Thank you for visiting this 2026 Leadership Council Nominations & Elections Process site to learn more about available positions for election and appointment cycle, including timelines for the process.

If you have any questions or concern about the ACPA Leadership Council Election Process, please contact one or more of the following Nominations & Elections Council members at LCSelection@acpa.nche.edu:

• Nicole Whitner, ACPA Nominations & Elections Chair
• Shetina Jones-Smith, ACPA Vice President for Equity & Inclusion and Member of the Nominations & Elections Council 
• Chris Moody, ACPA Executive Director and Ex-Officio Member of Nominations & Elections Council

2026 Selection Process Timeline

Available Positions in the 2026 Processes

Positions to be Appointed

• Chair – ACPA28 Convention (Atlanta) (18-month term)
  Application deadline is 10 September 2026

• Chair – Nominations & Elections (2-year term, no elect year)

   

• Chair – Racial Justice Strategies (2-year term, no elect year)

   

• Chair – Research & Scholarship (2-year term, no elect year)

   

• Chair – Universal Design Strategies (2-year term, no elect year)

Additional information

Participating in the ACPA Leadership Council is similar to being a trustee of a college and university, rather than planning professional development or networking opportunities. The Leadership Council is responsible for ACPA’s financial wellbeing, strategic planning, and business practices and not as involved in day-to-day operations, programs, or services as most members might think. Many apply for governance leadership positions because they have had positive and meaningful experiences in programming or services on behalf of the Association and are surprised by the business-oriented nature of carrying out ACPA’s fiduciary duties. As ACPA is a non-profit organization (registered 501c3), we are required to meet certain legal and business requirements to sustain. The Leadership Council operates using an informal version of Parliamentary Procedure for conducting business meetings, and newly elected officers will receive training and guidance for participating in these meetings.

The positions available in this election require various levels and amounts of time and commitment. Beyond the President-Elect/President (15-20 hours per week) and Vice Presidents (10-15 hours per week), most Leadership Council positions should expect and be capable of spending 5-10 hours per week on ACPA-related meetings, communications, and projects. Participation in all Leadership Council and working council meetings is expected for these positions.

Interested applicants are encouraged to consult with supervisors, mentors, current or previous governance leaders, and others in their network about your interest in the position and time/effort commitments required in advance of applying.

Applications for Leadership Council positions will be reviewed and considered based on the following criteria:

• Membership is current, in good standing, and meets or exceeds the minimum number of years of membership as required in various position descriptions – Position descriptions require all interested applicants be “in good standing” with the Association. “In good standing” simply means that an individual’s ACPA membership is current and there are no active restrictions on membership or participation in Association activities/initiatives;
• Applicant’s meeting of the minimum vs. preferred qualifications as described in each specific position description;
• Participation and/or performance in current and/or previous Association roles or leadership;
• Quality of application, including effective written communication and depth of response to questions. Responses should reflect your own experiences, words, and communication style. Please be mindful of your use of generative AI tools in authoring application responses.

2026-2027 ACPA Nominations & Elections Council Members

Membership in the ACPA Nominations & Elections Council are outlined in the ACPA Bylaws and Standard Operating Procedures, and those individuals are identified below. Questions about the ACPA Leadership Council Selection Processes may be directed to the Working Council at LCSelection@acpa.nche.edu.

• Mandy Womack, Member-at-Large
• Craig Elliott, Past President (non-voting)
• Ray Plaza, Vice President-Elect, Strategic Initiatives (non-voting)
• Gary Santos Mendoza, Vice President-Elect, Equity & Inclusion (non-voting)
• Chris Moody, Executive Director (ex officio; non-voting)

Contact Us

Members of the Nominations & Elections Working Council welcome questions about the Leadership Council positions. You can contact the following position “champions” at LCSelection@acpa.nche.edu to learn more or to ask questions:

• R. Jason Cottrell & Craig Elliott – President-Elect and Convention Chair
• Alan Acosta & Becki Elkins – Vice President positions
• Nicole Whitner & Ray Plaza – Chair positions
• Shetina Jones-Smith & Gary Santos Mendoza – Coordinator positions
• Eugene Parker III & Mandy Womack – Member-at-Large positions