November 12, 2024
Zhang elected President-elect of American Evaluation Association
East Carolina University College of Education professor Dr. Guili Zhang has been elected the President-Elect of the American Evaluation Association (AEA).
“This prestigious position is a testament to Dr. Zhang’s remarkable contributions to the field of evaluation,” said Anisha Lewis, AEA executive director. “In her new role as president of AEA, Dr. Zhang is committed to furthering the association’s mission, promoting an inclusive and diverse community, enhancing member benefits and strengthening AEA’s global leadership in evaluation. Her election reflects the high regard in which she is held by her peers and her ability to guide the association toward continued growth and excellence.”
The AEA is a professional organization dedicated to advancing evaluation practices across many fields, including program, personnel, education and government evaluation, as well as independent consulting. With more than 5,000 members from all 50 U.S. states and more than 80 countries, AEA supports evaluators in assessing and improving the effectiveness of programs, policies, products and organizations.
Zhang has held an array of leadership roles in AEA and beyond. She has been an active part of AEA for 18 years, having chaired two topical interest groups (TIGs), served on the Editorial Advisory Board of the American Journal of Evaluation and contributed to the AEA Publications Taskforce. Since 2020, she has served on the AEA Board of Directors, where she has been the board liaison to the AEA Publication Taskforce, advanced member initiatives, advocated for the update of evaluation standards, strengthened international outreach and updated bylaws and governance policies.
Beyond AEA, Zhang has held prominent roles such as executive council member of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), founder and president of the American Family Education Institute, and co-founder of the Art to Heart Foundation, which mobilized 1.4 million people globally in support of autism awareness. She also served as the ECU Department of Special Education, Foundations and Research department chair from 2016 to 2023 and received awards recognizing her leadership excellence, including the Treasured Pirate Award and induction into the Educators Hall of Fame.
Her work in evaluation has earned her numerous accolades including the Frontiers in Education Benjamin J. Dasher Best Paper Award, the American Society for Engineering Education Best Paper Award and the AACTE Outstanding Contribution to Teacher Education Award.