My, how time flies. It has been another five years since I recertified. Like measuring my life by the ages of my growing children, sometimes I stop and think, “How can five years possibly fly by so quickly?” As my oldest child prepares to leave home in September, I pause to reflect on my two decades as an educational consultant and my decade as a Certified Educational Planner. A client, contemplating the shifting sands of higher education, remarked last week, “We need you now more than ever, Dr. Avery.” To that, I say that I need AICEP more than ever. Not only do I make a point to share with each and every prospective client that I am among a group of professionals in my field that supremely values continuing education, so much so that I would commit to 75 campus visits to fulfil my recertification requirements. I am also proud to share that I passed an exhaustive assessment that validated my college and boarding school knowledge by a committee of my peers. To say that being a CEP is “the gold standard of educational consultants” is no exaggeration. If one peruses the paperwork that recertification entails, one will note the many ways that we can document our professional development. For me, teaching for the past eight years in the UC Irvine Certificate in Educational Consulting program counts toward my recertification as well as having published my first book this year. I also have completed much community service with a local girls’ middle school which also has a place in the documentation. In addition to teaching, publishing articles and community service, leadership of all kinds can be used toward fulfilling recertification goals. So there are many ways to demonstrate our growth and professional mastery in our field. Please consider joining us in our efforts to set the highest standard for the field through our commitment to continued professional development and certification. Your clients will attest that your consulting is worth its weight in gold.

The AICEP Commission is pleased to announce the re-election of the excutive committee team as well as the appointment of new Commissioners, Steve Asztalos , Keith Berman (CEP) , Heidi Molbak (CEP) , and Pam Tedeschi (CEP). These Commissioners join Dr. Erin Avery, CEP , Lora Block, CEP, Kathie Carnahan, CEP, Vita Cohen, CEP, Sandy Furth (CEP), Katelyn Klapper (CEP, Chair), Erika Smith (CEP), Dr. Rachel Sobel (CEP, Vice-Chair), Julia Surtshin (CEP), Steve Syverson (Secretary/Treasurer), and Jake Weld, M.Ed as members of the 2020 - 21 Commission Board. The Commission is also advised by Dr. Steven R. Antonoff (CEP) and Past Chair, Judith Bass (CEP).

During a phone call with a father and potential client this week, I was surprised to hear that he felt I had a “brand.” In thinking about this over the past few days, I have reflected on how I have built that expertise and – just as importantly – how and why I have an obligation to sustain it. Once I started practicing as an independent educational consultant (IEC), I wanted to align myself with others who sought to be informed and who were willing to stand up and stand out as experts in our field. After joining a membership organization, I quickly realized that many of my professional colleagues had sought credentialing from AICEP. It wasn’t long before I was working toward that goal. As IECs we have choices to align ourselves with professional organizations that support our work. AICEP requires that its members continue to enhance our education and document our contributions to our profession. And so, as our profession comes under scrutiny by families, institutions and legislators, I feel secure in knowing that as a Certified Educational Planner I am among a cohort that values the time and energy it takes to be an expert in the field of educational consulting. I find my resources for education and relevant experiences through other associations, but it is AICEP that actually requires me to document continuing education. Now . . . . that brand. Many parents have raised questions – and an eyebrow – about the value of our work following the recent admissions scandal. Recently I have been asked if our work is necessary or “worth it.” I’m not sure of all that may be included in the definition of my brand (according to this father’s opinion), but I am certain that my ethical approach and willingness to work towards a goal of life-long learning, along with the desire to share my expertise and the fulfillment of staying abreast of an ever-shifting admissions landscape is part of it. And so is being associated with AICEP. Ann Rossbach, M. A. Certified Educational Planner Professional Member and former President, IECA Member: NACAC, NJACAC, SACAC, & Learning Disabilities Association (LDA)

The AICEP Commission is pleased to announce the election of a new executive committee team as well as the appointment of new Commissioners Dr. Erin Avery, CEP, Sandy Furth, CEP, Steve Syverson, and Jake Weld, M. Ed. These Commissioners join Lora Block, CEP, Kathie Carnahan, CEP, Vita Cohen, CEP, Katelyn Klapper, CEP, Erika Smith, CEP, Dr. Rachel Sobel, CEP, and Julia Surtshin, CEP , as members of the 2019 - 20 Commission Board. The Commission is also advised by Dr. Steven R. Antonoff, CEP, and Past Chair, Judith Bass, CEP.