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
• Gabi Droege, Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem (2011-present), Technical Manager
• Jonas Astrin, Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig (2016-present)
• Carol Butler, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (2011-present)
• David Cantrill, Council of Australian Biological Collections (2013-present)
• Jonathan Coddington, Global Genome Initiative (2011-present)
• Santiago Ron, Museo de Zoología de la Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador (2016-present)
• Oris Sanjur, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (2011-present)
• David Schindel, Consortium for the Barcode of Life (2011-present)
• Dennis Stevenson, New York Botanical Garden (2016-present)
• Michal Vinkler, Charles University in Prague (2016-present)
• Xun Xu, China National Genebank (2016-present)

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)
• 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

• Gabriele Droege, Technical Manager
• David Fichtmeuller, Technical Assistant

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

• Gabriele Droege, Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem (2011-present), Chair
• Margaret Cawsey, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) (2014-present)
• Jonathan Coddington, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (2011-present)
• Paul Flemons, Australian Museum (2011-present)
• Tim Fulcher, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (2016-present)
• Lars Erik, Natural History Museum, Oslo (2016-present)
• Mailyn Adriana Gonzalez, Alexander von Humboldt Institute (2012-present)
• Adrian Hine, Natural History Museum London (2012-present)
• Tom Hollowell, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (2011-present)
• Kim Labuschagne, National Zoological Gardens of South Africa (2014-present)
• Chris Meyer, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (2011-present)
• Thomas Orrell, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (2011-present)
• Rui Zhang, China National Genebank, (2016-present)

Task Force on Policies

Mission

• Supporting Member organizations’ work on Access and Benefits Sharing

Members

• Carol Butler, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (2011-present), Chair
• Katharine Barker, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (2011-present)
• Gabriele Droege, Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem (2011-present)
• Chris Lyal, Natural History Museum London (2012-present)
• Oris Sanjur, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (2011-present)
• David Schindel, Consortium for the Barcode of Life (2011-present)
• Ole Seberg, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen (2011-present)

Task Force on Biobank Procedures

Mission

• Improve standard operating procedures at biodiversity biobanks

Task Force Members

• Jonas Astrin, Zoological Research Museum A. Koenig (2012-present), Chair
• Katharine Barker, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (2011-present)
• Paul Bartels, Tshwane University of Technology (2011-present)
• Gabriele Droege, Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem (2011-present)
• Glyn Figueira, State University of Campinas(2014-present)
• Leo Joseph, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization(2011-present)
• Gitte Petersen, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen (2012-present)
• Michal Vinklar, Charles University in Prague (2016-present)
• To be decided, China National Genebank (2016-present)

Task Force on Document Library

Mission

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

Members

• Katharine Barker, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (2011-present)
• Katharine Barker, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (2011-present)
• Jackie Mackenzie-Dodds, Natural History Museum London (2011-present)

Task Force on Communications and Outreach

Mission

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

Members

• Katharine Barker, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (2011-present), Chair
• Alysha Chadderdon, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (2016-present)
• Gabriele Droege, Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem (2011-present)
• Kakha Nadiradze, Association for Farmers Rights Defense (2015-present)
• Eva-Maria Sehr, Austrian Institute of Technology (2015-present)
• Charlotte Seid, Ocean Genome Legacy (2015-present)
• Tina Tennessen, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (2015-present)
• Rui Zhang, China National Genebank(2015-present)

Former Task Force Members

• 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)