About the BSPP Board
The Board of BSPP meets four times each year to plan for the annual Presidential conference and other scientific meetings, to oversee awards for bursaries, fellowships and travel grants (this is where most of the Society’s expenditure goes), to agree the policy for Society publications, to discuss and agree the annual budget and, generally, to manage the affairs of the Society. The Board also discusses and develops new ideas and initiatives to promote and support plant pathologists. BSPP is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) registered with the Charity Commission. To meet the legal requirements of the Charity Commission a short Annual General Meeting, at which the President provides feedback to members on the Society’s year, is usually held each year in conjunction with the Presidential conference. All of this may sound a little dry but Board meetings are conducted in a relaxed manner and everyone is encouraged to contribute ideas to ensure the wellbeing of the Society.
The Board comprises a President, who chairs Board meetings, a President Elect, a first Vice-President, second Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Programme Secretary, Membership Secretary and three other elected members. The President, President Elect and Vice-Presidents each serve for one year, with the Vice-President then becoming President Elect and the President Elect taking over as President. The Treasurer usually serves for five years, and the Secretary, Programme Secretary, Membership Secretary and other elected Board members each serve for three years. Elected members are nominated by members of the Society and, if the number of nominated members exceeds the number of Board vacancies, elections are held, usually in the Autumn, and each member of the Society is invited to cast a vote. The Senior Editors of the Society’s publications, Plant Pathology, Molecular Plant Pathology, New Disease Reports and the Newsletter, together with the Society’s Webmanager, Policy and Publicity Officer and Administrator usually attend Board meetings too.
Appointed board members
Prof. Saskia Hogenhout
BSPP President
Dr Gerard Clover
BSPP President-ElectGerard is the Head of Tree Health at Forest Research, , providing strategic direction to the tree health research groups and contributing evidence that supports sustainable forestry. His professional experience spans research leadership roles in the UK and New Zealand, including work with Fera and the Royal Horticultural Society. He has oversight of the Fellowship funds.
Prof. Katherine Denby
BSPP Vice President
Prof. Paul Birch
BSPP Vice PresidentElected Board Members
Dr Trisna Tungadi
SecretaryTrisna is a lecturer in Plant Health at Keele University whose research seeks to understand plant responses to viruses and how they affect vector behaviour, with a focus on landscape-level dynamics of virus and vector movement. As Secretary, she ensures correct reporting to the Charity Commission and welcomes new board members.
Dr Jennifer Hodgetts
Treasurer
Dr Ashleigh Holmes
Membership Secretary
Dr Athina Koutouleas
Education SecretaryAthina is a postdoctoral researcher specialising in tropical ecophysiology and plant pathology, with a focus on Coffea and Theobroma cacao crop systems and collaboration with farming communities on biological control field trials. In her role, she oversees the undergraduate and postgraduate student bursary funds and prizes.
Dr Mojgan Rabiey
Outreach SecretaryMojgan is an Assistant Professor at the University of Warwick whose work centres on molecular plant–microbe interactions and biological control, especially exploring bacteriophage applications to manage plant disease. As Outreach Secretary, she oversees the Plant Pathology Promotion Fund and BSPP outreach activities.
Dr Carrie Brady
Promotions and Social Media Secretary
Dr Helen Cockerton
Programme Secretary
