2023 ASA Board of Directors Candidates

The ASA announces the candidates for the 2022 election. Voting begins April 11 and runs through May 2. Make sure to look for your ballots in your email inbox. You can view the list of section officer candidates on the ASA community website.

Running for President-Elect 2023–2024

Bonnie Ghosh-Dastidar, RAND Corporation

I am humbled and honored to be a candidate for ASA president. To this position, I bring a passion for service, unwavering optimism, and a deep commitment to the well-being of our ASA community. I hope to strengthen the ASA by focusing on the principles of community, collaboration, and opportunity.

Community: My first experience in community building grew out of a need for camaraderie in a small college town 8,000 miles from home. As the current head of the RAND Statistics group, I am committed to growing a small yet strong community of statisticians and data scientists. I have found that a critical part of being an effective leader is to ensure everyone has a voice in decision-making. I strongly believe in the collective strength of diverse people and perspectives.
Collaboration: Collaborating across communities is both an important skill and a great joy for statisticians. In the words of John Tukey, “The best thing about statistics is that you get to play in everyone’s backyard.” Working as a statistician in a think tank with broad scope has required me to find a common language in interdisciplinary teams. I believe we need to work together across disciplines and silos to tackle the biggest challenges of the day.
Opportunity: I was raised in Kolkata in a family that encouraged boys and girls to dream. Being of service to humanity was inspired by my parents’ commitment to helping the disadvantaged. As a first-generation immigrant working in statistics and data science, I know opportunity can change your life and career path. The support I received has made me passionate about paying it forward by creating opportunity for early-career colleagues and students. My experiences have taught me how to advocate for statisticians to take on roles not just as skilled technicians, but as thought leaders on teams and in organizations.

Visit my website to read about my specific goals and ASA experience.

Amarjot Kaur, Merck

I am inspired by the contributions statistics has made to public health during this COVID-19 crisis. From disease modeling to development of vaccines to informing sound policy, our collective impact is felt throughout business and industry, government, and academe. I have felt pride working on clinical trials that may lead to better outcomes for patients. It is with great hope and sense of service that I am excited to be a candidate for ASA president.

Among many important areas for promoting our profession of statistics like diversity and equity, I would like to work with you on three focused areas:

Agile Statistical Connections Across Nations are needed to understand, interpret, and report on global challenges. Statisticians around the world have been sharing information for making pandemic assessments and informing sound policy. We can help build even stronger networks for statisticians around the world through ASA educational ambassadors, committees, student chapters, and sections to better prepare for future challenges and advance our profession.
Collaboration and Communication Across Industry, Government, and Academia are essential to solve real-world problems and foster innovation, as we have seen with partnerships to address the COVID challenge. I have worked with nonstatisticians and seen the impact of harnessing diverse ideas and communicating effectively. We need to continue to bring statistical thinking to other disciplines and invite them to our backyard.
Engaging and Mentoring Our Younger Generation will prepare our leaders of tomorrow. Let us expand the engagement of students and counselors to showcase statistics, a pillar of data science and machine learning, as a versatile and rewarding career. The future of our profession depends heavily on our success here.

I offer more details and welcome your suggestions. It would be my honor to serve you if given the opportunity.

Running for Vice President 2023–2024

Katherine (Jenny) Thompson, US Census Bureau

I have been a ‘news junkie’ since my undergraduate days at Oberlin College. The past 30+(!) years as a statistician in the federal statistics services have intensified this addiction, given the daily presence of our statistics in the national news.

How does this relate to my candidacy for vice president of the ASA? Access to timely, relevant, and accurate statistics affects all areas of our lives, from personal decisions about health and lifestyle choices to wide-ranging policy decisions. Statistical models underlie common daily predictions. Yet even a casual news reader can see the field of statistics is under assault. Values and methods are publicly challenged, as is the data. Attempted political interference tests agency leaders. Data science has become a sexy alternative for students and practitioners.

The ASA has a historic role in expanding statistical methods, promoting programs, facilitating networks, and enhancing education. As vice president, I would like to work on the following:

Actively promoting the Ethical Guidelines for Statistical Practice in a variety of accessible forums
Developing a plain language industry standard on the role of statistical methods in data science and collaborating with educators (all levels) to implement this standard
Encouraging publication of statistical methods and applications in peer-reviewed journals
Expanding diversity in the field through educational initiatives, scholarships, and increased opportunities for conference attendance and participation—in person or remotely

I joined the ASA in 1994 for the discounted JSM registration rate, but quickly recognized the—tangible and intangible—membership benefits. I am coeditor of the Journal of Survey Statistics and Methodology and a member of several sections. I also recently completed overlapping tenures on the GSS [Government Statistics Section] executive board (six years) and ICES-VI Program Committee (cochair, four years). I am honored by the nomination and excited about contributing to the ASA’s future.

Lilly Yue, US Food and Drug Administration

The American Statistical Association (ASA) has been my professional home and provided me with the opportunity to learn, grow, and serve. I am honored to be nominated for vice president of the ASA, a privilege and new opportunity to serve all fellow ASA members.

My professional goals are aligned with the ASA’s vision to promote “a world that relies on data and statistical thinking to drive discovery and decisions.” As a statistician at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), I have witnessed the powerful and influential role statistics and data science play in regulatory decision-making for public health (e.g., in the responses to emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic). A continued focus on the following aspects is essential to achieving the ASA’s vision:

Enhance our commitment to JEDI (justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion) and increase our efforts to foster and recognize the successes of those who have been historically underrepresented and underappreciated
Increase the visibility of and ensure the future of our profession and nurture a new generation of statisticians and data scientists through engagement, training, and mentoring
Broaden our statistical impact through effective collaboration and communication with professionals in other disciplines and deploying our strategic and scientific leadership skills in diverse fields

If elected, I would work to promote these efforts.

We are skilled at transforming data into scientific evidence and presenting that evidence so others can understand it, thereby making significant contributions to the advancement of science. From my experience at the FDA in leading the development and application of cutting-edge innovative statistical methods, and in helping reshape the course of medical product evaluation, I have learned that we statisticians can have a profound impact on the public good.

If elected, it [would be] my honor to serve you!

Running for Council of Sections Representative 2023–2025

Jana Asher, Slippery Rock University

The Council of Sections representatives to the Board of Directors serve a dual role: They report to the Council of Sections on what the board is doing and represent the interests of the sections on the board. In this statement, I am supposed to explain my priorities and why you should elect me. However, my priorities will depend on those of the membership. I am eager and willing to listen to and observe what this vibrant community of statisticians wants and needs.

Recently, I have been privileged to work with the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Outreach Group as a member of the communications committee. ASA members are interested in promoting a JEDI statistics community but often do not know how they can contribute. The ASA Board should help find ways to engage members as it leads our field into a more just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive future.

The ASA is desperately needed to help our country cope with the current challenges of an ongoing pandemic and climate crisis. Too many Americans are wary of science and lack skills in quantitative reasoning, resulting in resistance to vaccinations and climate change denial. Our experience with scientific advocacy makes the ASA a leader in the effort to educate the public and inform policymaking to move us toward a sustainable, healthy future.

Finally, the role of statisticians in the growing field of data science is still developing, and the ASA plays a critical role in defining our niche in the data science community. The ASA must advocate for statistics and statisticians to be at the core of data science research and education.

I have had a varied career in government, as a consultant, and as a faculty member. I have also held many positions within the ASA and am active in the International Statistical Institute community. If elected, I hope to leverage this experience to represent the ASA community well and help the ASA Board and Council of Sections best serve our profession.

Sujata Patil, Cleveland Clinic

I am grateful to be a candidate for the Council of Sections board representative. The ASA has been a powerful source of professional support for me over the past two decades. It has helped me as a collaborative biostatistician to identify innovative ways to think about studies, analysis, and interpretation. The ASA has helped in my role as educator, guiding me on best practices for creating a statistics curriculum for biomedical researchers. Most recently, I drew from the useful resources curated by ASA members to introduce statistics to middle- and high-school students. I am excited by the opportunity to support the mission of the ASA and its sections.

I have served the ASA and its larger community in various capacities. I especially enjoy being involved in activities that support the careers and well-being of students and newly minted statisticians. This service has given me an understanding of the ASA, its mission and initiatives, and the opportunities and challenges it faces. If elected, my main objective will be to propose and support ideas that help the ASA grow into a more inclusive and more visible organization. This means developing innovative strategies to grow and maintain a diverse membership and to increase engagement during conferences. I will also bring unique perspectives to ongoing, timely discussions about how the ASA can advocate on issues in science policy and advocacy.

The biggest strength of the ASA is its people: its members—over a thousand of whom serve as ASA volunteers each year—its staff, and its board. As part of the Council of Sections, I look forward to working with this strong team to address important issues of inclusion and growth. The ASA has been striving to address these issues and, as your representative, it would be an honor [to] continue these discussions and make changes that will grow the ASA into an organization that continues to serve as a hub of innovation and inspiration for current and future statisticians across the world. Thank you.

Running for Council of Chapters Representative 2023–2025

Melinda Holt, Sam Houston State University

I am honored to be a candidate for the ASA Board of Directors. If elected, I will fully support the ASA’s mission to promote the practice and profession of statistics. I have spent my career teaching in regional universities with diverse student populations, recruiting and mentoring those underserved in STEM disciplines. I welcome the chance to bring this perspective to the board as the ASA seeks to meet the needs of an everchanging statistical community, strives to enhance its diversity, and works to increase the visibility of our profession.

My interest in ASA chapters and building community date back to 1991, when my mentor Tom Bratcher suggested I join. He truly valued a sense of professional community and passed his passion on to me. Tom was a founder of the Council of Texas Statisticians and the associated Conference of Texas Statisticians (COTS). COTS is designed to bring together Texas ASA chapters for both professional and social interaction. I have always been a remote member of my ASA chapters because I have lived and worked at least 30 miles away from host organizations, so COTS has offered me an important chance to build relationships with other statisticians. It has also been a way to introduce my own students to our professional community. As COTS president, I organized and hosted the 2009 annual meeting and traveling course. As secretary, I worked to facilitate communication across all Texas chapters, staying especially mindful of smaller chapters, students, and isolated statisticians. I served District 5 as COCGB vice chair from 2017 through 2019 and helped to build support networks between the chapters of District 5 and the COCGB. I now look forward to expanding my contribution to the ASA as COCGB representative to the Board of Directors. This is a natural extension of the service roles I have always valued—a way to nurture, promote, and grow our community of professionals.

Ruixiao Lu, Quantum Leap Healthcare

It is an honor to [be] a candidate for the Council of Chapters Governing Board (COCGB) representative to the board. I have served at both the local and national levels at ASA, most recently as the COCGB vice chair of District 6 in Region 3 (since mid-2018) and treasurer of the ASA (2020–2022).

Throughout these roles, I reflect on the wins and successes, as well as the lessons learned. I am deeply proud of our profession and am encouraged by our commitment to building a brighter future. If elected, I will work with other board members to support and implement the mission and strategic plans of the ASA.

Community and Outreach: Through my role at COCGB, I see the importance of a diverse and inclusive community and the power of people supporting each other through challenging times. I am committed to a community-centric culture. I am dedicated to fostering the connection between the COCGB and ASA Board and being an advocate for chapters.
Impact and Leadership: Trained with logic and critical thinking, our members hold leadership positions in many disciplines. In the era of big data, we must continue to support our members and students to expand our impact, equipping them with leadership skills and providing opportunities for personal and professional growth. The ASA’s initiatives in data science and science policy lay a nice foundation. We should build on them.
Building for Future: The rapid growth of statistics and data science will have [a] significant impact on the future of the ASA. We must adapt. We must promote the role of statistics and statisticians and the ASA in fast-growing related fields. I will work with the ASA for opportunities to strategically retain and expand ASA membership for long-term success. It is also important and effective to attract and engage [the] next generation in statistics and data science through ASA volunteer and mentorship programs.

I appreciate the opportunity to serve and look forward to joining you on this exciting journey.

Running for International Representative 2023–2025

Dimitris Rizopoulos, Erasmus University

I am honored to be considered for the position of international representative on the ASA Board. The pandemic has changed the way we work and communicate as professionals. This is especially the case for international members of the ASA who wish to become or remain involved with the largest society of our profession. As an international representative, I aim to assist the ASA in engaging international statisticians under the new status quo and to facilitating the active involvement of the international members in the society.

At the same time, I am looking forward to actively engaging with the other board members on the challenges our profession and the ASA face in the coming years. In particular, I am interested in making the ASA membership more exciting for existing and new members, trying to satisfy their needs. Also, motivated by my journey in machine learning and related techniques in the last years, I want to help the ASA to embrace the best of the two worlds—statistics and data science.

Ingrid Van Keilegom, KU Leuven

I am honored to be a candidate for international representative to the ASA Board of Directors. If elected, I would work hard to help the ASA with the development, application, and dissemination of statistics around the world. I would also use my broad international network to increase the visibility and enhance the activities of the ASA outside the North American continent, and I would strive for initiatives that would lead to a better research environment for statistics in developing countries.

My interest in developing, applying, and disseminating statistics is based on my research life. Through my research, through editorial service, and through volunteer service with multiple statistical societies, I am connected with statisticians around the world. I’m a frequent traveler (at least pre-corona) to conferences or for visiting my coauthors. I hence have developed an important network over the years, which will allow me to get a good feeling of the needs and concerns of the international members of the ASA.

The international representative to the ASA Board of Directors helps ensure the association considers the needs and interests of its many international members. I would be delighted to have the opportunity to serve the ASA and our profession in this role.