Council of Chapters representative for Region 2. I am excited about the chance to further contribute to the American Statistical Association and statistics community in the role. Over the last 10 years, I have served at both the local and national levels, for both chapters and sections, most recently as secretary for the Council of Chapters Governing Board. Through these service roles and my ASA membership in general, I have seen the great opportunities and possibilities that exist because of our chapters and sections and am constantly awed by the amazing work done by the staff and an organization that relies so heavily on its membership and volunteers.
If elected, I will work with other board members to support the ASA mission and vision and implement elements of the strategic plan. The recent months have brought us all many challenges, but with adversity comes incredible opportunity, and this situation is no different. Facing a global pandemic has encouraged us all to think outside the box in all aspects of our lives. Professional organizations are not immune to the effects of the pandemic, and I will use my position on the board of directors to help think creatively of solutions and ideas to address both current issues and issues arising from the pandemic.
Over the years, I have benefited a great deal through my ASA membership and am enthusiastic about doing my part to keep a strong and vital organization for the future of the profession. I am grateful to be a member and for all of the rewarding professional and personal experiences afforded to me through my membership. I am fully committed to the mission and strategic plan of the ASA and look forward to the possibility of a new way to contribute.
Ananda Jayawardhana
Pittsburgh State University
I am honored to be a candidate for the ASA Board of Directors representing the Council of Chapters (COC). I have been active in our local chapter, bearing all the elected positions and then in the COC as the secretary and chair. This service of about 15 years has given me a good perspective of the needs of the chapters from the ASA and vice versa.
If elected, I will fully support the mission of the ASA, and I will focus on a few goals close to my heart:
- Enhance the diversity of the organization
- Improve the continued education opportunities
- Increase membership
- Increase the visibility of the profession
- Improve the statistics education in K–12
- Promote chapter or district-based activities
- Promote chapters to record their chapter history
Over the years, lack of communication between chapters and the COCGB has been a hinderance to the progress of chapters. I will focus on finding ways to better alignment of chapters and the COCGB, motivating chapter representatives, and promoting more resources and services to the chapters from the COCGB.
I have served as the university representative to the Kansas Board of Regents conference on diversity for 15 years. I know the value of diversity in an organization, and I will work hard to diversify the ASA. I was one of the COC members who rejuvenated the travelling course after being inactive for several years. Since then, the travelling course has done a tremendous job of helping statisticians for their professional development. More and more statisticians are unable to attend national meetings, and I will promote the ASA to have more decentralized activities. I am active with Mu Sigma Rho Statistics Honorary Society, and the ASA provides a one-year free student membership to new inductees. Through such activities, I would like to bring students to full membership of the ASA. I will also promote Mu Sigma Rho inductees to join student chapters of the ASA. I have participated in Capitol Hill visits.
ASA 2021 Elections – Candidate List
Bayesian Statistical Science
Chair-Elect 2022
David van Dyk, Imperial College London
Vanja Dukic, University of Colorado at Boulder
Program Chair-Elect 2022
David Matteson, Cornell University
Huiyan Sang, Texas A&M University
Publications Officer 2022–2023
Brenda Betancourt, University of Florida
Tony Pourmohamad, Genentech
Council of Sections Representative 2022–2024
Anindya Bhadra, Purdue University
Amy Shi, SAS Institute
Biometrics
Chair-Elect 2022
Sharina Person, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Dipankar Bandyopadhyay, Virginia Commonwealth University
Biopharmaceutical
Chair-Elect 2022
Rakhi Kilaru, Pharmaceutical Product Development
Brian A. Millen, Eli Lilly and Company
Program Chair-Elect 2022
Elena Polverejan, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Yun Wang, US Food and Drug Administration
Publications Officer 2022–2023
Hiya Banerjee, Novartis Pharmaceuticals
Jonathan Moscovici, IQVIA
Council of Sections Representative 2022–2024
Tony Pourmohamad, Genentech
Janelle Charles, Pharmaceutical Product Development
Business and Economic Statistics
Chair-Elect 2022
Tucker McElroy, US Census Bureau
Bart Hobijn, Arizona State University
Program Chair-Elect 2022
Xiaofeng Shao, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Omid Ardakani, Georgia Southern University
Statistical Computing
Chair-Elect 2022
Eric Laber, North Carolina State University
Mine Cetinkaya-Rundel, University of Edinburgh
Program Chair-Elect 2022
Ritwak Mitra, AT&T Labs Research
Kun Chen, University of Connecticut
Secretary/Treasurer 2022–2023
Dave Kessler, SAS Institute, Inc.
Stephen Elston, Quantia Analytics, LLC
Council of Sections Representative 2022–2024
Mamunur Rashid, DePauw University
Hua Zhou, UCLA
Statistical Consulting
Chair-Elect 2022
Robyn Ball, The Jackson Laboratory
Chris Barker, Statistical Planning and Analysis Services, Inc.
Shing Lee, Columbia University
Secretary/Treasurer 2022–2023
Daniel Zhao, OU Health Sciences Center
Terrie Vasilopoulos, University of Florida College of Medicine
Council of Sections Representative 2022–2024
Jimmy Efird, Cooperative Studies Program Epidemiology Center (VA)
Rhonda Rosychuk, University of Alberta
Executive Committee at Large 2022–2024
Xiaoming Sheng, University of Utah
Charlotte Bolch, Midwestern University
Statistics and Data Science Education
Chair-Elect 2022
Anna Bargagliotti, Loyola Marymount University
Nathan Tintle, Dordt College
Secretary/Treasurer 2022–2024
Jessica Reno, University of New Mexico
Jennifer Broatch, Arizona State University
Executive Committee at Large 2022–2024 (two positions)
Jennifer Ward, Clark College
Adam Loy, Carleton College
Nick Seewald, University of Michigan
Fotios Kokkotos, Merrimack College
Charlotte Bolch, Midwestern University
Statistics in Defense and National Security
Chair-Elect 2022
Joseph Warfield, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab
Nick Clark, United States Military Academy
Program Chair-Elect 2022
Matt Avery, Institute for Defense Analyses
Jane Pinelis, DoD Joint Artificial Intelligence Center
Secretary/Treasurer 2022–2023
Kelly Avery, Institute for Defense Analyses
Victoria Sieck, US Air Force
Council of Sections Representative 2022–2024
Rebecca Medlin, Institute for Defense Analyses
Eric Chicken, Florida State University
Statistics and the Environment
Chair-Elect 2022
Bo Li, University of Illinois
Andrew Finley, Michigan State University
Program Chair-Elect 2021
Ali Arab, Georgetown University
Eric Gilleland, National Center for Atmospheric Research
Treasurer 2022 (Rotates to Secretary in 2023)
Lyndsay Shand, Sandia National Laboratories
Staci Hepler, Wake Forest University
Publications Chair-Elect 2022 (Rotates to Publications Chair for 2-Year Term in 2023)
Trevor Hefley, Kansas State University
Whitney Huang, Clemson University
Statistics in Epidemiology
Chair-Elect 2022
Nandita Mitra, University of Pennsylvania
Jimmy Efird, Department of Veterans Affairs
Tyler J. VanderWeele, Harvard University
Program Chair-Elect 2022
Michelle Shardell, University of Maryland Baltimore County
Qing Pan, The George Washington University
Secretary/Treasurer 2022–2024
Jenna Krall, George Mason University
Mike Baiocchi, Stanford University
Publications Officer 2022–2023
Yunyun Jiang, The George Washington University
Peng Ding, University of California, Berkeley
Statistics in Genomics and Genetics
Chair-Elect 2022
Veera Baladandayuthapani, University of Michigan
Nancy Zhang, University of Pennsylvania
Program Chair-Elect 2022
Kimberly Siegmund, University of Southern California
Hao Wu, Emory University
Government Statistics
Chair-Elect 2022
Minsun Riddles, Westat
Claire McKay Bowen, Urban Institute
Program Chair-Elect 2022
Lisa Mirel, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Doug Williams, Bureau of Labor Statistics
Statistical Graphics
Chair-Elect 2022
Lucy D’Agostino McGowan, Wake Forest University
Susan Vanderplas, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Program Chair-Elect 2022
Allison Presmanes-Hill, RStudio
Earo Wang, University of Auckland
Publications Officer 2022–2023
Kiegan Rice, St. Olaf College
Natalia Da Silva, Iowa State University
Council of Sections Representative 2022–2024
Xiaoyue Cheng, University of Nebraska at Omaha
Stefano Castruccio, University of Notre Dame
Health Policy Statistics
Chair-Elect 2022
Wei Shen, Eli Lilly and Company
Lisa Lix, University of Manitoba
Statistics in Imaging
Chair-Elect 2022
Ying Guo, Emory University
Jaroslaw Harezlak, Indiana University
Ian Dryden, University of Nottingham
Program Chair-Elect 2022
Sebastian A. Kurtek, The Ohio State University
Benjamin Risk, Emory University
Statistical Learning and Data Science
Chair-Elect 2022
Giles Hooker, Cornell University
Kellie Archer, The Ohio State University
Program Chair-Elect 2022
Cheryl Brooks, AT&T Labs
Irina Gaynanova, Texas A&M University
Council of Sections Representative 2022–2024
Nusrat Rabbee, Alladapt, Inc.
Dhuly Chowdhury, RTI International
Lifetime Data Science
Chair-Elect 2022
Ingrid Van Keilegom, KU Leuven
Grace Yi, University of West Ontario
Program Chair-Elect 2022
Ying Ding, University of Pittsburgh
Pamela Shaw, University of Pennsylvania
Secretary 2022–2024
Tanya Garcia, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Sharon Xie, University of Pennsylvania
Council of Sections Representative 2022–2024
Rui Wang, Harvard University
Ronghui Xu, University of California, San Diego
Statistics in Marketing
Chair-Elect 2022
Hui Lin, Google
Dan McCarthy, Emory University
Program Chair-Elect 2022
Kingshuk Roy Choudhury, Amazon
Elaine Zanutto, Naxion Research and Consulting
Treasurer 2022–2023
Duke Chowdhury, University of California, Irvine
Adraine Upshaw, Merkle
Medical Devices and Diagnostics
Chair-Elect 2022
Terri Johnson, Edwards Lifesciences
Tracy Bergemann, Medtronic, Plc.
Program Chair-Elect 2022
Dandan Xu, US Food and Drug Administration
Bipasa Biswas, US Food and Drug Administration
Mental Health Statistics
Chair-Elect 2022
Knashawn Morales, University of Pennsylvania
Susan Shortreed, Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute
Program Chair-Elect 2022
Christine Mauro, Columbia University
Donna Coffman, Temple University
Council of Sections Representative 2022–2024
Samiran Ghosh, Wayne State University
Samprit Banerjee, Cornell University
Nonparametric
Chair-Elect 2022
Chunming Zhang, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Zongming Ma, University of Pennsylvania
Program Chair-Elect 2022
Long Nguyen, University of Michigan
Wenceslao Gonzalez Manteiga, University of Santiago de Compostela
Treasurer 2022 (Rotates to Secretary in 2023)
Rui Song, North Carolina State University
Bodhi Sen, Columbia University
Physical and Engineering Sciences
Chair-Elect 2022
Ying Hung, Rutgers University
Nathaniel Stevens, University of Waterloo
Program Chair-Elect 2022
Tony Pourmohamad, Genentech
Arman Sabbaghi, Purdue University
Secretary/Treasurer 2022–2023
Alex Konomi, University of Cincinnati
Emily Casleton, Los Alamos National Laboratory
Council of Sections Representative 2022–2024
Erin Leatherman, Kenyon College
Xiao Liu, University of Arkansas
Statistical Programmers and Analysts
Chair-Elect 2022
Anna Auguste, Cigna
Vipin K. Arora, Eli Lilly and Company
Program Chair-Elect 2022
Maryanne Miller, Eli Lilly and Company
Ben Barnard, Wells Fargo
Secretary 2022–2023
Manyan Huang, Indiana University
Luis Mestre, Indiana University
Treasurer 2022–2023
Jonathan Lisic, Cigna
Zeqing Lu, Eli Lilly and Company
Publications Officer 2022–2023
Pushpal Mukhopadhyay, SAS Institute, Inc.
Jessica Chen, Eli Lilly and Company
Council of Sections Representative 2022–2024
Bill Coar, Axio, a Cytel Company
Michael Anderson, University of Oklahoma
Quality and Productivity
Chair-Elect 2022
Kim Kaufeld, Los Alamos National Laboratory
Sarah Burke, The Perduco Group
Program Chair-Elect 2022
Caleb King, JMP
Anne Driscoll, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Risk Analysis
Chair-Elect 2022
Helen Li, Bristol Myers Squibb
Hongmei Zhang, University of Memphis
Program Chair-Elect 2022
Albert Lee, Virginia Commonwealth University
Yichuan Zhao, Georgia State University
Secretary/Treasurer 2022–2023
Yue Jiang, Duke University
Susan Simmons, North Carolina State University
Publications Officer 2022–2023
Soyoung Jeon, New Mexico State University
Mike Pennell, The Ohio State University
Social Statistics
Chair-Elect 2022
Stephanie Eckman, RTI International
Jeffrey Gonzalez, USDA
Carla B. Medalia, US Census Bureau
Program Chair-Elect 2022
Megan Price, Human Rights Data Analysis Group
Michele Ver Ploeg, The George Washington University
Secretary/Treasurer 2022–2023
Adam Safir, Bureau of Labor Statistics
Elizabeth Tipton, Northwestern University
Council of Sections Representative 2022–2024
George Carter, US Department of Housing and Urban Development
Sharon Stern, US Census Bureau
Statistics in Sports
Chair-Elect 2022
Andrew Swift, University of Nebraska at Omaha
Dale Zimmerman, University of Iowa
Program Chair-Elect 2022
Guanyu Hu, University of Missouri – Columbia
Michael Schuckers, St. Lawrence University
Survey Research Methods
Chair-Elect 2022
Brady West, University of Michigan
Dylan Small, University of Pennsylvania
Program Chair-Elect 2022
Pushpal Mukhopadhyay, SAS Institute, Inc.
Andreea Erciulescu, Westat
Secretary 2022–2023
Julie Gershunskaya, Bureau of Labor Statistics
Qixuan Chen, Columbia University
Council of Sections Representative 2022–2024
Kristen Olson, University of Nebraska at Lincoln
Scott Holan, University of Missouri
Teaching of Statistics in the Health Sciences
Chair-Elect 2022
Maria Ciarleglio, Yale School of Public Health
Heather Hoffman, The George Washington University
Council of Sections Representative 2022–2024
Amy Nowacki, Cleveland Clinic
Terrie Vasilopoulos, University of Florida
Leave a Reply