ARLINGTON, Va. — North American Technician Excellence (NATE) has announced the appointment of Denny Smith, Ph.D., as its new director of certification. Don Frendberg, chairman of the NATE board of trustees, and the selection committee stated that they chose Smith based on his executive-level association management experience and his expertise in exam development and certification.

As director of certification, Smith will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of NATE testing and certification. His primary responsibility will be leading the evaluation, development, and modification of NATE exams, ensuring they are valid, reliable, and up-to-date. As part of this role, Smith will be staff liaison on the NATE technical committee, which is comprised of more than 20 appointed industry professionals and over 70 subject matter experts who volunteer their time to collaborate on the exam development process.

Prior to joining NATE, Smith served as president and CEO of Certified Fund Raising Executives International, an organization dedicated to the certification of international fundraising executives. He also held previous roles at Pearson, the largest testing and assessment provider in the United States; the Financial Planning Standards Board, an association focused on certification of financial planners worldwide; and Project Management Institute, which offers global certification for project managers. Smith has expertise in ANSI/ISO/IEC assessment practices, exam development, psychometric analysis, volunteer engagement, and certification from a global perspective.