Board of Advisors

The KU Biodiversity Institute Board of Advisors is comprised of up to 18 people who meet quarterly to assist the Biodiversity Institute by improving its quality, abundance and scope.

They advocate on behalf of the Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum to university, local and regional communities, and to state, national and international audiences. The board joins the institute in discovering, documenting and disseminating knowledge of life on earth, past and present. 

Each advisory board member volunteers to serve a three-year term and may be elected for up to three consecutive terms. Members use their diverse backgrounds to provide counsel to Biodiversity Institute staff, serve as ambassadors on behalf of the organization, offer financial support, develop resources and assist in crafting strategic goals.

The 2025-2026 members of the Biodiversity Institute Board of Advisors are:

  • Dianne Arvin, Hermitage, TN
  • Barbara Ballard, Lawrence, KS
  • Don Brada, Lawrence, KS
  • Sean Daly, Overland Park, KS — Chair
  • George Hanson, Leawood, KS
  • Lori Hasselman, Lawrence, KS
  • Tom Hardy, Cinncinnati, OH
  • Steven Hill, Lawrence, KS
  • Jann Rudkin, Los Gatos, CA
  • Bill Sampson, Lawrence, KS
  • John Schukman, Leavenworth, KS
  • Carol Shankel, Lawrence, KS
  • Dee Steinle, Lawrence, KS
  • Chuck Warner, Lawrence, KS
  • Destin Whitehurst, Lawrence, KS — Vice Chair

Do you have a passion for biodiversity science? An interest in natural history museums and community science outreach? Please contact us at biodiversity@ku.edu about possible participation on the KU Biodiversity Institute Board of Advisors.