About AFC

In October 2016 the Seafood Science and Technology Society and the Atlantic Fisheries Technology Conference merged to form the AFC (Formerly known as AGSTC), to leverage resources and continue to encourage collaborations and knowledge transfer among industry, institutes, universities, and government agencies in fisheries and aquaculture.

Executive Board

Michael Ciaramella, Ph.D. – Chair_Elect AFC 2026, Seafood Specialist, New York Sea Grant and Cornell University  

Evelyn Watts, Ph.D. – Past Chair_Seafood Extension Specialist, Louisiana Sea Grant and LSU AgCenter, Louisiana State University

Razieh Farzad, Ph.D. – Past Chair_ Web Manager, Seafood Safety Extension Specialist, Florida Sea Grant, University of Florida

Alexander Chouljenko, Ph.D. – Secretary_NC State University, Center for Marine Sciences and Technology

Katheryn Parraga, Ph.D. – Treasurer_Food Safety Research and Outreach Specialist, Purdue University

Jon Bell, Ph.D. -Past Chair_Director NMFS National Seafood Inspection Laboratory.

​Jason Bolton, Ph.D. – Past Chair_Associate Dean of Cooperative Extension & Innovation Program Area Coordinator, University of Maine

Gülsün Akdemir Evrendilek, Ph.D. – Associate Extension Professor and Seafood Technology and Food Safety Specialist, University of Maine

Taozhu Sun, Ph.D. – Muscle Food Safety Specialist with Virginia Tech’s Department of Food Science and Technology

Advisory Board (State Reps.)

  • Steve Frattini, New York
  • Margaret Malkoski, Massachusetts
  • Christa Biggs, Florida
  • Denise Skonberg, Maine
  • Tori Stivers, Georgia
  • Ed Hale, Delaware
  • Anoushka Concepcion, Connecticut
  • Jonathan van Senten,  Virginia
  • Cathay Liu, Maryland
  • Nicole Richard, Rhode Island
  • Barry Nash, North Carolina
  • Karen Swajian, Washington DC
  • Jon Bell, Louisiana
  • Courtney Crist, Mississippi
  • David Williams, Texas
  • Cameron Prince, Canada
  • Kevin Edwards, New Jersey
  • Theo Willis, Vermont
  • Scott Zimmerman, Florida