The American Association of Special Districts is excited to announce the appointment of Dr. Claudia Riegel as the Mosquito, Vector, and Pest (MVP) Control Division representative on the AASD Board of Directors.
Riegel is the Director of the New Orleans Mosquito, Termite and Rodent Control Board in New Orleans, La., where she has risen through the ranks from Principal Research Entomologist to Director during her 20 years of service. She is responsible for technical support for the City of New Orleans and the pest control industry, conducts independent research, collaborates with industry for enhancements of existing products and testing of new products, and collaborates with government organizations and universities on a variety of research projects involving rodents, mosquitoes, termites, and a variety of other urban pests.
At AASD, Reigel will be represent the voice of America’s MVP districts on the AASD Board and steer the association’s MVP district-oriented programming.
“Public vector control is a highly specialized and unique function of local government that demands dedicated funding resources to mitigate the spread of vector-borne illness – yet so many communities face barriers to establish devoted funding sources for these activities at the expense of public health,” said Dr. Claudia Riegel, AASD Board Member and Director of the New Orleans Mosquito, Termite, and Rodent Control Board. “This is a job for America’s special districts, and I am looking forward to leading and addressing these local and state public policy issues with the American Association of Special Districts.”
The AASD Board of Directors voted unanimously to appoint Riegel during its quarterly meeting on Wednesday, March 26, and she will serve the remainder of the term through December 2026.
“At AASD, we are dedicated to addressing the diverse challenges that altogether face America’s special districts and to promote the model of special district services where can be best leveraged,” said Cole Arreola-Karr, AASD Executive Director. “We are excited to have Dr. Riegel on the team for America’s special districts to not only lead the organization but also drive district solutions as a public policy answer to the widespread public health issue of vector control.”
Riegel earned her degrees from Purdue University (B.S., Plant Molecular Biology), University of Georgia (M.S., Plant Pathology), and obtained a Ph.D. in Nematology from the University of Florida. Directly out of school, she worked in private industry as a field scientist in the urban pest management field. Then, her responsibilities included providing technical support, and collaborating with government organizations, universities, and customers. In 2004, she became Principal Research Entomologist for the City of New Orleans Mosquito and Termite Control Board. In 2006, she became Assistant Director, and in 2010 she was promoted to Director of the department. Further, Riegel participates in several professional societies at the national and local level, she has authored articles and training modules. She speaks at pest control and public health meetings around the country and internationally.
Learn more about AASD’s three core concepts, Board of Directors, and more at www.americasdistricts.org. For questions on this and ways to get involved with America’s special districts, contact Cole Arreola-Karr, AASD Executive Director, at contact@americasdistricts.org.
A group of special district managers, board members, and professional stakeholders founded AASD in August 2024 to fulfill the need for a strong national association to identify and address special districts’ common challenges. AASD’s mission is rooted in “strengthening special districts with governance resources; advancing special districts’ ability to serve their communities, and uniting the nation’s special districts through building advocacy coalitions and organizations in states and across the nation.