Member Directory
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 deputy 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: Michael Tischler, Department of the Interior
Vice Chair: Marilyn Withers, Department of Defense
Executive Secretary for Domestic Names
[Vacant]
U.S. Geological Survey
523 National Center
Reston, VA 20192-0523
E-mail: BGNEXEC@usgs.gov
Executive Secretary for Foreign Names
Derek Hoffman
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
3838 Vogel Road, L-110
Arnold, MO 63010
Phone: (314) 676-1251
E-mail: bgnexec@nga.mil
Members and Deputy Members (October 1, 2023 - September 30, 2025)
Department of Agriculture (Domestic Names)
Member: Elizabeth K. (Betsy) Kanalley, U.S. Forest Service
Deputy Members: Melanie Riley, U.S. Forest Service
Alex Stum, Natural Resources Conservation Service
Central Intelligence Agency (Foreign Names)
Member: Christopher G.
Deputy Member: Tom C.
Department of Commerce (Domestic Names and Foreign Names)
Member: Tara Wallace, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Deputy Members: Kenia Allen, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
William R. Bredemeyer, Bureau of the Census
Thaddeus Ellerbe, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Rikki Wortham, Bureau of the Census
Department of Defense (Domestic Names and Foreign Names)
Member: Marilyn Withers, DoD
Deputy Members: David de Hosson, DoD
Tiffany Doyle, DoD
Andrew Griffin, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Richard Ilvarsonn, DoD
Susan Lyon, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Gregory M., DoD
David Miller, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
Stephen Norton, DoD
Government Publishing Office (Domestic Names)
Member: Brenda-Anne C. Forrest
Deputy Member: [Vacant]
Department of Homeland Security (Domestic Names and Foreign Names)
Member: Meghan Barrett
Deputy Member: Curtis Ross
Department of the Interior (Domestic Names)
Member: Michael Tischler, U.S. Geological Survey (DNC Vice Chair)
Deputy Members: Marielle Black, Bureau of Reclamation
Wendi-Starr Brown, Bureau of Indian Affairs
Chris Hammond, U.S. Geological Survey
Daniel Konzek, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Patrick Mahoney, Bureau of Land Management
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: Veronica Ranieri
Timothy St. Onge, Domestic Names Committee Chair
Postal Service (Domestic Names)
Member: Alesha Perdomo
Deputy Member: Liz Flake
Department of State (Foreign Names)
Member: Brooke Marston, Foreign Names Committee Chair
Deputy Members: Michael Crino, U.S. Agency for International Development
Eric Doornbos
M. Scott Thompson, U.S. Agency for International Development
Advisory Committees:
Antarctic Names (ACAN)
Chair: Scott Borg, National Science Foundation, retired
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: Meredith Westington, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Members: Ginger Barth, U.S. Geological Survey
Ashton Flinders, U.S. Geological Survey
James Moore, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
John Smith, University of Hawaii, retired
Tara Wallace, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Gerard (Gerry) J. Walter, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
Amanda Williams, Department of State
Secretary: Ryan Moore, DoD
E-mail: underseafeatures@nga.mil
Extra-Terrestrial Features
Chair: [Vacant]
Secretary: Tenielle Gaither, U.S. Geological Survey
Last Update: 01/22/24