ACAN has established several committees to help serve its mission. Apart from the Finance Committee (which is limited to Executive Board Members) all of Committees are open to any Fellow, Member or Associate interested in helping. We urge you to participate in one or more these committees:
The Training and Mentorship Committee
This Committee is responsible for the curriculum and conduct of training programs both for new and experienced court-appointed neutrals and the plan for mentoring ACAN’s new members that is essential to the benefits ACAN will be providing. The Committee is co-chaired by ACAN DC-Based Board Member Ellen Reisman and her partner, Adriane Theis.
Professional Standards Committee
This Committee is responsible for working with the ABA Judicial Division on its effort to develop ethical principles for court-appointed neutrals and for developing the Academy’s Standards of Conduct to which all of its Fellows and Members will be expected to adhere. It will also consider whether ACAN should implement follow-on measures – such as offering advice to neutrals on professional standards or potentially a means by which stakeholders can raise and have addressed concerns about the professional standards of court-appointed neutrals. This Committee is chaired by Former ACAN President Ed Gentle.
The Annual Meeting Committee
This Committee develops the programming and schedule for ACAN’s terrific annual meetings. It is chaired by Los Angeles- and Honolulu-based ADR Professional and ACAN Board Member Sid Kanazawa.
The Programs and Outreach Committee
This Committee works on developing and providing programs and articles to assist and improve the work of court-appointed neutrals and to educate and work with stakeholders on ways in which neutrals can be used more effectively. It will also be working on programs to develop local court rosters of neutrals. It is chaired by Fort Worth-based eDiscovery expert and ACAN Board Member Kassi Burns.
The Membership Committee
This Committee assists in recruiting members, reviews and acts on applications for membership, is developing programs to help people meet our members, provides a resource for people interested in joining the Academy and evaluates possible changes to membership policies. Sarasota, Florida court-appointed neutral Tom Icard and Atlanta neutral Audrey Berland co- chair this Committee.