Governance

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee is a working committee responsible for overseeing the operations of the Secretariat and Technical Management Offices in implementing the work program and budget. The Executive Committee is responsible for:

• Setting strategy, policy, direction and budgets;
• Developing and implementing work plans;
• Evaluating progress and producing yearly reports;
• Raising funds;
• Reviewing applications for Membership.

Access to Executive Committee meeting documents (committee members only).

Executive Committee Members

• Ole Seberg, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen (2011-present), Chair
• Katie Barker, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (2011-present), Program Manager
• Carol Butler, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (2011-present)
• Da Silva, Manuela, Fiocruz (2018-present)
• deWaard, Jeremy, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph (2018-present)
• Gabi Droege, Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem (2011-present), Technical Manager
• Jonas Astrin, Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig (2016-present)
• David Cantrill, Council of Australian Biological Collections (2013-present)
• Jonathan Coddington, Global Genome Initiative (2011-present)
• Jackie Mackenzie-Dodds, Natural History Museum (2016-present)
• Santiago Ron, Museo de Zoología de la Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador (2016-present)
• Dennis Stevenson, New York Botanical Garden (2016-present)
• Michelle van der Bank, African Centre for DNA Barcoding, University of Johannesburg (2018-present)
• Michal Vinkler, Charles University in Prague (2016-present)
• Xun Xu, China National Genebank (2016-present)
• Meiliang Zhou, China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (2018-present)
• Policies task force chair (open seat)
• Communications and outreach task force chair (open seat)

Former Members

• Penelope Berents, Australian Museum, GGBN interim Executive Committee (2011-2013)
• Birgit Gemeinholzer, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, GGBN interim Executive Committee (2011-2013)
• Donald Hobern, Global Biodiversity Information Facility, GGBN interim Executive Committee (2011-2015)
• David Schindel, Consortium for the Barcode of Life (2011-2017)
• Éamonn Ó Tuama, Global Biodiversity Information Facility, GGBN interim Executive Committee (2011-2015)
• Yong Zhang, China National GeneBank, GGBN interim Executive Committee (2014-2016)
• Xin Zhou, China National GeneBank, GGBN interim Executive Committee (2014-2016)

Secretariat Office

GGBN's Secretariat, hosted and supported by the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, performs day to day operational management for GGBN, coordinates member activities, and provides administrative support and communication services for the Interim Executive Committee, Task Force chairs, Technical Management Office, and GGBN Members.

Secretariat Office Staff

• Katie Barker, Program Manager
• Alysha Chadderdon, Management Support Assistant

Technical Management Office

GGBN's Technical Management Office, hosted by the Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem, performs day to day operational management of the GGBN Data Portal, GGBN Registry, and GGBN Library, coordinates further improvements, and provides technical support for GGBN Members.

Technical Management Office Staff

• Gabi Droege, Technical Manager
• David Fichtmueller
• Jörg Holetschek
• Dominik Röpert

Task Forces

Five Task Forces were established to address: 1) Data Standards and Data Access for Genomic Samples, 2) Policies Related to Management and Stewardship of Genomic Samples, 3) Biobank Procedures, 4) Document Library and 5) Communications and Outreach.

Task Force on Data Standards and Data Access

Mission

• Development of a data standard for sharing DNA and tissue information
• Development and subsequent expansion of a global data platform for aggregating relevant data sources of genomic samples, vouchers, molecular analysis, publications, and images

Members

• Gabi Droege, Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem (2011-present), Chair
• Katie Barker, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (2011-present)
• Margaret Cawsey, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) (2014-present)
• Jonathan Coddington, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (2011-present)
• Jeremy deWaard, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph (2018-present)
• Tim Fulcher, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (2016-present)
• Peter Grobe, Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig (2016-present)
• Chris Hunter, China National Gene Bank/GigaScience (2018-present)
• Lars Erik Johannessen, Natural History Museum, Oslo (2016-present)
• Kim Labuschagne, National Zoological Gardens of South Africa (2014-present)
• Chris Meyer, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (2011-present)
• Glen Newton, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (2016-present)
• Thomas Orrell, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (2011-present)
• Björn Quast, Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig (2016-present)
• Dmitry Schigel, Global Biodiversity Information Facility (2016-present)
• Mike Trizna, Smithsonian Institution (2017-present)
• Xiao Feng (Vincent) Wei, China National Gene Bank (2018-present)

Task Force on Policies

Mission

• Supporting Member organizations’ work on Access and Benefits Sharing

Members

• Carol Butler, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (2011-present)
• Katie Barker, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (2011-present)
• Manuela da Silva, FIOCRUZ (2016-present)
• Gabi Droege, Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem (2011-present)
• Chris Lyal, Natural History Museum London (2012-present)
• Anissa Lybaert, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada(2017-present)
• Oris Sanjur, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (2011-present)
• Amber Scholz, German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GmbH (2020-present)
• Ole Seberg, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen (2011-present)
• Breda Zimkus, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard (2017-present)

Task Force on Biobank Procedures

Mission

• Improve standard operating procedures at biodiversity biobanks

Task Force Members

• Jonas Astrin, Zoological Research Museum A. Koenig (2016-present), Chair
• Katie Barker, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (2016-present)
• Mike Bruford, Cardiff University (2017-present)
• Marta Castelhano, Cornell University (2016-present)
• Jon Coddington, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (2016-present)
• Dan Distel, Ocean Genome Legacy (2016-present)
• Gabi Droege, Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem (2016-present)
• Andrew Iloh, Biodiversity and Climate Research, Biotechnology Research Center (2016-present)
• Virág Krizsik, Hungarian Natural History Museum (2016-present)
• Kim Labuschagne, National Zoological Gardens (2016-present)
• Jackie Mackenzie-Dodds, Natural History Museum London (2016-present)
• Li Qiyuan, Beijing Genomics Institute (2016-present)
• Eva Sehr, Austrian Institute of Technology (2016-present)
• Julie Strand, Randers Regnskov Tropical Zoo (2016-present)
• Michal Vinkler, Charles University in Prague (2016-present)
• Breda Zimkus, Museum of Comparative Zoology Harvard University (2016-present)

Task Force on Document Library

Mission

• Development and expansion of an online knowledge exchange platform specific to biodiversity biobanking

Members

• Jackie Mackenzie-Dodds, Natural History Museum (2011-present), Chair
• Katie Barker, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (2011-present)
• Alysha Chadderdon, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (2016-present)
• Jane Collins, ABS-Int, KU-Leuven University (2018-present)
• Jeremy deWaard, Centre for Biodiveristy Genomics, University of Guelph (2019-present)
• Gabi Droege, Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem (2011-present)
• Laura Forrest, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (2018-present)
• Tim Fulcher, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew (2016-present)
• Heather Prestridge, Texas A&M University(2020-present)
• Muriel Rabone, Natural History Museum (2016-present)
• Breda Zimkus, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University (2016-present)

Task Force on Communications and Outreach

Mission

• Recruit new Members and disseminate information to raise awareness of the importance of genomic sample information and biodiversity repositories

Members

• Katie Barker, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (2011-present), Chair
• Alysha Chadderdon, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (2016-present)
• Jason Chen, China National Genebank (2016-present)
• Gabi Droege, Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem (2011-present)
• Kakha Nadiradze, Association for Farmers Rights Defense (2015-present)
• Santiago Ron, Museo de Zoología Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador(2016-present)
• Eva-Maria Sehr, Austrian Institute of Technology (2015-present)

Former Task Force Members

• Kathryn Davis, Environment and Climate Change Canada (2018-2019)
• Tom Hollowell, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (2011-2018)
• Annie Evankow, Ocean Genome Legacy (2016-2017)
• Charlotte Seid, Ocean Genome Legacy (2015-2016)
• Paul Flemons, Australian Museum (2011-2016)
• Mailyn Adriana Gonzalez, Alexander von Humboldt Institute (2012-2016)
• Adrian Hine, Natural History Museum London (2012-2016)
• Cynthia Parr, Encyclopedia of Life, Data Standards (2011-2015)
• Jamie Whitacre, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Data Standards (2011-2015)
• Paul Bartels, Tshwane University of Technology, Marketing and Outreach (2011-2014)
• Robert Corrigan, Encyclopedia of Life, Marketing and Outreach (2011-2014)
• Enrique Arbeláez Cortes, Alexander von Humboldt Institute, Policies and Practices (2015-2016)
• Robert Costello, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Marketing and Outreach (2011-2014)
• Timery DeBoer, Ocean Genome Legacy, Marketing and Outreach (2014)
• Oscar Estrada, Alexander von Humboldt Institute, Policies and Practices (2011-2012)
• Maria Fernanda Torres, Alexander von Humboldt Institute, Policies and Practices(2012-2014)
• Donald Hobern, Global Biodiversity Information Facility, Data Standards (2011-2015)
• Andrew Lowe, South Australian Museum, Marketing and Outreach (2012-2014)
• Roderigo Moreno, Alexander von Humboldt Institute, Marketing and Outreach (2012-2014)
• Éamonn Ó Tuama, Global Biodiversity Information Facility, Data Standards (2011-2015)