Outgoing Journal of Caribbean Ornithology (JCO) Managing Editor, Justin Proctor,  shares the exciting news that Dr. Stefan Gleissberg is the new Managing Editor of JCO. Stefan is no stranger to JCO, as he’s been with the journal since 2019, first in the capacity of Assistant Production Editor, and then as Production Editor. His knowledge of our journal, dedication to its mission, and kinship with our staff makes him a great fit for leadership within the JCO family. Learn more about Stefan below! 

In 2016, it was decided that the Journal of Caribbean Ornithology (JCO) could benefit from the creation of a new role: a Managing Editor. The behind-the-scenes of JCO looked very different then, with just a handful of amazing volunteers working overtime to keep everything afloat. And so when the Editor-in-Chief at the time, Dr. Jason Townsend, reached out to me to gauge my interest in the position, I was excited to accept the offer, join the team, and figure out how best to help.    

I ended up making the decision to focus a lot of my effort over the following years on building up a bigger team. We simply needed more hands on deck to ensure a more timely and quality product, and to give JCO the personable touch that we wanted to have. I’m happy to say that those efforts have borne fruit: JCO has gone from an all-volunteer team of ~6 individuals to a team of 10 part-time paid staff and 17 volunteers. Now, thanks to all of these amazing staff and the quality work they produce, JCO has an extensive list of achievements and publications to be very proud of. From submission through to publication, this team has become a cohesive unit that goes above and beyond to support our authors, reviewers, and each other—each and every step of the way. The added capacity has also allowed us to build out other elements of JCO. This will ensure the journal has the foundation and adaptability to remain the #1 ornithological journal in the Caribbean far into the future. I’m feeling really good about the road ahead.

The time has come, however, for me to pass the Managing Editor position into new hands. As much as I’m going to have a hard time letting go of it, I think it’s a healthy move for the journal. What’s exciting is that the change-up will allow me more time to serve the journal’s needs through my Vice-President Executive Board position with BirdsCaribbean, albeit more from the background. We are at an unprecedented time in which the JCO has two representatives on the BC Board of Directors, including me and our Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Joseph M. Wunderle, Jr. This is a great opportunity to build even more positive momentum. 

During our preliminary search for a new Managing Editor, we were pleasantly surprised when one of our own staff members expressed interest in the position. We were excited to first pursue that possibility before advertising the position more broadly. And so we did pursue it, and couldn’t be happier with how things turned out. On behalf of the BirdsCaribbean Board of Directors, Joe, and myself, I am excited to announce that Dr. Stefan Gleissberg will be stepping up into the role of Managing Editor. Stefan is no stranger to JCO, as he’s been with the journal since 2019—first in the capacity of Assistant Production Editor and then as Production Editor. His knowledge of our journal, dedication to its mission, and kinship with our staff makes him a great fit for leadership within the JCO family.

Stefan’s previous career as an international researcher in the plant sciences afforded him intimate familiarity with the world of scientific publishing. He has served both as author of peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, and as peer reviewer of manuscripts for academic journals and book publishers. A life-long birder, Stefan decided to re-engage in bird conservation and the birding community after retiring from his career in plant biology. In 2014, Stefan founded the Athens Area Birders in Ohio, a local community engaged in nature education and birding, and joined the Board of Directors of the Athens Conservancy, a land trust. He currently serves as Vice-President of the Ohio Ornithological Society, as steering committee member of the Ohio Bird Conservation Initiative, and as a statewide eBird data reviewer for Ohio, among other roles. From 2015 to 2020, Stefan served as the editor of The Cerulean, a print/online newsletter-magazine of the Ohio Ornithological Society. For this member-centered publication, he oversaw all aspects from acquisition, editing, layout, photo-editing, and production. He also contributed editorials and articles. And his more recent work with JCO has immersed Stefan into the world of Caribbean birds, a place where I know he’s excited about spending a lot more time. 

Thank you to everyone for your ongoing support of the Journal of Caribbean Ornithology. It’s a one-of-a-kind journal that we are fortunate to call our own. To Stefan, I wish you great success in your new position as Managing Editor. It’s a lot of fun, no doubt about it. And while I can’t promise it will be all rainbows and butterflies, I can promise a lot of palm crows and raucous cries! 

All the best,

—Justin Proctor

Editor’s note: We thank Justin Proctor for his incredible service and hard work to build the JCO team and make journal the successful peer-reviewed publication that it is today, and we extend a warm welcome to Stefan.

p.s. The Journal of Caribbean Ornithology is in need of financial support! If you are able to make a one-time donation or become a monthly sustainer, know that your gift would be helping to building capacity for science and conservation of Caribbean birds, a core part of our vital mission.