2025: More Change, More Progress
2025 is here, and although January is performing as if it is the 13th month of 2024, this is a new year and a new beginning. First and foremost, our hearts remain with friends, families, colleagues, and communities impacted by the devastating events that have hastily unfolded this year. ACPE continues to lift you in our thoughts, and we are here to support you to the best of our ability. For the remainder of this message, I invite everyone to join me in considering this quote from leadership expert John Maxwell:
“Every great opportunity I have had in my life has come disguised as a problem.”
Given our 2024 journey, it is safe to conclude that this year will be full of opportunities for ACPE!
ACPE Recognition Task Force
I am pleased to announce the formation of the ACPE Recognition Task Force. The Task Force held its initial kick-off meeting on January 15, 2025 - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday - and will continue its work through November 2025.
The Task Force includes the following members:
- David Carnish
- Tammerie Day
- Katherine Higgins
- Amy Seat
- Pat Kelly
- Jeff Holman
- Marianne Robbins
- Tom Knowles-Bagwell
- Judy Ragsdale
- Alicia Po Ching (VA)
- Col. Mark Lee (Army)
- Angie Hill Flack
- Robin Brown-Haithco
Alice Hunt (Consultant-Facilitator)
ACPE members can expect quarterly updates on the Task Force's progress. You can find details about the Task Force's formation here and review its current work plan here.
Team Transitions and Next Steps
As of last week, Marc Medwed is no longer with the organization. We are grateful for his years of service to the association and wish him the best in his future endeavors.
In response to this development, ACPE will identify an interim lead resource within the next two weeks to support the work of its Accreditation and Certification Commissions. In the meantime, Sheilah Hawk and Kimberly Palmer will continue to serve as primary contacts for ongoing assistance.
ACPE will begin recruiting a new Director of Education this month. Please note the following:
- The Director of Education will oversee and ensure the quality of all aspects of education (accreditation, certification, and professional development) throughout the organization. The ideal candidate will possess extensive, hands-on experience with ACPE’s distinctive experiential learning process and work closely with the Executive Director, National Staff, Board of Directors, and other key stakeholders to achieve the organization’s strategic goals and objectives for the year. This role is currently in the Emory HR processing stage and is anticipated to be published by January 25th. We will inform you as soon as the job posting goes live.
- The description for the current opening of Director, Member Engagement has been modified to remove certain duties that will now be assigned to the forthcoming Director of Education role. If you have previously applied for this position (through Emory’s HR portal), your application will continue to be considered.
Due to the required expertise, ACPE will consider remote (out of Georgia) candidates for both positions.
This is enough change for now.
The sacred text tells us, “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof.” While ACPE has much to accomplish this year, including settling our hearts and minds around the evolution of our identity and influence in spiritual care and education, I hope you will join me in looking upward to steadily increasing joy, peace, certainty, and fulfillment in the days ahead.