ACSM Committees
Standing Committees
These are structures listed in the Constitution and have a responsibility for a continuous
activity. Members serve three-year terms. If you are interested in becoming involved in an
ACSM committee listed below, please complete the Committee Interest Form and email it to
Chris Sawyer at csawyer@acsm.org. The committees and their appropriate staff liaisons are
listed below. If you need additional information on a committee or wish to contact a committee
chair, please email membership@acsm.org.
ACSM’s Standing Committees:
Communications & Public Information
The CPI committee develops and monitors the College’s media program and public relations
initiatives to serve the public and position the organization in the media as a leading expert on
sports medicine and exercise science.
Staff Liaisons: Paul Branks, Lauren Johnson and Annie Spencer
Constitution, Bylaws and Operating Codes Committee
Ensures that the governing documents of the College are current, accurately reflect the wishes of
the members, and are consistent; responds to requests regarding the College’s governing
documents. It is a requirement to be a Fellow of ACSM to sit on this committee.
Staff Liaison: Valerie Bragg
Consumer Information
The consumer information committee develops public information materials – such as brochures,
Current Comment fact sheets and more – to serve the public and enhance the College’s reputation
as a leading expert on sports medicine and exercise science.
Staff Liaison: Lauren Johnson and Annie Spencer
Credentials Committee
Evaluates the Fellowship process and reviews Fellowship applications twice a year; makes
recommendations to the Board of Trustees for advancement to Fellow status. It is a requirement
to be a Fellow of ACSM to sit on this committee.
Staff Liaison: Heather Drake
Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee
Assists members of the College individually and collectively to maintain the integrity of ACSM
in its various relationships with colleagues, members of allied professions, and the public;
investigates allegations of potential violations of the ACSM Code of Ethics; and addresses
potential conflicts of interest by ACSM members. It is a requirement to be a Fellow of ACSM to
sit on this committee.
Staff Liaison: Tim Calvert
Health & Fitness Summit Program Committee
Reviews, designs, and innovates proposals for presentations at the Health & Fitness Summit
meeting, which includes lectures, workshops, work-outs, and keynotes that aim to ‘bridge the gap
between science and practice” in the fitness industry. There are proposals for review in ten
tracks: Interactive Work-Shops, Nutrition, Select Populations, Sports Medicine, Personal
Training, Fitness, Management, and Communications, Mind/Body, Healthy Behavior Change and
Motivation, and Worksite Health Promotion. It is a requirement to have a working and practical
knowledge of the fitness industry to sit on this committee.
Staff Liaisons: Karen Pierce and Abbie Friedman
Health and Science Policy Committee
A. Develop and create for recommendation to the ACSM Board of Trustees a model for a
grass-roots effort to affect legislation at the local, state and federal level that will
facilitate participation in physical activity by individuals, both singly and in groups.
B. Develop and create for recommendation to the ACSM Board of Trustees an advocacy
issues tactical plan that addresses the entire spectrum of ACSM interests, including
physical activity and health, disease prevention and health promotion in general, physical
education, clinical sports medicine, sports policy, and related research and education
issues.
Health and Science Policy works through subcommittees that address issues at the global,
national, and state/community levels, and a fourth subcommittee that develops policy briefs on a
variety of issues
Staff Liaisons: Monte Ward, Michael Dell and Jim Whitehead
Interest Group Forums
Responsible for enforcing the policies outlined in the Interest Group Policies and Procedures, as it
is the governing body of all Interest Groups; reviews all new Interest Group applications and
Deskside Learning applications submitted. It is a requirement to be an ACSM Member who has
served at least one term as an Interest Group Chair or Co-Chair.
Staff Liaisons: Heather Drake and Beth Reed
International Relations
Ensures that the College is properly represented in the international community, cultivates
relationships with national and international organizations, and administers various international
programs including, but not limited to, the International Awards Program and the International
Team Physician Course.
Staff Liaison: Heather Turner
Medical Education Committee
Responsible to the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME);
participates in content development and all CME activities of the College.
Staff Liaison: Sue Hilt
Membership Committee
The Membership Committee promotes membership growth and retention as well as evaluates
criteria for membership and the membership categories within ACSM.
Staff Liaison: Chris Sawyer
Office of Museum, History, and Archives
This office, working closely with the ACSM Historian, manages the corporate archives, library,
historic papers and educational/learning displays for the College.
Staff Liaison: Katie Feltman
Professional Education Committee
Reviews all programs making application to the American College of Sports Medicine for
endorsement and/or Continuing Education Credits (CECs).
Staff Liaison: Mercedes Guyse
Pronouncements Committee
Manages the generation, review and publication of official ACSM position papers by ad hoc
writing groups or recruited authors.
Staff Liaison: Lynette Craft
Publications Committee
The committee serves as the management committee for all ACSM nonperiodical and periodical
titles and their editorial policies, procedures, and practices; and it oversees contracts with external
publishers. It is a requirement to be a Fellow of ACSM to sit on this committee.
Staff Liaison: Katie Feltman
Research Awards Committee
Reviews all applications for the ACSM New Investigator, Visiting Scholar, and Tipton National
Student Research Awards; selects recipients of these awards on a yearly basis.
Staff Liaison: Mercedes Guyse
Research Review Committee
Reviews and recommends applications for research funding and scholarships.
Staff Liaison: Jane Senior
Science Integration and Leadership Committee
The Science Integration and Leadership Committee serves as an advisory group to the College.
There are four key subcommittees actively engaged: Roundtable/specialty conference interface;
FASEB activities; NIH translational activities, and Program. The committee recently expanded
to ~20 members, with the aim to expand influence and interaction both internally with members
and externally with partners. The committee as a whole meets once a year in person and on
teleconferences as needed. Subcommittees interact via email. It is a requirement to be a Fellow
of ACSM to sit on this committee.
Staff Liaison: Jane Senior
Strategic Health Initiatives (SHI)
These are special bodies devoted to developing comprehensive activities on a demographic or
subspecialty area that is central to the mission of ACSM. These are created for three, six, or
nine years, and their members serve three-year terms. A listing of SHIs and Chairs can be
found below:
ACSM’s Strategic Health Initiatives:
SHI-Aging
The Strategic Health Initiative on Aging focuses its work on professional education issues,
programming, partnership engagement, and identifying research-related opportunities for the
College. The committee is actively engaged in building synergies with Exercise is Medicine, as
well as outside partnerships with National Institute on Aging and other related active aging
organizations. The committee meets once a year in person, and twice by teleconference.
Staff Liaison: Jane Senior
SHI-Behavioral Strategies
The Committee encourages members in this specialty to submit sessions to the Health and Fitness
Summit, propose symposia for Annual Meeting, and also encourages manuscripts for MSSE in
the Behavioral Strategies area. Lastly, members are also asked to work on projects in
Certification, advise on ACSM programs such as Exercise is Medicine and American Fitness
Index and provide guidance when ACSM submits requests for federal funding.
Staff Liaison: Jane Senior, Brenda Chamness
SHI – Women, Sport and Physical Activity Committee
The SHI Women committee serves as experts and educates the College and the public on issues
relating to women, sport and physical activity.
Staff Liaison: Lauren Johnson and Annie Spencer
SHI-Youth Sports & Health
Staff Liaison: Lauren Johnson and Annie Spencer
Ad Hoc Committees
These are bodies whose mission and membership are normally for one year or less duration.
Such committees can be reappointed, depending on the proven contributions of the group,
unfinished business, or successful application for consideration as a Strategic Health Initiative
or a Standing Committee. Due to their temporary nature, all ACSM Ad Hoc Committees are
not listed here.
Exhibits Advisory Council (ad hoc)
The Exhibits Advisory Council exists to foster beneficial interactions between ACSM and
meeting exhibitors, to provide input on activities and policies relative to the exhibit halls, and to
monitor exhibits for appropriateness.
Staff Liaison: Anne Krug
Olympic and Paralympic Issues in Sports Medicine (ad hoc)
This committee exists to foster relationships between ACSM and the International Paralympic
Committee, International Olympic Committee and United States Olympic Committee.
Staff Liaison: Abbie Friedman
Task Forces
These temporary structures are intended to exist until a specific task is completed and under no
circumstances for more than a year. Due to their temporary nature, the ACSM Task Forces are
not listed here. For a listing, please contact the membership@acsm.org.