Meet the Executive Board
The Executive Board manages the day to day operations and long-term strategic planning for the organization. The Executive Board adheres to the Constitution and Bylaws that govern the organization. Each position volunteers a two year commitment. The President-Elect transitions to President in their second year.
Thom Berriman is the Technical Manager of the Zebrafish Facility at King’s College London, and a fishkeeping hobbyist for the last 25 years. He studied for a BSc (Hons) in Aquaculture and Fishery Management at Sparsholt College near Winchester, graduating with first class honours in 2009 while working as a freelance journalist writing for fishkeeping magazines and websites. Since 2010, he has been working with zebrafish – initially with the MRC Centre for Developmental Neurobiology at King’s College London before transferring to the Biological Services department to help open a new 50-rack Zebrafish Facility.
Jared Rouchard is the Aquatic Species and Resources Supervisor at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Janelia Research Campus in Ashburn, Virginia. He received a BS in Biology from Salisbury University in 2008 and completed his Master of Laboratory Animal Science from Drexel University in 2016 . He is also a registered LATG since 2011. For the past 14 years at Janelia, Jared has developed an extensive background in lab animal support, ranging from daily rodent care, surgery, program development, and management of an Aquatic species core since 2017. Duties in his current role include direct management of 6 technicians, collaborative work with research staff, and onboarding new aquatic species in the vivarium. In addition to zebrafish, Jared has experience with a variety of species including Danionella, medaka, frogs, toads, squid, sea urchins, clownfish, salamanders, and invertebrates namely dragonflies and aphids. Jared has been involved in advancing the footprint of Aquatics in research including poster and talk presentations at annual conferences and educational outreach to students. Jared is passionate about furthering Aquatic exposure in the lab animal community, professional development of new technicians, and utilizing social programs to strengthen zebrafish presence in the research community. Jared uses his eclectic experience in the lab animal field to illustrate a successful transition for working with zebrafish and other aquatic species. He is slated to complete the two-year ILAM AALAS management course in May 2023. In his spare time, Jared enjoys bird watching and spending quality time with family and friends, namely his wife Ashley and four-year-old daughter, Sophia.
Ana Cristina Borges holds a Bachelor's degree in Biology (2000) and earned her Ph.D. in Molecular Biology in 2004. She transitioned from being a developmental biologist to serving as the Aquatic Facility Manager at the Gulbenkian Science Institute in Oeiras, Portugal, starting in 2014. Her responsibilities encompass the oversight of facilities for zebrafish, Xenopus laevis, and Nothobranchius furzeri, where her team actively seeks to advance zebrafish research through innovative husbandry techniques, health monitoring, and facility management.
Ana Cristina has a track record of authored papers and active participation in international conference presentations, including events like the National AALAS, European ZHA, FELASA, Aquaculture America, and the European Zebrafish Meeting. She also collaborated in organizing the 1st ZHA European meeting in London in 2022.
In addition to her professional roles, Ana Cristina is an active member of the Animal Welfare Body at the Gulbenkian Science Institute since 2015 and has been involved in Laboratory Animal Science Courses, contributing to the standardization of zebrafish training programs across multiple institutions in the Lisbon area.
Beyond her work, Ana Cristina is committed to educational outreach initiatives in her local community and is a dedicated advocate for animal-based research with a focus on public awareness.
Ana Cristina aims to enhance online resources for zebrafish husbandry and facility management by leveraging the ongoing collaboration on platforms like Danio Zoom and ListServ discussions. She also plans to strengthen ZHA's presence in Europe, expanding the network's reach at scientific meetings, and fostering partnerships with European companies.
When she's not immersed in the aquatic world, Ana Cristina enjoys spending her free time in the mountains, engaging in trail running and hiking adventures
Austin Forbes is currently the Aquatics Operations Manager form Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. He first started working with zebrafish as an undergraduate at the University of Oregon and has never owned a home aquarium. He has been fortunate to have worked in several zebrafish labs and continues to be surprised by their flexibility as a model organism. In addition to working as a researcher and managing a few zebrafish facilities, he also has over a decade of experience handling procurement and managing budgets. He would like to employ these skills and to volunteer for ZHA. This organization has been a wonderful resource filled with incredible people and he would be honored to serve as the next ZHA treasurer.
Ana Valentim is a researcher in the Laboratory Animal Science group at the Institute for Research and Innovation in Health, Porto, Portugal. She holds a degree in Biology and a PhD in Veterinary Science from the University of Porto. She started working with laboratory rodents, studying anaesthesia protocols and their behavioural implications. The increasing use of zebrafish in research, made her focus her energy on improving welfare standards in this fish, namely refining anaesthetic and euthanasia protocols. With over 10 years of experience and more than 40 publications, her work also explores post-anaesthesia behavioural alterations, environmental enrichment, stress research, and analgesia.
Ana has played a key role in zebrafish behavioural studies in her institute and has been involved in supporting the improvement of her institute's research facility. She actively contributes to laboratory animal science training and engages in scientific communication both within and beyond the scientific community, with a focus on promoting animal welfare in laboratories. Since 2018, she has been a member of ZHA, where she and her team have been presenting work to advance the mission of improving zebrafish welfare and research practices globally. Her experience in organizing meetings and sharing knowledge reinforces her dedication to this cause, and she remains passionate about advancing zebrafish as a research model. With an understanding of the challenges faced by animal caretakers, technicians, and researchers, she advocates for true collaboration to improve both welfare and scientific outcomes.
Logan Bern is an Aquatic Technical Specialist at Nationwide Children’s
Hospital Abigail Wexner Research Institute in Columbus, Ohio. He received
his B.S. in Environmental Sciences with a concentration in Biology at The
University of Toledo participating in undergraduate research in avian ecology
and harmful algal blooms. After receiving his bachelor’s degree, he went on to
obtain an M.S. in Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences with a focus on genetic
enhancement of channel, blue, white, and CxB hybrid catfish at Auburn
University. While obtaining his master’s degree, his research focused mostly
on two genes of interest regarding energy homeostasis (mc4r) and muscle
development (mstn) for enhanced growth rate, processing yield, and disease
resistance. Logan’s research also focused on xenogenesis to create channel
X blue catfish hybrids using sterilized triploid common carp as a host for blue
catfish gametes. As a result, Logan has several publications from previous
research interests in journals of varying disciplines. Once he graduated from
Auburn University, he began his transition from working with a variety of
aquaculture species to working with zebrafish two years ago. During his time
working with zebrafish, he has contributed to multiple research efforts within
his institution, including one project funded by the Zebrafish Husbandry
Association advancement fund. In his current role, he shares responsibility in
husbandry and facility management, maintaining 20 racks in a recirculating
central filtration main facility and 6 recirculating stand-alone quarantine racks.
During his time working with zebrafish, he has presented multiple times on
zebrafish husbandry and research techniques including a poster on flow
anesthesia as well as being a faculty member on the “Zebrafish Husbandry
and Facility Management: The Basics” workshop at the National AALAS
conference in 2023. He looks forward to continuing his exposure to different
techniques, aiding in the improvement of welfare and husbandry standards,
and continued learning from leaders in the field.
Amber Chiodini is an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) Analyst with over five years of experience in laboratory animal science and biomedical research. During her five years of working at Northwestern University, she has served in various research support roles across different departments. She has hands-on experience in handling and caring for laboratory animals, training, and supervising personnel to ensure compliance with institutional policies and reviewing animal use protocols. Amber has contributed to numerous research projects utilizing various animal models to study neurodegenerative and genetic diseases. She has also developed and optimized several standard operating procedures (SOPs) related to animal care and the review process of animal use protocols. By applying for the Executive of Social Media and Outreach position, she is eager to continue contributing to the organization's growth by enhancing our presence on social media platforms and organizing more outreach events both online and at aquatic animal-related conferences.
In addition to her current role, she co-hosts, edits, and produces the "Gettin' Fishy With It" podcast with her friends Josh Barber and Christine Archer, schooling listeners on all things fish. When she isn’t working on her podcast, you can find her at a local brewery or watching a movie with her husband and fur babies.
Get Involved!
Nominations for open Executive Board seats start in the Fall with elections following shortly thereafter. Email admin@zhaonline.org if you wish to nominate yourself or another member. Nominations and voting are reserved for ZHA members in good standing.