Our committees
Over 75 plain language experts volunteer their time to progress the Federation’s work.
Our volunteers
As the Federation’s activities have grown, it has set up 4 standing committees to progress its agenda:
- Certification
- Communications
- Standard Localization and Implementation
- Training and Resources.
We are immensely grateful for all of the volunteers who serve on these committees.
They are plain language experts from more than 20 countries, and they contribute their knowledge freely to help develop plain language as a profession and to maximize the public benefits that it brings.
Committee chairs
Sarah Slabbert
Certification
Gael Spivak
Standard localization and implementation
Lisa Vieno
Training and Resources
Christine LeBlanc
Communications
Deanna Lorianni
Communications
Committee members
The Federation would like to acknowledge all our committee members and thank them for their work on behalf of plain language.
Certification committee
This committee is exploring how to develop systems and standards to certify plain language organizations, individuals and documents.
Committee Chair – Sarah Slabbert (South Africa)
Organizations
Deborah S. Bosley (Chair) — United States
Cinzia Theobald — Australia
Lorenzo Carpanè — Italy
Susan Kleimann — United States
Nadja Green — South Africa
Sarah Slabbert — South Africa
Individuals
Milva Finnegan — United States
Lynn Dare — Canada
Anike Bezuidenhoudt — South Africa
Dees Stallings — United States
Nikki Meyer — United States/France
Teresa Wagner — United States
Documents
Bede Sunter (Chair) — Australia
Roslyn Abela — Australia
Rosa Galan — Mexico
Systems
Angelika Vaasa — Estonia
Neil James — Australia
Greg Ioannou — Canada
Carlos Valdovinos — Mexico
Sarah Slabbert — South Africa
Romina Sparano — United States/Argentina
Communications committee
The Communications Committee supports the Federation and its committees with its publications, events, website, and branding.
Committee Chair – Christine LeBlanc (Canada) and Deanna Lorianni (United States)
Cinzia Theobald — Australia
Gabriela Arroyo — Brazil
Gael Spivak — Canada
Carolyn Wilby — Canada
Carolyn Watt — Canada
Awa Thioye — Canada
Christine Laugier — France
Arden Dela Cruz — Philippines
Izabela Mrochen — Poland
Antoinique van Staden — South Africa
Alissa Schaub Rimel — United States
Standard localization and implementation committee
This committee is working to promote the ISO 24495 plain language standard and help as many countries as possible to adopt it and/or translate it.
Committee Chair – Gael Spivak (Canada)
Joanna Richardson — Argentina
Roxana Venútolo — Argentina
Neil James — Australia
Christopher Balmford — Australia
Cinzia Theobald — Australia
Justine Piette — Belgium
Carolyn Wilby — Canada
Greg Ioannou — Canada
Nicole Fernbach — Canada
Angelika Vaasa — European Union
Michaela Blaha — Germany
Rocio Bernabe — Germany
Vera Gergely — Hungary
Lorenzo Carpanè — Italy
Michela Zanon — Italy
Machiko Asai — Japan
Rosa Margarita Galán Vélez — Mexico
Karel Van der Waarde — Netherlands
Lynda Harris — New Zealand
Eyitayo Ogunyemi — Nigeria
Torunn Reksten — Norway
Rachelle Lintao Ballasteros — Philippines
Justyna Zandberg-Malec — Poland
Kristina Levchenia — Russia
Júlia Choleva (Vrablova) — Slovakia
Nadja Green — South Africa
Víctor M. González Ruiz — Spain
Daniel Maddux — United States
Karen Schriver — United States
Natascia Ralli — Italy
Training and resources committee
This committee is developing best practice guidelines for plain language training, and is setting up a major Resource Bank of plain language information.
Committee Chair – Lisa Vieno (Finland)
Neil James — Australia
Justine Piette — Belgium
Katherine McManus — Canada
Christa Ptatschek — Canada
Michelle Waitzman — Canada
Lynda Harris — New Zealand
Leah Hackleman-Good — United States