Endangered Language Fund leadership changes

Dear all,

The Endangered Language Fund is pleased to announce some changes in our leadership.  The new President is Monica Macaulay, Professor of Linguistics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.  She is also affiliated with the American Indian Studies Program there.  She has been active in documenting various languages, especially Menominee and Potawatomi.  She is the author of a grammar of Chalcatongo Mixtec and a survival skills manual for graduate students in linguistics, and she is also current co-editor of the Papers of the Algonquian Conference.  We are excited to have her energy and new perspective to take ELF into its third decade.The Vice-President’s position is now filled by Claire Bowern, Associate Professor of Linguistics at Yale University.  She has done extensive work on Australian languages, particularly Nyulnyulan languages (especially Bardi [bcj]) and Pama-Nyungan languages (especially Yan-nhangu [jay]).  Her books include grammars of Bardi and Sivisa Titan, an introduction to historical linguistics, and a guide to linguistic fieldwork.  We are equally pleased with the new perspective that Claire will bring to ELF.The Healing Through Language initiative (www.healingthroughlanguage.org) now has a new co-director, Alice Taff, University of Alaska Southeast.  She will join Margaret Moss (Yale University School of Nursing) in leading our efforts to document the positive health effects of language revitalization programs.  This will allow us to treat them as health programs rather than culture programs; such a shift is justified by the evidence so far and the rationale that participants give for their extensive efforts and should broaden their appeal and support.I myself have now assumed the role of Chair of the Board of Directors of ELF, where I will continue guiding the organization that I started 19 years ago.Please feel free to send your congratulations to Monica, Claire and Alice.  You can also show your appreciation by making a donation to ELF:http://endangeredlanguagefund.org/donate.php.Best, Doug DhWDoug Whalen: whalen@haskins.yale.edu

Monica Macaulay: mmacaula@wisc.edu