Diagram by Vermont artist, Paul Borda.

The ISE is guided and administrated by a board (comprised of the executive, representatives, and program chairs), committee members, a council of elders, and a single staff person, the Managing Director. Working together, these ISE members oversee the society’s fundraising and outreach work, direct the ISE’s three core programs and biennial ISE congress, and liaise with an extended network of NGOs, sister societies, and local, traditional, and indigenous communities.

Executives: The volunteer executive consists of a president, president-elect, secretary, and treasurer. Read about our current and former executive here.

Programs: The ISE runs three core programs, the Global Coalition for Biocultural Diversity, the Ethics Program, and the Darrell Posey Fellowship Program for Ethnoecology and Traditional Resource Rights. Each program is overseen by two directors or chairs with specific expertise in the program area. Working with the executive board and Managing Director, program chairs and directors develop, administrate, promote, and fundraise for each program. The ISE also holds a biennial congress which is organized by an ISE member. Read about our current program chairs and congress organizer here.

Representatives: Six elected regional representatives (from Africa, North America, Central and South America and the Caribbean, Asia, Europe, and Oceania) liaise with local organizations to advance the goals of the ISE, foster connections among ISE members and the broader community, and assist with organizing the biennial congress. Read about our current regional representatives here. Two student representatives keep the board and ISE members informed of students’ perspectives and promote the development of future ethnobiologists. Since 2010, student representatives have also helped to organize a pre-congress workshop for emerging ethnobiologists. Read about our current student representatives here.

Staff: Jelena Brezjanović joined ISE as Executive Coordinator in 2018. Jelena has a PhD in Anthropology and is an Adjunct Faculty member at the University of North Florida where she teaches courses in Linguistic and Cultural Anthropology. She also has more than 15 years of experience in PR, digital marketing and project management. You can reach Jelena at [email protected].

Elders: The ISE re-envisioning process (2008-2012) recommended that a Council of Elders be formed to provide institutional memory and guide the direction and substance of ISE projects and activities. This council was formed in 2010 and currently consists of six founding and long-term ISE members

Committees: The ISE maintains several permanent committees each comprised of at least one board member and several members-at-large. Permanent committees organize the biennial congress, fundraise, nominate board members, raise and administer funds, and manage ISE membership. In addition, ad hoc committees are formed on an as-needed basis.

The extended ISE network: The ISE board, elders, and director foster working relationships with indigenous, traditional, and local communities, with sister organizations, and with the broader community.