Meet the 2020 Executive Board Candidates: Christopher Sawula, Vice President for Conference Program

About the Candidate:Christopher Sawula has been the Visual Resources and Spatial Art History Librarian in the Art History Department at Emory University since 2017. From 2014 to 2017, he was the Director of Research and Academic Programs in the A.S. Williams III Collection at The University of Alabama. He received his PhD in History in 2014 and his scholarly work examines the origins of laboring identity in early America. In his capacity supporting spatial art history projects, he focuses on digital publishing, GIS mapping, data visualization, and archival data curation.Goals:I believe that annual conferences are critically important to the health and growth of any organization. They allow participants to share their innovations and achievements, to foster interpersonal connections, and to chart future developments in the field. In my capacity as Vice President for Conference Programs, I hope to help overcome the challenges posed by Covid-19 and ensure that the Visual Resources Association is able to hold the Annual conference and Mid-Year meeting either in person or virtually in some capacity. These events are especially important for the professional development of early-career members, and I want to make sure these individuals have the opportunity to engage with our organization and benefit from the support of their peers. If I were elected to this position, I would build upon the work already undertaken to create conference experiences that benefit attendees from many different backgrounds and at various stages of their career.