C.A. Sharp and "Sydney" C.A. Sharp President C.A. Sharp is a science writer and an internationally recognized lay expert on canine genetics and hereditary diseases. She is journal published ("Collie Eye Anomaly in Australian Shepherd Dogs" Rubin, Nelson and Sharp, Progress In Veterinary & Comparative Ophthalmology, 1991, 1(2):105-8 and "KITLG maps to canine chromosome 15 and is excluded as a candidate gene for merle in dogs, " Schmutz, Berryere and Sharp, Animal Genetics, 2003 Feb;34(1):75-6.) Sharp has been involved in dogs, specifically the Australian Shepherd, for three decades, breeding and showing from the 70s through the early 90s. She has been active with the Australian Shepherd Club of America since 1976, twice serving on its genetics committees. (1983-1986 and 1996 – present.) For over two decades Sharp has collected data on hereditary disease in Australian Shepherds, using this information to assist researchers and provide informal genetic counseling and pedigree analysis to breeders and owners. Sharp has frequently assisted researchers in canine genetics on projects ranging from coat color to ophthalmology to longevity. Her efforts include spreading the word about the projects, educating people about the subject of the research, and facilitating data collection. Sharp has written extensively on genetics and hereditary disease, initially for breeders of Australian Shepherds but more recently for a wider audience. She has since 1993 published Double Helix Network News, a quarterly canine genetics newsletter. Helix has been a finalist in the Dog Writers Association of America’s annual awards competition numerous times, twice winning "Maxwell" awards, one for the newsletter itself and for the feature article "The Price of Popularity." Sharp was the first recipient of AKC Canine Health Foundation’s Golden Paw Award for the article "The Rising Storm." Sharp is currently working on a book. Please click HERE for a more in-depth interview with C.A. Sharp. Kylie Munyard, PhD Secretary Kylie obtained her PhD in 2001 from The Faculty of Agriculture at The University of Western Australia. Her work involved trying to understand mechanisms of reduction of methane production from sheep. She now holds a Post-Doctoral position with The Centre for High-Throughput Agricultural Genetic Analysis at Murdoch University, where she is the Animal Biotechnology and Instrumentation Research Scientist. Her work involves a range of farm and companion animal research areas, including molecular genetics of farm animals (e.g. paternity, production traits, diseases), canine genetic diseases and characteristics (e.g. hyaloid remnants, ivermectin toxicity, bob-tail gene, paternity) and development of methods for high-throughput analysis (e.g. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, robotic workstations, “Hands-free” sample handling). Kylie has had an interest in Australian Shepherds since 1990, but only managed to get her first one in 1999. Since 1987 she has been involved in obedience and agility as well as a bit of conformation, and recently has started training her Aussie for herding. Other keen dog-related interests are behaviour/ ethology and genetics. She is one of two people responsible for the Australian Shepherd Health Registry of Australasia a database and associated website used for dissemination of health information about Australian Shepherds in the Australasian region. She was involved in the establishment of the Australian Shepherd Club of Western Australia in 2000, and has served as Newsletter Editor since its inception. George P. Johnson, Ph.D. Treasurer Johnson received his doctorate in Botany at North Carolina State University after completing bachelors and masters degrees in Biology at Western Kentucky University. He is currently an Associate Professor of Biology and Curator of the Herbarium (APCR) in the Department of Biological Sciences at Arkansas Tech University. Johnson has long been an outspoken advocate of the Australian Shepherd Club of America's DNA program, serving as DNA Advisor/Lab Liaison to the Board of Directors, and as a member of the ASCA DNA Committee. His interest in the genetics of the Australian led him to publish the following works: "Basic Genetics of the Australian Shepherd. Part I: Inheritance of color and pattern." Johnson. Aussie Times, 29(4):75-78., "Basic Genetics of the Australian Shepherd. Part II: Multiple Alleles." Johnson. Aussie Times, 29(5):83-85., and "Basic Genetics of the Australian Shepherd. Part III: DNA Fingerprinting of Canines." Johnson. Aussie Times, 30(4):45-47. Johnson and his wife Terry have owned Aussies since 1992. They presently have six of them, which they actively show in conformation and herding. Peter Adolphson Board Member Emeritus Peter Adolphson received his Bachelor's and Master's of Science degrees in Zoology at Southern Illinois University. He performed post-masters research in environmental and aquatic toxicology, focusing on its effects upon population genetics. Adolphson has written articles on population level effects of artificial selective breeding in canines and its potential effects on genetically inherited diseases. His focus remains the transmission of genetic disease in canines and how it can be minimized. Adolphson has been owned by Australian Shepherds for 12 years. Adolphson actively participates in working (herding) trials, agility, flyball, obedience, Frisbee and conformation. Adolphson has been active with the Australian Shepherd Club of America since 1991, serving on its genetics committee (1996-2001) including committee chair (1998-2001). Adolphson has long desired to see the formation of an independent organization to support the health and genetics of the Australian Shepherd and help their owners find answers to health related issues. Adolphson has also sought to establish a clearinghouse of data and information to support canine research that would effectively bridge the gap between Australian Shepherd fanciers and professional canine researchers.