The U.S. Board on Geographic Names is comprised of representatives of Federal agencies who share the responsibility of standardizing geographic names with the Secretary of the Interior. Members and deptuty members are appointed every two years. The committee on which the agency serves is identified next to the agency name.

 

United States Board on Geographic Names

Chair: Leo Dillon

Department of State

Vice-Chair: Tara Wallace

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

 

Executive Secretary for Domestic Names

Lou Yost

U.S. Geological Survey

523 National Center

Reston, VA 20192-0523

Phone/fax: (703) 648-4550/ (703) 648-4549

E-mail: BGNEXEC@usgs.gov

 

Executive Secretary for Foreign Names

Trent Palmer

National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

7500 GEOINT Drive Mail Stop N62

Springfield, VA 22150-7500

Phone/fax: (571) 557-7028/ (571) 558-3113

E-mail: bgnexec@nga.mil

 

Members and Deputy Members (October 2017-2019)

Department of Agriculture (Domestic Names)

Member: Emilee Blount, U.S. Forest Service

Deputy Member: Elizabeth K. (Betsy) Kanalley, U.S. Forest Service

 

Central Intelligence Agency (Foreign Names)

Member: R. David Wert

Deputy Member: Ingert Kuzych, FNC Vice-Chair

 

Department of Commerce (Domestic Names and Foreign Names)

Member: Tara Wallace, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Deputy Members: Thaddeus Ellerbe, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

                            William R. Bredemeyer, Bureau of the Census

                            Andrew Flora, Bureau of the Census, DNC Chair

 

Department of Defense (Domestic Names and Foreign Names)

Member: Marcus Allsup, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

Deputy Members: Patrick Abbott

                            Nancy Blyler, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

                            Michael Lewis, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

                            Marvin Lindroth, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

                            Susan Lyon, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

                            Marianne Petty, Office of the Secretary of Defense

                            Alexandra Stratz

                            Deborah C. Tatarinchik

 

Government Publishing Office (Domestic Names)

Member: Brenda-Anne C. Forrest

Deputy Member: vacant

 

Department of Homeland Security (Domestic Names and Foreign Names)

Member: Michael Karau

Deputy Member: Curtis Ross

 

Department of the Interior (Domestic Names)

Member: Michael Tischler, U.S. Geological Survey

Deputy Members: Wendi-Starr Brown, Bureau of Indian Affairs

                            Monique Fordham, U.S. Geological Survey

                            Patrick Mahoney, Bureau of Land Management

                            Ron Salz, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

                            Michael Shelton, National Park Service

                            Jeremy Smith, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

 

Library of Congress ( Domestic Names and Foreign Names)

Member: Paulette Hasier

Deputy Members: Kate James

                            Timothy St. Onge

 

Postal Service (Domestic Names)

Member: Earl Johnson

Deputy Member: vacant

 

Department of State (Foreign Names)

Member: Leo I. Dillon, Department of State, FNC Chair

Deputy Members: Eric Doornbos, Department of State

                            Brooke Marston, Department of State

                            Amanda Williams, Department of State

 

Advisory Committees:

Antarctic Names (ACAN)

Chair: Scott Borg, National Science Foundation

Members: Raymond Arnaudo, Department of State, retired

                Manuel Castro, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

                Bob Glover, U.S. Geological Survey

                Tom Neumann, National Aeronautics and Space Administration

                Mark Rockmore, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, retired

                George Troop, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, retired

Secretary: Roger L. Payne, U.S. Geological Survey

                 E-mail: BGNEXEC@usgs.gov

 

Undersea Features (ACUF)

Chair: Gerard (Gerry) J. Walter, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

Members: Norman Z. Cherkis, Naval Research Laboratory, retired

                Kristin Ludwig, U.S. Geological Survey

                John McDonough, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

                Dr. Alexander Shor, University of Hawaii

                Christine M. Taylor, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

                Tara Wallace, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

                Amanda Williams, Department of State

Secretary: Trent Palmer, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, acting

                E-mail: underseafeatures@nga.mil

 

Extra-Terrestrial Features

Chair: vacant

Secretary: Tenielle Gaither, U.S. Geological Survey