SHA's Executive Council and Standing Committees

The Southern Historical Association is overseen by the Executive Council, which consists of four officers (President, Vice President, Editor of the Journal, and Secretary-Treasurer), two immediate past presidents, and nine elected members, each serving for three years. The current Executive Council includes:

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

Officers

Richard Blackett, Vanderbilt University, President
Lorri Glover, Saint Louis University, Vice President
Stephen Berry, University of Georgia, Secretary-Treasurer
Randal L. Hall, Rice University, Journal Editor

Past Presidents

Joseph Reidy, Howard University (2023)
Glenda Gilmore, Yale University (2022)

Elected Members

Allison Dorsey, Swarthmore College (2024)
John David Smith, University of North Carolina, Charlotte (2024)
Amy Murrell Taylor, University of Kentucky (2024)
Karl Trybus, Limestone University* (2024)
Jim Downs, Gettysburg College (2025)
Kendra Field, Tufts University (2025)
Hilary Green, Davidson University (2025)
Sally Hadden, Western Michigan University (2025)
Stephanie E. Jones-Rogers, University of California, Berkeley (2025)
William Van Norman, James Madison University** (2025)
Gregory Downs, University of California, Davis (2026)
Natalie Ring, University of Texas at Dallas (2026)
Joshua Rothman, University of Alabama (2026)

* European History Section representative
** Latin American and Caribbean Section representative

Standing Committees

The Association employs several standing committees charged with facilitating the annual program and ensuring efficiency and fair-practices both within the organization and within the wider profession of history.

  • The SHA's Program Committee oversees the process of putting together the panels, plenaries, and roundtables for the next annual conference. Program Committee chairs for Charlotte 2023 are Nancy Bercaw and Elizabeth Herbin-Triant. Program Committee Chair for Kansas City 2024 is Angela Murphy.
  • The Local Arrangements Committee oversees fundraising for the annual meeting, hosts the opening reception, plans local events and tours, and coordinates with the program committee to secure local venues. 
  • The Membership Committee is charged with renewing old members and soliciting new ones. Current membership committee chair is Whit Stewart.
  • The Nominating Committee is charged with choosing our president-elect and three new members of the Executive Council. The current nominating committee chair is Diane Miller Sommerville.
  • The Committee on Minorities in the SHA is charged with helping to ensure the organization's commitment to inclusiveness and creating a diverse and welcoming environment at all association functions. The committee creates workshop panels on relevant issues in the profession for the annual meeting. 
  • The Committee on Women, Gender, and Sexuality in the SHA is charged with helping to ensure the organization's commitment to inclusiveness and creating a diverse and welcoming environment at all association functions. The committee creates workshop panels on relevant issues in the profession for the annual meeting. The 2023 chair is Hannah Rosen.
  • The Committee on Communications oversees the SHA's eNewsletter and social media. Current chair is Stephen Prince. 
  • The Committee on Teaching builds relevant programs and advocates for the interests of all history educators in the association. 
  • The Graduate Student Council oversees SHA's Graduate Student Lunch and all aspects of our graduate membership. 
  • The Committee on Professional Development stages programs at the annual meeting and throughout the year that focus on career issues and advancement in history education. Such programs include the Mentoring Match-Up Program, the Second Book-Writers Workshop, and the Junior Scholars' Workshop. Current committee head is Kelly Kennington.