Plain English Meaning
A qualified person who works in an air traffic control facility and directs aircraft. They are the people pilots talk to on the radio when receiving clearances, headings, altitudes, or traffic information.
Full Definition
An air traffic control specialist is a trained and certified FAA employee responsible for the safe, orderly, and expeditious movement of aircraft within assigned airspace. ATC specialists work in facilities such as air route traffic control centers (ARTCCs), (), and , issuing clearances, instructions, and to pilots.