ASP Board of Directors Ballot
We are holding elections for the ASP Board. Here are the nominations for the ballot:
President-elect Candidates
Cory Ross
Biosketch: I am currently the Director of the Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC) at Texas Biomedical Research Institute. I am a broadly trained primatologist whose career has focused on studying marmoset behavior, endocrinology, physiology and aging. I first joined SNPRC as an affiliated postdoc and have continued my career in San Antonio in order to continue my association with the primate center and the amazing marmoset colony. My current research focuses on marmosets as translational models for health and aging. In my role as a director of a primate center I work to support the animal welfare, husbandry and care required to ensure successful state-of-the-art research and science.
Education: B.S. Biology, Cornell University, 1997; M.A. Biology, University of Nebraska Omaha, 1999; Ph.D. Biology, University of Nebraska Lincoln, 2005; Postdoctoral Fellowship, Biology of Aging, Barshop Institute for Aging and Longevity, University of Texas Health Science Center, and Southwest National Primate Research Center (2006-2011).
ASP activities: I joined ASP in 1999 as a graduate student and have been a member ever since. I have only missed one annual conference in 2000 due to the birth of my son. I served on the Executive Board for ASP for 6 years as Treasurer (2014-2018) and then Secretary (2018-2020). Before serving on the board I served on ASP committees including Media and Public Relations (2010-2016, co-chair 2012-2014), and Education Committee (2002-current, chair 2006-2010). I also served on the Membership and Finance Committee (2014-2022). I have organized several symposia and workshops over the years at the ASP meetings and co-hosted the San Antonio meeting.
Candidate Statement: Many of us that have been members of ASP for some time refer to this society as “home”. Recently I described this feeling to a colleague that is not a member of ASP, and they unfortunately could not relate because they had not had this experience with any of their societies or conferences. It made me realize how truly lucky I was to have found this society so early in my career. For many of us ASP not only represents our scientific interests and our species of interest, but these meetings are also a guaranteed annual reunion to see colleagues and our best friends. The members of ASP are diverse and we study many different topics that are critical for scientific advancement, animal health and wellbeing, conservation, and the future of society. Members of this society are thought leaders, and leading experts in their field. Additionally, ASP is a place where it is OK to express that you simply love the animals that you work with. Over the years I have been to many scientific conferences and worked with several societies and there is truly no other group like ASP.
Serving on the Board gave me insight to the fact that not everyone in the society gets along all of the time, and that there are struggles that challenge the society. These challenges change year over year, but some are pervasive. These range from the lack of support for taxon-based societies that leads to reduced memberships, concerns of the membership regarding topics of focus (ex: conservation vs biomedical), inflation impacting conference costs, funding insecurity and institutional restrictions, and current political challenges to science overall. ASP has weathered these storms in the past and will continue to do so. I am committed to working with the Board of Directors and the ASP membership to continue to address challenges and concerns as they arise. I believe that the work that has taken place over the last several years to encourage transdisciplinary symposia needs to continue to be highlighted and enhanced. The society is stronger with the support of all primatologists regardless of our particular topic of interest. We need to continue to work with the zoo and veterinary working groups to welcome these primatologists into ASP. I believe more work can be done with the NPRC’s and other primate centers to encourage those that work in translational biomedical research areas to join ASP. We need to continue to monitor costs of membership and conference attendance, to encourage students and early career scientists from the Americas to attend. The society continues to serve as leaders and subject matter experts in topics ranging from conservation to genetics to animal welfare. The work that has been done to identify specializations within the society and to enhance processes to connect these member experts to those that need professional resources will continue to be critically important in the next several years. Finally, I have been a member of the Education committee for decades and I firmly believe that outreach and student education are critical to the future of primatology and scientific advancements. The society continues to have a lot of work to do to support science and primates globally, and I would be honored to serve on the ASP Board of Directors to bolster these efforts.
Dawn Abney
I am seeking the office of President of ASP because this society is near and dear to my heart. When I was 10 years old, I decided my life’s passion was to work with apes and monkeys. I started volunteering at our local zoo in 8th grade and have spent my life and career working with primates ever since. I learned about ASP through my mother, who was incredibly supportive of my dream to be the next Jane Goodall, but had no idea what that meant for education and training. Enter ASP! This society has opened so many doors for me and provided endless opportunity. I am so fortunate to call many people across different disciplines of primatology my friend, all thanks to the society! For the last 19 years, I have held various leadership roles in the Laboratory Animal Medicine Program at Charles River in Reno, NV. In my current role, I oversee multiple sub-departments including the Behavioral Medicine Program, NHP Group Housing, Animal Resources, Surgical Services, Veterinary Technicians and Data Review. The site houses over 3,000 cynomolgus macaques and also conducts rodent work. Prior to joining CRL, I interned at the Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research in Bastrop, TX.
I am honored to be considered a candidate for President of the American Society of Primatologists. Our society has a long and respected history of promoting excellence in primate research, education, and conservation, and I am committed to continuing this important work while advancing new opportunities for our members and the broader primatological community. If elected, I will prioritize maintaining the strong foundation the Society has built—supporting rigorous scientific inquiry, fostering collaboration among diverse primatologists, and ensuring that our work remains accessible to all who seek to contribute to the field. I am deeply committed to upholding and promoting best practices for the responsible care and ethical use of nonhuman primates in research, and I believe our Society plays a vital role in guiding and informing these standards. I am equally dedicated to advocating for primate welfare beyond the research setting. This includes continuing efforts to end the private ownership of primates as pets and promoting public awareness of the complex social, behavioral, and environmental needs of primate species. Additionally, I will support initiatives that educate current and future generations about the importance of habitat protection and conservation, recognizing that the survival and well-being of primates depend on preserving the natural environments to which they belong. Looking ahead, I hope to strengthen and grow our membership by highlighting the value the Society provides at every career stage. For students, early-career professionals, and seasoned experts alike, the ASP offers a unique community where individuals can gain mentorship, share knowledge, access continuing education, and exchange innovative ideas that advance our discipline. Enhancing these opportunities and showcasing their impact will be a central goal of my presidency. It would be a privilege to serve the Society and its members in this capacity. Together, we can continue to elevate the science of primatology, promote ethical stewardship, and ensure a thriving, inclusive future for our field.
I received my B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Texas at Austin in 2002. After leaving Texas, I worked with several lab animal species as a behaviorist at the National Institutes of Health – Division of Veterinary Resources in Poolesville, MD and Bethesda, MD and then made my way out to Reno. In addition to my work history, I have served ASP as a member of the Primate Care Committee since 2016 and served as ASP Meeting Coordinator since 2023 when I had the pleasure of hosting the ASP meeting in Reno! I am passionate about the mission, values, and goals of ASP. I believe this society has the ability to positively impact the lives of primates in the wild and captivity, as well as the lives of the human primate membership!
Executive Secretary Candidates
Lydia Hopper
I am an Associate Professor, the Director of Behavioral Management, and the Director of Primate Breeding Operations at Johns Hopkins University where I work with six primate species, including macaques, baboons, and marmosets. I apply my understanding of primate behavior and cognition to help enhance their welfare in captive settings. Prior to my current role, I was the Assistant Director of the Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes at Lincoln Park Zoo, where I had the opportunity to help direct a touchscreen research program with three primate species aimed at studying primate cognition and in promoting public engagement with science. As someone who has studied primates in zoos, sanctuaries, and research settings, I appreciate the society’s commitment to engage primatologists across disciplines and career paths and the sense of community that it fosters. I received a BSc in Psychology and Zoology from the University of Liverpool in 2004 and a PhD in Psychology from the University of St Andrews in 2008.
I am currently in the role of Executive Secretary for ASP and am honored to stand again for consideration for a second term. I have been a member of ASP for over 15 years and I attended my first ASP meeting in 2011. Since joining the society, I have co-chaired the Research and Development Committee (2020-2024) and am a member of the Primate Care Committee (2016-present). I am also a member of, and former co-chair of, the APV-ASP Working Group (2023-present), which fosters connection between ASP and the Association of Primate Veterinarians. In 2016, I was a member of the team that organized and hosted the joint IPS/ASP meeting held in Chicago, to which we welcomed around 1,500 conference attendees. I was also fortunate to be a recipient of the ASP Small Research Grant in 2011 that funded a project examining chimpanzees’ sense of fairness.
Brett Frye
Thank you for considering me for the position of Executive Secretary of the American Society of Primatologists (ASP). I am an Assistant Professor of Biology at Emory & Henry University and an Adjunct Assistant Professor in Pathology/Comparative Medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. I have been fortunate to work directly with several species of primates, including common marmosets, golden lion tamarins, Caribbean vervets, and cynomolgus macaques. Broadly, my research integrates behavior, physiology, and neurobiology to better understand the factors shaping health across the lifespan. I joined ASP in 2014 and have served since 2015 on the Student, Research & Development, and Education Committees as both a member and a co-chair. My contributions to ASP focus on strengthening the research pipeline through reviewing Small Grant applications, coordinating research symposia, organizing and presenting Grant Writing Workshops, supporting educational outreach, and organizing and judging the ASP Student Competitions. I also am committed to advancing primatology and ethical research through broader professional service. This includes chairing the American Psychological Association’s Committee on Animal Research and Ethics and teaching at the Primate Behavioral Management Conference. Equally important is mentorship—many of my trainees have attended and presented at the annual ASP meetings. Together, these experiences reflect my enthusiastic, organized, and collaborative approach to professional service. I am excited to apply these skills in the role of Executive Secretary of ASP.
Treasurer Candidates
Michele Mulholland
I am an assistant professor at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research. My interests include primate behavior and cognitive neuroscience, with a primary research focus on aging, neurodegeneration, and cognition. I have worked with primates, including marmosets, squirrel monkeys, rhesus macaques, baboons, and chimpanzees, for over 18 years in both laboratories and zoo-like settings. I received a B.S. in Psychology from Northern Arizona University, 2006., a M.A. in Psychological Science from California State University San Marcos, 2010, and a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Nebraska Lincoln, 2017.
I first joined ASP as a student member in 2008 and volunteered to work at the very first meeting I attended in San Diego. I was introduced to ASP by a mentor who always considered ASP their primatology family, and I have very much held this same view from the beginning. Since that first volunteer experience and meeting, I have not missed an annual meeting until 2021 due to COVID-related travel restrictions. I volunteered in some capacity or another at every single conference, whether it was helping set up or clean up the silent auction, staffing the registration desk, or helping with fundraising or raffles at the closing banquets. I have also served in a more formal capacity on the Conservation Committee (2010-2014), Conservation Committee Fundraising Sub-Committee (2013-2014), the Membership and Finance Committee (2014-present), the Publications Committee (2018-2022), and the Digital Journal Ad-hoc Committee (2019-2022), and served as the program chair (2022-2024). I am currently the ASP Treasurer (since 2024) and had the pleasure of serving on the Membership and Finance committee for nine years under the past three Treasurers (Corinna Ross, Erin Riley, and Kris Coleman). These experiences showed me the hard work and dedication it takes to represent ASP members in a leadership role, and particularly the organizational skills, attention to detail, and communication skills required of the Treasurer.
In addition to the ongoing membership and financial responsibilities of the Treasurer (reviewing membership applications, preparing budgets, paying bills, collecting membership due and registration fees, etc.), I have worked with the current BOD (and others) on recruiting lapsed members to rejoin ASP, increasing accessibility for our meetings by adding language translation capabilities, clarifying overlapping roles within the society, addressing any issues brought to the BOD, and editing bylaws for clarity and to reflect updated roles of the committees. We are also currently working towards streamlining and increasing fundraising for the society. I have also worked very closely with the ASP Meeting Coordinator, Local Hosts, and Program Chair on the 2025 and 2026 meetings. If re-elected, I will continue to focus on areas that are important for the ongoing success of ASP including the recruitment of new members and retention of lapsed members and working with committees on important financial matters such as increasing fundraising for grants and emergency funds (Conservation, Research, and Primate Care Committees) and continuing to improve accessibility and inclusion at future ASP meetings (Program Committee and DEIA Committee). I look forward to continuing to serve ASP and our members in 2027 and beyond!
Melissa Truelove
I’ve been proud to serve the American Society of Primatologists for over a decade, including roles on the Finance and Membership Committee and Primate Care Committee. My leadership experience, along with managing research projects and coordinating complex data, has strengthened my ability to support organizational goals and maintain accountability. I am committed to growing and sustaining ASP’s membership for years to come, while safeguarding the resources that support our science and conservation mission. I would be honored to serve as Treasurer and continue advancing the Society’s goals.
Kaelyn Dobson
Kaelyn Dobson is a postdoctoral fellow at MD Anderson Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research. Though she currently works in cancer research, she has previous experience in zoo education, zookeeping, primate rehabilitation, lab benchwork, museum curation, field work and currently teaches primate field courses. She has been a member of the American Society of Primatologists since 2021. Kaelyn has been the co-chair of the Student Committee and the Conservation Committee. She is excited for the opportunity to serve as the Treasurer and continue her work with the American Society of Primatologists.