The AFS Nominating Committee (chaired by Carrie Hertz with members Naomi Sturm-Wijesinghe, Kelley Totten, and Betty Belanus) has announced its slate of candidates for each available office in the AFS 2025 election.
This year, AFS members will vote for two seats on the Executive Board and one seat on the Nominating Committee. The Executive Board and the Nominating Committee members will both be for three-year, 2026–28 terms. Those elected will take office on January 1, 2026.
Executive Board (two to be elected to three-year, 2026–28 terms):
- Julián Antonio Carrillo (Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, University of New Mexico)
- Susan Eleuterio (Goucher College)
- Moira Marsh (Indiana University)
- Thomas A. McKean (University of Aberdeen)
Nominating Committee (one to be elected to a three-year, 2026–28 term):
- Ian Brodie (Cape Breton University)
- Sarah Craycraft (Harvard University)
Secure online voting will begin in November after the Annual Meeting and will continue through December 18, 2025. Those elected will take office on January 1, 2026.
Candidates’ Forum
A virtual Candidates’ Forum was held on Wednesday, November 12, 4:00 pm–5:00 pm EST during the virtual portion of the 137th Annual Meeting of the American Folklore Society.
Ian Brodie
Ian Brodie (he/him) is the Professor of Folklore at Cape Breton University, a graduate of Memorial’s Folklore program, and a Fellow of the American Folklore Society. He has twice served as President of the Folklore Studies Association of Canada / l’Association canadien d’ethnologie et de folklore and is currently President of the International Society for Contemporary Legend Research.
Julián Antonio Carrillo
Dr. Julián Antonio Carrillo Estrada received his PhD in Anthropology with a concentration in cultural anthropology, folklore, and ethnomusicology from Indiana University Bloomington in 2021. He is the Curator of Public Programs at the University of New Mexico’s Maxwell Museum of Anthropology. He has also worked for and volunteered with several non-profit organizations and institutions including the Alliance for California Traditional Arts, the Center for Traditional Music & Dance, and the Smithsonian Institution.
Sarah Craycraft
Sarah Craycraft is Head Tutor and Lecturer of Folklore and Mythology at Harvard University. She has served in leadership and advisory roles for the Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Folklore Association, the International Connections Committee of the Appalachian Studies Association, and Midwest Folklorists and Cultural Workers Alliance. Sarah earned her PhD from The Ohio State University.
Susan Eleuterio
Susan Eleuterio is a professional folklorist, educator, and consultant to non-profits. Holding an MA in American Folk Culture/Museum Studies from the Cooperstown Graduate Program (SUNY/Oneonta) and a BA in English/Education from the University of Delaware, Eleuterio serves as an adjunct faculty member of Goucher College’s Master’s in Cultural Sustainability program.
Moira Marsh
Moira Marsh holds a PhD in Folklore and an MLS from Indiana University Bloomington, where she has served since 1997 as the subject librarian for Folklore, Anthropology, and Sociology. Her research bridges folklore and humor studies, and AFS has honored her contributions with the McCulloh Award for Lifetime Service (2019) and election as an AFS Fellow (2021).
Thomas A. McKean
Thomas A. McKean is Director of the Elphinstone Institute, a center for the study of Folklore, Ethnology, Ethnomusicology and ICH at the University of Aberdeen. He is interested in how traditional knowledges and creativity can be used to build cultural self-esteem and stronger communities. He has served two terms as President of the Kommission für Volksdichtung, and as board member and then Vice President of the Societe Internationale d’Ethnolgie et de Folklore (2017–25).
Learn more about AFS governance and elections.