Posted on

TAA welcomes new executive director

Kim Pawlak
Kevin Patton

On behalf of the TAA Council, I am pleased to announce that Kim Pawlak was promoted to Executive Director on January 1, 2023, after Michael Spinella retired as Executive Director at the end of 2022.

Kim has worked for TAA in increasingly responsible roles for more than 30 years, most recently as Director of Publishing & Operations.  She was instrumental in the development of TAA’s webinar program, Month of Motivation, Writing Gyms, and many other member benefits and services.

In selecting Kim as our next Executive Director, the TAA Council recognizes that she is just the right person to take the helm of TAA as we face profound changes in textbook and academic authorship, in how members want to be served in professional societies, and the challenges of a rapidly changing academic landscape. Her deep knowledge of our members and the world of authoring, along with her demonstrated creativity, her insightful and skillful leadership, and her enthusiasm for TAA’s mission, are already having positive effects in TAA.

You may wonder how you can join in on the new and exciting adventures that lie ahead for TAA. It’s no secret. One of the best opportunities is to nominate yourself for one of the three Officer positions or two TAA Council seats that are open in our upcoming election. Besides being a great way to serve TAA and build a solid leadership portfolio, I have found that being part of the TAA Council has given me many chances to meet a larger and more diverse group of our members and engage with them more genuinely than I otherwise could have. If you would like to claim your role in helping Kim and the TAA Council shape TAA’s future, it’s easy to self-nominate online.

The TAA Council and I also thank Michael Spinella for his nearly one decade of service as Executive Director. Under his leadership, TAA made important strides in serving our members and preparing for the future. Many of you have gotten to know him as a friendly, professional, and helpful colleague during his time with us. We wish him all the best in his retirement.