Our Leadership

Emerging Conservation Professionals Network

The charge of the network is to work in conjunction with the AIC Board Director for Professional Education and an assigned staff liaison to: 

• Maintain a forum and network for AIC members who are entering the field of conservation. This includes: undergraduate students, pre-program individuals, graduate students, recent graduates, and early-career professionals.
• Advocate on behalf of and support the inclusion of emerging professionals within AIC. Assist AIC in enhancing ways to serve members who are just entering the field of conservation and help members as they transition from student to conservation professional. Recommend and/or provide educational and professional development opportunities for emerging conservation professionals.
• Promote collaboration and enhance dialogue with other AIC Networks, Specialty Groups, Committees, Working Groups, and Task Forces, and with professionals in allied fields. 
• Encourage attainment of AIC professional membership designation to promote the importance of professional standing within the field.
• Engage in initiatives and activities to promote inclusivity, equity, and diversity within the field of conservation.
• Promote importance of service and contribution to the profession; encourage members to engage in outreach and advocacy for the field.
• Foster communication between emerging and experienced conservation professionals.
• Enhance dialogue between AIC and graduate-level conservation training programs.

Committee Leadership

	Ms. Caitlin I. Richeson (Chair) Assistant Conservator American Museum of Natural History Ridgewood, NY United States
	Ms Jessica Betz Abel (Vice Chair) Project Conservator Penn Museum Philadelphia, PA United States
	Mr. Héctor J Berdecía-Hernández, Assoc. AIA (Communications Officer) Director/Coordinator Escuela Taller de Conservación y Restauración del Patrimonio Histórico de Puerto Rico, Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña Bayamon, PR United States
	Ms Michaela Paulson (Outreach Officer) Assistant Conservator American Museum of Natural History New York, NY United States
	Ms. Leila Sabouni (Communications Officer) Graduate Fellow Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Richmond, VA United States
	Ms Ashley Louise Stanford (Outreach Officer) Pre-program Intern, Menil Drawing Institute The Menil Collection Houston, TX United States
	Mrs. Annabelle Fichtner Camp (Professional Education and Training Officer) Graduate Fellow (Class of 2022) Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation Winterthur, DE United States
	Ms. Keara Teeter (Professional Education and Training Officer) Lunder Conservation Fellow Smithsonian American Art Museum Happy Valley, OR United States
	Ms Marie Diane Desrochers (Digital Platforms Officer) Graduate Fellow Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation Wilmington, DE United States
	Natalya Swanson (Digital Platforms Officer) Mellon Fellow Brooklyn Museum Brooklyn, NY United States
	Ms. Molly C. Gleeson (Board Liaison) Schwartz Project Conservator Penn Museum Philadelphia, PA United States
	Ms Katelin Lee (Staff Liaison) Outreach Coordinator American Institute for Conservation/Foundation for Advancement in Conservation Washington, DC United States