ACCO Establishes Practitioner-Led CC-P® Governance Board

/

The Association of Climate Change Officers (ACCO) has established a new governance board for the Certified Climate Change Professional (CC-P®) credential, comprised entirely of practicing CC-P® professionals.

The 18-member CC-P® Board adopted its formal charter in February 2024 and has begun operating across four standing committees: Credentialing, Ethics, Governance, and Advocacy. The board serves as the member-driven governance body for the credential, advising ACCO on credentialing program requirements, the Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct, and strategies for advancing the credential's recognition and use.

Inaugural Board Officers:

  • Chair: Christopher Landes, CC-P (Pepco Holdings)

  • Vice-Chair: Ann Marie Townshend, CC-P (Rossi Group)

  • Secretary: Farah Ghanem, CC-P (Alpin Limited, United Arab Emirates)

Committee Chairs:

  • Credentialing: John Oldi, CC-P (RWE Clean Energy)

  • Ethics: Kelli Armstrong, CC-P (BRON Ltd., Bahamas)

  • Governance Co-Chairs: Jenn Aiosa, CC-P (Maryland Energy Administration) and Alicia Betancourt, CC-P (University of Florida)

  • Advocacy Co-Chairs: Bear Afkhami, CC-P (MPACT Strategic Consulting) and Rachelle Sanderson, CC-P (Institute for Sustainable Communities)

The board's officers and committee chairs are supported by 11 additional CC-P® professionals representing government, utilities, asset management, academia, consulting, and the private sector. International representation includes members based in the United Arab Emirates, Cayman Islands, and Bahamas.

The CC-P® Board operates under a charter that establishes term limits, committee responsibilities, and processes for board nomination and member conduct. Board members must maintain an active CC-P® credential in good standing throughout their service.

A full roster of CC-P® Board members is available at climateofficers.org/ccp-board.