SPSA Committees 2023-2024

Committee on the Status of African Americans in the South

• Isaac Unah, Chair, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
• Kesicia Dickinson, University of Mississippi
• Bianca Easterly, Lamar University
• Salmon Shomade, Oxford College – Emory University
• Artemesia Stanberry, North Carolina State University

Committee on the Status of LGBTQ+ Persons in the South

• Jay Barth, Chair, Hendrix College
• Andrew Flores, American University
• Monique Lyle, University of South Carolina, Columbia
• Jordan Peterson, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Tyler Steelman, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

Committee on the Status of Latinos y Latinas in the South

• Betina Cutala Wilkinson, Chair, Wake Forest University
• Sharon Navarro, University of Texas at San Antonio
• Christopher Ojeda, University of California, Merced
• Pablo Pinto, University of Houston

Committee on the Status of Women in the South

• Ellen Key, Chair, Appalachian State University
• Sarah Gershon, Georgia State University
• Rebecca Reid, University of Texas at El Paso
• Alixandra Yanus, Appalachian Stat4e University/High Point University

Site Selection Committee (for 2028 meeting)

• Susan Haire, Chair, University of Georgia
• Elizabeth Oldmixon, James Madison University
• Mitchell Brown, Auburn University
• Jeffrey Staton, Emory University

Finance Committee

• Kerstin Hamann, Chair, University of Central Florida
• Lonna Atkeson, Florida State University
• Amanda Driscoll, Florida State University
• Richard G. Forgette, University of Mississippi
• Kelly Patterson, Brigham Young University
• Susan Scarrow, University of Houston

Membership Development Committee

• Emily Farris, Chair, Texas Christian University
• Tyson Chatagnier, University of Houston
• Pamela Corley, Southern Methodist University
• Gary Hollibaugh, University of Pittsburgh
• Mark Hurwitz, Western Michigan University

Nominations Committee

• Lee Walker, Chair, National Science Foundation
• Lonna Atkeson, Florida State University
• Ryan Carlin, Georgia State University
• Laura Moyer, University of Louisville
• Kelly Patterson, Brigham Young University

Arnold Vedlitz Award Committee

• Melissa Merry, Chair, University of Louisville
• Jonathan Fisk, Auburn University
• Neal Woods, University of South Carolina

Diane Blair Award Committee

The Diane Blair Award is presented biennially to a political scientist who has played an outstanding role in politics and/or government during his or her career. This award will be presented in 2024.

• Karen O’Connor, Chair, American University
  
• Ann Bowman, Texas A&M University
• Mike Crespin, University of Oklahoma
• Paul, Herrnson, University of Connecticut
• Susan Roberts, Davidson College

Joseph L. Bernd Best Journal of Politics Paper Award Committee

The Joseph L. Bernd Best JOP Paper Award is presented annually to the author of the best JOP paper published in the calendar year preceding the SPSA Conference (for the 2024 conference, the paper will have been published during 2023).

• Jan Leighley, Chair, American University
• Mark Crescenzi, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
• Keith Dougherty, University of Georgia
• Eric S. Herron, West Virginia University
• Susan W. Johnson, University of North Carolina, Greensboro

Pi Sigma Alpha/Malcolm Jewell Award Committee

The Pi Sigma Alpha/Malcolm Jewell Award is presented to the author(s) of the best Graduate Student paper presented at the previous year’s conference.

• John Szmer, Chair, University of North Carolina – Charlotte
• Vanessa Baird, University of Colorado Boulder
• Jeff Berejikian, University of Georgia
• Roberto Carlos, University of Texas at Austin
• Mara Suttman-Lea, Connecticut College

Manning Dauer Award Committee

The Manning Dauer Award is presented biennially to a political scientist for exceptional service to the profession.

• This award will  be presented in 2025.

Marian Irish Award Committee

The Marian Irish Award is given to the author(s) of the best paper on Women and Politics presented at the previous year’s conference.

• Heather Ondercin, Chair, Appalachian State University
• Konstanca Dhima, Georgia State University
• Kirsten Widner, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Neal Tate Award Committee

The Neal Tate Award is presented annually to the best paper on Judicial Politics that was presented at the previous year’s conference.

• Michael J. Nelson, Chair, Pennsylvania State University
• Jennifer Bowie, University of Richmond
• Shane Gleason, Texas A&M University Corpus Christi

Best Paper Award Committee

The Best Paper Award is given annually to the author(s) of the Best Overall Paper presented at the previous year’s conference.

• Michael Fix, Chair, Georgia State University
• Lorna Bracewell, Flagler College
• Robert Harding, Valdosta State University
• Martha Kropf, University of North Carolina, Charlotte
• Quan Li, Texas A&M University

V.O. Key Award Committee

The V.O. Key Award is given out annually to the best nominated book on Southern Politics published during the previous calendar year (the 2022 award will be presented to the best book on Southern Politics published in 2022/2023). Books may be nominated by the publisher, author or reader. Five complimentary copies of the book need to be sent to the SPSA office or a copy to each committee member as requested by the SPSA.

• R. Keith Gaddie, Chair, Texas Christian University
• Trey Hood, University of Georgia
• Angie Maxwell, University of Arkansas

SPSA Women Sponsored Erika Fairchild Award Committee

The Erika Fairchild Award was designed to honor the memory of the late Erika Fairchild who once served as president of SPSA Women (formerly the Women’s Caucus for Political Science, South). The award criteria consists of those attributes that Erika exemplified:

• A strong record of scholarship
• A strong commitment to students and teaching
• Service to the profession
• A collegial spirit

The Fairchild Award is given biennially. Committee includes the current caucus President, the past president, and the most recent award winner.