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Current Leadership Board
Current Leadership Board
Contact the current NAPC board at napikaconsortium@gmail.com
Present Chair - Dr. Jessica Castillo Vardaro
Present Chair - Dr. Jessica Castillo Vardaro
Current term: January 2025 - December 2026
Jessica is an Associate Professor of Ecology & Evolution at San José State University. She completed her PhD at Oregon State University where she studied the landscape and population genetics of American pikas. Jessica has 15 years experience studying pikas. Her current research focuses on population genetics, local adaptation, and diet, particularly within the Sierra Nevada lineage (O. p. schisticsps).
Core responsibilities of Chair of NAPC:
Primary point-of-contact for NAPC
Primary conference organizer
Organize virtual conferences in odd years & in-person conferences in even years (in collaboration with host societies)
Lead monthly leadership board meetings
Future Chair - Dr. Kelly Klingler
Future Chair - Dr. Kelly Klingler
Current term: January 2025 - December 2026
Kelly Klingler is an Associate Professor of Wildlife Science at Paul Smith’s College in the Adirondack Park of New York State. Her research on pikas has generally focused on understanding patterns of genetic diversity, occupancy, stress hormone levels, and microclimate variation within O.p.schisticeps populations in the eastern Sierra Nevada and Bodie Hills of California. In addition to live-trapping, Kelly has prioritized the use of non-invasive monitoring techniques such as fecal DNA collection to minimize stress to these sensitive animals and continues to collaborate with other pika researchers to monitor patterns of occupancy in at-risk populations.
Core responsibilities of Future Chair of NAPC:
Manage website communication
Organize election for new future chair
Coordinate pika researcher database
Coordinate monthly board meetings
Past Chair - Dr. Johanna Varner
Past Chair - Dr. Johanna Varner
Current term: January 2025 - December 2026
Dr. Johanna “Pika Jo” Varner is a professor of biology at Colorado Mesa University. She has been working with pikas for the last 15 years across 6 states and a variety of habitats. Her research has generally focused on understanding how some populations of pikas persist in seemingly “marginal” habitats, including the Columbia River Gorge, Craters of the Moon NM, and several isolated mountain ranges near the species’ southern range edge. She has also led or closely collaborated with three participatory science programs (Cascades Pika Watch, Uintas Pika Watch, and the Colorado Pika Project) that invite volunteers and/or K-12 students to participate in pika monitoring activities, and last year, she oversaw the development and release of the “Pika Patrol” participatory science mobile app.
Core Responsibilities of Past Chair of NAPC:
Assist in leadership transitions
Manage communication in Google Group listserv
Organize working group meetings at conferences, including maintaining an active list of leads and collating accessible records of discussions, goals, and progress
Leadership Structure
Leadership Structure
The NAPC is governed by a 3-person board composed of the Present, Past, and Future “chair-persons”. Board members are elected by NAPC membership via secret ballot and serve 2 years at their elected role. Each member of the board has specific responsibilities:
Present Chair
Primary point of contact for NAPC
Primary conference organizer
Lead monthly board meetings
Future Chair
Manage website communication
Organize election of future chair
Coordinate pika researcher database
Coordinate monthly board meetings
Past Chair
Assist in leadership transitions
Manage communication in Google Group listserv
Organize working group meetings at conferences, including maintaining an active list of leads and collating accessible records of discussions, goals, and progress
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