IAAC highlights leadership appointments in Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated

December 17, 2025

The Inter-American Accreditation Cooperation (IAAC) announces and welcomes the appointment of representatives from IAAC member accreditation bodies, as well as from other regions of the world, to leadership positions within Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated, the new global organization established through the institutional integration of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC).

The establishment of Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated represents a historic transition in the international accreditation system, aimed at strengthening global governance coherence, efficiency, and sustainability, while ensuring the continuity and validity of existing Multilateral Recognition Arrangements (MLA/MRA). The new cooperation will officially commence full operations on 1 January 2026, following the adoption of key resolutions by the General Assemblies of IAF, ILAC, and Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated, held in October 2025 in Bangkok.

Within this framework, and as a result of the election processes conducted between November and December 2025, the members of Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated elected the individuals who will lead key technical, strategic, and governance committees within the new organizational structure. Members of the new Executive Committee and Committee Chairs will formally assume their roles as of 1 January 2026.

Among those appointed are representatives from IAAC member accreditation bodies, who will serve in the following positions:

• Technical Committee #1 Chair (Laboratories)
  Martha Cristina Mejía Luna – Entidad Mexicana de Acreditación (ema), Mexico
• Technical Committee #2 Chair (Inspection Bodies)
  Paul Matera – ANAB, United States
• Technical Committee #3 Chair (Certification Bodies / Verification and Validation Bodies)
  Ann Howard – ANAB, United States
• Development Support Committee Chair
  María Paola Marsico – Argentine Accreditation Body (OAA), Argentina

In addition, representatives from other regions were elected, further reflecting the multiregional and global nature of the new organization:

• Arrangement Committee Chair
  Mr. Trace McInturff – American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA), United States
• Communication Committee Chair
  Mr. Brendon Moo – National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA), Australia
• Accreditation Committee Chair
  Ms. Maureen Logghe – Belgian Accreditation Body (BELAC), Belgium
• Stakeholder Committee Chair
  Mr. Marcus Long – Independent International Organisation for Assurance (IIOA), United Kingdom

These appointments complement the earlier election, held in October 2025, of the President and Vice-President of Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated, Mr. Brahim Houla (Chair) and Mr. Emmanuelle Riva (Vice-Chair), who will guide the organization through its initial consolidation phase.

The Inter-American Accreditation Cooperation (IAAC) underscores that the composition of the elected leadership reflects a strong regional balance, as well as international confidence in the technical expertise, governance capacity, and commitment of accreditation bodies across all regions. The active participation of the Americas and the Caribbean, together with Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Arab countries, reinforces the legitimacy, representativeness, and truly global vision of Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated, contributing to the consolidation of a more coherent, inclusive, and sustainable international accreditation system.