Hello Certificate Holders,

I hope this post finds you and your family in good health and spirits. It is with great enthusiasm that I begin my year as President of NCED. I’d like to take a moment to welcome our newest NCED certificate holders who passed the certification exam this past year. It is exciting to watch our organization grow and to see those in our profession seek to hold the distinction of Nationally Certified Educational Diagnostician.

I take pleasure in announcing the 2022-2023 NCED Board of Directors.

  • President: Cindy Simpson, Ph.D.
  • Vice President: Michelle Norwood, M.Ed.
  • Treasurer: Georgene Moon, M.Ed.
  • Secretary: Becky Dieckmann, M.Ed.
  • Professional Growth Chair, Renee Kwiatek, Ed.D
  • Exam Chair, Jana Cole, Ed.D
  • Exam Assist: Maribel Garza, M.Ed.
  • Certificate Holder Chair: Maranda Lanham, M.A.T.
  • Publicity (Public Relations) Chair: Kellie East, M.A.T.

I congratulate our new directors and welcome back those board members returning to fulfil their terms. The changing of officers is a bittersweet time as we also say farewell to those who have given both their time and resources while serving our organization.  Special thanks are extended to Anita Granger, our outgoing president, and Nola Borel, outgoing secretary, for their dedication to NCED. For those who have served on a national board, you know that board service is one of the most difficult volunteer roles to assume. Their commitment to the Board is commended and, on both a personal and professional level, I am grateful I was able to serve on the Board with them.

This time of transition allows us to look back at the history of NCED and to recognize the founding leaders of our organization who worked to establish the premiere NCED credential. The collective contributions of our founding members have been well documented in an article written by Joe P. Sutton, PhD (NC); Patricia A. Frawley, EdD (NJ); and Patricia (Pam) A. McElroy, EdS (LA). The History and Origin of the Nationally Certified Educational Diagnostician (NCED) is available on our website.  I encourage each of you to set aside time to read over the article. The information it contains will not only instill in you a deeper knowledge of the organization, but also prepare you to better promote yourself as a NCED certificate holder.

This year will be a busy year for the Board as we plan on expanding opportunities for NCED certificate holders. To maintain better contact and keep up with changes, continuously monitor our website for updated information regarding professional development, informal “meet and greets,” calls for membership involvement in committees, “lunch and learns” and various other events. We have also established a Facebook page which we hope to use as a venue to support our NCED community. If you have not joined, our group name is National Certification for Educational Diagnosticians. You will need to provide your NCED number as it is a private Facebook group.

As we enter another school year, I want to encourage each of you to take care of yourself so that you can not only care for your own family, but also meet the needs of the students and families you serve. It is critical that we establish boundaries to support both our physical and mental health. There are many avenues to achieve this goal and something as simple as taking a short break in the day to catch your breath can aid in supporting your wellbeing. I want to thank you all for your support and dedication to our profession. It is an honor to serve as President of the NCED Board of Directors and I look forward to the coming year!

Best Regards,

Cindy Simpson