As the new year begins and we look back on 2025, one thing is clear: AAERT members showed up in big ways over the past year. From mastering new technology to navigating a changing industry with confidence, our members continued to adapt, grow, and support one another.

AAERT’s committees were busy behind the scenes in 2025, making meaningful progress. Here are some exciting updates!

Certification Committee

The CET Certification Committee had an incredibly productive year focused on strengthening and modernizing AAERT’s certification programs.

Key highlights include:

• Completed materials for an additional CET practical exam transcript
• Began revisions and updates to the CET knowledge exam blueprint
• Completed training sessions on effective exam question writing and revision
• Assisted with reviewing and revising transcript samples and exam resources
• Completed a full review of all CER knowledge exam questions
• Completed a full review of all references tied to CER exam questions
• Revised the CER Blueprint to provide clearer, more detailed guidance for exam candidates
• Participated in item-writing training to align exams with established testing standards
• Played a major role in the CER Practical Test development, including creating testimony, selecting court cases, scrubbing transcripts, recording test materials, and establishing procedures
• Participated in software testing with Meazure to ensure proper functionality for upcoming exams

This work laid important groundwork for upcoming exam enhancements and future launches.

Membership Committee

The Membership Committee focused on celebrating and engaging with AAERT members.

• Planned and executed a highly successful DCRT Week, spotlighting the work of digital court reporters and strengthening community connections across the organization.
• Laid plans for a campaign to send personal reach-outs to lapsed members, letting them know about the certification reinstatement policies and options to rejoin our community.
• Launched planning for a career showcase to help connect members and employers in 2026.

Professional Development Committee

The Professional Development Committee made major strides in expanding learning opportunities and building long-term programs for members.

• Established three dedicated subcommittees (webinars, mentorship, and conference planning), each with its own chair to improve focus and leadership development
• Welcomed new volunteers across all subcommittees, increasing engagement and bringing in fresh ideas and perspectives
• Built the full infrastructure for AAERT’s mentorship program, including applications, expectations, timelines, communication flow, and evaluation methods — setting the stage for a structured, supportive three-month experience
• Collaborated with STAR to plan and deliver a successful Unity Summit, strengthening industry relationships and delivering meaningful educational content
• Closed out the year with a well-attended Windows 11 webinar, offering practical tools and workflow improvements for members

Momentum from these initiatives will carry strongly into 2026.

Communications Committee

The Communications Committee focused on keeping members informed, connected, and engaged throughout the year.

In 2025, the committee:

• Delivered consistent member communications through blog posts, announcements, and social posts
• Supported committee initiatives by promoting events, webinars, and certification updates
• Strengthened AAERT’s online presence by aligning content across platforms and highlighting member achievements and organizational milestones
• Engaged membership on both Facebook and LinkedIn soliciting feedback and ideas

These efforts helped ensure members stayed informed and connected as AAERT continued to grow.

We asked members to reflect on their biggest wins, what they learned, and what they’re excited about heading into 2026. Here’s a snapshot of the voices that shaped our year.

• “My biggest win this year was expanding my client base and finally feeling confident in my workflow. I’m faster, more accurate, and less stressed than I was a year ago.”
• “2025 was the year I fully leaned into digital reporting. Taking on more complex proceedings helped me realize how much I’ve grown professionally.”
• “Getting my CER certification was a huge milestone. It felt like validation for all the hours I’ve put into this career.”
• “I learned that staying current with technology isn’t optional anymore — it’s empowering. Once I embraced new editing tools, everything clicked.”
• “This year I learned that updating my software before a proceeding is always a good idea…not during it.”
• “This year taught me the value of community. Having other professionals to lean on made tough days manageable and good days even better. It also helps with networking to expand my job possibilities”
• “I learned to advocate for myself more, whether that meant asking questions, setting boundaries, or taking on new opportunities.”
• “2025 taught me that no matter how prepared you are, there will always be at least one speaker who ignores the microphone.”
• “In 2026, I’m excited to continue building my skills and taking on work that challenges me in new ways.”
• “Having previously only worked with one capture program, I’m looking forward to further integrating technology into my work and expanding my freelance network.”
• “Next year feels full of possibility. I’m excited to grow alongside this community and encouraged by the unity demonstrated by AAERT and STAR.”
• “Looking ahead to 2026, I’m excited to keep learning, keep improving, and keep my mute button exactly where I need it.”

We encourage you to join the conversation on Facebook by searching for AAERT Discussion Group!

In Conclusion

We'd like to thank all of our hard-working committee chairs, committee members, and everyone reading this for being part of our community and all you have done to support AAERT in 2025. We look forward to making 2026 another year of big accomplishments for AAERT!

If you're interested in getting involved in an AAERT committee or task force, we'd love to have you on board. Please visit https://aaert.org/committee-application/ to learn more.

AAERT Communications Committee

Katie Ochetal, Chair