President:

Shawna Fix

Email: shawna@southeastaquatics.net

Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership
Murfreesboro, TN 37128

 

 

 

Shawna Fix is the Aquatic Connectivity Teams Facilitator at SARP (Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership). She works with partners across the Southeast to inventory, prioritize, and replace barriers for aquatic organism passage. Her background is in threatened and endangered freshwater fish and has a passion for conservation. Shawna was first involved in TNAFS in 2016 when she became the social media chair. She was elected in 2018 as the treasurer-secretary and re-elected for a second term in 2021. Her favorite fish is the Laurel Dace, a federally endangered minnow only found in Tennessee! Shawna’s favorite part about working with TNAFS is mentoring students as they are the next generation of fisheries biologists and conservationists.

 

President-Elect

Shannon Murphy

Email: Shannon@conservationfisheries.org

Conservation Fisheries, Inc.
3424 Division Street
Knoxville, TN 37919

 

 

 

Shannon Murphy is a Conservation Biologist and Volunteer Coordinator at Conservation Fisheries, Inc where she is the Species Lead for several endangered species of non-game fishes. She has been involved with TNAFS since 2017 when she started attending meetings as an undergraduate at Tennessee Tech. There, Shannon was active in the student sub-unit, first as the Undergraduate Representative, then the President. Over the last several years, she has served as the Website Chair for TNAFS, and as Local Arrangements Chair when our chapter hosted SDAFS in 2024. Shannon has a hard time picking a favorite fish, but it’s usually bouncing back and forth between Duskytail Darters, Boulder Darters, and Barrens Topminnows.

 

Past-President

Sally Petre

Email: Sally.Petre@tn.gov

Phone: 423-522-2460

Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
3030 Wildlife Way
Morristown, TN 37814

 

 

Sally Petre is a Fisheries Biologist at the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.  She has been involved with AFS since 2008 as an undergrad at North Carolina State University (Go Wolfpack) through their student fisheries society.  She received her Master’s Degree from the University of Arizona working with native trout and non-native crayfish, then continued working in Arizona and being active in AFS in the Western Division.  Currently, Sally works as a Region 4 TWRA fish biologist managing streams and rivers for game and non-game species.  Learning about all the fantastic work being done throughout the state and building relationships to work together on projects are her favorite things about AFS.  Sally does not have a favorite fish because there are so many and so many still to learn about, however, she loves learning about all the fish on USFWS’s “Fish of the Week” Podcast.

 

Treasurer:

Abbey Holsopple

Email: AHolsopple@tnaqua.org

Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute
175 Baylor School Road
Chattanooga, TN 37405

 

 

Abbey Holsopple is the Recovery Biologist at the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute in Chattanooga. She is passionate about the conservation of native fishes, and loves working closely with imperiled species. Originally from Western New York, she got her Bachelors in Fisheries and Aquaculture from the State University of New York at Cobleskill. After Cobleskill, she received a master’s in biology from Tennessee Tech where she studied the Striated Darter, an endemic species in the upper Duck River system. During her time at Cobleskill and Tennessee Tech, Abbey loved being involved in AFS student subunits, serving as Treasurer and President of the AFS student subunit at Cobleskill. Her favorite part about being involved with AFS is the opportunities it affords for collaboration between professionals and students.

 

Secretary:

Aaron Burch

Email: Alburch123@gmail.com

Winchester, TN 37398

 

 

 

 

Aaron Burch is a fisheries technician for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. He is passionate about enhancing Tennessee fisheries for future generations and encouraging today’s youth to spend more time outdoors. He primarily works on the southern reservoirs in Middle Tennessee but also assists the streams and hatchery crews as needed. Aaron first became involved with AFS at Tennessee Tech, where he received a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife and Fisheries. Narrowing down a favorite fish is difficult for Aaron, but a blacknose crappie—whether in the water or in a cast iron skillet—is hard to beat. What he loves most about TNAFS is the opportunity to witness the reconnecting, smiling faces of past students, work colleagues, and old “fish-head” friends when everyone gathers together.