
Photo by Su Cowen of Sisu Ranch
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
Doug David, Bow Creek Ranch, Lenora, Kansas
Larry Richards, Living Diamonds Ranch, Polson, Montana
Stephanie David, Bow Creek Ranch, Lenora, Kansas
Tom Hansen, Wayfare Yaks, Joes, Colorado
Claire Roberts, Registrar
Show Committee
Doug David, Bow Creek Ranch, Lenora, Kansas
Stephanie David, Bow Creek Ranch, Lenora, Kansas
Larry Richards, Living Diamonds Ranch, Polson, Montana
Mark Priest, A Yak or 2, Mancelona, Michigan
Ethics Committee
Chris Butz, (Chair) Gill’s Pier Ranch, Northport, Michigan
Boyd Meyer, Thunder Ridge Yaks, Windsor, Colorado
Nomination Committee
Holly Modjeski (Chair), Yaks on Yucca, Parker, Colorado
Anita Hill, Sunny Hill Ranch, Willow, Alaska
Suzanne Drumm, Bentwood Alpaca and Yak, Tully, New York
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.

Health Committee
Sandra Matheson DVM, Matheson Farms, Bellingham, Washington
Steve Hill, Sunny Hill Ranch, Willow, Alaska
Mike Swartz, Turkey Hill Yaks, Cody, Wyoming
Genome Committee
Larry Richards (Chair) Living Diamonds Ranch, Polson, Montana
Nicole Porter-Salvato, PhD, Prairie Sky Ranch, Driftless Region, Wisconsin
Meat Nutrition Committee
Doug David, Bow Creek Ranch, Lenora, Kansas
Daniele Garner, Pettee Ranch, Fairplay, Colorado
Fiber Committee
Melodee Smith, Clear Spring Farm
Patricia Young, Yaks In The Cradle Farm, Chimacum, Washington
Wini Labrecque, advisor
Research CollaboraTions
University of Wisconsin Madison, Department of Animal Sciences, Madison, Wisconsin, Hasan Khatib, PhD (Chair)
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
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
Holly Modjeski (Chair), Yaks on Yucca, Parker, Colorado
Nicole Porter-Salvato, PhD, Prairie Sky Ranch, Driftless Region, Wisconsin
Membership Committee
Daniel Salvato, Prairie Sky Ranch, Driftless Region, Wisconsin
History Committee
Dianne Latona (Chair), Bellingham, Washington
Elizabeth Enslin, Amaranta Farm, Wallowa County, Oregon