Committees
Much of NCDA's work is conducted through its committees. These committees provide an opportunity for members to serve the association in a leadership position. Click on the committee title below for a brief description or email address. Use the chairperson's email address listed at the end of the description to express your interest in that committee's activities.
CLICK HERE to download the Committee Brochure (PDF File: 426KB).
AWARDSChairperson: Mary Ellen Earnhardt The Awards Committee has responsibility for recommending policy on all competitive awards, except the Eminent Career Award, to the Board. It is responsible for publicizing and soliciting nominations for and selecting recipients of the Merit Award, the Outstanding Career Practitioner Award and the Legislative Award. Any NCDA member may nominate a candidate for an award. The Awards Committee will also solicit and coordinate the nomination of NCDA members for ACA and other appropriate external awards. For a detailed listing of NCDA Awards, click here. | BYLAWSChairperson: John Wilgeroth The Bylaws Committee shall have responsibilities for drafting proposals for amendments to these Bylaws and for the final wording of amendments passed by the Delegate Assembly to insure their consistency with the style and substance of these Bylaws. The committee shall carry out such other functions as may be assigned to it in these Bylaws or by the Board and/or the Delegate Assembly. |
CAREER CONVERGENCE WEB MAGAZINEChairperson: Melanie Reinersman NCDA maintains a web magazine entitled Career Convergence. The Website Magazine Editor, in coordination with associate and field editors, manages this magazine. The magazine is posted monthly on the NCDA website and is available to the general public. All members are encouraged to apply for associate and field editor positions, as well as contribute articles. Submission Guidelines can be found in the online magazine. | CAREER DEVELOPMENT QUARTERLYEditor: Jerry Trusty The Career Development Quarterly (CDQ) is the official journal of NCDA. The editor is responsible for editing and preparing four issues of the CDQ per year, preparing an annual report and budget statement for the NCDA Board, and for coordinating business functions of the CDQ with ACA officials including plans for expansion of subscriptions. The members on the Editorial Board of the CDQ are recommended by the editor and approved by the board. They serve three year terms, with one third of the members appointed each year. The Editorial Board is responsible for editorial policy and content of the CDQ. |
CDF ADVISORYChairperson: Rob Seemann The CDF Advisory Council is responsible for oversight of the Career Development Facilitator (CDF) training program. The council makes recommendations to the NCDA Board of Directors about all aspects of CDF including curriculum edits and updates, instructor registry and structure of training hierarchy (e.g., qualifications and requirements for master trainers, instructors, associated fees etc.), international concerns, training management, and ensuring the future growth of the program. The council represents members from the master trainers, instructors, GCDFs, and OWDS as well as a geographic representation. Council members rotate every two years with new members selected through an application process. | CULTURAL DIVERSITYChairperson: Julia Elliott The Cultural Diversity Committee was established to provide cross/multicultural competency-based standards, publications/ materials/tools and professional development or training for career development professionals servicing diverse client populations and organizations. The committee also sponsors multicultural/diversity programs and address cultural diversity issues within NCDA as well as the career development profession. |
ETHICSChairperson: Julia Panke Makela The Ethics Committee is responsible for: (a) educating the membership as to the Association's ethical standards; (b) making suggestions to the NCDA Board for the modification or development of ethics related documents and procedures; (c) responding to questions abut ethical standards and the ethical behavior of NCDA members; and (d) investigating (if called upon by the ACA Ethics Committee or the NCDA Board) complaints of alleged violations of the ethical standards of ACA and NCDA and referring complaints to ACA for adjudication, if necessary. | GOVERNMENT RELATIONSChairperson: Thomas Stowell This Committee is responsible for: (a) sensitizing NCDA members to current and pending school and educational issues that warrant legislative action; (b) promoting, developing, and monitoring federal legislation relevant to career development services; (c) providing state division presidents with information necessary to act locally upon national legislation, appropriations, and related matters; and (d) extending the professional contacts of NCDA/ACA members to persons outside the profession who are equally concerned with legislation affecting career development services. |
INTERNATIONAL CAREER ISSUESChairperson: Jane Goodman This Committee was formed to unite counselors worldwide who have expressed interest and concern about international policies and practices in career development. A primary force behind this committee has been impetus provided by such groups as the International Association of Educational and Vocational Guidance (IAEVG) and the International Roundtable for the Advancement of Counseling (IRTAC). NCDA representatives to these Associations will be members of this committee. This committee is a means to link the work and the professional members of these and other similar groups through the medium of regular correspondence. The International Committee is also in charge of the International Award each year. | MEMBERSHIPChairperson: Kevin Glavin The Membership Committee is responsible for the development of a national membership campaign reflecting and supporting the significance of NCDA within the professional counseling field. The committee is responsible for developing a comprehensive membership development plan reflecting strategies for a membership recruitment program, development of membership materials, and dissemination of the information highlighting the purpose, activities, publications and benefits of membership with NCDA. The chairperson provides state branch coordinators with membership materials and obtains input to determine needs, other distribution options, and ideas to revise the continued membership campaign efforts. |
MENTORINGChairperson: Kevin Stolz The primary goal of the Mentoring program is to match experienced career professionals with people new to the field of career development. Committee members assist with the following objectives:
Complete details about the Mentoring Program are on the website. | NATIONAL CAREER DEVELOPMENT MONTHChairperson: Michelle Beese This Committee coordinates a national brochure reflecting the importance of career development as a practical resource for professionals in promoting the concept of career development. Each year the committee recommends a theme for NCD Month as part of the nationwide observance of career development. The committee designs the contest, brochure, and assists with the publicity activities at professional association conferences. |
NCDA-ACES COMMISSION FOR PREPARING COUNSELORS FOR THE 21ST CENTURYChair: Tracy Lara The Commission has two major goals: improve Counselor Educator commitment to career development in Counselor Preparation and enhance the quality of career course content. The Commission continues to work with relevant divisions and sections of ACA to keep counselor preparation for career development/career counseling in their strategic plans and agendas. | PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTChairperson: Denise Harris The Professional Development Committee develops and/or reviews learning packages from NCDA media productions and assists in the planning and coordination of NCDA professional development activities such as conferences and workshops. |
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDSChair: Cheri Butler This committee supports NCDA's efforts to protect the various publics served by the career counseling profession through: (a) monitoring professional standards and areas in need of standards development; (b) communicating to the board and membership changes in standards and ethics of other organizations with interests common to NCDA such as the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) and the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP); (c) developing professional standards statements; and (d) communicating to CACREP, NBCC, and other bodies designated by the NCDA Board, suggestions for amending their ethics and/or standards statements as agreed upon by the NCDA Board. | PUBLIC POLICY COUNCILChairperson: Martha Russell The Public Policy Council was approved by the board in July 2006 and is charged with articulating and advocating state, national, and international workforce policy related to worker and workforce adaptability and sustainability. |
PUBLIC RELATIONSChairperson: Deneen Pennington This committee creates, promotes, and distributes pertinent and timely information to inform the public about career development and NCDA. The focus of the national campaign is to promote a positive identity of the Association in a comprehensive and systematic manner. The committee provides the following services: (a) sustains and enhances an active two way communication with ACA/NCDA members, other professional Associations, state branches, and other organizations within states; (b) develops and disseminates news releases, articles, and correspondence publicizing NCDA professional activities and related newsworthy events; (c) assists in marketing NCDA publications and services; (d) conducts public relations training for NCDA chairpersons and state divisions; and (e) coordinates, with the assistance of the executive director and the Media, National Career Development Month and Membership Committees, the NCDA display at the ACA Convention, if applicable. | PUBLICATIONS DEVELOPMENTChairperson: Robert Reardon The Council coordinates the development of a high quality publications program that meets member needs, advances the field of career development, and increases the number of publications generating income for NCDA activities. This council shall consist of 4-5 members. Responsibilities of the Council include:
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RESEARCHChairperson: Mark Rehfuss The Research Committee provides oversight to any research NCDA conducts, is asked to participate in, or awards grants to. Such oversight may include coordination of samples, surveys, etc.; screening research proposals for NCDA grants; suggesting research topics for NCDA members; and identifying career research needs. | WEBSITEChairperson: Melanie Reinersman NCDA maintains an extensive website. This site contains information of interest to career counselors, policy makers, and the general public. The Website Editor solicits, reviews, edits, and posts information on the website and maintains the content and quality of the site. The guidelines that apply to print publications also apply to information on NCDA's home page, including ethics, non-discrimination, and copyright clearances. |
In this section
Career Developments Magazine
Career Developments is a themed publication offering articles that balance a broad vision with practical applications. All NCDA members receive this as a benefit of membership. Learn more about Career Developments.

