FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives
CONTACT: Louise Ristau
847.375.4736 | [email protected]
Schaumburg, IL (June 26, 2025) – The Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives (CESSE) is pleased to announce its 2025–2026 Board of Directors. This group of STEM society leaders will work together to advance CESSE’s mission and strategic priorities, bringing a wealth of experience and insight to the association’s governance and leadership.
Board Officer Leadership
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Elena Gerstmann, PhD, FASAE, CAE (Executive Director, INFORMS), assumes the role of Chair. She joined the CESSE Board in 2021 and most recently served as Secretary/Treasurer.
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Frank Krause, MBA, CAE (Executive Director and CEO, Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology), assumes the role of Vice Chair. He rejoins the CESSE Board as Vice Chair having previously served as director-at-large from 2021 - 2024.
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Neal Couture, FASAE, CAE (CEO, American Society for Nondestructive Testing), has been named Secretary/Treasurer. Couture brings longstanding involvement in STEM associations and will help guide CESSE’s financial and strategic planning. He has also previously served as a Director-at-Large.
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Matt Miller (CEO, Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards) continues his service as Past Board Chair through July 2026. Miller has served on the CESSE Board since 2020, previously holding the roles of Secretary/Treasurer, Vice Chair, and Board Chair.
“It is a privilege to step into the role of Board Chair at a time when STEM societies are being called to lead with greater clarity, resilience, and purpose,” says Gerstmann. “CESSE plays a vital role in equipping our professional community with the connections, resources, and support to meet that moment. I’m proud to be part of this truly welcoming space — one that remains fully committed to the ongoing work of ensuring that all who work within STEM associations feel included, empowered, and valued.”
New Board Appointments
CESSE welcomes four new Directors at Large to the Board for the 2025–2028 term:
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Kivmars Bowling, MA, Publications Director, Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
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Kate Fryer, CAE, CEO, Endocrine Society
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Judith Scarl, PhD, Executive Director, American Ornithological Society
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Thomas Smith, JD, CAE, ENV SP, Executive Director, American Society of Civil Engineers
Continuing Board Members
The following leaders continue their service on the CESSE Board:
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Jon Miller, CAE, Director of Membership and Communications, Ecological Society of America
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Jessica Silwick, CPA, MBA, CAE, COO/CFO, ABET
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Wanda Johnson, CAE, CMP, CEO, American Society for Parenteral & Enteral Nutrition
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Lawrence Sloan, MBA, FASAE, CAE, CEO, American Industrial Hygiene Association
“I’m excited to collaborate with this accomplished Board and our members to advance CESSE’s strategic vision and strengthen the network of changemakers shaping the future of science, technology, engineering, and math,” says Gerstmann.
Departing Board Members
CESSE extends its deepest gratitude to the following leaders whose board terms have concluded:
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Khánh Vũ, CEO, Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers (Board Member since 2020, Vice Chair 2024–2025)
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Scott Grayson, CAE, CEO, American Public Works Association (Director at Large, 2022–2025)
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Beth Cunningham, PhD, CEO, American Association of Physics Teachers (Board Member since 2018, including roles as Secretary/Treasurer, Vice Chair, Chair, and Past Chair)
“My deepest thanks go to outgoing board members Khanh, Scott, and Beth for their exceptional leadership and steadfast commitment to CESSE,” says Gerstmann. “Each has made a lasting impact and helped guide our community through opportunity, challenge, and change. I’m grateful for their contributions and proud to build on the foundation they shaped with care.”
Visit www.cesse.org to learn more about the CESSE Board of Directors and how the organization supports leaders in STEM societies.
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About Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives
The Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives (CESSE), incorporated in 1977, is a professional society of chief executive officers and mid- to senior-level staff members of STEM societies dedicated to leadership excellence. CESSE offers its members a forum for exchanging information about their experiences and a venue for addressing the problems, challenges, and opportunities they face in operating their societies.
CESSE provides the go-to source of education, networking, and the sharing of best practices for the staff of STEM societies through the CEO Meeting and ACCESSE annual events.
