Association of Certified Sanctions Specialists New York City Chapter

What Association of Certified Sanctions Specialists New York City Chapter does

The Association of Certified Sanctions Specialists New York City Chapter is a regional chapter of the Association of Certified Sanctions Specialists (ACSS), a professional membership association headquartered in Miami, Florida and organized as a Florida LLC. Founded in 2020, ACSS serves sanctions and export controls professionals across 70+ countries through regional chapters (New York, South Florida, France), volunteer ambassadors, and multiple task forces. Its core mission is to deliver professional certifications, training, and community for practitioners in sanctions compliance, export controls, financial crime prevention, and trade compliance across banking, legal, consulting, and government contracting.

ACSS's product portfolio centers on two flagship certifications—the Certified Sanctions Specialist (CSS) and Certified Export Controls Specialist (CXS)—each requiring 20 credits for exam eligibility. The training catalog includes self-paced courses (Sanctions Foundations, OFAC Essentials, EU Sanctions Essentials, UK Sanctions Essentials), an instructor-led OFAC Regulations Masterclass, live and on-demand webinars, two annual conferences (Washington D.C. and Dublin), and local chapter events. Distribution is delivered through a self-service online learning management system built on the Wild Apricot member platform, supplemented by in-person chapter programming. Revenue is generated from four streams: recurring membership dues, one-time certification exam fees, one-time training course fees with member/non-member pricing differentials, and conference registration fees.

ACSS's go-to-market is community-led, leveraging local chapters, volunteer ambassadors, and task forces (US Government Relations, European Government Relations, Export Controls, Training Americas, Training European, and CSS-EU Certification) to drive membership acquisition, curriculum development, and government engagement. Marketing channels span LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, email newsletters (This Week in Sanctions; This Month in EU Sanctions podcast), and chapter events. Pricing follows a tiered model where members receive discounted rates on training and conferences—e.g., EU Sanctions Essentials Self-Paced is $395 for members versus $595 for non-members, and the 2026 US Conference Private Sector ticket is $2,195 for members versus $2,495 for non-members. The organization is privately held with no disclosed institutional ownership, no external funding rounds, and no M&A activity; ownership appears to rest with founders and current leadership including co-founder Saskia Rietbroek.

Name

Association of Certified Sanctions Specialists New York City Chapter

Legal name

Association of Certified Sanctions Specialists, LLC

Website

https://sanctionsassociation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Association of Certified Sanctions Specialists New York City Chapter is a regional chapter of ACSS, a Miami-headquartered professional membership association delivering CSS/CXS certifications, self-paced and instructor-led training, and annual conferences to sanctions and export controls professionals across 70+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Miami

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Professional Certifications: Revenue from CSS and CXS certification exams and preparation courses. Members pay for exam registration, certification programs, and recertification fees.
2. Training and Education: Self-paced online courses (OFAC Essentials, EU Sanctions Essentials, UK Sanctions Essentials) and instructor-led masterclasses offered to members and non-members for one-time fees.
3. Membership Dues: Annual membership providing access to webinars, chapter events, training resources, certification credits, and member-only content.
4. Conferences and Events: In-person conferences (US and European) offering networking, educational sessions, and CE credits. Attendees pay registration fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Association of Certified Sanctions Specialists New York City Chapter is a regional chapter of ACSS that delivers professional certification programs (CSS - Certified Sanctions Specialist and CXS - Certified Export Controls Specialist), self-paced and instructor-led training courses on OFAC, EU, and UK sanctions, live webinars, and in-person chapter events for sanctions compliance practitioners in the New York area. Membership and participation are open to individual compliance professionals, with member and non-member pricing tiers across all offerings.

Product overview

ACSS is a professional membership organization offering a platform of certifications and training programs. The core offerings include two professional certifications (CSS - Certified Sanctions Specialist and CXS - Certified Export Controls Specialist), supported by a portfolio of self-paced and instructor-led training courses covering OFAC, EU, and UK sanctions. Additional offerings include live webinars, annual conferences in Washington D.C. and Europe, and local chapter events including the New York Chapter. The certifications use a points-based system where applicants need 20 credits to qualify for exams.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Certified Sanctions Specialist (CSS): Professional certification for sanctions compliance practitioners
• Certified Export Controls Specialist (CXS)
• ACSS New York Chapter
• ACSS South Florida Chapter
• ACSS French Chapter

Products and services

• Certified Sanctions Specialist (CSS) Professional certification program for sanctions compliance professionals requiring 20 credits for exam eligibility with up to three years to complete; successful candidates achieve Certified Member status.
• Certified Export Controls Specialist (CXS) Professional certification program for export controls specialists offering a flexible program for developing export controls careers.
• Sanctions Foundations Self-Paced Self-paced online training course covering fundamental sanctions compliance concepts; mobile-accessible e-learning available for up to one year after enrollment.
• OFAC Essentials Self-Paced Self-paced online certificate training on US sanctions and OFAC regulations; 100% online course with expert-led content accessible for up to one year.
• OFAC Regulations Masterclass Comprehensive instructor-led masterclass on OFAC regulations; next Winter 2026 session starting January 14.
• EU Sanctions Essentials Self-Paced Self-paced online certificate on EU sanctions compliance; 7 training hours covering EU regulations, enforcement, and licensing; valid for CSS accreditation.
• UK Sanctions Essentials Self-Paced Self-paced online training on UK sanctions regulations and compliance requirements.
• US Conference on Global Sanctions and Export Controls Annual in-person conference held April 16-17, 2026 at the National Press Club in Washington D.C.; provides 36 CSS/CXS credits and features government officials and industry specialists.
• European Conference on Global Sanctions and Export Controls Annual conference on global sanctions and export controls held in Dublin, Ireland on October 8-9, 2026.
• ACSS Webinars Live and on-demand webinars on sanctions and export controls topics; include CSS/CXS credits for attendance.
• ACSS New York Chapter Events Local chapter events for ACSS New York members; topics include emerging sanctions risks in Africa, gold and critical minerals evasion, and regional compliance challenges.
• ACSS Annual Membership Annual membership providing access to webinars, chapter events, training resources, certification credits, and member-only content with discounted member pricing on all ACSS offerings.

Quantifiable outcome

• CSS/CXS certification demonstrates professional competence and is valued by employers in the sanctions compliance field
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• ACSS Chapters (New York, South Florida, French, European)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorACSS chapters serve as regional extensions of the association, organizing local events, providing networking opportunities, and driving membership growth within specific geographic areas. Chapters operate under ACSS guidelines and are led by volunteer chapter boards.
• ACSS AmbassadorscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorACSS Ambassadors are volunteer professionals who promote the association, recruit members, and represent ACSS within their professional networks and organizations.
• ACSS Task Forces (US Government Relations, European Government Relations, Export Controls, Training, CSS-EU Certification)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerACSS task forces engage with government agencies and regulatory bodies to shape sanctions policy, develop training curricula, and advance certification standards. These volunteer groups represent member interests to policymakers.
• Affiliate MembersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate affiliate members provide financial support and gain visibility within the ACSS community. Listed on the ACSS website with organizational logos displayed.
• 2026 US Conference Sponsors (Gold, Silver, Law Firm Sponsors)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerConference sponsors gain access to C-level executives and key decision-makers at ACSS conferences. Includes Gold sponsors, Silver sponsors, Law Firm sponsors, Exhibitors, Lanyard sponsors, and Break sponsors.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• SanctionsAlert.com (ACSS media arm): SanctionsAlert.com operates as ACSS's media platform, publishing industry news and podcasts. It is an adjacent enabling property within the same organization but functions as an ecosystem touchpoint comparable to independent sanctions news outlets such as JDS Supra or Reuters Sanctions.
• OFAC Consulting / Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg (sanctions advisory practices): Large trade and sanctions advisory law firms (e.g., Sandler Travis Rosenberg) offer practitioner training and thought leadership on OFAC compliance. They are adjacent ecosystem participants that shape the same sanctions training market and compete for enterprise training engagements.

Broad incumbents

• Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society (RAPS): RAPS is a global membership organization offering credentials (RAC) and training for regulatory professionals across multiple industries. While not focused on sanctions, it represents a comparable membership-based certification model that competes for training budgets.
• Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE): ACFE administers the widely recognized CFE credential and serves a global fraud and financial crime practitioner community. While broader than sanctions, ACFE is an incumbent that competes for the same practitioner mindshare and conference attendance.
• National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA): NCBFAA is a US trade association providing customs broker education, including customs- and export-related training. It overlaps with ACSS on trade compliance and export controls audiences, particularly for US-based practitioners.

Direct peers

• Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SCCE): SCCE provides compliance and ethics certifications (CCEP, CCEP-F) and runs major annual conferences. It addresses a broader compliance audience than ACSS but overlaps directly on enterprise compliance training and membership-based education.
• Association of Certified Financial Crime Specialists (ACFCS): ACFCS offers the Certified Financial Crime Specialist (CFCS) credential covering sanctions, AML, and broader financial crime. It competes for the same enterprise training budgets and individual practitioner memberships that ACSS targets.
• ACAMS (Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists): ACAMS is the dominant global certification body for AML and financial crime professionals, including a dedicated sanctions credential. It is the most direct competitor to ACSS, serving overlapping compliance practitioner audiences via certifications, training, and conferences.
• International Compliance Association (ICA): ICA offers internationally recognized compliance and AML certifications and training, including modules on sanctions. It is a comparable membership-based credentialing body with a strong European footprint, overlapping ACSS's EMEA expansion strategy.

Emerging players

• Export Compliance Training Institute (ExCIS): ExCIS specializes in export controls and ITAR/EAR compliance training. It is a more focused competitor to ACSS's CXS offering and serves a closely overlapping export controls practitioner segment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/acss_sanctions
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCyoDcBTwjdkLU-lxJ1zwebA
• Facebookfacebook.com/ACSSassociation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sanctionsalert-com

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Association of Certified Sanctions Specialists New York City Chapter