NCA is led by dedicated professionals who volunteer their time to advance the goals and objectives of the association. This section details the administrative and policymaking roles of NCA’s Executive Committee, Legislative Committee, and boards, and provides contact information for key members of the association leadership.
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee of the Legislative Assembly (LA) administers the policies of the Assembly and, between annual meetings of the LA, serves as the chief administrative authority of the Association.
President: Steven A. Beebe, Texas State University, San Marcos bio
First Vice President: Kathleen J. Turner, Davidson College bio
Second Vice President: Carole Blair, University of North Carolina bio
Immediate Past President: Rich West, Emerson College bio
Educational Policies Board Director: Philip M. Backlund, Central Washington University bio
Publications Board Director: John O. Greene, Purdue University, bio
Research Board Director: Kristine Muñoz, University of Iowa bio
Finance Board Director: Ronald Shields, Bowling Green State University bio
Finance Board Member: Kathleen Glenister Roberts, Duquesne University (non-voting) bio
Finance Board Member: Bobby Patton, University of Central Missouri, bio
Executive Director: Nancy Kidd, National Communication Association (non-voting) bio
Read the Executive Committee meeting minutes.
Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly (LA) is the principal policy-making body of the association and is responsible for managing its resources and affairs.
Read the Legislative Assembly meeting minutes.
Boards
Educational Policies Board
The Educational Policies Board, working jointly with the associate director for educational initiatives, supports and promotes disciplinary pedagogy, assists with its dissemination beyond the discipline, and facilitates professional development for communication scholars, educators, and practitioners.
Board director: Philip M. Backlund, BackPhil@cwu.edu
Finance Board
The Finance Board, working jointly with the NCA chief financial officer, ensures the financial health of the association. It advises the Legislative Assembly and Executive Committee on financial matters and assesses financial implications of proposals and ongoing programs.
Board director: Ronald Shields, rshield@bgsu.edu
Publications Board
The Publications Board, working jointly with the associate director for research initiatives and the senior manager for communications, oversees the association’s publications program, recommends publications policy to the Executive Committee and Legislative Assembly, carries out policies established by those bodies, and serves as NCA’s liaison with its publishing partners.
Board Director: John Green, jgreene@purdue.edu
Research Board
The Research Board, working jointly with the associate director for research initiatives, cultivates the generation of knowledge about communication; advocates for disciplinary research support; and assists in the dissemination of disciplinary research to educators, scholars, and the public.
Board director: Kristine Muñoz, Director, kristine-fitch@uiowa.edu
Governance Committees
Nominating Committee
The Nominating Committee prepares a slate for the election of the second vice president and the at-large members of the Legislative Assembly and Committee on Committees.
Committee on Committees
The Committee on Committees makes recommendations to fill member vacancies on boards, award committees, and standing committees.
Resolutions Committee
The Resolutions Committee considers resolutions that may be included in the association’s Policy Platform.
To submit a proposal regarding administrative policy for the association, please include a rationale for the policy, relevant historical information about the issue under consideration, and a clear description of the full range of implications of the decision for the organization. It is incumbent upon submitters of administrative policy proposals to study the relevant issues before making a submission. Proposals should be sent to NCA Executive Director Nancy Kidd at nkidd@natcom.org. The Executive Director will send the proposal to the NCA committee with the most relevant expertise for review and recommendation. That recommendation will then go to the Executive Committee for consideration and recommendation and to the Legislative Assembly for a final vote.