People and Operations

Operating Zones

With the goal of making a “state-wide” chapter, IDA Missouri has subdivided Missouri into operating zones.  Our forward strategy and ongoing operations make every effort to consider each zone.  A key to our success with be recruiting champions for each zone.

Board of Directors

IDA Missouri holds board meetings on the third Thursday of the odd months of each year.  For 2020, the schedule is 1/16, 3/19, 5/21, 7/16, 9/17 and 11/19.

Per our operating agreement with International Dark Sky, IDA Missouri Board members serve for a term of three years and cannot serve for more than two (2) consecutive full year terms of office without a break in service of at least one (1) year.  Board terms are divided into three classes which are staggered to expire in different years to help ensure continuity of the Board.  

IDA Missouri has eleven board members are as follows:

Zone 1 - North Region:

• Vayujeet Gokhale, Ph.D., Assoc. Professor of Physics, Truman State University, Kirksville, MO - Term Expires 11/30/2021

Zone 2 - St. Louis Region:

• Don Ficken, St. Louis Astronomical Society/Astronomical Society of Eastern Missouri, Kirkwood, MO - Term expires 11/30/2022 - Board Chair **
• Cook Feldman, St. Louis Astronomical Society, St. Louis Missouri - Term expires 11/30/2021 - Board Treasurer
• Ron King, Media, Eastern Missouri Dark Sky Observers, Washington, MO - Term expires 11/30/2021 - Board Director of Media
• William Neubert, St. Louis Astronomical Society, Manchester, MO - Term expires 11/30/2020
• Alfred Schovanez, Eastern Missouri Dark Sky Observers, Union, MO - Term expires 11/30/2020
• Brett Seymoure, Ph.D., Washington University of St. Louis, St. Louis, MO - Term expires 11/30/2021
• Chuck Simms, Astronomical Society of Eastern Missouri, Secretary, Wentzville, MO - Term expires 11/30/2022 - Board Secretary

Zone 3 - Southeast Region:

• Matthew Kantola, Missouri State Parks - Grand Gulf, Thayer, MO - Term Expires 11/30/2021

Zone 4 - Lakes Region:

• Terrel A. Gallaway, Ph.D. , Professor of Economics, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO - Term expires 11/30/2022

Zone 5 - Kansas City Region:

• Jackie Beucher, Astronomical Society of Kansas City, Overland Park, KS - Term expires 11/30/2020 - Board Vice Chair
• Rick Yord, Astronomical Society of Kansas City, Lee's Summit, MO - Term expires 11/30/2022

Zone 6 - Central Region:

• No representatives

 ** Also serving as the Executive Director of the Chapter.

Standing Committees

Our Chapter is in the process of developing a "Standing Committee" structure to support our various initiatives.   If you are interesting in supporting our chapter by being a volunteer, please visit our "Get Involved" section to learn more how you can contribute. 

Our Standing Committees:

• Executive Committee **
• Program Committee
• Marketing/Public Relations Committee
• Social Media Committee
• Fund Raising Committee

** Restricted to Board Members

Chapter Advisors

Our chapter has access to expertise from IDA Global but we believe it important to draw our experts from Missouri to provide more advice specific to our state.  Accordingly, we are recruiting subject matters experts from around Missouri: 

• Chad Follis, Ph.D., Professor Horticulture/Greenhouse, Mineral Area College
• Vayu Gokhale, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Physics, Truman State University
• Terrel Gallaway, Ph.D., Professor of Economics, Missouri State University
• David Mitchell, Ph.D., Professor of Economics, Missouri State University
• Brett Seymoure, Ph. D., Post Doctorial Research Associate, Behavioral Biologist, Washington University of St. Louis