Randy Townsend is a passionate advocate for scholarly publishing, with nearly 20 years of professional experience. At the American Geophysical Union, he led and contributed to initiatives focused on open data, research integrity, peer review, editor engagement, and publishing policy. A committed champion of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA), Randy has co-chaired DEIA committees for nonprofit organizations including the Society for Scholarly Publishing (SSP).

He has served on the advisory board of the Association Media & Publishing Network’s Association Council, as a member of the SSP Board of Directors, and chaired the Council of Science Editors’ Webinar Subcommittee. During his term as SSP President, Randy launched a mental health awareness campaign, reflecting his dedication to supporting the well-being of the publishing community.

As the founding Editor-in-Chief of the award-winning GW Journal of Ethics in Publishing, Randy is deeply committed to research integrity and to mentoring future leaders devoted to ethical publishing practices. He also serves as an Associate Professor in George Washington University’s top-ranked Master of Professional Studies in Publishing Program, where he continues to inspire and shape the field’s future.

After a brief tenure at PLOS, Randy now consults with Origin Editorial, where he leads peer review engagement strategy. Outside of work, he enjoys gardening and grilling — often while still talking shop.