Meet the Staff
Cheryl M. McCormick, Ph.D., Executive Director
c.mccormick@acsonline.org
Cheryl McCormick is executive director of the American Cetacean Society, a leading conservation organization working in the U.S. and around the world to protect whales, dolphins, porpoises, and their habitats. ACS is committed to using principles of sound science, public policy, and collaborative partnerships to address the complex threats posed to cetaceans, ensuring that these magnificent ‘ambassadors of the oceans’ continue to inspire people for generations to come.
Prior to joining the ACS team, Cheryl was Director of Conservation at the Santa Lucia Conservancy, in Carmel, CA, where she developed management plans for invasive plant species and Sudden Oak Death (SOD) for the Santa Lucia Preserve, a private 20,000-acre conservation development. In addition, she developed a multi-species Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) for five federally endangered species, including the California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii), California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense), Smith’s blue buttery (Euphilotes enoptes smithi), steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss), and golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos).
By training, Cheryl is a plant ecologist with over 15 years of experience working in all aspects of invasive species biology in upstate New York, Georgia, Florida, the Greater Caribbean Basin, and California. She obtained a B.A. in Environmental Science with minors in Biology and Chemistry from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Plattsburgh, her M.A. in Geography/GIS, and a Ph.D. in Ecology from the Institute of Ecology at The University of Georgia (UGA). Her doctoral research involved developing predictive generalized linear models to assist in the management of Chinese tallow tree (Sapium sebiferum L. Roxb.), and the effects of feral hog (Sus scrofa) rooting on the mortality of invasive woody plant species. She completed a post-doctoral research fellowship at the Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants (CAIP) at the University of Florida (UF), where she assisted the National Park Service in developing management plans for invasive plant species in Everglades and Biscayne National Parks.
In addition to authoring books, management plans, and peer-reviewed articles on invasive plants and Sudden Oak Death, she has served on several nonprofit boards and councils, including the California Invasive Plant Council, Privates Reserves Network, the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council, and the Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council. She currently serves as an advisor to Marine Mammal Conservation Through the Arts. Cheryl’s personal interests include community volunteering, distance running, cycling, hiking, playing chess, and gardening.
Kaye Reznick, Business Manager
kreznick@acsonline.org
Kaye joined ACS in mid-2008, after retiring from a long career as a corporate communications manager. She currently manages the ACS national office in San Pedro, California, and desk-top publishes the communications materials you receive from ACS. In her own time, Kaye is an actively performing musician and award-winning songwriter. Her dachshund, Lilly, is a fixture in the ACS office and keeps all things under control as she supervises from her bed under the desk each day.
Lisa Ann Becker, Volunteer Extraordinaire
acsoffice@acsonline.org
Lisa received a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and has previously worked in management and as a corporate trainer in both the hospitality and rental car industries. A lifelong passion for animals and marine mammals motivated her to combine her love of world travel with volunteering. She has extensive volunteer experience working with non-profit organizations such as the Cetacean Research and Rescue Unit (Scotland) and Waggy Tails Rescue (England). In addition to her time spent at ACS, she also acts as a “foster mom” for Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue (Sacramento), providing a loving home for unadoptable dogs.