Earlier this month, President Sharise Harrison introduced Apra International's 2026–2029 Strategic Plan, outlining a bold vision for the future of our association. As the Board began implementing that vision, we recognized an opportunity to better align our volunteer committee structure with our strategic priorities and the evolving needs of our members. 

From Strategy to Action 

During the Board review of our committee structure, we asked a simple question: Does our volunteer organization reflect the future we're building? In many cases, the answer was yes. In others, we recognized opportunities to expand or better align our volunteer ecosystem with the work our strategic plan calls us to accomplish. 

That means strengthening our educational offerings through an aligned strategy and integrated marketing, expanding thought leadership and advocacy, building deeper partnerships with chapters, creating more pathways into volunteer leadership, modernizing how members engage with Apra and ensuring the association has the infrastructure and financial position needed to thrive well into the future. 

What Is Changing? 

Several committees have evolved to better reflect the work they already lead today, while others have been created to advance priorities identified through the strategic planning process. 

• The former Conference Planning Committee will become a comprehensive Events Committee, enabling the committee to provide strategic leadership across Apra's portfolio of educational events. This includes the fall and spring Plug In event series and additional Prospect Development pre-conference leadership programming. Bringing these experiences together under a single volunteer leadership structure creates a more cohesive approach to educational programming and thus the Education & Professional Development Committee will be sunset.
• The Content Development Committee will be reimagined as the Content Marketing Committee, recognizing that its work extends well beyond developing content. The committee will help shape how Apra tells its story, support strategic initiatives through marketing and communications, help identify and create key creative assets and ensure members can more easily discover and engage with the organization's growing collection of educational resources, programs and opportunities. 
• Apra Fundamentals will evolve into the Courses Committee, reflecting a broader vision for Apra's educational offerings. In addition to delivering our flagship in-person and online courses, the committee will recommend a multi-year course roadmap and continue to update curriculum to ensure it remains current, relevant and responsive to the profession's evolving needs. 
• Apra International will also create a new standing Resource Library Committee. As Apra continues to expand its sought-after evergreen resources (body of knowledge, guides, toolkits and best practices, etc.), this committee will serve as the steward of the association's professional knowledge. It will catalog, curate, organize, refresh and recommend new resources to ensure members have timely and relevant resources.  

Several committees will continue with their existing mission and structure. The Chapters Committee, DEIBJA Committee, Membership Committee and Nominations Committee will continue their important work with no significant structural changes. Likewise, the Apra Foundation and its Board of Trustees remain unchanged. 

In the 2025-2026 term, Apra International piloted designated ethics focal points on each standing committee, helping integrate ethical and compliance considerations into committee planning, educational programming, member resources and communications. The pilot received significant positive feedback and will move forward in a more formal framework, keeping ethics visible in the everyday work of the association while providing committees with practical guidance and support. 

What Volunteers Can Expect 

For most members, these changes will feel evolutionary rather than disruptive. You'll see updated committee names, new volunteer opportunities and clearer pathways to contribute. Our goal is to make it easier for members to understand where they can make an impact and how their work advances Apra's strategic priorities. 

Committee recruitment will begin in August, and if you’d like to volunteer with Apra, you can fill out the Volunteer Interest Survey here.  

Building the Future Together 

Volunteer leadership has always been one of Apra's greatest strengths. These updates build on that foundation by creating clearer pathways for members to lead, contribute and help deliver the vision outlined in our strategic plan. 

Special thanks to Sharise Harrison and incoming president-elect Catherine Flaatten for lending their vision to this multi-year effort and to the entire Apra International Board of Directors and staff for their thoughtful partnership, careful stewardship and unwavering commitment to building the future of our association.

Lindsey Nadeau 
President-Elect, Apra International | Vice President of Philanthropy Insight, UNICEF USA 

Lindsey Nadeau is the Vice President of Philanthropy Insight at UNICEF USA, where she guides Philanthropy toward data-driven decision-making and automation across prospect development, database management, analytics, gift processing, record management, donor relations, and strategy and operations. She previously held roles at The George Washington University, the Center for American Progress, The American University, and Public Citizen. 

Lindsey is President-elect of Apra International, a member of CCS Fundraising’s Analytics Advisory Board, and an instructor of Relationship Management: Data, Policy, & Insight at Rice University’s Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership. Lindsey holds a BA in economics from The American University and resides in Reston, Virginia, as an equestrian, wife of a winemaker, and mom to Adeline (7).