NCA Legislative Assembly Convenes for Spring Virtual Meeting
The National Communication Association’s Legislative Assembly (LA) held its annual spring virtual meeting on Friday, April 24, 2026. Presided over by NCA President Tina M. Harris, the three-hour session brought together delegates from interest groups, regional associations, and affiliated organizations to receive leadership updates, conduct official business, and discuss key association initiatives. The meeting was attended by 79 representatives.
Meeting Highlights
Leadership & National Office Updates
Reports were delivered by President Tina M. Harris, First Vice President Shaunak Sastry, Second Vice President Srividya Ramasubramanian, Immediate Past President Jeanetta D. Sims, and Finance Committee Chair Ken Lachlan.
National office staff—including Executive Director Justin Danowski, Convention & Meetings Director LaShawn Duckett, Communications & Membership Director Alexis Rice, Organizational Development Manager Jennifer Fletcher, and Governance & Strategic Initiatives Manager Monica Yang—also provided updates on convention planning, communications, membership, organizational development, and governance initiatives.
Council chairs John M. Sloop (Publications), Julie-Ann Scott-Pollock (IDEA), Iccha Basnyat (Research), Kathleen Roberts (Mentorship and Leadership), and Katherine S. Thweatt (Teaching and Learning) addressed the assembly. Thweatt also shared an update on the association’s strategic planning work in her role as Strategic Plan Taskforce Chair.
Collective Governing Values
The LA approved NCA’s new Collective Governing Values, developed by a working group chaired by Immediate Past President Jeanetta D. Sims and composed of Natonya Listach, Miranda Rouse, Suzy Prentiss, and Jennifer Fletcher.
Built around three communicative actions: Step Up, Listen Up, and Speak Up. The framework is designed to guide Legislative Assembly members before, during, and after meetings while strengthening cohesiveness, shared purpose, and governance excellence across the association.
The working group envisions the framework being used in onboarding and orientation materials and reviewed every five years to ensure continued relevance. The motion was forwarded to the LA with endorsement from the Executive Committee.
Journal Editors Approved
The Legislative Assembly approved the appointment of the following journal editors to serve during the period of January 1, 2027 – December 31, 2027, as editor-elect and during the period of January 1, 2028 – December 31, 2030, as editor:
- M. Heather Carver, University of Missouri, as editor of Text and Performance Quarterly
- Angela Putman, Penn State Brandywine, as editor of the Journal of International and Intercultural Communication
Additionally, the Legislative Assembly also approved a one-year extension for Marina Levina, University of Memphis, current editor of Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies, extended through the editorial term through December 31, 2027.
Presidential Initiative: Mentoring with Momentum
The meeting concluded with discussion of Mentoring with Momentum (MWM), President Harris’s 2026 presidential initiative focused on strengthening mentoring practices across the association.
Aligned with all four goals of NCA’s strategic plan, the initiative seeks to expand mentoring networks, professional development opportunities, and inclusive mentoring practices that support member engagement, leadership development, and scholarly growth.
Looking Ahead
The Legislative Assembly will next convene in person in November during the NCA’s 112th Annual Convention in New Orleans, LA.
