How quickly time passes

By Karla McAvoy, NAPFA Chair


As I write this column, my next-to-last as chair, I find myself reflecting on last summer, when I was about to begin this term.

How did my term go by so quickly? NAPFA is a wonderful organization. I feel lucky to have seen it grow and mature during my many years as a member and a volunteer. I am confident we have the leadership in place to continue to lead our profession and to promote fee-only planning. Jeff Jones will begin his term as chair in September, and I am looking forward to him leading us. He is a dynamic and energetic leader and should be a wonderful chair.

What did we accomplish?

One of my primary goals last summer was shepherding the return of NAPFA to more in-person experiences. At the time we began planning, the Delta variant of Covid-19 was barely a blip in the news, and nobody had yet heard of Omicron and its many subvariants. Still, we had hugely successful conferences, in Boston and then Atlanta, and we look forward to Denver this fall. Study groups are returning to in-person gatherings, as are symposiums. It feels good to see members face-to-face again!

But I don’t want to forget all the new ways we will continue to meet. Conversation circles have become a favorite of mine. If you have not tried one, I recommend finding a topic you enjoy and joining in. They can be so informative and so fun. I’ve “met” many members that I probably wouldn’t have otherwise. But, conversation circles are only one of many newer ways NAPFA is connecting members.

As a board, we continued to hone both our own skills and our organizational knowledge around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). It was a pleasure to welcome Dr. James Pogue to our January NAPFA board meeting, to include him in this year’s spring conference, and to know that he will also speak at our fall conference in Denver. I’m thrilled that we have added DEI training to our continuing education, and I’m excited about our new DEI certification.

As we wrap up the fiscal year, we are also wrapping up our strategic framework, which will help guide the organization for the next three years. We will unveil the new framework soon, but I am thankful for all the input and thoughtful discussions we’ve had from the national and regional boards, and the many members who participated in our audience survey and focus groups.

Thank you, NAPFA. It’s been an honor serving as chair for this organization that has meant so much to me, both personally and professionally.