Volunteer on a BELS Committee

Submit a volunteer interest form

Budget and Finance

This committee assists the treasurer with reviewing BELS fiscal records and assessing the organization’s financial standing. The committee makes policy recommendations for key activities, such as managing reserves and investments and budgetary planning. The committee may be asked for input regarding new initiatives related to increasing revenue or financial planning for key expenditures.

Membership and Marketing

Committee Chair: Carrie Thurber, ELS

This committee develops campaigns for the marketing and promotion of BELS as a membership association and its products and services, particularly via email and social media. It also facilitates member benefits such as member profiles, member discounts on outside software and other products, and virtual events like happy hours and coffee breaks. The committee also manages the newsletter (The BELS Letter). The committee may be asked to conduct research to help identify and differentiate key audiences for BELS, make suggestions on ways to address member needs, and find potential new resources. Many opportunities exist for creative assistance with both marketing/promotion and member recruitment, retention,and engagement activities. In addition, members of this committee help recruit fellow BELS members to answer questions and hand out materials at its booth during major conferences, such as those of AMWA and CSE.

Professional Development

Committee Chairs: Stephen Bublitz, ELS and Yateendra Joshi, ELS(D)

The purpose of this committee is to create a community and networks for knowledge sharing between editors and facilitate continuing education opportunities to further members’ professional growth.

Certification-Related Committees

Certification Exam Development

Committee Chair: Naomi Ruff, PhD, ELS

This committee has two main responsibilities: writing new examination questions (“items”) and reviewing items and exam composition. Certification or test-development experience (especially item writing) is preferred but not required. The committee works to maintain a bank of new questions for future exams, reviews the performance of items on current or recent exams, and makes recommendations for changes in or updates of BELS exams.

Diplomate Exam Development

Committee Chair: Jane Krauhs, PhD, ELS(D)

This committee consists of members who have achieved diplomate status. It regularly reviews the diplomate program and assists in developing a plan to market its value to qualified candidates. Committee size is limited, and appointment to the committee is subject to approval by the committee chair and the president of BELS.

Exam Administration

Committee Chair: Leslie E. Neistadt, ELS

Each BELS examination requires volunteer proctors onsite to check candidates in, hand out and collect exam booklets, monitor time, and maintain security standards as part of examination process. Members of this committee help recruit fellow BELS members as proctors to ensure coverage for upcoming examinations, develop or update relevant training and resource materials for proctors, and work with staff as needed to plan or implement logistics.

Submit a volunteer interest form