Introducing the SETAC North America Board Members Serving From 2023–2025
Nile Kemble, SETAC North America Vice President
The SETAC North America Board of Directors is made up of 16 voting members, which include the immediate past president and a student representative. During the last election, we added six new members to the board. Our new members represent both geographic diversity, with new members from both Canada and the United States, as well as sector diversity, with two new members from the business sector, two from the government sector, and one from the private sector, all of whom will serve the society for three years. Additionally, a new North America Student Advisory Council (NASAC) student vice chair is joining the board and will serve a two-year term. At this time, I would also like to thank our outgoing board members, Walter Berry, Sarah Hughes, Cynthia Stahl, Eric Van Genderen (2021 President), Katherine (Trina) von Stackelberg and Lauren Zink (NASAC) for all their hard work and invaluable contributions moving SETAC North America forward in its mission over the last several years.
SETAC’s use of a multi-sector approach and structure is unique among professional societies and helps ensure that we have the best science to help solve environmental issues worldwide. The multiple sector perspectives represented and a robust platform for discussion and debate about the current science and research is the foundation that supports making the science better and keeps SETAC positioned as a leader in the field of environmental toxicology and chemistry.
Please join us in welcoming our new SETAC North America Board members who will be serving our society from 2023–2025.
Katy Chung National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Katy Chung received her B.S. from the University of South Carolina and her M.S. from the University of Charleston. She has more than 20 years of experience at the NOAA lab, and her skill sets have covered field work (sample collections and small boat operator), safety, chemistry (organic and inorganic sample preps and instrument runs), microbiology (microbial community assessment), physiology (biomarker assays), toxicology (toxicity testing and animal husbandry), and procurement. Her current research focuses on the development of ecotoxicological data and determination of the relative toxicities of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) and PFAS-free fire-fighting foam compounds in estuarine organisms. She’s been involved with outreach for many years. Whether it’s judging science fairs and student presentations, Adopt-A-Highway, beach cleanup or mentoring students, she’s probably one of the first to volunteer. She’s been an adjunct faculty at the College of Charleston Graduate Program of Marine Biology since 2011. Cooking, gardening, traveling and supporting her local community (arts and cuisine, conservation, sports, community supported agriculture) are at the top of her hobbies. In her spare time, she serves as a weekly tech guru for her folks (perks – home cooked meals).
Guy Gilron Borealis Environmental Consulting, Inc., North Vancouver, Canada
Guy Gilron has held positions in both the consulting and industry sectors for more than 30 years and is an accredited Board Director in Canada. He holds both a B.S. and an M.S. from the University of Guelph and is a Registered Professional Biologist in British Columbia. His core experience is in ecotoxicology, water quality assessment, ecological and human health risk assessment, and marine ecology. He previously has served as Board Director for the Mining Association of British Columbia, the Canadian Ecotoxicity Workshop, Hanson International College and Wildlife Preservation Canada. He also served as Alumni Senator at the College of Biological Science for his alma mater, the University of Guelph. Gilron is a strong supporter of arts organizations in Canada. He is a frequent patron and supporter of independent theater and film, and he participates as a musician in a local concert band, where he plays tenor saxophone. Gilron enjoys world travel, kayaking, hiking, mushroom photography and cross-country skiing.
Mark McMaster Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ontario, Canada
Mark McMaster has been a scientist with Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Aquatic Contaminant Research Division for 27 years. His work focuses on the effects of contaminants on the reproductive status of wild fish populations and in developing monitoring programs in aquatic receiving environments. He has played a key role in the development of the environmental effects monitoring programs for the pulp and paper, metal mining and municipal sewage sectors in Canada and is now leading development of baseline data collection in the Canadian Oil Sands area prior to potential new regulations for the release of treated oil sands mine waters. McMaster is working with a number of Indigenous communities developing community-based monitoring programs using fish as a tool to assess changes in the environment over time. He has been a member of SETAC since 1989, has participated in the student mentoring program and was a member of the SETAC World Council’s Awards Committee. McMaster was on the scientific program committee for both the Minneapolis and Toronto annual meetings and reviews manuscripts for Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. Outside of work and SETAC, he enjoys spending time with his wife Tricia on their country property in Southern Ontario.
Shawn Sager Arcadis, Raleigh North Carolina, USA
Shawn Sager is a vice president at Arcadis U.S., Inc. and has been working in the consulting arena in human health risk assessment and fate and transport of constituents in the environment for more than 35 years. Daily, she works hand-in-hand with ecologists, chemists, ecotoxicologists, engineers and remediation experts. Sager received her B.A. in chemistry from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and her M.S. and Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Her Ph.D. research and postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard School of Public Health focused on metal migration in aquatic systems. Outside of work, she likes to read, take long walks and spend time with family and friends. Sagar hopes to adopt her 5th retired racing greyhound this spring, since life without a pet is too quiet.
New North America Treasurer
Teresa Norberg-King Self-Employed, Duluth Minnesota, USA
Teresa Norberg-King is a subject matter expert for the development and application of toxicity methods to assess the toxicological effects of chemicals in the environment. During her career with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA) Office of Research and Development, she blended applied research and research translations to USEPA’s implementation of regulatory policy and methods and continues to do so as self employed. During her career, she was active both nationally and internationally. During her free time, she loves to read, enjoys exploring the outdoors with her truck camper, and most of all, spending time with her family, particularly the small grandkids.
North America Student Advisory Council (NASAC) Board Member
Adam Wronski Baylor University, Texas, USA
Adam Wronski is the vice chair for NASAC and a second-year doctoral student at Baylor University, where he is pursuing a Ph.D. in environmental science. His research thus far has focused primarily on examining the prevalence of pharmaceuticals, specifically antipsychotics, in wastewater influent, effluent discharges and surface waters globally, and he is interested in pursuing further analytical and toxicological research concerning this topic. Although his involvement with SETAC has been limited, he looks forward to increasing his involvement advocating for all student members of SETAC during his time as a member of the board. Outside of SETAC and work, he is passionate about traveling, especially when that travel allows him to enjoy the great outdoors through backpacking, camping, etc.
We on the board look forward to serving you and the society. If you have questions, comments or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Please save the date for our 12–16 November annual meeting in Louisville, Kentucky. We hope to see you there!
Author’s contact information: [email protected]
