Structure & Timelines

New Executives are elected in the March meeting, and take office on August 1^st  unless the outgoing Executive is graduating in the spring (and then they take over following their graduation). If you are UNSURE who the current executive team is, please reach out to gpssexec@iastate.edu at any time.

This allows for a long transition/shadowing period for the incoming officers, as a measure to ensure institutional memory remains. 

Current Executive Council (AY2022-2023)

President: Christine Cain

Christine Cain (she/her) is a 3rd year Ph.D. student in Higher Education. She has her bachelor's degree in English, creative writing, and business administration from Creighton University in Omaha, NE. Christine also has a master's degree in higher and postsecondary education from Teachers College, Columbia University in New York, NY. Her doctoral research is focused on rural college students, college access issues, and how place/space informs student career and educational decision-making. Christine has been a Senator in GPSS for the School of Education since 2020. Originally from Sheldon, Iowa, the Ph.D. brought Christine back to her home state. Christine is a major foodie and is always cooking for friends and family, eating, or exploring new restaurants. In her free time, she loves to socialize, travel, get outside, play boardgames, and will read any mystery, fantasy, and historical fiction she can get her hands on.
 

She can be reached at: gpsspresident@iastate.edu

Vice President: Caitlyn Campbell

Caitlyn Campbell (she/her) is a 2^nd-year master's student in Wildlife Ecology through the Natural Resource Ecology and Management program, the same department from which she received her bachelor's in 2016. Between the completion of her undergraduate degree and the start of her graduate program, she served as the education director at a wildlife rehabilitation facility in southern Illinois and as a supervisor in the education department at a facility accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). She currently serves as a research assistant for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' Student Services Office. She is also the graduate student representative for the Natural Resource Ecology and Management department's DEI Committee and serves as the Vice President for the Graduate and Professional Student Senate. Her research focuses on environmental and conservation education accessibility and equitability in institutions affiliated with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. In her spare time, Caitlyn's hobbies include rock climbing, horseback riding, coffee shop hopping, and hiking with her rescue pitbull, Wonka. 

She can be reached at: gpssvicepres@iastate.edu

Treasurer: Juan Panelo

Juan Panelo is a Ph.D. student in Plant Breeding with a Predictive Plant Phenomics specialization. He has his BS in Agronomic Engineer and a Masters in Crop Production from the National University of Mar del Plata, Argentina. He works in the ISU bioenergy sorghum breeding program, conducting research projects understanding the genetic make-up of sorghum growth. At ISU, Juan has served as speakers' chair for the P3 Graduate Students Organization, President of the R.F. Baker Plant Breeding Symposium, vice-president of the Agronomy Graduate Student Club, Agronomy Senator, and currently as the GPSS Treasurer. On his spare time, Juan likes watching sports, baking and hiking. 
 

He can be reached at: gpsstreasurer@iastate.edu

Senate Information Officer: Garrison Gunter

Garrison Gunter (he/him) is a 4^th-year master's student in Chemical and Biological Engineering and a research assistant for the Bioeconomy Institute. He graduated with a B.S. in Chemistry and Physics in 2019 from Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, TN. Before joining the Graduate and Professional Student Senate, he served as first Vice President and then President of ISU’s Chemical Engineering Graduate Student Organization. He now currently serves as the GPSS Senate Information Officer. His research focuses on chemical recycling and upcycling of waste plastics via pyrolysis and thermal oxo-degradation. He deeply enjoys standup comedy, discovering new coffee shops, collecting vinyl records (especially alt-country and folk/Americana), playing video games, reading on a rainy day, and playing D&D with friends.

He can be reached at: gpsssio@iastate.edu

Senate Engagement Officer: Efraín Rodríguez-Ocasio

Efraín Rodríguez-Ocasio (he/him) is a PhD candidate in the Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, where he is developing engineered microorganisms to transform the molecules from plastic wastes into higher value products to address the global plastic pollution problem. Rodriguez-Ocasio holds a bachelor's in Industrial Biotechnology from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez, where he served in various roles leading up to a two-year tenure as a Trustee of the University of Puerto Rico System. As a member of the Governing Board, he presided over the Student Affairs Committee and was a member of the Academic Affairs, Infrastructure and Technology, and Research Committees. Since starting his graduate education at ISU, he has been a member of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (VPDEI) Council and the Senior Vice President for Student Affairs (SVPSA) Advisory Board. He now serves as Senate Engagement Officer of the Graduate and Professional Student Senate.

He can be reached at: gpssseo@iastate.edu

Conference Officer: Ryan Everett

Ryan is a PhD student in Rhetoric and Professional Communication (RPC) within the English department. He is also a fourth year teaching assistant in the ISU Comm Foundations program. He was born and raised in Des Moines and holds a Secondary English Ed. degree from Wartburg College. He taught middle school and high school in the Des Moines metro area before migrating north to Ames to further his education and have some structured time to learn! 

Within RPC, he has two distinct field of study. His MA thesis researched public memory and the practice of how communities carry their marginalized stories/memories through space and time amidst suppression. He has also been piloting the early stages of a new grading system for ISU Comm Foundations with learning contracts, and has studied how this evaluative framework can create meaningful pedagogical practices. 

He can be reached at gpssconfchair@iastate.edu

Wellness Officer: Kimia Noroozi 

Kimia Noroozi (she/they) is a 3^rd year phD student in chemical and biological engineering. Kimia got her bachelor’s degree from University of Tehran, Iran in chemical engineering where she worked on production of valuable raw and value-added products like natural pigments and nutritional additives from algae before coming to the United Stated 3 years ago and her current research focuses on media and process optimization and nutrient sourcing for plastic upcycling using microorganisms. She also serves on Graduate Society of Women in Engineering and Iranian student and scholars association. She is a vocal advocate for mental health and wellbeing . For her hobbies, she loves to travel and immerse herself in new cultures, dance, eat and learn new recipes, read, binge watch shows and make snow angels when it snows.

She can be reached at gpsswellness@iastate.edu

GPSS Advisors

The entire Executive Council can be reached at gpssexec@iastate.edu
The entire Senate can be reached at gpss22-23@iastate.edu

Memos from the Executive Council

Executive memos are statement/opinion/position pieces released from the Executive team of the GPSS. These memos reflect the views and ideas of the Executive members who sign the document, and do not pass through the Legislative branch (the Senate). 

(AY2020-2021, President E. Field)

Black Lives Matter Solidarity statement

Response to Student Government's Women's Week Controversy

In support of our Asian-American/Pacific Islander students