The American Fisheries Society is proud to announce that April Croxton has been elected as the new Second Vice President and will take office at the AFS Business Meeting on Wednesday, October 2, 2019 at the AFS Annual Meeting in Reno, NV.
Croxton is an Analyst for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Policy, Planning, and Evaluation office. Previously, she worked for NOAA as a research fishery biologist, where she designed, conducted, and led original laboratory and field experimental research on bivalve species to identify immunological effects following exposure to environmental stressors.
“I am honored to have been elected to this position and am looking forward to being a part of the AFS Leadership team, and having the opportunity to work with our membership on crafting the future of AFS. I am excited to begin working on our engagement activities within the Society, as well as with our external partners,” Croxton said.
As an AFS member, Croxton is the President of the Equal Opportunity Section, serves on the AFS Governing Board, and represents AFS on the Management Board of the Diversity Joint Venture, an initiative to increase representation of women and people of color in conservation careers.
In her candidate statment, Croxton said she believes the future success of AFS will largely depend upon our continued internal engagement, as well as external engagement with policy makers and the science community.
“Internally, the Society must continue to provide a welcoming environment that supports our current and future members,” She said. “Engagement means supporting our future leaders in our Student Subunits, mentoring our early and mid‐career professionals, and tapping into the wisdom of our retired members. Our international members also bring a unique perspective that contributes to our overall organizational success.”
“External engagement with policy makers is equally as important to the continued success of AFS,” Croxton continued. “The Society has had a long history of providing decision makers with relevant information to inform their decisions. As an honest broker, the Society has the opportunity to effectively communicate the concerns of our science community. The positive relationship that the Society has cultivated over the years will need to be further maintained as new scientific challenges present themselves.”
Croxton holds a BS in biology from Virginia Union University and a PhD in environmental sciences with a focus in aquatic toxicology from Florida A&M University.