Evolution of ACA’s Governance

By Christine Suniti Bhat, PhD, LPC, LSC; Edil Torres Rivera, PhD, LPC, LCPC; and Shawn Boynes, FASAE, CAE

October 2025

Over the past two years, ACA’s Governing Council — the governing body of our association, which consists of elected and appointed officers as well as elected representatives from ACA’s 19 divisions and four geographic regions — has been focused on an important project: evolving our leadership structures to prepare ACA for a successful, sustainable future.

One of the most significant decisions the Governing Council made about the evolution of ACA’s governance structure is creating a new and smaller (15 voting members) ACA Board of Directors. This new structure will provide more pathways for members to ascend to leadership and allow for more nimble governance work. There will also be a new Advisory Council composed of leaders from ACA’s divisions and regions to provide a voice and perspectives from component stakeholders.

We’ve made progress in this work, but there’s still more to be done to finalize our new plan. As we continue to advance the governance changes, we’re committed to sharing our progress with you. Below, we share more details and answers to common questions that have already been decided.

What is the term limit for at-large directors?

At-large directors — chosen from among ACA members — will serve a three-year term with the option for one additional term. Officer roles (president, president-elect, past president and treasurer) will each serve a one-year term as they currently do.

What are the qualifications to serve on the Board of Directors?

Qualifications will be based on necessary competencies, including diversity and demographics, to create a well-balanced board.

Will there be a Nominations and Elections Committee?

Yes, but with an expanded role. The committee will present a slate with board positions, which will include multiple nominees for election (i.e., a contested slate) as officers and at-large directors. A nominating process will be developed and conducted to be consistent, transparent and fair for all board positions. This will include a candidate evaluation using a competency, demographic and diversity matrix along with interviews.

Who do members get to vote for?

Under the new structure, members will vote for all 15 members of the Board of Directors. This includes the president-elect, treasurer-elect and all at-large board members from a contested slate prepared by the Nominating and Elections Committee.

Will divisions and regions have a seat on the Board of Directors?

No. All positions will be at-large through the Nominating and Elections Committee process and membership election. All divisions and regions will have a seat on the Advisory Council.

What is the role of the Advisory Council?

Central responsibilities for the Advisory Council will include:

• Advising the Board of Directors on major initiatives and matters of strategic importance to ACA. The group will have broad influence but not specific authority. This includes developing recommendations for policy and practice changes.
• Facilitating communications and sharing best practice across divisions, regions and organizational affiliates. The group will also nominate non-board members of the Nominations and Elections Committee.
• Electing a chair, who will be invited to present a standing report to the board, including minutes, reports and recommendations.

The ACA president and CEO will provide reports to the Advisory Council on relevant issues addressed during board meetings.

How often will the Advisory Council meet?

At least twice a year and more often as needed.

What are the next steps?

The Governance and Board Operations Committee has begun reviewing organizational bylaws and will provide draft revisions to the Governing Council for consideration and final decision. Following the bylaws revision, the focus will shift to updating governance policies. We will continue to keep members updated.

When will the new structure be launched?

Our goal is to provide ample communication and enough notice to divisions and regions who have elections to select Governing Council representatives to help manage expectations for those who may have a different leadership role than they do in our current structure. While we do not have a specific date to share with you currently, we anticipate the new structure may launch in 2026–2027.

If you think of governance like the central nervous system of the body, you can start to understand how the health of our governance is critical to the overall connection, strength and health of our association. We’re confident that these major changes will be more inclusive, strengthen ACA’s organizational effectiveness and elevate our governance to be high performing but less complex. Your support and ongoing trust in the Governing Council is greatly appreciated as we chart a course forward.