Council

Meet the fantastic team that make IBA tick! Below you'll find more about our current Council, Ex-Officio Council and Student Council; and the function of each group within IBA.

What's on this page

2024 Council Members

The Council of the International Association for Bear Research and Management (IBA) plays a critical role in guiding the organization’s activities and policies. It provides leadership in fostering global collaboration among scientists, managers, and conservationists dedicated to bear research and management. The Council oversees strategic decisions, promotes the exchange of scientific knowledge, and ensures the alignment of IBA’s efforts with its mission to support the conservation of all bear species and their habitats worldwide.

John Hechtel

President | Retired – Alaska Department of Fish and Game

United States of America 

Term Ends: 09 January 2026

Agnieszka Sergiel

Vice President Eurasia | Institute of Nature Conservation of Polish Academy of Sciences

Poland

Term Ends: 09 January 2027

Stewart Breck

Vice President Americas | USDA-National Wildlife Research Center

United States of America

Term Ends: 09 January 2026

Emily Puckett

Secretary/Student Council Liaison | University of Memphis

United States of America 

Term Ends: 09 January 2027

Gordon Stenhouse

Treasurer | GBS Wildlife Consulting

Canada

Term Ends: 09 January 2026

Anne Hertel

Councillor | Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich

Germany

Term Ends: 09 January 2026

Colleen Olfenbuttel

Councillor | North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission

United States of America 

Term Ends: 09 January 2027

Lorraine Scotson

Councillor | Saola Foundation for Annamite Mountains Conservation

United Kingdom/Lao PDR

Term Ends: 09 January 2026

Mark Edwards

Councillor | Office of the Chief Scientist/ University of Alberta

Canada

Term Ends: 09 January 2027

Santiago Molina

Councillor | San Francisco University of Quito

Ecuador

Term Ends: 09 January 2027

Ex-Officio Council Members

The ex-officio members of the Council for the International Association for Bear Research and Management (IBA) serve in an advisory capacity, contributing expertise and guidance without holding voting rights. These members include IBA staff and specific editorial roles for IBA’s range of publications, as well as chairs of the Bear Specialist Groups.

Jennapher Teunissen van Manen

Director of Operations and Programs | International Association for Bear Research and Management

United States of America 

Mark Edwards

International Bear News Managing Editor | Office of the Chief Scientist/ University of Alberta

Canada

Andrew Derocher

Ursus Managing Editor | University of Alberta

Canada

Kristin Laidre

IUCN Polar Bear Specialist Group Co-Chair | University of Washington

United States of America

Nick Lunn

IUCN Polar Bear Specialist Group Co-Chair | Retired - Environment and Climate Change Canada

Canada

Student Council

Our Student Council is a seven-member team representing diverse geographic regions, including Northern and Southern Europe, the Middle East to Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia, South America, and North America. These Councillors serve two-year terms, working to enhance student engagement within the IBA by providing resources and sharing information through platforms like the Truman-IBA Student Facebook page and Google Group, as well as IBA’s social media. 

Aurora Donatelli

Southern Europe Student Representative | Sapienza University of Rome​

Italy

Elise Loggers

North America Student Representative | Montana State University

United States of America

Sakhi Dabhi

Middle East to Indian Subcontinent Student Representative | WCB Research Foundation

India

Viviana Albarracín Dávalos

South America Student Representative | National Museum of Natural History of Bolivia (MNHN)​

Bolivia