Photo by Su Cowen of Sisu Ranch
Join IYAK
Join a dedicated leadership with a proven record of success.
Steering Committees
To Preserve, Promote, and Protect Yak through Policy. These committees are focused on creating public policy for IYAK and making decisions to develop a thriving IYAK community for the future. Steering Committees decide on the priorities or order of business of an organization and manage the general course of its operations.
Registration Committee (RegCom)
Tom Hansen, (Chair), Wayfare Yaks, Joes, Colorado
Doug David, Bow Creek Ranch, Lenora, Kansas
Sophia Weiss, Firebird Farms, Ashland, Oregon
Nomination Committee (NomCom)
Holly Modjeski, Yaks on Yucca, Parker, Colorado
Suzanne Drumm, Bentwood Alpaca and Yak, Tully, New York
Ethics Committee
Mark Drumm (Chair), Bentwood Alpaca and Yak, Tully, New York
Tom Hansen, Wayfare Yaks, Joes, Colorado
Charles Worden, Rancho African Yaks, Norton, KS
Health Committees
To Preserve, Promote, and Protect Yak Health. These committees are concerned with the health and well being of the IYAK herd and are interesting in educating the community and preserving the quality of living for yak, the breeders and their consumers.
Genome Committee (GenCom)
Health Science Committee
Sandra Matheson DVM, Matheson Farms, Bellingham, Washington
Fiber Committee
Barbara Miedema, (Chair), Goat Trax Farms, Momence, Illinois
Melodee Smith, Clear Spring Farm
Wini Labrecque, advisor
Meat Committee
Doug David, Bow Creek Ranch, Lenora, Kansas
Daniele Garner, Pettee Ranch, Fairplay, Colorado
Sophia Weiss, Firebird Farms, Ashland, Oregon
Outreach Committees
To Preserve, Promote, and Protect Yak through Outreach. These committees focus on outreach to members, media and the population in general. They are concerned with providing resources that will help educate everyone on this special animal, our unique yak population and its global significance.
Communications Committee
Sophia Weiss, Firebird Farms, Ashland, Oregon
Education Committee
Phillip Reschke, PhillBilly Farms
History Committee
Elizabeth Enslin, Amaranta Farm, Wallowa County, Oregon
Marketing Committee
Mark Drumm, Bentwood Alpaca and Yak, Tully, New York
Sophia Weiss, Firebird Farms, Ashland, Oregon
Show Committee
Doug David, Bow Creek Ranch, Lenora, Kansas
Stephanie David, Bow Creek Ranch, Lenora, Kansas
Research Collaborations
GenBank, National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD
Intrepid Bioinformatics, Louisville, Kentucky, Contact Ted Kalbfleisch, PhD, CEO
Michigan State University, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, Toxicologist, John Buchweitz, PhD.
Neogen Corporation, GeneSeek Operations Lincoln, Nebraska, Researchers, Veronica Basnayake, PhD and Dr. Rich Tai and Contact, Jeremy Walker
University of California, Davis, Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, Old Davis Road, Davis, California, Cecilia Penedo, Ph.D., Associate Director of Service
University of Kentucky, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Lexington, Kentucky, Contact Debra Maples and Researcher,
University of Kentucky, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Researcher, William Silvia
University Nebraska Lincoln, ANSC Animal Genetics and Genomics Lab, Lincoln, Nebraska, Researcher, Jessica Petersen, PhD
University of Wisconsin Madison, Department of Animal Sciences, Madison, Wisconsin, Hasan Khatib, PhD (Chair)