Christine Niero, PhD is the Vice President, Professional Certification and Client Development, and heads the Washington D.C. office for Professional Testing, Inc. Dr. Niero is a senior executive who brings over twenty-five years of experience in credentialing and non-profit management with a record of highly successful client outcomes. Dr. Niero has demonstrated skills and expertise in developing and implementing viable credentialing programs, policy development, establishing operational and governance structures, optimizing management functions, leadership development, strategic planning, standard setting and accreditation. Dr. Niero is an astute team builder, skilled leader and facilitator with the ability to bring together diverse perspectives.

Dr. Niero has directed certification programs national in scope and at entry and advanced/specialty levels. Her expertise in credentialing and management has enabled certification programs to sustain significant growth and earn industry recognition. Dr. Niero’s experiences also include representing certification at the level of federal policy and governance, as well as at the state level of recognizing and utilizing professional certification programs. A recognized leader, Dr. Niero frequently provides presentations on the topic of certification, and has presented at major industry meeting such as the Association of Test Publishers, (ATP), the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE) formerly the National Organization for Competency Assurance (NOCA), the Council on Licensure Enforcement and Regulation (CLEAR), the American Society for Association Executives (ASAE) and the Certification Networking Group (CNG).

Dr. Niero served as a committee member and Vice-Chair of the Personnel Certification Accreditation Committee (PCAC) for the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) now ANAB world standard for personnel certification, ISO/IEC 17024 for seven years. Dr. Niero is well versed in the development and implementation of accreditation standards and the establishment of best certification practices for credentialing boards and has guided several certification organizations through the accreditation processes for ISO/IEC 17024, including program audits and completion of applications for accreditation, all with successful outcomes. Dr. Niero is currently serving on the ISO CASCO WG 30, the international working group revising ISO/IEC 17024:2012.

Dr. Niero serves on the National Policy Advisory Group (NPAG) for ANAB. Dr. Niero serves as a member of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF). Dr. Niero has been elected three times to the Association of Test Publishers (ATP) Board of Directors, previously serving as Chair of the Conference and Program Committees for the ATP conference Innovations in Testing. She served on the Consultant Section Council for the American Society for Association Executives (ASAE), completed two terms on ASAE’s Professional Development Committee, and is the former Chair of the Metropolitan D.C. Certification Networking Group. Dr. Niero served as an officer on the Board of Directors of the National Organization for Competency Assurance (NOCA), now the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE), and chaired the Task Force on Continuing Competence for ICE, and the Task Force on Recognition for the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors, which recognizes specialized accrediting agencies. Dr. Niero currently Co-chairs the Program Committee for the Certification Networking Group, Chicago, serves on the Program Committee for Europe—Association of Test Publishers (E-ATP), and is a member of the Education Committee, International Symposium and International Congress for the Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation (CLEAR).