Committee Information

Committees are comprised of AALHE members and are led by Chairs with the support of Board Liaisons. Chairs, Vice Chairs, and Board Liaisons of the Committees transition leadership annually in July. The names, descriptions, and leadership of each active Committee are listed below.

Serve on a Committee

The AALHE community is an active group of assessment professionals around the nation who come together to share their knowledge and gain experience in their field. As an AALHE committee member, you can make valuable professional connections, learn new skills, and help further the mission, vision, and strategic goals of AALHE. Learn more about serving on an AALHE Committee and sign up on the AALHE Committee Service Form.

Serve on an AALHE Committee

Active Committees 2026-2027

Access and Success in Assessment Committee

Chair: Lucia Santacruz; Vice Chair: Tawanda Paul; Board Liaison: Divya Bheda; [email protected]

The Access and Success in Assessment Committee promotes principles and practices related to access and success within the organization and the assessment field at large.

Assessment Learning Exchange Committee

Co-Chairs: Deb Blanchard and Shannon Helfinstine; Vice Chair: Deborah Blanchard; Board Liaison: Karen White-Goyzueta; [email protected]

The Assessment Learning Exchange (ALE) Committee plans and implements synchronous online discussions on topics of interest to members.

Conference Committee

Co-Chairs: Allison Chatterjee & Sarah Drummond; Board Liaison: Rebecca Gibbons; [email protected]

The Conference Committee makes recommendations for the conference experience, supports the proposal process, and plans activities to engage conference attendees.

Emerging Dialogues Committee

Chair: Yan Cooksey; Vice Chair: Vince Nix; Board Liaison: Yan Cooksey; [email protected]

The Emerging Dialogues Committee (ED) publishes original or responsive articles that focus on issues and topics relevant to today's higher education assessment practitioners.

Intersection Committee

Chair: Kim Nettleton; Vice-Chairs: Jay Kahl & Roger Taylor; Board Liaison: Sarah Wu; Editor-In-Chief: Sarah Wu (outgoing) & Kim Nettleton (training); [email protected]

The Intersection Committee coordinates and publishes AALHE’s flagship peer-reviewed research journal, sharing research on student learning outcomes assessment in higher education for the advancement of knowledge through scholarship.

Member Engagement Committee

Chair: Laura Aboyan; Vice-Chair: Teresa Flateby; Liaison: Sarah Jacobs; [email protected]

The Membership Engagement Committee (MEC) develops programming and resources to welcome new members, foster member engagement, and cultivate community for all members. The Committee also collects and uses data to make evidence-informed recommendations to the Board to enhance the value of membership.

Professional Development Committee

Chair: Ryan Smith; Vice Chair: TBA; Board Liaisons: Fiona Chrystall, Bobbijo Pinnelli, & Reem Jaafar; [email protected]

The Professional Development Committee (PDC) organizes and hosts Webinars and other virtual professional development programming for AALHE members and for the professional assessment community at large.

SPARK Committee (Sharing Professional Assessment Reading and Knowledge)

Chair: Karen Pain; Board Liaison: Matt Ruane; [email protected]

The SPARK Committee fosters meaningful engagement, professional growth, and quality experiences for AALHE members through facilitated book discussions and related programming. By selecting thought-provoking works and guiding dialogue, the committee provides opportunities for critical reflection on assessment theory, practice, and higher education’s broader role in society.