United States Board on Geographic Names
Chair: Michael Tischler, Department of the Interior
Vice Chair: Marilyn W., Department of Defense
Executive Secretary for Domestic Names
Shellie Zahniser
U.S. Geological Survey
E-mail: BGNEXEC@usgs.gov
Executive Secretary for Foreign Names
David D.
Department of Defense
E-mail: bgnexec@nga.mil
For all media inquiries please contact mediarelations@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 Members: Tom C.
Mike C.
Department of Commerce (Domestic Names and Foreign Names)
Member:
Deputy Members: 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 W., DoD
Deputy Members:
Stephanie A., Department of Defense
Jeffrey C., Department of Defense
David D., Department of Defense
Tiffany D., Department of Defense
Jack D., Department of Defense
Andrew Griffin, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Christopher H., Department of Defense
Susan Lyon, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Jack M., Department of Defense
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
Jessica Campbell, 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
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: Eric Doornbos
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
Cole Kelleher, University of Minnesota
Bob Glover, U.S. Geological Survey
Susanne McGuire, Department of State
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, retired
Ex-Officio: Shellie Zahniser, 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
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: 03/31/25
