Unveiling NASPA's 2026-2029 Strategic Plan: Elevating the Member Experience

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Unveiling NASPA's 2026-2029 Strategic Plan: Elevating the Member Experience

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In the latest episode of "Student Affairs Voices from the Field," Dr. Jill Creighton sits down live at the NASPA Annual Conference 2026 in Kansas City with Dr. Mike Christakis, Dr. Darby Roberts, and Dr. Karnell McConnell-Black to spotlight the launch of NASPA's new strategic plan. If you are a student affairs professional seeking to understand the direction of our field and NASPA's commitment to its members, this episode is a must-listen. Redefining Strategic Planning – With Purpose and Community This year marks a pivotal moment as NASPA introduces a three-year plan shaped by intentional listening, member engagement, and a forward-thinking approach. Dr. Mike Christakis walks us through the timeline and evolution, highlighting how NASPA paused its planning to let new leadership take root before embarking on a truly inclusive process, engaging members across regions and divisions. The driving force? Ensuring that every voice, from new professionals to seasoned leaders, informs and benefits from the association's direction. Five Strategic Priorities That Put Members First The discussion unpacks NASPA's five strategic pillars: Elevating the Value of Student Affairs: As debates about the relevance of higher education continue, the plan purposefully centers the impact of student affairs and the stories that shape our work. Enhancing Career Pathways and Wellbeing: Retention and growth of professionals—across all stages—receives renewed attention, coupled with a focus on wellbeing that mirrors today's complex campus realities. Providing Timely Advocacy and Resources: With shifting policies impacting each region and institution, NASPA is committed to actionable and relevant support for its diverse membership Strengthening Member Experience and Organizational Resilience: By modernizing technology and financial models, the association aims for seamless connections and equitable opportunities regardless of location or job title Advancing Inclusive and Impactful Governance: Leadership opportunities and transparent processes remain at the forefront, encouraging broader engagement and sustainable growth for the association Why Tune In? This episode is more than an announcement—it's an invitation to be part of NASPA's ongoing story. You'll hear firsthand how assessment, feedback, and continuous improvement shape the plan's "living document" status, and how every member, no matter your involvement level, stands to benefit from the next chapter. Ready to elevate, strengthen, and advance your student affairs journey? Listen now to understand how NASPA's new strategic plan is shaping the future—and how you can be a part of it. TRANSCRIPT Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:01]: Welcome to Student Affairs Voices from the Field, the podcast where we share your student affairs stories from fresh perspectives to seasoned experts. Brought to you by NASPA, we curate free and accessible professional development for higher education professionals wherever you happen to be. This is Season 14, continuing our conversation on the value of student affairs. I'm Dr. Jill Creighton, she/her/hers, your SA Voices from the Field host. Welcome back to the annual conference 2026 here in Kansas City, Missouri, and it's always my pleasure to sit down with guests in real life. So today we have 3 wonderful folks with us who have been working so hard on NASPA's new strategic plan, which launches this month, March 2026. So our first guest, you heard from before, very proud to have you back, and you are now tied with Kevin Krueger for the most appearances on SA Voices. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:50]: We've got Dr. Mike Christakis, our outgoing board chair. Dr. Mike Christakis [00:00:52]: Wow, thank you, pleasure to be here, Jill. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:54]: Next up, we have first-time guest Dr. Darby Robert. Dr. Darby Roberts [00:00:55]: Howdy, I'm Glad to be here. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:58]: And finally, we have second-time guest Dr. Carnell McConnell-Black. Dr. Karnell McConnell-Black [00:01:02]: Hey, y'all. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:01:02]: So the three of our guests today have been at the helm of this redefined strategic planning process for NASPA, which is now live on the NASPA website. So Mike, I'm going to start with you. Can you tell us a little bit about how we got here? Why now? Why a new strategic plan? Dr. Mike Christakis [00:01:17]: Great question. So the association had a strategic plan for a period of time, actually leading up to when Dr. Parnell started as president, and the board at that particular time intentionally decided to push off the development of the next strategic plan to allow NASPA's new president to get started. And so when Amelia got into the seat, the board again took up the idea of what a new plan would look like. And that began when Ana González, who's chair, tapped Lincoln Johnson as the at-large member. And that's when the initial development occurred. And then last year in New Orleans, when I assumed ...

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