From the President

It has been an immense honour and privilege to serve as President of AAIR since February 2020. My term in this role has paralleled my journey towards a Doctor of Professional Practice. I began my doctoral studies in late 2019, just before stepping into the presidency, and now, as I prepare to complete my doctoral journey in November 2024, it’s time to also hand over AAIR’s leadership.

Balancing a full-time role in organisational research, pursuing a doctorate, and leading AAIR may sound like an intense schedule. And yes, each of these responsibilities could easily fill all my working hours. Yet, for me, they were never separate. Instead, they became beautifully intertwined, each role enhancing the other.

My doctoral research has focused on how we, as professional administrative staff, construct our professional identity within the workplace, and the factors shaping that journey. One of my key findings is the essential role that professional networks such as AAIR play in reinforcing a strong sense of professional identity. Confidence and a strong self-belief are underpinned by communities like AAIR. For me, AAIR has been a place of validation, where I connect with people who understand the challenges of my role. It’s a space where I feel at home—my professional whānau (family), my tribe.

Through my research, I’ve come to appreciate AAIR’s impact even more, and I’m committed to ensuring we remain a strong, connected association, with our members always at the heart of everything we do.

In times of change, our connection to AAIR and the professional identity it fosters are truly invaluable. We all work in volatile, dynamic environments where institutions face constant turbulence. Government policies shift, underfunding is far reaching, and uncertainty lingers. But when we step back and reflect on our skills, knowledge, and expertise, we find that we have a foundation for being adaptable and resilient. With that self-assurance, we can become thought leaders who influence and shape the changes ahead.

Over my nearly five years as president, AAIR has faced its own challenges, yet the executive committee has worked collectively to secure AAIR as a financially robust association with a record-high membership. When I first took on the presidency, membership had dipped from 230 down to around 170 and was projected to decline. Following that path, we might not be here today. And then, of course, the world faced the unprecedented challenge of COVID-19. Together as a committee, we met those challenges head-on. We introduced institutional membership to broaden opportunities within the sector, offered free webinars to enable connection, and, with support from our wonderful partners at Leishman Associates, hosted two highly successful online forums. Thanks to technology, I was even able to introduce a keynote speaker from Finland from our weekend cottage in the hills—out of mobile coverage, but within range of satellite Wi-Fi! Taking the leap to host an online forum meant we could connect with presenters worldwide, sharing invaluable insights and practices.