Alexandria, Virginia – During the 2023 American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) Fall Leadership Workshop, Board President Debra Andres announced the launch of the AAFCS Task Force for Retooling the Body of Knowledge.
The Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Body of Knowledge establishes the intellectual and philosophical foundation for the field. The Body of Knowledge provides the framework through which FCS professionals communicate, research, and practice. Through an understanding and application of the Body of Knowledge, FCS professionals enhance individual and family well-being, expand community vitality, and address societal trends and issues.
Debra Andres, 2023-2024 AAFCS President stated “As our communities, society, and global environments evolve, the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences must also evolve. I am honored and excited to propel the evolution process to our organization’s credo – The Body of Knowledge. We aren’t looking to re-write history. Rather, we reflect on the history of Family & Consumer Sciences to make research-proven and policy-informed adjustments to the framework and anchor that guides each of our professional settings and roles. The Body of Knowledge Retooling Task Force members represent the diversity, expertise, experience, and passion of our founders while looking through the lenses of our future. I appreciate their acceptance of the task set before them, their dedication to the profession and their willingness to move the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences into the next leg of our journey.”
The task force includes:
- Co-chair Carol L. Anderson, CFCS (Wisconsin)
- Co-chair Lorna Saboe-Wounded Head, CFCS, CPFFE (South Dakota)
- Karen Alexander, CFCS (Texas)
- Gayla Randel, CFCS (Montana)
- Susan Shockey, CFCS, CPFFE (Ohio)
- Duane Whitbeck (Kansas)
- Ethel Jones, CFCS (Alabama)
- Sharon Nickols (Texas)
- Carmen Pederson, CFCS (Georgia)
The task force is set to embark on the retooling process starting in the fall of 2023 and ending in the summer of 2025.
In accepting the appointment, Anderson and Saboe-Wounded Head said “The Family and Consumer Sciences Body of Knowledge is the foundation of our profession. Periodic reviews and updates are essential to ensure it remains relevant, forward focused, and reflective of the Family and Consumer Sciences mission, values, and goals. We are committed to basing decisions on research and practice.”
About AAFCS:
The American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, founded in 1909, is the only professional association dedicated to Family and Consumer Sciences students and professionals who represent multiple practice settings and content areas and are committed to positively impacting the lives of individuals, families, and communities. AAFCS advances the profession of Family and Consumer Sciences by inspiring research, leadership, and service to empower individuals, families, and communities.