ACES is built by its members. Committees are how members take part in that work.
They support core areas of ACES, including member outreach, training and webcasts, conferences, communications, and professional development. As a committee member, you help plan, review, and deliver these efforts alongside other members and a committee lead.
What you’ll do
Committee service is open to ACES members in good standing. Work varies by committee, but most contributions fall into a few core areas:
- Shaping programs and initiatives, including training, events, and professional development
- Sourcing and engaging contributors such as speakers, writers, or partners
- Evaluating and selecting submissions, candidates, or ideas (sessions, speakers, awards)
- Developing and reviewing content, communications, or member-facing resources
- Advising on direction, priorities, and improvements based on member needs and feedback
Committee chairs take on an additional role in leading this work. They set direction for the group, define priorities, ensure alignment with ACES guidelines, coordinate with staff and the board liaison, and communicate progress and needs to leadership.
Expectations
As a committee member, you’re expected to:
- Stay an active ACES member during your term.
- Follow the ACES Committees Policy and processes.
- Work within the organization’s platforms and tools.
- Maintain confidentiality when required.
- Follow approval processes for any external-facing work.
Learn more
Read the ACES Committee Policy for full details.
Advocacy Advisory Committee
The Advocacy Advisory Committee advises ACES leadership and other committees on how to support editors and the field of editing.
Objectives
- Provide guidance and thought leadership to support editors and the editing industry through ACES communication channels and outreach to members, businesses, and other stakeholders.
- Share current research, news, and insights on editing with ACES leadership and relevant committees.
- Advise on how to communicate this information effectively to members.
- Support and guide ACES research initiatives that advance the field of editing, and help communicate findings to members and the broader industry.
Chair and Board liaison
Mark Allen
Members
Amanda Adams
Andy Bechtel
Andy Hollandbeck
Sarah Linwick
Amy Frushour Kelly
Gigi Sutton, staff liaison
Awards Committee
The Awards Committee oversees and evaluates ACES’ awards and contests, including the Robinson Prize, the Glamann Award, the Bill Connolly Rising Star Awards, and the Headline Contest, to best honor the ACES membership and the editing community within ACES’ capabilities.
Objectives
- Review and refine contest objectives, criteria, and categories to honor editors effectively while keeping workloads realistic and manageable.
- Increase diversity, inclusivity, and representation within ACES contests and awards.
- Establish and evaluate judging processes, including selecting judges and judge leaders for each contest.
- Support the ACES Board of Directors with the Glamann Award selection criteria and process as needed.
- Work with staff to establish nomination and award timelines.
- Periodically evaluate ACES contests and awards to determine whether they should be updated, eliminated, or expanded with new awards.
Cochairs and Board liaisons
Dilane Mitchell and Neil Holdway
Members
Matthew Crowley
Emmalee Torisk
Laura Poole
Gigi Sutton, staff liaison
Communications and Publications Committee
The Communications and Publications committee’s goals are to increase member engagement across all communications platforms, identify relevant content for members, and help drive communications strategy.
Objectives
- Communication strategy and planning.Â
- Keeping a pulse on industry knowledge and trends that could be shared with members.
- Keeping ACES’ mission statement in mind when considering communications and content strategy.
- Assisting with ACES publications, including newsletters, Tracking Changes quarterly member journal, and ACES news articles
Chair
Milly Vega
Members
Gerri Berendzen
Anne Checkosky
Rachel Fowler
Allison Kranz
Ted Olson
Holly Akins
Catalina Sofia Dansberger Duque
Christine Steele, staff liaison
Lauren Filippini, Board liaison
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Advisory Committee
The Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Advisory Committee’s functions are to advise ACES leadership on DEIA matters in association strategy and programming and to serve as the voice of the ACES membership in DEIA matters.
Objectives
- Provide guidance to ensure that ACES offers education, resources, and programs that integrate considerations of relevant cultural needs, preferences, and issues.
- Communicate current information about diversity, equity, and inclusion from a wide range of perspectives and viewpoints to leadership to inform conversations among the Board and the ACES membership.
- Advise the Board on an ongoing strategy for addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion for the membership and the editing industry.
Chair and Board liaison
Kristen Clark
Members
Sabrina Ashwell
Andrea Ordonez
Kim Daly
Maria Coxwell, staff liaison
Christine Steele, staff liaison
Membership Committee
The Membership Committee cooperates with the ACES Executive Director, staff, and the Board to provide advice and counsel on matters of membership recruitment and retention.
Objectives
- Identify the needs of members and recommend the development of services to meet those needs.
- Recommend means for increasing ACES membership base and retaining membership.
- Keep membership informed of relevant, helpful, and pertinent information.
- Recommend to the ACES Executive Director, Board, other ACES committees, and related association practices in which to make prospective and current members aware of the resources, services, and membership benefits of ACES.
- Conduct welcoming activities throughout the year.
- Assess ACES membership benefits and value of membership annually.
- Annually review membership dues in alignment with the budget.
- Identify nonmember needs and perceptions.
- Gather information on and analyze nonmembers’ needs and perceptions of ACES and recommend ways in which to meet these needs in order to attract nonmembers to join ACES.
Chair
Jess DiDonato
Members
Jaime Brockway
Jonathan Fusfield
Tiana Garrett
Nicole Wayland, Board liaison
Christine Steele, staff liaison
Governance Advisory Committee
The Governance Advisory Committee acts as a nominations committee. The committee focuses on identifying, recruiting, and developing qualified individuals to serve in leadership positions within ACES, ensuring a diverse and well-qualified pool of candidates.
Objectives
- Serve as the primary body responsible for identifying suitable candidates for leadership positions within the professional editing association.
- Aim to enhance diversity, inclusivity, and representation among the ACES’s leadership.
- Support development by providing guidance and resources for candidates, including leadership development programs, workshops, or mentorship opportunities.
- Encourage leadership development within ACES to cultivate future candidates.
- Maintain strict confidentiality regarding candidate discussions and evaluations.
Chair and Board liaison
Maisha Maurant
Members
Constance Brossa
Neil Holdway
Kristen Clark
Gigi Sutton, staff liaison
Training Committee
The Training Committee promotes the continuing education and professional development of ACES members. It focuses on outreach that supports opportunities to engage members with a diverse set of professional groups for both technical and personal growth. The committee works closely with the Professional Development Manager.
Chair
Robin Wilkinson
Members
Stacia Seaman
Jeanette Fast Redmond
Deb Ring
Anna Doré
Barbie Halaby, Board liaison
Rumit Pancholi, Board liaison
Maria Coxwell, staff liaison
ACES Research Task Force
Chair and Board liaison
Alysha Love
Members
Mark Allen
Gerri Berendzen
Alex Cruden
Corinne Jorgenson
Merrill Perlman
Gigi Sutton, staff liaison
Christine Steele, staff liaison
Conference Program Selection Task Force
Chair
Carolina VonKampen
Members
Gerri Berendzen
Jill Campbell
Sandra Dimas
Mary Hannah-Griebel
Cheryl Isaac
Katya Watson
Dave Nelsen
Lori Paximadis
Laura Poole
Andy Hollandbeck, Board liaison
Maria Coxwell, staff liaison
Crisis Management Task Force
Chair and Board liaison
Lauren Filippini
Members
Mark Allen
Constance Brossa
Neil Holdway
Dilane Mitchell
Heather Saunders
Gigi Sutton, staff liaison