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