ABOUT HOWIE
Howie Berman, M.A., CAE
Principal and Co-Founder
Howie Berman is an association executive with more than 20 years of experience working with non-profit membership organizations. He is passionate about association management, language learning, intercultural competence, education policy, technology, and social justice.
Most recently, Howie served as Executive Director for the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). ACTFL is a membership organization that provides vision, leadership, and support for quality teaching and learning of languages. As ACTFL’s chief staff executive, he was responsible for continuing to enhance ACTFL’s reputation and influence in the language education community while overseeing the implementation of all policies and actions approved by the ACTFL Board of Directors. During his tenure, Howie led the conceptualization, planning, and launch of the Language Connects Foundation (LCF). LCF is a first-of-its-kind entity that uplifts language educators and champions language education through several innovative programs and initiatives.
Howie has also held the positions of Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Director of Membership and Administration at ACTFL. Prior to his work at ACTFL, Howie held positions at the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) and the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (ASCPT).
He received his BA in Political Science and Spanish from the University of Richmond and his MA in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Chicago. Howie has held a Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) since 2015. He has served on several non-profit boards, including as a member of the Executive Committee of the Joint National Committee for Languages (JNCL) and Trust for Insuring Educators (TIE). He also served as Board President of the A-FCP Unit Owners Building Association in Alexandria, VA.
Howie represented ACTFL in several professional capacities—on the Coalition for Teaching Quality (CTQ), the Coalition for International Education (CIE), the National English Learner Roundtable, and also as a member of the AAAS America’s Languages Working Group. He has been a frequent presenter and contributor on topics such as language advocacy and outreach, the Seal of Biliteracy, and teacher recruitment & retention.
Howie lives in Columbia, MD with his wife, daughter, and son. In his spare time, he enjoys creating new dishes in the kitchen and volunteering at a local animal shelter.