Our Work

ASM members are uniquely positioned to contribute to the mission of promoting and advancing the microbial sciences and make an impact in the community at large by volunteering to serve on a committee. These are critical positions that help to guide the organization and are an opportunity to shape the direction of the Society.

Overview

ASM Program Committees can establish subcommittees or ad hoc committees, as needed, to assist in fulfilling their duties and responsibilities. Other program committees may be established or changed by the Board of Directors (BOD) or on recommendation of the Council on Microbial Sciences (COMS) with subsequent BOD approval.

Voting members of the program committees will consist of its chair and appointed committee members, executive staff, staff directors and representatives from other program committees, who may serve ex officio without a vote, unless otherwise specified through a BOD-approved committee charter.

Program committees may establish, appoint and renew terms of ad hoc subcommittees without approval by the ASM Appointments Committee or the BOD. Terms for subcommittee members shall be for a 3-year term. Subcommittee chairs must be members of the program committee to which the subcommittee reports.

Chairs of program committees, as well as program committee members, except for that of the American Academy of Microbiology, shall be recommended by the ASM Appointments Committee and approved by the BOD.

Terms

Program committee chairs and committee members shall be appointed for a 3-year term and may be reappointed for one additional 3-year term. Program committee chairs may not serve concurrently as an editor in chief, editor or BOD member. The exceptions are the ASM Journals Committee and Clinical and Public Health Microbiology Committee. The Journals Committee Chair serves a 3-year term, renewable twice (3 terms total). Journal Committee editors in chief (a.k.a. members) serve a 5-year term, renewable once (2 terms total). The CPHMC Chair serves 1, 3-year term, and the CPHMC Vice-Chair that also serves 1, 3-year term.

Program committees shall meet at least once per year. Program committees can meet virtually using electronic technology.

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Program Committees

American Academy of Microbiology
Over the last 50 years, over 2,600 distinguished scientists have been elected to the American Academy of Microbiology (Academy). The Academy is the honorific leadership group within the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), one of the largest life science societies in the world. The mission of the Academy is to recognize scientists for outstanding contributions to microbiology and provide microbiological expertise in the service of science and the public. It fulfills its mission by election to fellowship in the Academy, convening colloquia and oversight of ASM’s Awards Program. 

Governors
  • Vanessa Sperandio, Chair-elect (’26).
  • Carey-Ann Burnham (’24).
  • Gail Cassell (’24).
  • Lynn Enquist (’24).
  • Mary Estes (’24).
  • Suzi Fleiszig (’26).
  • Susan Golden ('25).
  • Jay-Terrence Lennon (’26).
  • Denise Monack ('25). 
  • Susan Sharp ('25).
  • Alfredo Torres ('26).
  • Susan Weiss (’25).
  • Henry Williams ('26).
  • Stefano Bertuzzi (ex officio).

Subcommittee on Elections
  • Ann Arvin, Chair ('25).
  • Mya Breitbart (’26).
  • Angela Caliendo (’25).
  • Sonya Dyhrman ('24).
  • Ferric Fang ('24).
  • Elodie Ghedin ('24).
  • N. Louise Glass (’26).
  • Hazel Barton ('24).
  • Michael J. Imperiale (’26).
  • Peter Lipke (’26).
  • Melissa Miller ('24).
  • Kirsten Nielsen (’26).
  • Melissa Miller ('24).
  • Nancy Moran (’25).
  • Peter Palese (’25).
  • Robin Patel (’25).
  • Lucia Rothman-Denes ('24).
  • Hank Seifert (’26).
  • Photini Sinnis (’26).
  • Steven W. Wilhelm (’26).
  • Brenda Anne Wilson (’26).

Awards
  • Gladys Alexandre (’25).
  • Esther Babady (’25).
  • Carlos Orihuela ('24).
  • Zhengli Shi (’24).

Academy Leadership Nominating Subcommittee
  • Lynn Enquist, Chair ('23).
  • Oladele Ogunseitan (’25).
  • Fred Tenover (’24).
  • Amy Cheng Vollmer ('23).
  • Dyann Wirth ('23).

 

ASM Press Committee
The ASM Press Committee is a program committee responsible for the quality of scientific and editorial content across ASM books and related digital products. This ensures that the textbooks, references, general interest books and online resources that ASM Press publishes provide the most impact, serving scientists, faculty, trainees and students. The committee is comprised of 7-12 members.   
  • Renée Tsolis (’25), Chair.
  • Miriam Braunstein (’25).
  • David Hendrixson (’25).
  • Melissa Kendall (’25).
  • Leigh Knodler (’25).
  • Miriam Markum (’25).
  • Eric Martens (’25).
  • Jay Mellies (’25).
  • Manuela Raffatellu (’25).
  • Marvin Whiteley (’25).
  • Lars Westblade ('27)
  • Stefano Bertuzzi (ex officio).

Clinical and Public Health Microbiology Committee
The Clinical and Public Health Microbiology (CPHM) committee promotes and advances the practice of clinical and public health microbiology by developing and delivering professional development content for members to increase their knowledge, enhance their skills and contribute to the profession. To achieve its mission, CPHMC offers professional certification, online education, mentoring, accreditation of postgraduate education programs, development of evidence-based guidelines and monitoring of issues that impact the practice and profession—coding, reimbursement, personnel standards and workforce. The committee is comprised of a chair and 11 members—8 are CPHM subcommittee chairs, and 3 are at-large members. 
  • Linoj Samuel, Chair ('26).
  • Erin Graf, Vice-Chair ('26)
  • Allen Bateman (’25).
  • Blake Buchan ('27)
  • Jennifer Dien Bard (’25).
  • Omai Garner ('25).
  • D. Jane Hata (’25).
  • Laura Filkins ('26).
  • Amanda Harrington ('26).
  • Stephanie L. Mitchell ('26).
  • Samia Naccache ('26).
  • Kileen Shirer ('27)
  • Phyu Thwe ('27)
  • Gregory J. Berry (ex-officio, '26). 
  • Andrea Prinzi (ex-officio).

Subcommittees

Clinical and Microbiology Mentoring
  • Samia Naccache, Chair (’26).
  • Phyu Thwe, Vice Chair ('26).
  • Zenda Berrada (’25).
  • Bejamin Bradley ('26)
  • Tina Bui-Bullock ('25)
  • Patricia Cernoch (’26).
  • Jessica D'Angelo ('27)
  • Nicole Green (’26).
  • Neil Greene (’24).
  • Mondraya Howard (’26).
  • Rachel Hursch ('26).
  • Kurt Jude (’25).
  • Perceus Mody ("25)
  • Wilson Vientos (’25).
  • Jessica Wittmier ('26).
  • Linoj Samuel (ex-officio).

Coding and Reimbursement
  • Omai Garner, Chair (’25).
  • Joseph Yao, Vice-Chair (’25).

Evidence-based (Laboratory Medicine) Practice Guidelines
  • Brian Mochon, Chair (’27).
  • Kileen Shier, Vice-Chair ('27).
  • Ahmed Babiker ('25).
  • Teresa Karre ('25).
  • Amity Roberts ('25).
  • Susan Realegeno ('27). 
  • Linoj Samuel (ex officio).

Laboratory Practices for Microbiology
  • Laura Filkins, Chair (’25).
  • Rosemary She, Vice-Chair (‘26).
  • Neil Anderson (’26).
  • Carrie Anglewicz (’25).
  • Styliani (Stella) Antonara (‘26).
  • Rebekah Dumm ('26).
  • Kurt Jerke ('25).
  • Elizabeth Marlowe ('26).
  • Nicholas Moore ('26).
  • Maria Navas ('25).
  • Elizabeth Palavecino ('26). 
  • Logan Patterson ('24).
  • Frances Valencia-Shelton ('24)
  • Sean Zhang ('25). 
  • Linoj Samuel (ex officio).
 

Personnel Standards and Workforce Subcommittee
  • Jennifer Dien Bard, Chair ('25).
  • Kyle Rodino, Vice-Chair ('25).
  • April Abbott (’25).
  • Jeffrey Bender ('25)
  • Allison Eberly ('25).
  • Melissa Gitman ('25).
  • Amy Leber (’25).
  • Paul Luethy ('25).
  • Linoj Samuel (ex officio).  

Professional Development
  • Sophonie Oyeniran, Chair (’27).
  • Courtney Comar ('27)
  • Richard Davis ('25).
  • Julia Hankins ('27)
  • Krupa Jani ('25).
  • Jessica Larson ('25).
  • Anisha Misra ('27)
  • Mimi Precit ('27)
  • Kimberly Starr ('26).
  • Morgan Waddell ('26).
  • Linoj Samuel (ex officio). 

Subcommittee on Postgraduate Educational Programs
  • D. Jane Hata, Chair (’25).
  • Morgan Pence, Vice-Chair ('25).
  • Gregory Berry (’25).
  • Laurel Glaser (’24).
  • Jocelyn Hauser (’25).
  • Reeti Khare (’25).
  • Anu Maharjan (’24).
  • Raquel Martinez (’25).
  • Anthony Tran (’25).
  • Daniel Ortiz ('26).
  • Eleanor Powell ('26).
  • Linoj Samuel (ex officio).  

American Board of Medical Microbiology (ABMM)
  • Karissa Culbreath, Chair (’24).
  • Nathan Ledeboer, Vice Chair (’24).
  • Susan Butler-Wu ('26).
  • April Bobenchik (’25).
  • Blake Buchan (’25).
  • William Glover (’24).
  • Mark Gonzalez (’26).
  • Samuel Linoj (ex officio).  

ABMM Exam Development Subcommittee
  • Blake Buchan, Chair (’27).
  • Wade Aldous (’24).
  • Sanchita Das (’24).
  • Melphine Harriott ('25).
  • Kara Levinson ('26).
  • Brian Mochon (’24).
  • Robert Tibbetts (’24).

ABMM Item Development Subcommittee
  • Nathan Ledeboer, Chair (’24).
  • Violeta Chavez (’24).
  • Richard Davis (’24).
  • Matthew England (’25).
  • Paul Luethy (’25).
  • Nicholas Moore ('26).
  • Sophonie Oyeniran ('24)
  • Ren Ping (’25).
  • Cecilia Thompson ('26). 

ABMM Validation Subcommittee
  • Inshan Ali ('25).
  • Ahmed Alzahrani ('25). 
  • Thessicar Antoine-Reid ('25).
  • Drew Bell (’24).
  • Stephanie Carnes (’24).
  • Hannah Creager ('24). 
  • Rebekah Dumm ('25).
  • Allison Eberly ('24). 
  • Madiha Fida ('24). 
  • Jessica Forbes ('24). 
  • Lauren Cooper (’23).
  • Hannah Creager (’24).
  • Allison Eberly (’24).
  • Madiha Fida (’24).
  • Jessica Forbes (’24).
  • Elizabeth Garrett ('25).
  • Jaswinder Gill ('25).
  • Heather Glasgow (’24).
  • Evann Hilt (’24).
  • Jessica Kafka (’24).
  • Edwin Kamau ('25).
  • Rose Anne Lee ('24).
  • Xena Li ('25).
  • John Markantonis ('25). 
  • Natalie Marshall ('24). 
  • Isabella Martin ('24). 
  • Ninad Mehta ('24). 
  • Nicholas Moore ('24). 
  • Dhammika Navarathna ('25)
  • Marisa Nielsen ('25). 
  • Mathanraj Packiam ('25).
  • Sulochana Perumal ('25).
  • Robert Potter ('25).
  • Mimi Precit ('24).
  • Travis Price ('24). 
  • Nicole Putnam ('24).
  • Alexander Pyden ('25). 
  • Kevin Raible ('25). 
  • Eric Ransom ('24). 
  • Melissa Richard-Greenblatt ('24). 
  • Jason Smedberg ('24). 
  • Emily Snavely ('24). 
  • Arthur Totten ('25). 
  • Benjamin Bredow ('25). 
  • Hannah Wang ('25).
  • Mark White ('25).
  • Stacy White ('25).
  • Macy Wood ('25).
  • Rebecca Yee ('24). 

 

Communications Committee

The mission of the Communications Committee is to engage, inform and excite a wide range of audiences about microbial science. The communication committee supports the organization’s mission of promoting and advancing microbial science through its strategic initiatives of (1) being the voice of microbial sciences, (2) promoting ASM as a forum to exchange ideas, (3) helping members advance their careers by advocating for science communications in a variety of forms. The committee is comprised of a chair and 4-15 members.

  • Tara C. Smith, Chair (‘25).
  • Jacqueline Acres ('27).
  • Kayode Adeyemi ('27).
  • Shahina Akter ('27).
  • Jyot Antani ('27).
  • Stephanie Bachas-Daunert ('27).
  • Peter Drotman ('27).
  • Mahmoud Ebied ('27).
  • Mariola Ferraro ('27).
  • Joe James ('27).
  • Megan Hockman ('27).
  • Enas Newire ('27).
  • Sheriffdeen Omotayo Idowu ('27).
  • Sanja Saftic ('27).
  • Stefano Bertuzzi (ex officio).

Education Committee
The Education Committee and its subcommittees govern the Society’s objective for the improvement of education in microbial sciences and related subjects. The Education Committee’s mission is to (1) promote access, excellence, professional development and advancement in microbial sciences education; (2) promote community among microbial sciences students, postdoctoral scientists, educators, researchers and practitioners and (3) lead microbial sciences education worldwide.   
  • Shelley Payne, Chair ('25).
  • Nancy Boury ('24).
  • Michael Ibba (’24).
  • Michael Johnson (’25).
  • Aleksandra Sikora (’24).
  • Stefano Bertuzzi (ex officio).
  • Irene Hulede (ex officio).

Subcommittees

Career Development Grants for Postdoctoral Women
  • Aleksandra Sikora, Chair ('24).
  • Nancy Freitag ('26).
  • Aimee Hollander ('25).
  • Jyl S. Matson (’24).
  • Fatima Nogueira ('24).
  • Charity Obum-Nnadi ('24).
  • Rachel Ribeiro ('25).
  • Susan Sanchez ('26).
  • Lauren Saunders ('25).
  • Laura Williams ('26).

Graduate and Postdoctoral Education
  • Michael Ibba, Chair (’24).
  • Zandrea Ambrose ('25).
  • William Navarre (’24).
  • Katriana Popchak ('25).
  • Benjamin M. Liu ('24).
  • Patricia Ann Champion ('25).
  • Thiru Vanniasinkam ('24).

Minority Education
  • Michael Johnson, Chair ('25).
  • Jorge Vidal (’24).
  • Michael Johnson (’23).
  • Laura Sanchez (’25).
  • J. Alan Goggins ('24).
  • Cesar Perez ('25).
  • Ariane L. Peralta ('25).
  • Ninecia Scott ('24).
  • Rebecca Pollet ('24).

Undergraduate Education
  • Nancy Boury, Interim Chair ('24).
  • Robert Visalli ('25).
  • David Westenberg ('24).
  • Caitlin J. Light ('25).
  • Loretta Brancaccio-Taras ('24).
  • Mary Allen ('25).
  • David Wessner ('24).

 

Journals Committee

The Journals Committee governs the Society’s objective for planning, organization and administration of publications. 

*All committee members are Editors in Chief.

  • Patrick Schloss (’28), Chair.
  • Cesar A. Arias (’25).
  • Andreas Bäumler (’27).
  • Arturo Casadevall (’25).
  • Christina Cuomo (’26).
  • Corrella Detweiler (’25).
  • Graeme Forrest (‘27).
  • Jack Gilbert (’25).
  • Felicia Goodrum (’27).
  • Michael Imperiale (’25).
  • Sue Lovett (’26).
  • Stanley Maloy (’26).
  • Alexander J. McAdam (’25).
  • Irene Newton (’28).
  • George O’Toole (’25).
  • Gemma Reguera (’26).
  • Stacey Shultz-Cherry (‘27).
  • Stefano Bertuzzi (ex officio).
  • Melissa Junior (ex officio).

Boards of Editors by Journal


Meetings Strategy Committee
The Meetings Strategy Committee provides strategic oversight of ASM’s meeting portfolio; provides guidance and insight on leveraging content from face-to-face meetings for year-long learning and engagement of audiences; identifies opportunities for ASM to expand the meeting portfolio; recommends appropriate resource allocation across all ASM meetings and events, based on portfolio analysis; promotes creative learning environments across the meeting portfolio; enhances the value of ASM meetings; facilitates the role of ASM meetings in supporting broader ASM activities; and reviews and approves new meeting ideas and concepts, in conjunction with other programming committees and the Council on Microbial Sciences (COMS) as appropriate. 
  • Yvette McCarter ('26). 
  • Jennifer Tomb ('25). 
  • Joseph Campos ('26). 
  • Alison Criss ('26).
  • Catherine Eze ('26). 
  • Nkruma Grant ('26). 
  • David Hooper ('26). 
  • Jean Patel ('26). 
  • Kamarah Ramamurthi ('26). 
  • Stefano Bertuzzi (ex officio).
  • Jennifer Tomb (ex officio).

Subcommittees

ASM Conference on Biofilms Program Committee
  • Sheyda Azimi (’22).
  • Ehud Banin (’22).
  • Courtney Dial.
  • Jean-Pierre.
  • Fabrice Alain Filloux (’22).
  • Derek Fleming (’22).
  • William Fuqua (’22).
  • Jennifer Lynn Greenwich (’22).
  • Maria Hadjifrangiskou (’22).
  • Susan HauBler.
  • Birthe Kjellerup (’22).
  • Michal Natan.
  • Dean A. Rowe-Magnus (’22).
  • Kendra Rumbaugh (’22).
  • Mark Schembri (’22).
  • Paul Stoodley (’22).
  • Karen L. Visick (’22).
  • Benjamin Wucher (’22).

ASM Conferences Committee
  • Theodore Bruno (’23).
  • Jeanne Jordan (’23).
  • Frederick Nolte (’23).

ASM Microbe Program Committee
  • Yvette McCarter, Co-Chair (’23).
  • Pamela A. Brown (’24).
  • Cornelia Clancy (’24).
  • Catalina Cuellar-Gempeler (’24).
  • Sanchita Das (’24).
  • Boghuma Kabisen Titanji (’24).
  • Karine Gibbs (’23).
  • Nkrumah Grant (’23).
  • Jennifer Guthrie (’24).
  • Birthe Kjellerup (’23).
  • Britt Koskella (’23).
  • Vincent Lee (’24).
  • Seema Mattoo (’24).
  • Ivan Nikel Pablo (’23).
  • Krisztina Papp-Wallace (’23).
  • Tatiana Pinto (’23).
  • Michael Pucci (’23).
  • Gowri Satyanarayana (’23).
  • Lisa Stempak (’24).
  • Lindsay Stevenson (’24).
  • Edward Swords (’23).
  • Eric Wenzler (’24).
  • Aaron Thomas Whiteley (’23).
  • Rebecca Yee (’24).
  • Mariana Castanheira, Track Leader (’24).
  • Kathryn Elliott, Track Leader (’23).
  • Erica Majumder, Track Leader (’23).
  • Krishana Rao, Track Leader (’23).
  • Robert Tibbetts, Track Leader.
  • Yvette McCarter, Co-Chair (’23).

Biothreats Program Committee
  • Jean-Pierre Fabrice (’23).

Clinical Virology Symposium Program Subcommittee
  • Benjamin Pinksy, Chair  ('25).
  • Steven Specter, Vice-Chair ( '25). 
  • Matthew Binnicker ('25). 
  • Kenneth Gavina ('25).
  • Kerry Kurowski ('25).
  • Amy Leber ('25). 
  • William Meyer ('25). 
  • Rangaraj  Selvarangan ('25). 
  • Elitza Theel ('25).

Meetings Strategy Committee
  • McCarter Yvette S. ('26).
  • Tomb Jennifer ('26).
  • Campos Joseph ('26).
  • Criss Alison ('26).
  • Eze Chinwe Catherine ('26).
  • Grant Nkrumah ('26).
  • Hooper David ('26).
  • Patel Jean ('26).
  • Ramamurthi Kumaran ('26).
  • Stefano Bertuzzi (ex officio).

Membership Committee
The ASM Membership Committee supports the Society’s objective for the promotion of scientific knowledge through membership activities. The Membership Committee strengthens member recruitment and retention through communication and enhancement of the value of membership in the Society.
  • Peggy Cotter (’26), Chair.
  • Briana Burton (‘24).
  • Tomislav Mestrovic (’25).
  • Francis Muchaamba ('24).
  • Chioma Okeoma ('26).
  • Amy Reese ('26).
  • Christopher Woods ('24).
  • Stephen Young (’26).
  • Tina Edwards (ex officio).
  • Janet Hedrick (ex officio).

Subcommittees

ASM Distinguished Lecturers
  • Briana Burton (’24), Chair.
  • Karl Klose (’26).
  • Nancy Miller (’24).

Branch Organization
  • Stephen Young (’26), Chair.
  • Merrilee Anderson (’24).
  • Wade Bell (’25).
  • Bonnie Jo Bratina (’24).
  • Steven Fiester ('25). 

Center for the History of Microbiology/ASM Archives
  • Tomislav Mestrovic (’25), Chair.
  • Melanie Armstrong (’25).
  • Laura Carroll ('26). 
  • Julie Good ('26). 
  • Stefanie Cabral ('26). 
  • Stanley Maloy ('26). 
  • Erik Munson ('26). 
  • Sergio Rodriguez ('26). 
  • Karen-Beth Scholthof ('24).
  • Amy Stone ('26). 
  • Colleen Puterbaugh (ex-officio). 

Status of Historically Excluded Groups
  • Chioma Okeoma, Chair ('26).
  • Samina Akbar ('25).
  • Jorge Cervantes ('25).
  • Amanda Ojeda ('26).
  • Tracey Taylor ('26).
  • Hyacinthe Tuyubuhe ('26).

Status of Women in Microbiology
  • Amy Reese, Chair ('26). 
  • Akorede Seriki ('26). 
  • Nneoma Anyanwu ('26).
  • Michaela Gazdik ('26). 
  • Jennifer Goff ('25). 
  • Zoe Hanson ('25). 

Sustainable Development
  • Chris Woods (’24), Chair.
  • Diane Flayhart (’24).
  • Mohammed Lamorde ('24). 
  • Vanessa Moeder (’24).
  • Cathy Petti (’24).
  • Estee Torok (’24).

Young Leaders Circle

Public and Scientific Affairs Committee
The Public and Scientific Affairs Committee (PSAC) governs the Society’s objective for the stimulation of scientific investigations. PSAC serves as the public policy arm for the Society, reaching out to inform and influence public policy affecting the microbial sciences, clinical microbial sciences and public health. The PSAC interacts with government officials; representatives of industry, including food, drug, health care and environmental sectors; and other organizations concerned with health, safety, environmental and other issues involving the microbial sciences. 
  • Stacey Schultz-Cherry (’25), Chair.
  • Randy Albrecht ('26). 
  • Jamie Deeter-Phillips ('26). 
  • Nisha Garg (’25).
  • Bill Goldman (’25).
  • Erica Hartmann (’25).
  • Sunny Jiang ('26).
  • Margie Lee (’25).
  • Jay Vornhagen ('26). 
  • Linoj Samuel (ex officio).
  • Stefano Bertuzzi (ex officio).
  • Allen Segal (ex officio).