Sponsor:
IMPORTANT: Registration deadline for this event is August 13. Registrations will not be accepted after this date.
Schedule:
9:00 am - 9:30 am: Networking Breakfast
9:30 am - 11:45 am: Roundtable Discussions
11:45 am - 12:00 pm: Announcements/Closing
CNG is bringing together industry experts to discuss topics pertinent to your work with certification programs spanning from accreditation, workforce development, candidate experience to the role of AI. You will have the opportunity to move from table to table and learn from the table host and your peers while participating in lively discussions. A light breakfast will be served, along with plenty of coffee. Don't miss this opportunity to network and hear the latest on these topics:
- Table 1 Accreditation
- Table 2 Workforce Development
- Table 3 SME Management
- Table 4 Psychometrics
- Table 5 AI
- Table 6 Candidate Experience
- Table 7 Employer/Employee Considerations
Roundtable Hosts
Christine Niero
Dr. Christine Niero heads the Washington D.C. area office for Professional Testing, Inc. Dr. Niero is a senior executive who brings over twenty-five years of experience in credentialing and non-profit management with a record of highly successful client outcomes. Dr. Niero has demonstrated skills and expertise in developing and implementing viable credentialing programs, policy development, establishing operational and governance structures, optimizing management functions, leadership development, strategic planning, standard setting and accreditation. Dr. Niero has held leadership roles in national organizations, including committee member and Vice-Chair of the Personnel Certification Accreditation Committee (PCAC) for the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) world standard for personnel certification, ISO/IEC 17024, and ANSI Conformity Assessment Policy Committee (CAPC), National Policy Committee (NPC) and Committee on Education (COE).
Dr. Roy Swift
Dr. Roy Swift is currently the executive director of Workcred, an affiliate of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), where he executes the mission and vision of Workcred to achieve a labor market which relies on the relevance, quality, and value of workforce credentials for opportunities, growth, and development. Previously, he served as ANSI’s chief workforce development officer, senior director of personnel credentialing accreditation programs at ANSI, and executive director of the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. This all followed a 28-year career in the U.S. Army Medical Department, where in his last position, he was chief of the Army Medical Specialist Corps in the Army Surgeon General’s Office. Dr. Swift serves on various national committees, boards of directors, and advisory committees, and was involved in working groups related to personnel credentialing.
Kate Kahoa
Kate Kahoa has been working in the Certification field for over 15 years in various positions but is currently working as a senior psychometrician for PSI Services. Kate enjoys providing psychometric services to Certification organizations as they serve their certificants, stakeholders, and the public.
Dr. Alan Meade
Alan D. Mead, Ph.D. is the Chief Psychometrician at Certiverse, specializing in psychometrics and machine learning projects. With a background in data science, organizational psychology, and research, he leverages his expertise to drive advancements in psychometrics. Alan's primary focus lies in applying natural language processing and machine learning techniques to various stages of exam development, such as job analysis, blueprint creation, item writing, item review, standard setting, and analysis. He has experience researching and applying large language models, neural networks, decision trees, naive Bayesian classifiers, logistic regression, factor analysis, latent semantic analysis, cluster analysis, and semantic analysis. As an organizational psychologist, he helps organizations develop and validate selection systems. Occasionally he teaches statistics, psychometrics, or individual differences to graduate and undergraduate students, or conducts peer reviews for methodological academic journals.
Johnna Gueorguieva
Dr. Gueorguieva is a psychometrician and exam developer with expertise in personnel certification body accreditation. She serves as Director of Assessments and Sr. Psychometrician for the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) and has been with the organization for 17 years. Johnna has over 20 years’ experience managing the development, maintenance and implementation of credentialing exams and leads teams of volunteers in conducting in the development of exams. Johnna has volunteered for I.C.E. since 2006, serving as Board chair in 2019. She now serves on the I.C.E. National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) as a psychometric commissioner.
Larry Lynch
Larry Lynch is Senior Vice President, Health, Safety and Regulatory Services for the National Restaurant Association. His primary role is to represent the Association in efforts related to food safety and science as well as the development and delivery of the association’s broad array of accredited credentials. He is responsible for program accreditation, food safety compliance coordination at the state level, food safety and science thought leadership, health and safety product management, and food safety instructor quality. In his role supporting the Association’s Food Science and Industry Relations team he serves as a liaison with the food industry and regulatory bodies to ensure the industry retains a policy and science voice as it relates to food science and food safety. Larry is also president of National Registry of Food Safety Professionals (NRFSP). National Registry continues to offer food safety manager certifications accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) under multiple standards.
Krystina Davidson
Krystina Davidson has worked in testing for over 15 years but is currently working as the Manager for Exam Development for ISACA. In her role, Krystina manages the exam development process for ISACA’s five core certifications and 17 certificate programs. Krystina graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a bachelor’s degree in English. She later received her master’s degree from Roosevelt University in Human Resources Management.
Melanie Bartels Graw
Melanie Bartels Graw is a Senior Exam Developer at the National Restaurant Association where she provides planning, development, and oversight for multiple credentialing and certification programs. Melanie has more than 30 years of experience in both K–12 and certification assessment with roles ranging from test development, business development, and program management. Melanie received her Master’s degree in Education Policy, Organization and Leadership from the University of Illinois and a BA in Fine Art with an additional teaching endorsement from the University of Northern Colorado. She is earning her Executive MBA (expected diploma, 2023).
