ASA Staff Directory

Executive Office and Membership

Nancy Kidd, Executive Director

nkidd@asanet.org 
(202) 247-9855

Nancy Kidd, Ph.D. has been executive director of ASA since 2016.  She spent the previous seven years as executive director of a sister learned society, the National Communication Association.  Earlier in her career, Kidd served as a program officer at the Russell Sage Foundation and assistant director for policy at the South Florida Workforce Development Board.  She also ran the strategic management division of Plexus Scientific Corporation, a government contractor, and led a business unit of the Corporate Executive Board, a company that does strategic research for leading corporations.  Kidd has a Ph.D. in sociology from Stanford University and a B.A. in sociology from the University of Pennsylvania. 
 

Margaret Weigers Vitullo, Deputy Director

mvitullo@asanet.org 
(202) 247-9862

Margaret Weigers Vitullo, Ph.D. is deputy director of ASA, and previously served the association as director of academic and professional affairs for 11 years.  Before joining the staff of ASA, she was a faculty member and chair of the sociology department at Gallaudet University. She also worked as a research scientist in the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research in the Department of Health and Human Services and was a Robert Wood Johnson scholar in health policy research at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. She received her Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Michigan and a B.A. in sociology and managerial studies from Rice University.

Marjie George, Membership and Database Manager

mgeorge@asanet.org
(202) 247-9865

Marjie George is the membership and database manager at ASA. She has been working in association membership for more than 15 years. Prior to joining ASA, she managed membership at the American Alliance of Museums. Before entering the world of association management, Marjie was an AEA Stage Manager in Washington, DC and studied Sociology at Brandeis University.
 

Oriana Ma, Membership Assistant

oma@asanet.org
(202) 247-9874

Oriana Ma is ASA's membership assistant. She received a B.A. in sociology with a minor in international development and humanitarian assistance from the University of Florida.

Communications

Preeti Vasishtha, Director of Communications

pvasishtha@asanet.org
(202) 247- 9872

Preeti Vasishtha is Director of Communications at ASA. Before joining the staff at ASA, she was editor in chief of NACUBO’s flagship publication on issues related to higher education finance and administration. She also served as deputy editor and managing editor at NACUBO and editor at NAIFA and PSDA. Vasishtha worked as staff writer at Post Newsweek Tech Media Group’s Government Computer News Magazine. She received her M.A. in journalism from the American University, Washington, D.C., and a B.A. in Mass Communications from Panjab University, India. 

Johanna Olexy, Assistant Director of Communications

olexy@asanet.org
(202) 247-9873

Johanna Olexy has been part of ASA’s communications team for more than a decade. She a received a B.A. from American University in sociology and communications and a master’s in education policy from George Washington University.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Tamara Mose, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

tmose@asanet.org
(202) 247-9860

Tamara Mose, Ph.D, the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the American Sociological Association since 2020.  Before joining ASA, she was Professor of Sociology for over 12 years, Director of the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship and Director of Caribbean Studies at Brooklyn College, City University of New York.  She has also been an active member on various committees charged with diversifying the professoriate in the Humanities and Social Sciences, creating programs for retention, and an active mentor to both students and faculty of underrepresented groups. Dr. Tamara Mose received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology at California State University, Northridge and her Ph.D. in Sociology at The Graduate Center, City University of New York.

Maliyah Grant, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Assistant

mgrant@asanet.org
(202) 247-9842
 
Maliyah Grant is the administrative assistant supporting the diversity and inclusion department and the publications department.  She graduated from American University with a B.A. in sociology.

Finance

Les Briggs, Director of Finance

briggs@asanet.org
(202) 247-9846

Les Briggs, CPA is director of finance for ASA and has worked for the association since 2002. Before joining the staff of ASA, he served as director of finance for the Society of Interventional Radiology and the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology Research and Education Foundation. Earlier in his career, he worked for various CPA firms providing auditing and tax services within the greater Washington, D.C. area before subsequently deciding to leave public accounting for the non-profit world. Briggs has a B.S. in accounting from George Mason University and acquired his CPA license in 1994.
 

Girma Efa, Accountant

efa@asanet.org
(202) 247-9845

Girma Hirpassa Efa, CPA has been ASA’s accountant since 1998.  Prior to making America his home, he served in his birth country of Ethiopia as a senior management consultant on small industry projects and as a financial analyst in government agencies in charge of promoting privately owned small industries.  Efa has a B.A.in accounting from Addis Ababa University as well as advanced diplomas and certificates in project studies, financial management and business consulting from different international institutes in Germany, the Netherlands and University of the Philippines.

Governance and Administration

Mark Fernando, Director of Governance and Administration

mfernando@asanet.org
(202) 247-9866

Mark Fernando has been the director of governance and administration at ASA since 2017. Prior to coming to ASA, he worked at the National Communication Association for eleven years where he served in various positions including Chief Operating Officer and senior manager for communications. Fernando has also worked with the National Consumers League, Maryland Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention, and the National Organization on Disability. He has an M.A. from Georgetown University in communication, culture, and technology and a B.S. in political science and communication studies from Towson University.
 

Alexis Lewis, Governance Assistant

alewis@asanet.org
(202) 247-9849

Alexis is ASA’s Governance and Administration Assistant. She received a B.A. in criminology, law and society and psychology and social behavior from the University of California, Irvine. 

David Matthews, Office Assistant

matthews@asanet.org
(202) 247-9868

David Matthews has served as ASA’s office assistant for almost 30 years.

Meeting Services

Michelle Randall, Director of Meeting Services

mrandall@asanet.org
(202) 247-9848

Michelle Randall, CMM, CMP has been director of meeting services since 2017. She spent the previous nine years as director of convention and meetings at the National Communication Association. She has worked in meeting planning, in various sectors, for over 20 years. She has a B.A. in English and communication from the University of Michigan.

Mary Leonardo, Meetings Services Associate

mleonardo@asanet.org
(202) 247-9871

Mary Leonardo joined the Meetings Services team in 2020. Prior to working at ASA she spent 6 years at the American Society of Clinical Oncology, where she assisted in the planning and execution of the society’s annual meeting and several thematic symposia. She received her BA in Political Science and Environmental Studies from SUNY Binghamton.

Publications

Karen Gray Edwards, Director of Publications

edwards@asanet.org 
(202) 247-9858
Karen Gray Edwards is ASA’s director of publications, a role in which she has served for more than 20 years.  She also served as ASA’s director of membership for 15 of those years and had several other positions at the association prior to that.  

Jamie Panzarella, Publications Manager 

panzarella@asanet.org 
(202) 247-9875

Jamie Panzarella is ASA’s publications manager and has worked in various roles at the ASA for more than a decade.  She received her B.A. in sociology and political science, with a public policy focus, from the George Washington University.

Research, Professional Development, and Academic Affairs

Erynn Masi de Casanova, Director of Research, Professional Development, and Academic Affairs

ecasanova@asanet.org
(202) 247-9840

Erynn Masi de Casanova, Ph.D. is director of research, professional development, and academic affairs for ASA. She was previously a Professor of Sociology at the University of Cincinnati, where she served as the Director of the Kunz Center for Social Research. She has a Ph.D. in Sociology from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY), a M.A. in Latin American Studies from the University of California, San Diego, and B.A. degrees in Spanish and English from the University of Rhode Island.
 

Diego de los Rios, Assistant Director of Research, Professional Development, and Academic Affairs

ddelosrios@asanet.org 
(202) 247-9857

Diego de los Rios, Ph.D. is the assistant director of research, professional development, and academic affairs.  From 2006 to 2010, he worked as the governance and sections coordinator of ASA.  He received his Ph.D. in sociology from Northwestern University and a B.A. in sociology and religious studies from McDaniel College.

Nicole V. Amaya, Senior Research Associate

nvamaya@asanet.org 
(202) 247-9852

Nicole Amaya is senior research associate and has been a part of ASA’s research team since 2006.  She has a B.A. in sociology and education from Rider University and a master’s in sociology from American University.

Carolyn Vasques Scalera, Program Officer, ASA Doctoral Disseration Research Improvement Grant Program

cvscalera@asanet.org
(202) 247-9847

Carolyn Vasques Scalera, Ph.D. is program officer for the ASA Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant (ASA DDRIG) program. She has been an educational consultant working to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in educational institutions. She was a professorial lecturer in the Sociology Department at George Washington University where she also served as Director of the Office of Community Service. Prior to that she was Director of Diversity Initiatives at the American Association for Higher Education. She received her Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Michigan and a B.A. in sociology and anthropology from Fairfield University.

Nailah Russell, Research, Professional Development, and Academic Affairs Assistant

nrussell@asanet.org
(202) 247-9861

Nailah Russell is the research, professional development, and academic affairs assistant. She received her B.A. in sociology from Hood College in 2018.