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About

TESOL Committees and Councils

TESOL relies on its talented, visionary volunteers who help lead the organization by contributing their time and ideas to TESOL Committees and Councils. 

TESOL Governace Committees

Governance committees are responsible for critical areas of governance within the association. Members are elected to their positions.

Charge

The Executive Committee determines policy and conducts TESOL business between meetings of the full board of directors.

The Executive Committee consists of three members: The current TESOL president, the president-elect, and the past president.

Members, 2022-2023

TESOL President: Joyce Kling 
TESOL President-Elect: Shelley Taylor
TESOL Past President: Gabriela Kleckova
Staff Partner: Amber Kelleher

Charge

The Finance Committee reviews TESOL’s proposed budget, analyzing it and presenting recommendations to the board of directors. The committee also drafts financial policies for presentations to the board, annually reviews TESOL’s investment portfolio, reviews TESOL’s quarterly financial reports, and review’s TESOL’s annual audit report.

Members of the Finance Committee must be TESOL members in good standing and currently serving on the TESOL Board of Directors.

Members, 2022-2023

Okon Effiong, Chair
Gabriela Kleckova
Graciela Martin

Charge

The Nominating Committee solicits nominations from the membership entities, standing committees, and other TESOL constituencies, and from the membership for TESOL leadership elections: president, board of directors, and the next year's Nominating Committee.

Responsibilities

Members maintain communications with the chair, with most of these communications being held in the first half of the calendar year. The bulk of the committee's work is done in June and July and members must be available for a series of conference calls during that time. Members participate in all committee conference call meetings and attend meetings at the annual convention.

Qualifications

Members must be TESOL members in good standing for at least four of the previous ten years and familiar with the TESOL organization. Familiarity with TESOL is demonstrated by strong service to TESOL within the past six years. Such service includes one or more of the following:

  • active membership in a standing committee, task force, or special project
  • past service on the board of directors

2022 Members

Chair: George Kormpas
Past Chair: Veronica Sardegna
Board Liaison: Gabriela Kleckova
Staff Liaison: Rita Buckner

Elena Andrei 
Melanie Gobert
Alex Monceaux
Yasmine Romero
Sarah Sahr
Suzan Stamper
Jorge Torres Almazan
Cherrilynn Woods Washington

TESOL Professional Councils

Professional Councils provide professional expertise to help advance the Association's strategic objectives and activities. Made up of TESOL members, Professional Councils supplement or complement the practical work of the Association.

Purpose

The Affiliate Network Professional Council (ANPC) supports TESOL International Association by helping to ensure a strong and robust Affiliate Network. The ANPC accomplishes this by advising on initiatives and activities that advance the association’s strategic direction through the Affiliate Network, helping to shape facets of the Affiliate Network, and facilitating clear and timely communication between and among affiliate associations and the Board of Directors of TESOL International Association. 

Terms of Service

The ANPC shall consist of up to 10 members, plus a staff partner and board liaison. 

Members are appointed by the TESOL Executive Committee through an application process, with advice from the leadership of the current ANPC. The application solicits information regarding education and professional training, relevant experience, and potential contributions to the Professional Council with reference to the Professional Council’s goals and objectives. The Executive Committee ensures adequate membership to enable to the ANPC to carry out its duties and responsibilities. Once appointed, professional council members make a one-year commitment to serve. They may seek to renew their commitment annually, for up to three years of service. 

Each year, an incoming chair shall be nominated by the TESOL Executive Director though an application process from within the ANPC, with final approval by the Executive Committee. Only those serving on the Professional Council at the time of the application process are eligible to apply. Once appointed, the designee shall serve for one year as chair-elect followed by one year as chair and then one year as past chair before rotating off the council.  

Membership Criteria 

Interested applicants shall be asked to list their level of education, experience, and how they are qualified to contribute to the ANPC in meeting its goals and objectives, including recent demonstrable leadership experience with a TESOL affiliate. ANPC members should have knowledge and experience of TESOL International Association and its affiliate associations, the relationship between TESOL and its affiliate associations, and the strategic direction of the association. The council membership shall reflect the widest possible range of professional expertise and experience, with special attention paid to diverse geographical, cultural, and generational representation. 

Responsibilities and Duties

The ANPC will collaborate with staff to facilitate activities that support the Affiliate Network. This includes, but is not limited to, advising on programmatic elements, facilitating procedures for activities within the Affiliate Network, developing a collaborative partnership between TESOL International Association and its affiliate associations, and enhancing and fostering communication among affiliate associations. It will also provide oversight and advice for projects pursued as part of this partnership.

The ANPC shall:

Assist with procedural elements to develop and maintain the Affiliate Network

Review and revise additional criteria for joining and remaining in the Affiliate Network as needed

Facilitate methods to collect, share, and disseminate information and knowledge on emerging professional issues through the Affiliate Network

Advise on issues and matters that arise relating to the Affiliate Network

Facilitate communication between and among TESOL International Association and affiliate associations

Support networking and professional development events for leaders within the Affiliate Network

Support, facilitate, and advise on collaborations with affiliate associations

Members, 2022–2023

Chair: Linh Phung

Chair-Elect: Jermaine McDougald

Past Chair: Bessie Karras-Lazaris

Board Liaison: Shelley Taylor

Staff Partner: Valerie Novick

 

Members: 

Marwan Abdi

Marianela Ayub

Hanaa Khamis

Karen Newman

Catherine Njau

Jorge Torres Almazan

Sarah Warfield

Purpose

The Awards Professional Council (APC) supports TESOL International Association by recognizing outstanding accomplishments of individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the TESOL field and offering opportunities for educators to participate in the association’s programs. The APC coordinates the review and selection of applications for specific TESOL awards and grants as determined by the Board of Directors.

Terms of Service

Members are appointed by the Executive Committee through an application process. Once appointed, Professional Council members make a one-year commitment to serve, renewable twice annually for up to three years of service. Service on the APC shall begin and end at the annual TESOL International Convention.

Each year, a chair-elect shall be nominated by the Executive Director though an application process, with final approval by the Executive Committee. Only those serving on the Professional Council at the time of the application process are eligible to apply. Once appointed, the designee shall serve for one year as chair-elect followed by one year as chair and then one year as past chair before rotating off the council.

The APC shall consist of 10 to 20 members, plus a staff partner and board liaison. The APC shall ensure adequate membership to carry out its duties and responsibilities as specified below.

APC members are not allowed to apply or receive any TESOL Awards while serving in the council and for a period of 1-year after rotating off from the council.

Membership Criteria

Interested applicants shall be asked to list their level of education and experience and explain how they are qualified to contribute to the APC's goals and objectives. APC members should have experience as an awards reviewer prior to serving. APC membership should reflect the widest possible range of professional expertise and experience, with special attention paid to diverse geographical, cultural, and generational representation.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Awards Professional Council shall

  • coordinate activities related to the adjudication of applications for TESOL awards and grants.
  • recruit volunteers to review applications
  • serve as an award reviewer (and in some cases as a tiebreaker)
  • assess and administer the award review process
  • provide guidance on the criteria and adjudication for TESOL awards and grants
  • develop and implement a process for the periodic review and revision of TESOL awards and grants
  • assist in the recognition of award winners at the annual TESOL International Convention & English Language Expo

Members, 2022-2023

Chair: Fares Karam

Chair-Elect: Luan Thanh Nguyen

Past Chair: Ahu Moser

Board Liaison: Elisabeth Chan

Staff Partner: Nancy Flores

 

Members:

Moises Alcantara Ayre

Mansi Arora

Piero Carlini

Qian Du

Tacla Feghali

Rosario Giraldez

Jennifer Kirn

Svetlana Koltovskaia

Watsachol Narongsaksakul

Hana Prashker

Maria Luisa Sadorra

Phyo Wai Tun

Purpose

The Conferences Professional Council (CPC) shall ensure that the content and program of TESOL International Association regional conferences and the annual convention are focused on current issues that impact the field of English language teaching, responsive to the diverse needs of members and the TESOL field, and aligned with the strategic direction of the association. The CPC achieves this purpose by collaborating with staff and the Board of Directors in setting the overall goals for each regional conference and the annual convention, providing advice and guidance as needed.

Membership and Terms

The CPC shall consist of a minimum of eight members and a maximum of twelve members in addition to a board liaison and a staff partner. The Board of Directors shall ensure that the council has adequate membership to carry out its duties and responsibilities as specified below.

The CPC chair shall be nominated by the Executive Director through an application process among the current members of the council, with final approval by the Executive Committee. The chair shall serve for a total of two years: one year as associate chair, and one year as council chair.

All other CPC members shall be selected based on an application process. The application should solicit information regarding education and professional training, relevant experience, and potential contributions to the council with reference to the CPC’s goals and objectives. Council members shall be appointed by the Executive Committee to serve for a two-year term. Appointments shall be made on a staggered rotation so that half of the members of the council shall rotate on and off at each annual convention.

The council membership should reflect the widest possible range of professional expertise and experience, with special attention paid to diverse geographical, cultural, and generational representation.

Responsibilities and Duties

The CPC shall have the following responsibilities related to its purpose (other tasks may be assigned by the Executive Committee or Board of Directors as needed):

Collaborate with the TESOL International Association staff, the board liaison, and other Professional Councils to develop a framework for determining the content, themes, and the selection of tracks and topics for regional conferences and the annual convention

Advance the association’s reputation as the global leader in professional development for the TESOL field by upholding standards of quality in providing unique and outstanding keynote speakers and conference sessions that will benefit the profession and the field

Uphold and advance the quality of regional conferences and the annual convention by

  • working closely with strand coordinators and assistant strand coordinators to create a vibrant convention program that responds to changing trends in the field
  • assessing current and anticipated needs as they relate to the call for proposals and proposal review process
  • setting standards for conference speakers that address session titles, learning objectives, and the development and delivery of presentation content
  • developing a process to continually evaluate the relevance of current conference and convention programming
  • assist association staff in identifying elements that will enhance the attendee experience at regional conferences and the annual convention
  • advise association staff on program content for regional conferences and the annual convention

Collaborate with other Professional Councils to identify trends and issues in the field in order to shape programming at regional conferences and the annual convention to meet the needs of the English language teaching community

Members, 2022-2023

Chair: Jack Hardy
Associate Chair: Hilal Peker
Board Liaison: Ayanna Cooper
Staff Partner: Srisucha McCabe

Members:
Jamie Cardwell
Anne Damiecka
Michael Ennis
Ben McMurry
Judith O'Loughlin
Ana Rocca
Mary Romney
Ethan Trinh
Gladys Vega
Debbie West

Purpose

The Membership Professional Council (MPC) assists TESOL International Association in recruiting and engaging members of the Association worldwide. The MPC works in conjunction with the Staff Partner and Board Liaison to advance the goals of the Association’s Strategic Plan and to foster a satisfying member experience.

Terms of Service

Members are appointed by the Executive Committee through an application process. Once appointed, Professional Council members make a two-year commitment to serve, renewable once. Appointments shall be made on a staggered rotation so that half of the members of the Council shall rotate on and off at the start of each year.

Each year, a Chair-elect shall be nominated by the Executive Director though an application process, with final approval by the Executive Committee. Only those serving in their second year on the Professional Council at the time of the application process are eligible to apply. Once appointed, the designee shall serve for one year as chair-elect followed by one year as chair and then one year as past chair before rotating off the council.

The MPC shall consist of 10-12 members, plus a Staff Partner and Board Liaison. The MPC shall ensure adequate membership to carry out its duties and responsibilities as specified below.

Membership Criteria

Interested applicants shall have been TESOL members for at least one year and shall be asked to list their level of education, experience, understanding of member needs and interests, and how they are qualified to contribute to the MPC in meeting its goals and objectives. MPC members should have general knowledge of TESOL’s membership structure, programs, and benefits. The Council membership shall reflect the widest possible range of professional expertise and experience, with special attention paid to diverse linguistic, geographical, cultural, racial, ethnic, gender, sexual orientation, generational, and other types of representation.

Responsibilities and Duties

The Membership Professional Council shall advise the Board of Directors and work with the Staff Partner and Board Liaison to:

Organize, pilot, and manage a New Member Mentor Program.

Support and participate in the event(s) and/or session(s) for first-time attendees to the annual convention.

Communicate opportunities that arise for possible partnerships by reaching out to affiliates, CoPs, and other educational institutions that may increase membership and engagement with the Association.

Provide support and give input/feedback to staff-led efforts such as reviews of TESOL’s membership model and benefits, plans for TESOL recruitment and retention campaigns, and surveys about member satisfaction and engagement.

Recommend specific programs and activities that will enhance the member experience.

Members, 2022-2023

Chair: Chelsea Walter

Chair-Elect: Monica Baker

Past Chair: Anastasia Khawaja

Board Liaison: Tamara Jones

Staff Partner: Juliet Mason

 

Members:

James Coda

Mary Hillis

Jane Hoelker

Nafisa Khudoynazarova

Shuzhan Li

Rebecca Miskell

Klara Nazmutdinova

Harisimran Sandhu

Purpose

The Professional Development Professional Council (PDPC) assists TESOL International Association in identifying professional development needs based on issues and developments in English language teaching, as well as through membership feedback and surveys. The PDPC works in conjunction with the staff partner and board liaison to advance the professional learning and engagement goal of the association’s strategic plan.

Terms of Service

Members are appointed by the Executive Committee through an application process. Once appointed, council members make a one-year commitment to serve, renewable for up to three years.

Each year, a chair-elect shall be nominated by the Executive Director through an application process conducted by the members of the council, with final approval by the Executive Committee. Once appointed, the designee shall serve for one year as chair-elect followed by one year as chair and then one year as past chair before rotating off the council. 

The PDPC shall consist of 12–16 members, plus a staff partner and board liaison. The PDPC shall ensure adequate membership to carry out its duties and responsibilities as specified below.

Membership Criteria

Interested applicants shall be asked to list their level of education, experience, understanding of professional development trends, and explain how they are qualified to contribute to the PDPC in meeting its goals and objectives. PDPC members should have knowledge about a particular English language instruction program level and its associated issues, trends, workplace requirements, and demographics. Members should also have background and experience in providing in-service training programs, other kinds of professional development programs, or both.

Responsibilities and Duties

The Professional Development Professional Council shall
  • expand the variety and reach of professional learning opportunities 
  • incorporate relevant research and development into TESOL professional learning
  • promote a positive member experience at all TESOL professional learning offerings, including the annual convention, symposia, academies, and online events
  • expand TESOL’s capacity for members to participate in professional learning opportunities
  • recommend specific programs, oversee their implementation, evaluate the effectiveness of each program, and provide general oversight of TESOL's professional development programs for the association

Members, 2022-2023

Chair: Hetal Ascher
Chair-Elect: Khanh-Duc Kuttig
Past Chair:
 Hind Elyas
Board Liaison: Kate Mastruserio Reynolds
Staff Partner: Grace Allely

Members: 

Elsa Anderson
Helene Becker
Jessica Burchett
Kenneth Kuo-Pin Chi
Trischa Duke
Jillian Hakemian
Rabia Hos
Irina Levy
Haedy Liu
Joel Meniado
Suzan Stamper
Elena Taylor
Saihua Xia

Purpose

The Research Professional Council (RPC) informs, supports and guides TESOL International Association’s research initiatives and priorities.

Terms of Service

Members are appointed by the Executive Committee through an application process. The application should solicit information regarding education and professional training, relevant experience, and potential contributions to the Professional Council with reference to the Professional Council’s goals and objectives. Once appointed, Professional Council members make a one-year commitment to serve, renewable twice annually for up to three years of service.

Each year, a chair-elect shall be nominated by the executive director though an application process, with final approval by the Executive Committee. Only those serving on the Professional Council at the time of the application process are eligible to apply. Once appointed, the designee shall serve for one year as chair-elect followed by one year as chair and then one year as past chair before rotating off the council. 

The RPC shall consist of 8 to 12 members, plus a staff partner and board liaison. The RPC shall ensure adequate membership, including experienced researchers and novice researchers, to carry out its duties and responsibilities as specified below.

Membership Criteria

The RPC membership should be representative of the diversity of researchers and researcher interests within the broader, international TESOL membership. To this end, relevant application criteria include: level of education, English language research experience (including methodologies, topics and length of time in the field), geographical representation, research contexts, understanding of the current TESOL research initiatives, and willingness of the applicants to contribute to meeting RPC goals and objectives. 

The RPC should aim for a mix of experienced and novice researchers who use a range of language teaching/learning research methodologies, and who have varying areas of investigation that include but are not limited to English language instruction and language acquisition theories, teacher education, professional identity, applied linguistics, second language acquisition, multilingualism, and World Englishes.

Responsibilities and Duties

The Research Professional Council shall
  • Identify priorities in ELT research for TESOL International Association's strategic support and development 
  • Find ways to communicate TESOL-identified research findings to different stakeholders (e.g. classroom teachers, administrators, policy makers, and researchers) 
  • Promote productive, inclusive, and generative dialogues between practitioners and researchers 
  • Support identified priority research areas through various activities, including but not limited to the TESOL Award for Excellence in Research and collaborations with other Professional Councils 
  • Work together to mentor novice researchers into the profession and build expertise in different types of scholarship for TESOL International Association's membership
For more information, please visit TESOL Research

Members, 2022–2023

Chair: Ozgehan Ustuk
Chair-Elect: 
Amira Salama
Past Chair:
 Jessie Curtis
Board Liaison: Raichle Farrelly
Staff Partner: Sarah Sahr

Members: 

Erhan Aslan
Christine Coombe
Tanisha Dudley-Williams
Melissa Hauber-Özer
Huili Hong
Christina Kitson
Mariana Alvayero Ricklefs
Antonella Valeo

Purpose

The Standards Professional Council (SPC) supports TESOL International Association in advancing the quality and expertise in the field of English language teaching through standards for teaching and learning. The Council advises the Association on strategy and supports the implementation of its strategic direction as it relates to standards. This is done by providing review and comment on educational standards that are relevant to the profession of English language teaching, and English learners, and English language teacher training, including TESOL standards, and raising the visibility and feasibility/practicality of the Association’s standards.

Terms of Service

Members are appointed by the Executive Committee through an application process. Once appointed, Professional Council members make a one-year commitment to serve, renewable twice annually up to three years of service. 

Each year, a Chair-elect shall be nominated by the Executive Director though an application process, with final approval by the Executive Committee. Only those serving on the Professional Council at the time of the application process are eligible to apply. Once appointed, the designee shall serve for one year as chair-elect followed by one year as chair and then one year as past chair before rotating off the council. 

The SPC shall consist of 8 to 14 members, plus a Staff Partner and Board Liaison.

Membership Criteria

Interested applicants shall be asked to list their level of education, experience, and how they are qualified to contribute to the SPC in meeting its goals and objectives. SPC members shall have knowledge of and experience with relevant standards in the TESOL field, including the application, development, revision, and application/implementation of standards. The Council membership shall reflect the widest possible range of professional expertise and experience, with special attention paid to diverse geographical, cultural, and generational representation.

Responsibilities and Duties

The Standards Professional Council shall

  • Assist TESOL International Association in overseeing the development and maintenance of TESOL standards. 
    • Advise the Board on standards to meet the needs of the field of English language teaching and learning. 
    • Provide guidance on the criteria and procedures to develop and validate the Association’s standards.
    • Develop, implement, and assess a process for the periodic review and revision of the Association’s standards.
  • Support the Association’s strategic direction.
    • Advise the Association on initiatives related to standards.
    • Provide feedback and guidance as needed on standards-related programs and products for the association.
    • Serve as a central focus for standards in order to raise the visibility of the Association’s standards among members and the field of English language teaching and learning.
  • Provide expertise to the Association.
    • Review and offer feedback on other educational standards that impact the field of English language teaching and learning. 
    • Monitor and inform the Association on trends and developments related to standards that impact the field of English language teaching and learning. 

Members, 2022-2023

CoChairs: Adrienne Johnson and Yogesh Sinha
CoChair-Elects: 
Mahjabin Chowdhury and Katya Koubek
Past Chairs: 
Ying Hui-Michael and Amber Warren
Board Liaison: Mawa Samb
Staff Partner: Michelle Kim

Members: 

Lauren Anderson
Özlem Baykan
Meghan Bratkovich
Jim Granada
Melissa Hauke
Susan Iannuzzi
Kathleen Mitchell
Chao Zhang
Ally Zhou

Interested in Volunteering?

Give back to the TESOL community and your profession. In most cases, the call for volunteers will be held in August, with volunteers serving 1 November–31 October. Learn about how to volunteer. 

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