The Executive Committee acts as a governing body that provides strategic direction, oversight, and accountability for projects within the Gulf South VECTOR.  This committee ensures that resources are used effectively, goals are met, and stakeholders are informed about progress and outcomes.

1. Project Oversight: Monitor the progress of projects, ensuring they stay on schedule and within budget. The executive committee may review project plans, milestones, and outcomes to ensure they align with organizational objectives.
2. Project Administration: Managing projects involves overseeing the application process, reviewing proposals, awarding funds, and ensuring compliance with grant requirements. The executive committee holds a pivotal role in decision-making concerning the allocation and utilization of funds.
3. Reporting: Creates regular reports on the status of the project and grant activities. These reports may include financial summaries, progress updates, and assessments of project outcomes while compiling reports from committees. Reports will help stakeholders, like the CDC and other partners, understand the importance.
4.  Alignment with Project Goals: Ensuring activities align with project goals is essential for achieving desired outcomes. The executive committee sets strategic direction, reviews project plans, and steers activities of committees toward the success of the project.

The Evaluation Committee is tasked with conducting a needs assessment of vector control agencies across the Gulf States from Texas to Florida and survey to determine core competencies of agencies like physicians, professionals, academia, students, and animal specialists. This committee plays a crucial role in evaluating current practices, identifying gaps in information, and developing strategies to enhance training and performance monitoring in vector control. Through evaluation and strategic planning, the Evaluation Committee aims to strengthen the capacity of vector control agencies, improve training outcomes, and enhance overall effectiveness in mitigating vector-borne diseases across regional and national levels.

1. Documentation and Stakeholder Mapping: Compile comprehensive profiles of vector agencies from Texas to Florida. Create a database to facilitate collaboration and resource sharing among stakeholders involved in vector management, control, and prevention.
2. Survey: Design and implement a survey that determines how and what people need to learn regarding vector-borne diseases and control. The survey will identify preferred learning methods and channels.
3. Needs Assessment: Develop a needs assessment for the Gulf South region which will identify the capacity to conduct vector control at the county and local level. The assessment will focus on addressing critical gaps in resources like funding, personnel, and equipment. This will allow us to tailor training and resources to increase capacity to conduct vector control related activities. Translate findings into actionable statements that guide decision-making and resource allocation to enhance efforts.

The Professional Education Committee focuses on establishing and maintaining meaningful connections with industry professionals in the urban pest management field. Includes actively participating in and presenting at community events nationally, but also those in the Gulf South region. By focusing on these areas, the Professional Engagement Committee aims to strengthen partnerships, promote knowledge exchange, and enhance the effectiveness of vector control efforts.

1. Content Creation: Develop content such as presentations, brochures, products that educate professionals and students about vector control and prevention with why the topic is important. Focus on vectors in the Texas to Florida area and how managing them is essential to the health of the industry and clients.
2. Networking and Partnership Building: Foster relationships at industry events and act as liaisons between the Gulf South VECTOR initiative and professionals in the industry. Identify key stakeholders to enhance collaboration with those who support project goals. Collaborate on initiatives that promote the best practices in the industry, provide innovative perspectives, and share knowledge.
3. Information Exchange: Facilitate the exchange of information and resources between the Gulf South Vector project and industry professionals. Organize workshops, trainings, seminars, and create certificates tailored to the needs of industry professionals. Provide opportunities for continuous learning and professional development in vector and urban pest management practices.
4. Advocacy and Outreach: Advocate for the importance of vector control and disease prevention efforts within the professional community. Conduct stratified outreach activities to raise awareness, promote collaboration, and encourage participation in project initiatives.

The Academic Education Committee focuses on enhancing educational opportunities in higher academic institutes like universities and community colleges from Texas to Florida to address vector-related issues. Discover the capacity and current curriculum to suggest changes that aim to empower students with the knowledge and skills needed to address vector-related challenges effectively and contribute meaningfully to public health and environmental sustainability efforts in their careers. 

1. Information Gathering and Stakeholder Mapping: Discover higher academic institutions and their capacity to educate students about vector related topics. Includes understanding the roles and responsibilities of faculty and student related opportunities such as internships and practicums.
2. Curriculum Development:Develop tools to integrate vector-related topics into academic curriculums, ensuring comprehensive coverage of relevant issues across disciplines.
3. Promotion of Awareness: Educate students about the importance of vector control strategies and diseases prevention measures. Design educational campaigns and initiatives aimed at raising awareness among the student population that foster a culture of proactive engagement.
4. Professional Development:Facilitate access to operational and technical training opportunities for students, like internships and practicums in vector control that provide practical experience. Establish ways for partnerships with industry organizations and agencies in the Gulf South to advertise their programs and provide more information about what they offer at workshops, seminars, classes, etc. 

The Technical Writing Committee oversees the Field Guide and Rodent Manual Subcommittees. The primary responsibility of this committee is to create a mosquito control manual for the Texas to Florida region. A comprehensive and practical tone should be used to educate professionals and empower them with the tools and knowledge needed to implement effective mosquito control strategies tailored to the unique characteristics of their region.

1. Utilize Existing Resources: Leverage existing resources as a foundation for a new manual. This ensures that the manual builds upon established knowledge and practices in mosquito control specific to the geographical region of Texas to Florida.
2. Core Competencies Discussion: Engage in discussion to identify and define the core competencies required for effective mosquito control in the Gulf South region. Involves understanding the specific challenges of different mosquito species, environmental factors, community dynamics, and budget restraints.
3. Principles of Mosquito Integrated Management: The manual will incorporate principles of Integrated Mosquito Management (IMM). This holistic approach includes various strategies such as habitat modification, biological control, larviciding, adulticiding, and community education to manage mosquito populations effectively and sustainably.
4. Coordination with Other Committees: Collaborate with other committees to ensure the needs and perspectives of the target audience, public health officials, environmental managers, community leaders, etc. are considered throughout the manual’s development. The Evaluation Committee can provide feedback on the relevance and effectiveness of content while the Media Committee can inform the design process and other audience considerations.
5. Tailor to Regional Specificities: Investigate the diverse ecological and environmental conditions across the Gulf South to address the region-specific challenges. Includes factors like climate variability, urbanization impacts, the prevalence of mosquito-borne diseases endemic to the area, and more. This will present solutions and specific recommendations for those in the region to help mitigate issues.

The Field Guide/Flip Book Committee is a subcommittee of the Technical Writing Committee, that plays a crucial role of focusing on creating a comprehensive tool for professionals and students interested in biology, ecology, and species identification to verify vectors quickly and confidently. 

1. Tool Creation: Develop a field guide that can be used in printed and electronic formats for various stakeholders, including those who are not used to using other guides or sources of information.
2. Accessibility: Present complex information in an accessible format that is clear, concise, and easy to understand for audiences of varying academic status and expertise.
3. Content Development: Select vector species that are common to encounter in the Gulf South region of Texas to Florida to provide an accurate representation of the environment. Gather and organize species information relevant to biology, ecology, and identification to compile in an accurate and up-to-date format.
4. Stakeholder Engagement: Consider the primary audience of professionals and students by engaging with them to get feedback. Content should be tailored according to their suggestions maintaining a practical use.

The Animal Welfare Committee focuses on promoting animal health and welfare through effective vector management strategies across the Texas to Florida region. This committee is dedicated to documenting veterinary practices, animal welfare groups, and wildlife rehabilitators to support integrated vector management efforts. By focusing on these areas, the Animal Welfare Committee aims to strengthen the capacity of veterinary professionals and animal caregivers to address vector-borne disease challenges effectively, ultimately enhancing animal welfare and public health across the Gulf South region.

1. Documentation and Stakeholder Mapping: Compile comprehensive profiles of veterinary practices, animal welfare groups, and wildlife rehabilitators spanning from Texas to Florida. Create a database to facilitate collaboration and resource sharing among stakeholders involved in animal care and vector management.
2. Development of Training Materials: Produce practical training resources tailored for use in every state, emphasizing integrated vector management principles such as identification of vectors and associated diseases relevant to animal health, vector biology, and public health implications for vector-borne diseases in animals and humans.
3. Educational Outreach: Organize and present talks aimed at informing animal professionals and interested parties about the increasing importance of proactive vector control and management in safeguarding animal welfare. Collaborate with educational institutions and professional stakeholders to promote awareness and encourage best practices. 

The Media Committee‘s role is to create the Gulf South VECTOR brand and associated materials to effectively communicate with stakeholders about vector control and disease prevention efforts. They should also be working with other committees regarding brand image to present information under a united image. Through these efforts, the Media Committee is crucial in promoting public health and environmental stewardship within the Gulf South region. By effectively utilizing various media channels and maintaining content quality, they aim to foster informed decision-making and community engagement in vector control and disease prevention efforts.

1. Brand Creation: The committee will develop the Gulf South VECTOR brand identity, which includes establishing a consistent visual and thematic framework for all communication materials. This brand identity will help foster recognition and trust among target audiences. 
2. Content Creation: Produce a variety of materials such as a website, newsletters, videos, and educational content that engages and interests stakeholders like public health professionals, researchers, policymakers, educators, pest management professionals, and the public. 
3. Multi-Audience Approach: Recognize the varied needs and interests of different audiences to tailor content and messaging to effectively bring awareness to the project. For example, consider adapting the technical information of content for professionals to suit the needs of the public. Content will be translated in the following languages: Portuguese, Vietnamese, Haitian-Creole, Arabic, and Spanish.
4. Formatting and Review: All published materials, whether printed or electronic, from any committee will undergo a formatting and review process to ensure that audience literacy is met. Factors during review include style, presentation, and adherence to branding guidelines. Communicate with other committees about using templates or original media.
5. Awareness and Education: Design all content to focus on raising awareness about vectors, control strategies, prevention of vector-borne diseases, and the importance of these issues. Empower stakeholders with knowledge and confidence to put produced information into practice as proactive countermeasures.