IACET Announces Dr. Patti Phillips, Ryan Austin, and Gayle Claman as New Directors
The International Association for Continuing Education and Training
45591 Dulles Eastern Plaza, Suite 132
Sterling, VA 20166
Media Contact
Randy Bowman, President & CEO
marketing@iacet.org
703.763.0705 Extension 103
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sterling, VA, August 26, 2026 – The International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training is pleased to welcome Dr. Patti Phillips, Ryan Austin, and Gayle Claman, as new Directors on its Board of Directors. Together, they bring extensive experience in learning and development, continuing education, credentialing, measurement and evaluation, association leadership, and education technology.
“Patti, Ryan, and Gayle each bring a distinct perspective that will strengthen IACET’s ability to serve the continuing education and training community,” said Randy Bowman, President & CEO of IACET. “Their combined experience in standards, credentialing, learning operations, governance, and measurement will be an important asset as we continue advancing quality and innovation across the field.”
Dr. Phillips is co-founder and CEO of ROI Institute, Inc., where she helps organizations around the world build capability in measurement, evaluation, and analytics. Her career includes significant work in professional credentialing, standards development, and governance. She has authored or co-authored more than 75 books and has served in leadership roles with the International Federation of Training and Development Organizations and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research. Phillips has also contributed directly to IACET through its Strategic Competency-Based Learning Standard Development Taskforce.
"Joining the IACET Board is both an honor and a responsibility I take seriously. IACET sets the standard for quality in learning, and I look forward to contributing my experience in measurement and evaluation to help providers not only deliver sound programs but also demonstrate the impact they create." said Phillips.
Austin is a serial entrepreneur and workforce learning leader with nearly two decades of experience in talent development and workforce enablement. As Founder and CEO of Cognota, he is helping advance the LearnOps category and improve the operational effectiveness of corporate learning, talent, and HR teams. He is also a speaker, contributor to industry publications, mentor, and former Senior Vice President of Training Americas at World Trade Group.
"Joining the IACET Board is a chance to help shape how the training and education field adapts to a moment of real change. I'm excited to bring an operator's lens to the table — practical, grounded in what's actually happening inside organizations today." said Austin.
Claman brings more than 20 years of experience managing and innovating professional association products and programs, including continuing education, credentialing, conferences, publications, mentoring, and leadership initiatives. She currently serves as Managing Director, Education & Credentialing, at the American Society of Civil Engineers. Claman also holds graduate certificates in Instructional Design and eLearning and serves on IACET’s Open Digital Credentials Task Force.
“Building on my experience as an accredited provider and volunteer engagement on two recent task forces, I am excited for the opportunity to support IACET on the Board of Directors. It is a dynamic and exciting time, as IACET advances its thought leadership in such topics as Neurodiversity and Digital Credentials. This work directly adds value to the industry as a whole and to accredited providers specifically, and I look forward to supporting the evolution of these and other initiatives over the next three years.” said Claman.
The addition of Phillips, Austin, and Claman strengthens IACET’s Board with perspectives spanning accreditation and standards, learning operations, workforce development, association management, credentialing, and measurable learning impact.
About IACET: The International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) is a non-profit organization dedicated to quality continuing education and training programs. IACET is the only standard-setting organization approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for continuing education and training. The ANSI/IACET Standard is the core of thousands of educational programs worldwide.