As 2020 comes to its end, I am also concluding my term as FEAST Chair. I leave the organization with newly acquired status as a 501c(4), with a new mission statement, and two new steering committee positions – the Development Officer and Social Media Outreach Chair. Having pursued several of these initiatives with the aim of better support emerging scholars from diverse and underrepresented populations, I am happy that a secure foundation for our next set of initiatives is now in place.

I have been lucky to work with a truly excellent steering committee and conference program co-chairs. In addition to our recently elected steering committee members, several steering committee members continue to serve in or have taken on new roles. Many thanks to each and every one of them for their dedication to fostering the intellectual community of FEAST.

Shay Welch will now be FEAST Chair to continue this important work for our community. Because of Shay’s longstanding dedication to FEAST, which includes serving in numerous roles in the steering committee over the course of several, I have complete confidence that FEAST will be in great hands with Shay at its helm.

Finally, I want to recognize the steering committee members whose terms also end today, and whose contributions have been indispensable to the current vitality of FEAST:

Keya Maitra as Treasurer

Jeanine Weekes Schroer as Web Committee Chair

Ranjoo Herr as International Committee Chair

Christine Wieseler as Access Committee Chair

Xhercis Mendez and Dianna Taylor as At Large members

Jamie Ritzo as Graduate Student Representative

Thank you to each of them, and to our continuing and newly elected steering committee members for their service to the profession.

In solidarity, and with hope for the coming year,

Asha

Dr. Asha Bhandary

Associate Professor

Department of Philosophy