Here we are in a brand-new year!  With 2020 behind us, we look forward to 2021 with great expectation and hope for a healthier and more equitable future for our world. Although as we continue to follow the news, we are off to a rocky start this January, we must all stay focused on what is important to us as individuals and collectively as a greater community.

So, for the positive side, as we continue to be tested on the health, political, social justice, and economic fronts, I like to think that because of all of these challenges, we are all stronger, more flexible, more resilient and more aware of our connectivity to issues greater than ourselves and the organizations and businesses we represent.  With persistence, intention and a lot of strategy, we can create the transformation that we need as individuals and organizations. 

And NYSAE is here to help you kickstart your best professional life in 2021!

As many of you are aware NYSAE has spent the last year building on a 100-year-old foundation but pivoting to become a more relevant, forward-looking, resilient, relevant organization for those starting out in their association careers, seasoned association professionals, and everyone in between.  Maturity of an organization is not measured by years alone but also by its ability to adapt to the environment, to learn, to assess need, to improve results, to see into the future.

At our January Board of directors meeting a few weeks ago, I marveled at the excitement, energy, perspective and creativity that 19 dedicated Board members and our team at Kellen, brought to the table to breathe life into NYSAE’s transformation. Voices around the table represented diverse opinions.  We came to consensus on issues for the good of the members we serve. You will hear more about our initiatives over the next weeks, but I want to focus on just a few.

Diversity is NYSAE’s Future.  That priority was brought forward to the Board by our Racial and Social Justice Task Force, chaired by Rhoda Payne and Bob Spangler. They presented a plan that focuses on key program areas and tactics including funding, amplification of the mission, research, education, publication, policies and collaboration.  Much more to come on this, but their proposal obviates the criticism of so many programs that are developed and sit on a shelf.  This plan already has legs, and we are very excited to get it started. 

A Task Force headed up by Mary Pelzer is looking at the NYSAE Foundation bylaws and her team is considering new areas of focus that fall within the intent of the organization but are focused on relevant issues of our current world.  Can we support NextGen initiatives or diversity needs? What else is vital now?  How can we do good in supporting the communities we serve?

Our educational programming and events continue to help our members and their organizations pivot, connect, survive and thrive.  What started as makeshift virtual programming has now become a sturdy fabric for sharing ad addressing our mutual challenges.  Anat Kendal and Rhonda Payne have their pulse on what you need. Check out our educational programming here including ExecConnect sessions developed by Board member Bobby Blumenfeld.

Our goal is to have every association professional in the tri-state region find value and community with us as we all evolve.

We need you to be part of that process.  We need more voices, more volunteers, more members, more professionals dedicated to the association world to be a part of defining what NYSAE becomes. Help us build the association world of the future.  Share your talents and expertise.  Be a mentor or a mentee.  Help us develop a leadership pipeline for NYSAE. Tell us what you need and how we can help you become a better, more valued, more relevant association professional. 

Here is the link for membership. 

Here are links to get more involved with committees, engagement groups and authoring for InView.

Write to me at jbarry@nysscpa.org and share your ideas .

As we embark on this new year, let’s put our collective best foot forward and look to a saner, safer, more relevant future.

Joanne S. Barry, CAE

CEO/Executive Director, New York State Society of CPAs