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Messages Message from Carl Doucette, CES President On behalf of the National Council of the Canadian Evaluation Society (CES), it is my pleasure to welcome you to this joint CES/AEA 2005 Conference. This is the second joint conference that CES has had the opportunity of co-hosting with the American Evaluation Association (AEA) with the first one being in 1995 in Vancouver, British Columbia. The first joint conference is considered by many evaluation practitioners and academics to have played a very significant role in the international development of evaluation. I am confident that the 2005 Joint Conference will also play a pivotal role in shaping the future of evaluation both in North America and internationally. This conference also contributes significantly to the vision of CES as a leader in Canada in the field of evaluation and a major contributor in the global evaluation community. The conference theme of cultural and cross-cultural influences on evaluation is particularly relevant within the context of our global society and internationalization in the field of evaluation. CES is pleased that this conference is taking place in Toronto, a city known and respected internationally for its rich cultural diversity. I would like to thank the conference co-chairs, Dr. Arnold Love and Dr. Jean King, and the program co-chairs, Dr. Brad Cousins and Dr. Michael Patton, and their dedicated committee members for organizing a conference that incorporates the conference theme in a very dynamic manner. Thanks also to Jim Cullen, Canadian program co-chair (francophone), who looked after the interests of our French-language colleagues. This conference will provide delegates with many opportunities and venues to learn, to share and to network with colleagues and fellow delegates. I would also like to thank the CES Ontario Chapter and in particular the Local Arrangements Committee for their work in planning and implementing all of the activities related to hosting the conference. I look forward to joining Sharon Rallis, AEA President in many activities and events throughout the conference proceedings. The supportive and close relationship between CES and AEA is clearly evident through our willingness and ability to work in partnership in the planning of this joint conference. My wish is that this joint conference will provide delegates with a very beneficial professional experience and a deeper understanding of the cultural and cross cultural influences on evaluation. It is my hope that delegates will use the knowledge and insights gained during the conference to improve the human condition in our global society. Message from Sharon F. Rallis, AEA President Welcome to the CES/AEA 2005 Conference. On behalf of the AEA Board of Directors, I extend our heartfelt welcome to the annual conference, this year co-hosted and planned in collaboration with the Canadian Evaluation Society (CES). The theme of this conference, Crossing Borders; Crossing Boundaries, recognizes much more than the geographic border between our countries. In addition to raising multiple conceptualizations of the terms border and boundary, the theme also marks the international growth and development of evaluation. Presenters represent more than forty nations of the world. Thanks to the program co-chairs, Michael Patton and Brad Cousins, and to the conference co-chairs, Jean King and Arnold Love, you have a plethora of opportunities from which to select: panels, papers, plenaries, posters, receptions, general meetings – as well as innumerable informal and serendipitous gatherings. Their imagination, perseverance, coordination, and organization have made this all happen. Our location, the Sheraton Centre Hotel, offers many and varied spaces to connect with new acquaintances or catch up with old friends. While the first CES and AEA joint conference occurred a decade ago, our collaboration extends even further back. In fact, I recently found a paper I presented at one of the first annual conferences I attended as a fledgling evaluator; the conference was also in Toronto, Evaluation '85, a Joint Meeting of the Canadian Evaluation Society, the Evaluation Network, and Evaluation Research Society. (In 1986, the latter two associations joined as AEA.) Now, twenty years later, I am deeply honored to be co-presiding in Toronto at this event that celebrates the on-going border-crossing of our two professional associations, and I look forward to joining Carl Doucette, CES National President, in various conference events. The city of Toronto is an especially appropriate location for this conference. It ranks as the city with the most ethnically and culturally diverse population in the world. A walk down the streets or across the many parks or through the underground PATH walkway, all accessible from the hotel, will reveal the people, shops, restaurants of the city. I encourage you to take a break from conference sessions to enjoy some of the city's offerings. I offer my appreciation to the Local Arrangements Committee and the CES Ontario Chapter for their efforts to facilitate a wonderful visit. I hope that your experience at the conference will be both professionally and personally meaningful and rewarding. May you engage in dialogue and gain insights that inform your evaluations so that they may in turn contribute to social betterment and to the global evaluation-community's body of knowledge. And don't forget to eat well. Let the border and boundary-crossing begin! Message from Arnold Love, Conference Co-Chair (CES) On behalf of the CES Ontario Chapter and its Local Arrangements Committee team, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all Conference delegates, especially our colleagues and friends from AEA and our many guests from around the world. Toronto is renowned for its ethnic diversity, fine restaurants, and charming neighbourhoods. The Sheraton Centre is located right in the heart of Toronto's entertainment district, affording convenient opportunities to network, relax and enjoy a meal together. If you have a question about Toronto or if we can help you in some way, just ask. Welcome to Toronto! Message from Jean King, Conference Co-Chair (AEA) With a powerful combination of pride and glee, I join my colleagues in welcoming you to this joint CES/AEA conference, which we hope will accord you days of intellectual stimulation, high quality experiences, and plentiful networking opportunities. The list of people to thank for its creation is a long one — and I intend to personally thank as many individuals as I can — but we must collectively celebrate the collaboration of our two organizations that have, after a decade, again given us reason to meet face to face. In the words of our informal AEA toast, here's to evaluation and the friends it brings together! May each of us come to Toronto ready to learn and eager to share our expertise.
To register for the Conference, access the Registration page. This site is maintained by the CES. The AEA maintains its own Conference site. |