Chris Powers, an international education expert, will become TESOL International Association’s new executive director effective May 2017. “Chris’s values and passion for language education, as well as his vision for TESOL clearly stood out in the interview process,” says Ester de Jong, chair of the search task force and current TESOL president. “He conveyed a clear understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the organization, and is well-prepared to succeed in the member-driven, multicultural environment that is TESOL International Association.”
Powers brings 20 years of diverse experience in international education to TESOL. In his role as director of the Education Abroad Programs Division at the Institute for International Education, (IIE) he oversaw a complex portfolio of international education programs that support language education from kindergarten through graduate school and activities that span 37 different countries. He also has a strong network of relationships that include the Alliance for International Education, NAFSA: Association of International Educators, and the Forum on Education Abroad, to name a few. Supervising a current staff of 20, he has managed a wide variety of teams and programs, and implemented strategic plans. He commented: “As an active member of the international language community for more than two decades, I have always respected the mission, values and work of TESOL International Association. Now more than ever, our efforts to bring people together to advance the English language teaching agenda is critical. With experience in both association management and language education, I am eager and excited to join TESOL and begin working directly with the membership and the staff to face the extraordinary challenges and opportunities ahead of us.”
Founded in 1966, TESOL International Association is a professional community of educators, researchers, administrators, and students committed to advancing excellence in English language teaching for speakers of other languages worldwide. TESOL has more than 12,000 members representing over 150 countries,
