OrigamiUSA is run almost entirely by volunteers, some who work all year-round, others who work on specific projects and/or at specific times of the year. If you'd like to get in touch with a specific area of responsibility (or are just curious about who does what), you'll find below a listing of all of our various committees as well as the current membership of our Board of Directors. Feel free to drop any of us a line to share your thoughts or questions.

The Board

Please use the individual addresses, below, to contact specific Board members, or the appropriate committee address (farther down) to reach a specific area of responsibility. To bring a matter to the entire Board's attention, or if unsure where to direct your inquiry, please send your email to admin [at] origamiusa.org.

The OrigamiUSA Board governs and manages the organization. Board members are elected by the membership for 2-year terms, with half the Board members elected in alternate years. Board members appointed to fill a vacancy only serve until the next election. Board members serve on and chair various committees, which is where most of the organization's activities happen.

Board Officers are elected annually after the Board election. Board members must serve one year before being eligible to serve as an officer. The President is appointed by the Board, not elected, and is automatically a Board Officer.

Board Officers

Board officers are elected at the first Board meeting after Board elections, held in the summer.

  • Chair: Jason Ku
  • Vice Chair: Alex Matthews
  • Treasurer: Jason Schneider
  • Secretary: Kathleen Sheridan
  • President: Wendy Zeichner

Board Members

    –
  • Patty Grodner (2024–2026) - patty.grodner [at] origamiusa.org
  • David Kandel (2024–2026) - david.kandel [at] origamiusa.org
  • Marc Kirschenbaum (2024–2026) - marc.kirschenbaum [at] origamiusa.org
  • Michael Montebello (2024–2026) - michael.montebello [at] origamiusa.org
  • Jason Schneider (2024–2026) — jason.schneider [at] origamiusa.org
  • Jason Ku (2023–2025) - jason.ku [at] origamiusa.org
  • Kathleen Sheridan (2023–2025) - kathleen.sheridan [at] origamiusa.org
  • Edith Kort (2023–2025) - edith.kort [at] origamiusa.org
  • Rowen Pierick (2023–2025) - rowen.pierick [at] origamiusa.org
  • Alex Matthews (2023–2025) — alex.matthews [at] origamiusa.org
  • Wendy Zeichner (ex officio) - wendy.zeichner [at] origamiusa.org

(*) Board members appointed to fill out a vacant position serve the remainder of the year of their appointment. If appointed for the first year of a two-year term, those positions will be open in the next election.

(**) Board members elected to the second year of a position initially filled by an appointee will run again for a regular two-year term at the end of that term.

Committees

The following is a list of OrigamiUSA's current standing committees, their chairpersons, and their purposes. Other committees are formed as needed. Committees are open to all members. If you are interested in working on one, or if you have any concerns in these areas, please contact the chairperson at the link provided, or send a note to the Home Office, who will forward your message to the appropriate committee. Joining a committee is a wonderful way to dip your toe into volunteering.

Annual Gift Committee

Contact: annual-gift [at] origamiusa.org

Arlene Gorchov (Chair), Wendy Zeichner.

Solicits models from members through provided diagrams, and distributes them as an Annual Gift for the Tree Lighting. It also provides special models for the 60 Museum Trustees.

Archives Committee

Contact: archives [at] origamiusa.org

Soren Grinsfelder (Chair), JC Nolan.

Organizes and maintains the archives of OrigamiUSA. OrigamiUSA has a rich history that is full of amazing photographs, diagrams and models. The Archives Committee is responsible for the storage and cataloging of these materials.

Awards Committee

Contact: awards [at] origamiusa.org

Rachel Katz (Chair), Susan Dugan, Patty Grodner, Joel Stern, Leyla Torres. Administers the awards given by OrigamiUSA. This committee solicits nominees and judges entries for the Ranana Benjamin and Florence Temko awards. (The Michael Shall Volunteer Recognition Award is administered by the Board.)

Business Committee

Contact: business [at] origamiusa.org

Jan Polish (Chair), Arlene Gorchov, Marc Kirschenbaum, Gay Merrill Gross, Ros Joyce, Kathy Stevick, Maria Velazquez.

Sets policy and makes decisions regarding stock and operation of The Origami Source, which is managed by Heidi Lenney. The Business Committee is always looking for new and exciting additions to The Origami Source List.

Community Origami Groups Committee

Contact: community-groups [at] origamiusa.org

Shrikant Iyer (Chair), Faye Goldman, Lori Gregory, Michael Montebello, Joel Stern, Gerardo Gacharná Ramírez (COGS Online Coordinator). This committee ensures that local area groups, listed on the website and assists members interested in establishing new groups, and helps maintain the COGS Online Zoom room.

Convention Committee

Contact: convention-info [at] origamiusa.org

Eric Ma (Chair), Robert Lang, Emma Opitz, Jan Polish, Kathleen Sheridan, Donna Walcavage, Boice Wong, Wendy Zeichner

Subcommittee heads:

  • Airplane Contest (open)
  • ATC (Jean Baden-Gillette)
  • Class Schedule and Ticketing (John Szinger, Deb Pun, Janet Hamilton)
  • Exhibition (Ruthanne Bessman, Boice Wong)
  • First Timers (Delrosa Marshall, Joann Miller)
  • Hospitality (Wendy Zeichner, Susan Dugan)
  • Logistics (Mike Montebello)
  • Model Menu (Louise Oppenheimer-Flax)
  • On-site Check-In (Donna Walcavage)
  • On-Site Registration and Issues (Jan Polish, Eric Ma)
  • Oversized Folding (Marc Kirschenbaum, Talo Kawasaki)
  • Photographer (Susan Dugan, Andrew Cribb)
  • Public Access Teaching (Emma Opitz)
  • Publicity (open)
  • Sales Area (Heidi Lenney)
  • Signage (Nathan Zeichner)
  • Silent Auction (Kathy Stevick)
  • TAROS (Kathleen Sheridan)
  • Venue Coordination and Catering (Eric Ma, Wendy Zeichner)
  • Volunteers (Josefina Callendar, Emma Opitz)
  • Website (Robert Lang)
  • Website Update Coordination (Eric Ma)

Plans and directs OrigamiUSA's annual convention. This committee organizes the activity, from recommending official guests to finalizing the schedule. In addition, many other people volunteer to support specific areas of responsibility for the convention.

Contact: copyright [at] origamiusa.org

Robert J. Lang (Chair), Jason Ku, Jan Polish.

Develops and maintains the copyright policies of OrigamiUSA. The committee works with our intellectual property lawyer to develop policies and permission forms that are consistent with U.S. and international copyright law protecting origami artworks, diagrams, and related works.

Development Committee

Contact: development [at] origamiusa.org

Jan Polish (Chair), Wendy Zeichner, Delrosa Marshall.

Develops and supports income-producing activities and to ensure they are within the mission statement of OrigamiUSA

Elections Committee

Contact: elections [at] origamiusa.org

Char Morrow (Chair), Robert J. Lang, Michael Naughton, John Szinger, Wendy Zeichner.

Plans and coordinates the election of Board members. The Election Committee sends out the call for nominations, coordinates the statements of the candidates into an election mailing, and arranges for the counting of the votes by a non-Board member.

Exhibition Committee

Contact: exhibitions [at] origamiusa.org

Margaret Van Sicklen (Chair).

Responsible for marketing potential origami exhibits for OrigamiUSA including the Origami By Children exhibit. Responsible for maintenance and storage of our permanent collection and arranging for the photographing and lending of these models.

The Fold Committee

Contact: thefold [at] origamiusa.org

Jane Rosemarin (Chair), Editorial team.

Oversees the production and publication of OrigamiUSA’s online magazine, The Fold.

Holiday Tree Committee

Contact: holiday-tree [at] origamiusa.org

Ros Joyce (Co-designer), Talo Kawasaki (Co-designer), Andrea Brecker.

Designs and implements the Holiday Tree at the American Museum of Natural History. This committee solicits models and coordinates the installation of the Holiday Tree.

Research Library Committee

Contact: libraries [at] origamiusa.org

Ros Joyce (Chair), Delrosa Marshall.

The Research Library is housed in the Home Office of OrigamiUSA, and the committee is responsible for maintenance and storage, plus adding new books.

Lending Library Committee

Contact: lending-library [at] origamiusa.org

Sachin Shah (Chair), Claudia Hill (Advisor)

The Lending Library provides borrowing access for our members and handles the Library Excerpt Service. Information on the Lending Library collection is here. Information on the Library Excerpt Service is here.

Origami By Children Committee

Contact: obc [at] origamiusa.org

Yumiko Pfantz (Chair), Andrea Brecker, Candace Paska.

This committee manages the annual Origami By Children exhibition. Every year children (18 and under) send in models for a judged competition. The winning entries become part of an exhibition that starts at our Annual Convention and then travels around the country to libraries and schools.

Origami Café Committee

Contact: origami-cafe [at] origamiusa.org

Janessa Munt (Chair), Eric Ma, Yuki Martin, Caitlin McCauley, Sandya Suresh, Jon Tucker.

The Origami Café Committee organizes folding events in the Gather.town platform space.

Origami Connect Committee

Contact: origamiconnect [at] origamiusa.org

Patty Grodner (Chair), Char Morrow, Marcio Noguchi, Kathleen Sheridan

Organizes and executes real-time online classes and events.

PCOC (Pacific Coast OrigamiUSA Conference) Committee

Contact: pcoc-info [at] origamiusa.org

Patty Grodner (Chair), Deb Pun (Classes), Jan Polish (Advisor/Merchandise), Kathleen Sheridan (Activities), Komo Gauvreau (Project Manager/Registration), Linda Mihara (Sales), Lori Gregory (Exhibition), Melissa Mohamed (Graphics), Mike Montebello (On-site Support), Robert J. Lang (Website), Wendy Zeichner (Contracts).

PCOC 2025 Local Leads: Glenn Sapaden, Judy Ng, Susan Nonaka.

The Pacific Coast OrigamiUSA Conference is held in (usually) odd-numbered years in venues on the West Coast of North America. See past PCOC locations.

The PCOC Committee works with a local sponsoring group to organize and manage the conference.

The Paper Committee

Contact: thepaper [at] origamiusa.org

Laura Rozenberg (Chair and Managing Editor), Wendy Zeichner.

Oversees the production and publication of OrigamiUSA's print magazine, The Paper. This committee is responsible for hiring and supervising the Designer, Veronica Carman.

Publications Committee

Contact: publications [at] origamiusa.org

Marc Kirschenbaum (Co-chair), Daniel Scher (Co-chair), JC Nolan, Omer Shalev, Nathan Zeichner.

This committee is responsible for OrigamiUSA's main publication, the Origami Collection, which comes out every June. The publications team also reviews and tests diagrams for The Paper. Smaller publications are also designed and planned, most recently Origami Unusual by Charles Esseltine. The publications team meets every Wednesday evening to review and test diagrams, and to select models.

Social Media Committee

Contact: socialmedia [at] origamiusa.org

Ella Fornari (Chair), Mary Drews, Alex Matthews, Boice Wong.

This committee is responsible for OrigamiUSA's Social Media presence. This includes maintaining our accounts and making postings. They work with the Online Presence (Website) Committee.

Scholarships Committee

Contact: scholarships [at] origamiusa.org

Alex Matthews (Chair), David Kandel, Edie Kort, Char Morrow, Travis Nolan, Jan Polish, Wendy Zeichner.

Manages scholarships to attend OrigamiUSA events.

Special Sessions Committee

Contact: sessions [at] origamiusa.org

Alice Fornari (Chair), Sam Bravo, Tony Cheng, Kika Salgo, Wendy Zeichner.

Organizes and executes Special Folding Fun Sessions. These sessions, historically held in the American Museum of Natural History on six Sundays a year, are fundraising events for OrigamiUSA.

Website Committee

Contact: website [at] origamiusa.org

Robert J. Lang (Chair/Managing Editor)

This committee is responsible for OrigamiUSA's websites, mailing lists, email, and other online services. Committee members and responsibilities are:

  • Webmaster/Managing Editor: Robert J. Lang
  • Website Sysadmins: Anne LaVin, John Szinger, Jim Weir, Zander Bolgar
  • The Origami Source: Heidi Lenney
  • The Fold: Jane Rosemarin
  • Calendar: Faye Goldman

Videos Committee

Contact: videos [at] origamiusa.org

Blair Whitaker (Chair), Brian Beitel.

Curates and manages OrigamiUSA's collection of video classes.

Volunteer Appreciation Committee

Contact: volunteer-appreciation [at] origamiusa.org

[open] (Chair), Jean Baden-Gillette, Andrea Brecker, Victoria Sheridan, Wendy Zeichner.

Develops activities to recognize the contributions of our volunteers.

World Origami Days Committee

Contact: wod-info [at] origamiusa.org

[open] (Chair), Patty Grodner, Wendy Zeichner.

World Origami Days encourages events to recognize this international celebration of origami, by providing information for the World Origami Days section on our website.