2025-2026 IABC Annual Report

The IABC Ethics Committee is responsible for input to the IABC International Executive Board (IEB) on policy, standards, strategic development, education and monitoring in relation to ethical matters and upholding the IABC Code of Ethics.

• Judy Dobbs | Chair
• Pamela Gole, SCMP | Vice Chair
• Andrew Morrison, SCMP | Past Chair
• Elvera Makki | Committee Member
• Jayanti Menches, SCMP | Committee Member
• Jamie Anne Vaughn | Committee Member
• Kane Choa | IEB Liaison
• Paige Schafer | Staff Liaison

The committee's role is to review regular financial results: oversee preparation of an operating budget for the fiscal year adopted by the executive board; to annually review IABC's policy on reserves.

• Ed Kamrin | Chair
• Linda Andross | Committee Member
• Anuja Kale-Agarwal | Committee Member
• Marina Lakhani | Committee Member
• Theresa Lee | Committee Member
• Richard Kies | Committee Member
• Tammy Nienaber | Committee Member
• Sam Sinclair | Committee Member
• Gloria Walker, ABC, FRSA, MPRCA, MCIPR | Committee Member
• Alexia Malamis | Staff Liaison

The committee's role is to act on behalf of the International Executive Board (IEB) to bring objective oversight to material aspects of the association's financial reporting, internal controls and external financial audit and identification, evaluation and (where relevant) mitigation of risks, by management, the IEB and its committees.

• John Harris | Chair
• Nancy Arab, APR, ABC, FCPRS, CMP, SCMP | Committee Member
• Ruth Elliott | Committee Member
• Wendy Thatcher | IEB Liaison
• Alexia Malamis | Staff Liaison

The Professional Development (PD) Committee oversees IABC's professional development platforms and sets strategy with regard to IABC's educational offerings to members and non-members. The committee ensures that IABC's offerings are consistent and high-quality across platforms.

• Christine Breet, SCMP | Chair
• Denise Caeser | Vice Chair
• Kelli Cargile Cook | Past Chair
• Joe Bobbey | Committee Member
• Melissa Corns | Committee Member
• Daniella Gigenti, CMP | Committee Member
• Leah Gladu | Committee Member
• Jacob Robinson | Committee Member
• Peter Finn | IEB Liaison
• Kristin Frankiewicz | Staff Liaison

The IABC Awards Committee provides leadership and vision for the IABC Gold Quill Awards. It is responsible for ensuring that the Gold Quill Awards program is the leading awards program for business communicators, that chapters and regions have the information they need to align with the Gold Quill standards and processes and appropriate governance and strategic documentation are in place.

• Mandy Gibson, SCMP | Chair
• Pam Edwards | Vice Chair
• Anthea Cudworth, ABC | Past Chair
• Melissa Arulappan | Committee Member
• Julie Dowdie | Committee Member
• Theresa Lee, SCMP | Committee Member
• Tricia Wretham | Committee Member
• Zach George | Staff Liaison

The purpose of the IABC Membership Committee is to advance membership retention and growth through the development of strategies that enhance the member value proposition and benefits for IABC members.

• Richard Kies | Chair
• Christine Breet | Committee Member
• Chantelle Cabral | Committee Member
• Kathryn Kneller, SCMP | Committee Member
• Nekolina Lau, SCMP | Committee Member
• Rhonda Sciarra | Committee Member
• Sam Sinclair | Committee Member

The Fellows Committee is a regular standing committee of the Board responsible for evaluating annual nominations and making recommendations to the IABC Executive Board (IEB) for new IABC Fellows each year.

• Rajeev Kumar, ABC, IABC Fellow | Chair
• Brad Whitworth, SCMP, IABC Fellow | Vice Chair
• Jane Mitchell, FRSA, IABC Fellow | Past Chair
• Kamyar Naficy | IEB Liaison
• Conor Burton | Staff Liaison

Fellows Selection Sub-Committee

• Wisdom Chapp-Jumbo | Committee Member
• Adam Fuss | Committee Member
• Juli Holloway, SCMP, IABC Fellow | Committee Member
• Theomary Karamanis, PhD, SCMP, IABC Fellow | Committee Member

Fellows Engagement Sub-Committee

• John Clemons, ABC, APR, MS, IABC Fellow | Committee Member
• Cynthia Schmieg, SCMP, IABC Fellow | Committee Member
• Mark Schumann, ABC, IABC Fellow | Committee Member

The GCCC, an independent initiative created by IABC, offers certification at various levels and promotes a common, global understanding of what constitutes professionalism and competence in communication.

• Bonnie Caver, SCMP | Chair
• Deb Hileman, SCMP | Vice Chair
• Ginger Homan, ABC, SCMP, IABC Fellow | Past Chair
• Julie Ludwig, ABC, SCMP | Secretary-Treasurer
• Shel Holtz, SCMP | Industry Stakeholder
• Edward Dixon, SCMP | Council Member
• Michael Nord, SCMP | Council Member
• André Oberholzer, SCMP | Council Member
• Peter Finn | IEB Liaison
• Yenny Caceres | Staff Liaison

The Program Advisory Committee (PAC) works collaboratively with staff to ensure that IABC World Conference is a high-value professional development experience aligned to the needs of the global profession.

• Arnab Roy | Chair
• Rob Briggs | Vice Chair
• Ana Maria Critchley | Committee Member
• Damilola Kadiri | Committee Member
• Jessica Michan | Committee Member
• Daniel Paulling | Committee Member
• Linda Pophal, ABC, SHRM-SCP, SPHR | Committee Member
• Elizabeth Sargis | Committee Member

The Diversity and Inclusion Committee is tasked to develop recommendations for how to integrate DE&I into the fabric of our organization and culture.

• Marilyn Settell, CMP, PMP, MAM | Chair
• Traci West | Vice Chair
• Timothy Chan | Past Chair 
• Nengi Amadi | Committee Member
• Sanita Shapka, SCMP, MA | Committee Member
• Adina Chirita, CMP, CRAE | Committee Member
• Thomas Baintlafatsi | Committee Member
• Conor Burton | Staff Liaison

The IABC Foundation Grant Selection Task Force is a time-limited action team who conducts the evaluation, selection and recommendation of all IABC Foundation grants or scholarships. All recommendations are sent from the task force to the Foundation Trustees for final approval.

• Chris Saxby | Chair
• Melynda Connor, PhD | Committee Member
• Rida Rehmani | Committee Member
• Viola Cohen | Committee Member
• Heather Young | Committee Member
• Zach George | Staff Liaison

• Karen Matthews
• Anuja Kale-Agarwal
• Brandon Babcock
• Richard Kies, ABC, SCMP
• Matt Tidwell, PhD

The AI Leadership and Communication SIG serves to help our profession stay human in the age of intelligent machines by sharing insight, asking difficult questions, and helping organizations see AI not as a cost-cutting weapon, but as a tool to augment human potential.

• Silvia  Cambié
• Neville Hobson, ABC

The Change Management SIG supports communications professionals as they lead change within their organizations and client organizations by looking ahead to future challenges and sharing best practices around strategy.

• Zora Artis, GAICD, IABC Fellow, SCMP, FAMI, CPM
• Jyoti Khan, SCMP
• Jennifer Kirscher
• Jo Alexander
• Eileen Lehmann
• Past Chair: Bonnie Caver, SCMP

The Consultants SIG offers a space for consultants to develop business connections and alliances that will advance the careers of participants and the value that joint endeavor will bring to their clients.

• Priya Shah
• Dominique Blain

The Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) SIG is a community of professionals who are learning together how to apply DEIB authentically for the greatest impact in their workplace, and in our world.

• Anuja Kale-Agarwal
• Roy Woods, MCM