SPSA Committees 2024-2025

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
• Ivelisse Cuevas-Molina, Fordham University
• Sharon Navarro, University of Texas at San Antonio
• Christopher Ojeda, University of California, Merced
• Pablo Pinto, University of Houston
• Alfonso Gonzales-Toribio, University of California, Riverside

Committee on the Status of Women in the South

• Alixandra Yanus, Chair, Appalachian State University/High Point University
• Rebecca Reid, University of Texas at El Paso
• Bethany Blackstone, James Madison University
• Pearl Dowe, Emory University
• Katelyn Stauffer, University of Georgia

Site Selection Committee (for 2028 meeting)

• Elizabeth Oldmixon, Chair, James Madison University
• Mark Hurwitz, Western Michigan University
• Bryon D’Andra Orey, Jackson State University
• Jeffrey Staton, Emory University

Finance Committee

• Kerstin Hamann, Chair, University of Central Florida
• Richard G. Forgette, University of Mississippi
• Kelly Patterson, Brigham Young University
• Susan Scarrow, University of Houston
• Kirsten Widner, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Membership Development Committee

• Ellen Key, Chair, Appalachian State University
• Tyson Chatagnier, University of Houston
• Anna Gunderson, Louisiana State University
• Gary Hollibaugh, University of Pittsburg

Nominations Committee

• Lee Walker, Chair, National Science Foundation
• Quintin Beazer, Florida State University
• Whitney Manzo, Meredith College
• Kelly Patterson, Brigham Young University
• Allyson Shortle, University of Oklahoma

Arnold Vedlitz Award Committee

• To Be Presented in 2026

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 2026.

• Mark Rozell, George Mason University
  
• Tim LaPira, James Madison University

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 2025 conference, the paper will have been published during 2024).

• Jan Leighley, Chair, American University
• Ernesto Calvo, University of Maryland, College Park
• Carolyn Holmes, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Carlo Horz, Texas A&M University
• Andrew Lister, Queen’s University

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.

• Mackenzie Israell-Trummel, College of William & Mary
• Anil Menon, University of California, Merced
• Banks Miller, University of Texas at Dallas

Manning Dauer Award Committee

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

• Stacia Haynie, Midwestern State University
• Emmitt Riley, The University of South Sewanee
• Jacob Straus, Congressional Research Service
• Matthew Wilson, Southern Methodist University
• Sharon D. Wright-Austin, University of Florida

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.

• Diana O’Brien, Chair, University of Washington in St. Louis
• Ana Bracic, Michigan State University
• Kayla Canelo, University of Texas at Arlington
• Sarah Allen Gershon, Georgia State University
• Jamil Scott, Georgetown University

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 Fix, Chair, Georgia State University
• Jennifer Bowie, University of Richmond
• Jay Krehbiel, University of Buffalo, SUNY
• Susan Navarro-Smelcer, Wake Forest University

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.

• Kaylyn Jackson-Schiff, Chair, Purdue University
• Rebecca Lemoine, Florida Atlantic University
• Barbara Palmer, Baldwin Wallace University
• Clarissa Peterson, University of South Sewanee
• Maureen Stobb, Georgia Southern 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 2025 award will be presented to the best book on Southern Politics published in 2024/2025). 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.

• Sara Chatfield, University of Denver
• Christopher Cooper, Western Carolina University
• Jeremy Mayer, George Mason University
• Irwin Morris, North Carolina State University

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.