Crosspost: #BlackInAstro Unsung Heroes: Crystal Tinch

This post is part of our series #BlackInAstro. For our cornerstone post, see here. The “Unsung Heroes” series aims to highlight the work of folks who are not professional astronomers, but whose work is crucial to the astronomical community!

In this installment, we are publishing an interview with Crystal Tinch, a staff member at the American Astronomical Society.

Eighteen years ago, Crystal Tinch was hired to work at the American Astronomical Society, or AAS.

Crystal Tinch, Communications
and Engagement Coordinator for
the AAS, works to forge stronger
bonds between members of the 
astronomical community.

"It's funny because when I started, my friends were like, what do you know about astronomy?" she laughs. But I'm involved in everything that communicates to our membership, like the social media, the directory, and all of the emails that go out.” 

Tinch has a degree in English with a photography minor, and originally worked at an art gallery in Buffalo, New York, before relocating to Washington, D.C. “I really just moved on a whim,” she says. Soon after, she found her current position at the AAS.

As Communications and Engagement Coordinator, Tinch is the glue that holds the astronomical community together. She has helped with the biannual AAS Meetings, facilitated elections for AAS leadership, maintained a list of obituaries to honor members who have passed away, assisted with the production of AAS educational content, and more.

Read more about Crystal Tinch at

https://astrobites.org/2021/04/16/blackinastro-unsung-heroes-crystal-tinch/