The Members’ Programmatic, Advisory, and Advocacy Committee (MPAAC) is convened by the Executive Board for the purpose of responding to AAA member needs and interests, with a particular focus on the key areas of ethics, human rights, labor and workforce, public policy, racialized minorities, gender equity, the practicing-applied-public sector, and world anthropologies as these areas relate to anthropology, anthropologists and the Association.
In keeping with the values of collaboration, dialogue, diversity, equity, solidarity, and transparency, the committee is responsible for the implementation of the Association's overall education, advocacy, and advisory programs.
Questions or concerns regarding specific topical issues? Contact your member MPAAC seat.
The committee consists of 2 subcommittees, one AAA member-focused and the other, public-oriented. The committee is responsible for the design and implementation of the Association's ethics, rights, and status education and advisory, both internally with the membership of the AAA and externally with the people and groups with whom anthropologists work. AAA Member and Public-Oriented programs and projects are articulated and prioritized through dialogue at the intersection of the two sub-committees. Task forces and working groups are created as needed to respond to MPAAC priorities, determined in consultation with the Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP).
23 member committee including the Chairs and EB Liaisons (if appointed)
1 overall chair
2 subcommittee chairs
10 elected members
8 appointed members
2 EB liaisons if appointed.
Regular and ongoing MPAAC activities include publishing articles in Anthropology News; proposing panels, roundtables, and other events for the annual meetings; and maintaining an active presence online and via AAA social media. All these activities help to establish visibility and maintain open communication channels with the membership. Over the past several years the MPAAC has accomplished several missions integral to AAA success. These include, but are not limited to:
Focus: Advance issues and concerns as professionals and as a professional association on issue of import to U.S. racialized people and communities in anthropology. Attract racialized and underrepresented people and communities and retain them in the discipline and the Association. Promote intellectual awareness within the discipline and Association of issues that face racialized and underrepresented anthropologists with an emphasis on Anti-Black racism. Help define anthropology's role in U.S. discourses on racism.
M. Gabriela Torres
torres_mgabriela@wheatonma.edu
Antoinette Jackson (2017-2020)
atjackson@usf.edu
Focus: Identify significant issues that are shared among anthropologists from different nations. Develop clear objectives for drawing US and international anthropologists together in ways that benefit anthropology globally. Engage a diversity of international voices and perspectives and involve both academic and applied anthropologists in this endeavor.
Noel Salazar (2019-2022)
noel.salazar@kuleuven.be
Leila Rodriguez (2017-2020)
leila.rodriguez@uc.edu
Focus: To explore and engage the range of issues that have emerged or are emerging as a result of the increasing employment of anthropologists outside of the academy doing work as practicing anthropologists, applied anthropologists, and anthropologists in the public sector.
Pamela Rao (2018-2021)
pamelarao@outlook.com
Rachel Ceasar (2019-2022)
hello@cultureofhealthtech.com
Focus: To increase the number of candidates for all degrees in anthropology receiving training in ethics before graduating; to provide ongoing education in ethical issues for all AAA members; to provide advice to AAA members facing/raising ethical dilemmas, and to provide guidance to the Executive Board about AAA codes and guidelines.
Lise Dobrin (2017-2022)
dobrin@virginia.edu
Chad Morris (2017-2020)
cmorris@roanoke.edu
Focus: To promote and protect human rights; to expand the definition of human rights within an anthropological perspective; to work internally with the membership of the AAA, to educate anthropologists, and to mobilize their support for human rights; to work externally with foreign colleagues, the people and groups with whom anthropologists work, and other human rights organizations to develop an anthropological perspective on human rights and consult with them on human rights violations and the appropriate actions to be taken; to influence and educate the media, policymakers, non-governmental organizations, and decision-makers in the private sector; to encourage research on all aspects of human rights from conceptual to applied.
Human Rights Liaison:
Chandana Mathur (2019-2022)
Chandana.Mathur@mu.ie
Jaymelee Kim (2017-2020)
jaymelee.kim@gmail.com
Leah Zani (2019-2022)
leah@zani.io
Focus: To enhance the participation of AAA entities and members in the area of public policy and the visibility of contributions by anthropologists.
Thurka Sangaramoorthy (2018-2020)
thurkas@hotmail.com
Rosalyn Negron (2019-2022)
rosalyn.negron@umb.edu
Focus: Monitor the status of gender equity in the discipline and the American Anthropological Association. Advise the Executive Board on the status of gender equity in the discipline and the Association to educate members.
Dianna Shandy (2017-2020)
shandy@macalester.edu
Stevie Merino (2018-2021)
steviedmerino@gmail.com
Focus: To inform the AAA Executive Board, meetings staff, and membership about relevant issues related to labor and the workforce.
Karen Rignall (2019-2022)
krign2@uky.edu
Jessica Mason (2018-2021)
jfmason@gmail.com
Focus: To represent and advocate for student interests and perspectives in all areas of MPAAC work and the AAA at large.
Taapsi Ramchandani (2017-2020)
taapsi.r@gmail.com
Krista Billingsley (2018-2021)
billingsley@usf.edu
