Heather Shea

At a young age I discovered I had some artistic talent. Today artists is one of the central aspects of my identity, and one of my undergraduate degrees from Colorado State is a BFA in graphic design. So while I had been a freelance graphic designer ever since during the pandemic, I reengaged, in my artistic endeavors, and I began painting, again, mostly pet portraits, desert flowers, Monarch butterflies. And so I’ve joked if this higher ed thing doesn’t work out, I’m going to open an Etsy booth and maybe something at Long Beach to the past presidents pet portraits. So this creative side also influences how I engage with the world and my work. in student affairs. I am an abstract, not linear thinker, sorry, not sorry. And somewhat of an idealist and a dreamer. I see possibilities and pathways through issues and I love the process of ideation. I approach my work co leading women gender and sexuality initiatives in the Division of Student Life and engagement at MSU. And this leadership role in ACPA, with hope for the future, and for the potential and responsibility that we have together to create possibilities for a more equitable, inclusive, sustainable and just future.

Keith Edwards
Hello, and welcome to Student Affairs NOW, I’m your host Keith Edwards. Today we have a special episode for you, we’re able to share our own Heather Shea’s presidential address as she assumed leadership of ACPA college student educators International. You also get to hear Kathy Adams Riester and me introducing Heather to the association membership. Student Affairs NOW is the premier podcast and online learning community for 1000s of us who work in alongside or adjacent to the field of higher education and student affairs. We release new episodes every week on Wednesdays find details about this episode, or browse our archives at studentaffairsnow.com. As I mentioned, I’m your host, Keith Edwards, my pronouns are he him, his I’m a speaker, consultant, and coach. And you can find out more about me, Keith edwards.com. And I am broadcast today from Minneapolis, Minnesota, at the intersections of the ancestral homelands of the Dakota in the Ojibwe peoples. Before we get to the address, we have Heather with us here today to talk a little bit about the experience of doing this. And the question we had planned for Heather is Heather, as you were thinking about and planning this, where was your head? And where was your heart?

Heather Shea
Well, first of all, thanks so much, Keith, I really appreciate the opportunity to to share these words for a wider audience, and then also to ACPA for allowing us to release this content. I wanted to kind of respond to this question, I think because it contextualize this a little bit where you know, a little bit about my writing process, but also about the experience that I had, you know, I’ve been to how many conferences and conventions where you hear people give speeches. So I definitely went down this path of what would sound good, right? What would sound good to an audience. Right, right. With sound presidential, I think I say in the speech, but then, like, I realized that wasn’t really, that wasn’t really me. I’m a very nonlinear, you know, Dreamer in in a lot of ways. So I, I wanted to put out for the Association for the field, a little bit about my own hopes and dreams, right, but also grounding that in the reality that we’re all living in and through at this moment. And so I stumbled upon, I think through conversations with you actually, the concepts of critical hope, and definitely a conversation we’ve had a couple times on the podcast, thinking about, you know, yes, things are not things have been difficult over the past couple of years, and particularly, given some of the local events that have happened at Michigan State. You know, what, what do we do with that? And do we? Do we live in that place of despair? Or do we pull together and also work hard, even though it is hard, sometimes. And so that was a little bit about where I was at, I was also really cognizant of the fact that, you know, there’s gonna be people in the audience who don’t know me. And so you know, how do I also talk a little bit about who Heather Shea is, so it feels very surreal, to now have this go out through our channel, and hopefully people will enjoy.

Keith Edwards
Well, I’m really excited about it. I love the theme of critical hope from the very beginning, I loved what you did with it. It was the most stressful part of my entire ACPA experience introducing you, right, it’s probably the shortest commitment I had, and the most stressful, but Kathy was a great partner in doing that. So you get to hear some stories about Heather and some jokes at her expense, and ours. And I’m really excited. We’re able to share this as I was sitting there listening to you give this I was hearing from people in the audience, and people who are watching on Facebook and other places. This is awesome. This is great. I’m so inspired. I’m so energized. I’m so motivated. And so I really loved what you offered, and I’m so glad we’re able to offer it to this audience and to folks who weren’t able to be there, because they had other commitments, or to folks who were there and want to listen again, that’s part of the magic of getting to do this. So thanks to you, and thanks to ACPA. And with no further ado, here is the intro and Heather’s presidential address for ACPA.

Host
It’s my pleasure to now invite Dr. Cathy Adams Riester and Keith Edwards to the podium to introduce our 2023 2024 ACPA President.

Keith Edwards
My name is Keith Edwards, my pronouns are he him his I’m a speaker, consultant and coach. I’m a career long ACPA member I helped found and served as the first chair of the commission for social justice educators, and have served in various Association and convention leadership roles. I’m also part of the host team for Student Affairs NOW with Heather Shea. Heather and I were in the same master’s degree cohort at Colorado State University many years ago. Of all the things I learned in that program, one lesson still serves me regularly more than 20 years later. I continue to share this wisdom and this lesson with appreciative student affairs professionals regularly. Today, I get to share it with you. If you are ever giving a presentation never ever, ever present immediately following Heather. No matter how prepared you are impressive your visuals are she will outshine you considerably. It can be embarrassing. My favorite as I have done many times and get to do with the Student Affairs NOW podcast is to work with Heather. It’s the best. If presenting with Heather is not an option then and this is the life advice I want to impart to you today. Do whatever you can to go before Heather. So I’m very happy today to be here before Heather’s remarks as ACPA president with Kathy Adams Riester to introduce Heather.

Kathy Adams Riester
Good morning. My name is Kathy Adams Riester. My pronouns are she her and hers and I’ve been involved in ACPA in multiple ways over the years, including starting the task force for campus safety and emergency preparedness which is now commission. I have served on convention planning teams and currently serving ACPA as as a foundation trustee. I’m excited to have the honor of introducing Heather Shea. We met at the University of Arizona in 2001, where we both worked in the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership and became fast friends. Over the past 20 plus years I’ve been fortunate to know her as a colleague, a best friend, a business partner, we actually started a card design and invitation business. As a community volunteer we joined the Junior League of Tucson together a doctoral student we both supported each other through our doctorate degrees. And she is part of the reason in 20 or 2009 that I rejoined ACPA and she has been my ACPA roomie ever since during most of the time I’ve known her Heather has also been a mother. We had babies within two months of each other. Heather had her first child Eli and I had my second child Caden. I’ve known Heather for about three years at this time, and when Caden was born, I asked her to be his godmother. Over the years, I’ve been able to experience firsthand how much she loves, supports and prioritizes her children, Eli and Dylan. She’s a strong role model for them as a working mother and a leader who champions them for who they are, and all that they do. She also has been a loving and supportive godmother to Caden. When Heather came to the University of Arizona, she was looking for a job as a trailing spouse, and ended up interviewing for a position in commuter student affairs. Now at the time, she was coming from a residence life and student activities background and didn’t have much experience or knowledge of commuter student affairs, and in fact, she had never lived off campus. So but what she did have, as part of that was a passion for learning. She had many ideas, and quickly became well versed in this new content. Eventually, she was a national leader in this area, and served as the chair for the commission for commuter students and adult learners for ACPA for three years, and as an advocate for commuter students and students support resources on campus at the University of Arizona. One of the things I’ve learned about Heather is that she isn’t afraid to take on a task or position that she doesn’t know a great deal about. She’s a quick learner and is able to figure things out, develop new expertise, and will often become a passionate thought leader in her role.

Keith Edwards
Heather’s passion and commitment that Kathy referenced knows few bounds. It’s difficult to find a topic challenge or idea that Heather won’t be immediately excited about with our podcast team We have no shortage of good ideas for episodes I believe the current count is at seven great ideas waiting for production. Heather’s excited about every single one of them. In less than a minute she’ll fill the chat with seven potential guests three articles interconnections with other topics and might already be working on a graphic design. She is curious and energized by the possibility of making a difference, especially for the most overlooked and marginalized. She wants every person to feel seen and heard and better served by our profession. You’ll often hear with deep resonance and sincerity. emphasize this is so important.

Kathy Adams Riester
One of the qualities I admire most about Heather is her creativity. She has a she is a talented artist who has skills in drawing, painting and graphic design. This also enables her to be creative in her ideas. She has the ability to dream, see what is possible, think outside the box to solve problems. She’s also very passionate. When she believes in something her passion is contagious. She’s really readily shares her ideas and vision to motivate and engage others to join her work. This is one of the qualities that I think will make her an excellent leader for ACPA.

Keith Edwards
One of Heather’s favorite feminist Halloween costumes is Wonder Woman. She even ran a 5k race in at once. I’m here to tell you how there is no wonder woman, but she is a superhero. Heather shades superpowers are not Wonder Woman like perfection, but her willingness to embrace her imperfections. Heather doesn’t remind me of Brene Brown Brene Brown reminds me of Heather. When I first saw Bernie’s now massively viewed TED talk, I was on the treadmill at the gym and my first reaction was to text Heather, you gotta watch this, she reminds me of you. She’s not afraid of giving it her all or making mistakes. She’s very willing to make them, learn from them, and share them with others. So it’s not just her who is learning. I particularly admire her willingness to lead at times mess up and always be learning related to equity, injustice, gender and sexual orientation and racism and whiteness. Heather brings her authenticity to share her own imperfect learning, growth and vulnerability to everything she does, including her leadership of ACPA for the next year. I can’t wait.

Kathy Adams Riester
Keith and I firmly believe that ACPA will be in excellent hands under Heather’s leadership. Heather is deeply committed to this organization and will serve ACPA well with all of her creativity, passion, dedication and authenticity. It is our pleasure to introduce to you our friend and new ACPA President Dr. Heather Shea.

Heather Shea
I’m going to start with Michigan State University’s land acknowledgement. I acknowledge that Michigan State University occupies the ancestral traditional and contemporary lands of the Anishinabeg three fires confederacy of Ojibwe, Ottawa, and Potawatomi peoples. In particular, the university resides on land seated in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw. I recognize support and advocate for the sovereignty of Michigan’s 12 federally recognized Indian nations, for historic indigenous communities in Michigan, for indigenous individuals and communities who live there now. And for those who are forcibly removed from their homelands. By offering this land acknowledgement, I affirm indigenous sovereignty and will work to hold Michigan State University more accountable to the needs of American Indian and indigenous peoples.

Heather Shea
Oh my goodness, I am filled with gratitude for all of the people who have supported me over the years, my ACPA family and beyond and to Kathy and Keith, to people who have been in my lives for over two decades for your kind words of introduction. I am so grateful for your love and your support and for all of the ways that we have worked together over the years. Thank you, especially to those who have traveled to be here. In particular, my partner Stephen is in the front. He’s a faculty member that school down the road

Heather Shea
and he has read at least three versions of this speech with a careful journal editor eye. I love you. Thank you also to my colleagues at Michigan State University who supported my desire to serve in this role. You specific thanks to Ms. Hughes, Senior VP of Student Life and engagement veni Gore, and ACPA diamond honoree. And a VP of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging and my supervisor Janine, Royal here in the audience today. Thank you. Go Green Light got the memo. Good job. I also want to thank two other people who have directly influenced my journey to the ACPA presidency. Today. When I figured this out, I was like, Kris, oh, my God. Today actually marks the four year anniversary of my successful dissertation defense.

Heather Shea
Dr. Kristen Wren, my dissertation chair and faculty advisor at MSU has supported me innumerable ways beyond just those that time that I was working on my PhD. And I was introduced to Kris by Paul. Going back even further, I want to send my love to Eugene, Oregon. My CSU saw he advisor and mentor for the past 25 years, Dr. Paul Shang himself and ACPA president in 2002 in 2003, and Paul’s promise you’re going to be there in Chicago next year. Finally, I am so grateful for my family, my teenagers, Eli and Dylan, my brother and sister in law, and my ex husband, Ray Gasser and especially my parents, Chuck and Susan Shea, currently living their best lives in Arizona. Each of you have been along for the ride hearing annually about that organization and that conference that I was going to call ACPA, thank you so much for your support today. Huge shout out to my colleagues and women’s Student Services sitting in the front row, Gabby and Mackenzie, and much gratitude to Audrey and Josh my two presidential interns currently live tweeting and posting on the official ACPA press account. Serving as ACPA president is truly the highlight of my 20 plus year career and such an honor as someone who has dedicated my life to serving students on college and university campuses. And so today in my presidential address, I’m going to talk about fostering critical hope for the next 100 years of ACPA. ACPA has been my professional home for over two decades. I vaguely remember my first ACPA Convention in the spring of 2000 in Washington DC. I was a grad student about to complete my Master’s at Colorado State and I spent most of my time as masters students do in placement. I also happen to present my findings from my master’s thesis on multiracial students. The first memorable ACPA for me though, was two years later at Long Beach California location which will return to and 2025. At that convention, I joined the director for the commission for commuter students and adult learners. And I listened to President Nancy Evans speak to the theme of voices of the wisdom stories of inclusion practice and scholarship. I reunited with SAHE classmates on the Queen Mary at the opening reception, and after presenting a pre convention workshop on serving multiracial students with Paul Shang, Kris Wren and several other colleagues, we planted the seeds on an initiative which 20 years ago in 2003 became the multiracial network shout out to MRN at 20.

Heather Shea
Over the course of the next 20 years as I moved from Arizona, to Idaho to Michigan, serving in six different professional roles across a variety of functional areas. As anyone of us know who have moved across the country to take a new job, our professional networks are vital to maintaining hope and connection in the field. For me, ACPA has been the constant through line each spring and it gave me tremendous hope to know I could return here to this convention, and reconnect with you my ACPA family. Indeed, I haven’t missed one since 2002. Now I am just simply elated to work alongside current and past leaders as our association embarks upon a celebration to commemorate our 100th anniversary in 2024. Huge thanks to Rachel Beach, and the entire ACPA 24 convention team for all the work you are going to do over the next year to help us reflect evolve an act. And thanks so much to Jess Carol, Kaylee Aaron, Gudrun Kelly and the larger ACPA at 100. Team for their continued work to bring us a year long celebration fitting of our association. As I was thinking about what I wanted to say today, I wanted to initially focus on what sounded presidential, right. But the message wasn’t quite me. So I decided after the second draft, kind of like this slide to cut it all apart, put it all back together and use some pieces, but repaint the whole picture, using my authentic voice so you have an idea of who I am and what I will bring to this role. So I’m going to tell you a few things about my background that you might not know from reading my bio. I grew up in a rural area of Colorado, daughter of an elementary school teacher, and cowboy turned police officer. We spent our Saturdays riding Western. At a young age I discovered I had some artistic talent. Today artists is one of the central aspects of my identity, and one of my undergraduate degrees from Colorado State is a BFA in graphic design. So while I had been a freelance graphic designer ever since during the pandemic, I reengaged, in my artistic endeavors, and I began painting, again, mostly pet portraits, desert flowers, Monarch butterflies. And so I’ve joked if this higher ed thing doesn’t work out, I’m going to open an Etsy booth and maybe something at Long Beach to the past presidents pet portraits. So this creative side also influences how I engage with the world and my work. in student affairs. I am an abstract, not linear thinker, sorry, not sorry. And somewhat of an idealist and a dreamer. I see possibilities and pathways through issues and I love the process of ideation. I approach my work co leading women gender and sexuality initiatives in the Division of Student Life and engagement at MSU. And this leadership role in ACPA, with hope for the future, and for the potential and responsibility that we have together to create possibilities for a more equitable, inclusive, sustainable and just future. Another thing to know about me is that my career in higher education has not taken a direct path. It has been curiously circuitous and fractal, sometimes doubling back on itself as I’ve hit dead ends experienced periods of stagnation, disappointment. And then reinvention. Again, it’s not linear. Maybe this is how a lot of women and dual career couples experience their path. I don’t know. So I took Saturday, I took lateral moves I sacrifice I delayed my PhD until my 40s, and generally kept looking for the next opportunity while keeping my family’s needs as primary. But as I said, over the years, ACPA has helped me stay dialed in to the current pulse of the field. I have also learned from teaching graduate students at Michigan State and at New England College. And from all of the hosts and hundreds of guests and topics on Student Affairs now about the current issues that matter in higher ed. As I’ve sought opportunities to make a difference on campus, in the lives of students and in higher education broadly, I see adaptations, iterative possibilities and potential opportunities for growth and change literally everywhere. But sometimes, I feel stuck or limited by the system. When I’m hopeful I experienced these these two things, my creativity and my nonlinear adaptability as strengths and possibilities abound. But if I’m honest, I’m also anxious, more frequently frustrated, and a little bit scared. That my work, our work isn’t making a difference. One short story. In 2008, I moved from the desert southwest to the Inland Northwest as the trailing spouse again. I was offered the opportunity to interview for a position as interim director of a campus based women’s center that had decade’s worth of history, a feminist activism and work in supporting LGBT students in Idaho. The more I thought about this opportunity, the more excited I became, however, a feminist my entire life. I hadn’t yet worked in a student affairs role that bought brought my personal, political and professional lives so perfectly together. And yet I was scared. I hadn’t so much just taken a single Women’s Studies class as an undergrad member, I was an art major was going to be credible. How was I going to do this job much less make a difference? Truth be told, I felt like an impostor most of those first, second and third years. But then something clicked. I found my footing I found a mentor Kay and I found a network. I connected with other feminists in Student Affairs here at ACPA. And when I left that role to work on my PhD at Michigan State almost six years later, I reflected sometimes the things you want in life that scare you the most, can turn out to be the most worthwhile. I distinctly remember one of the first books I read in my master’s program, a book called when hope and fear collide by Levine, and Jeannette which described college students in the 90s. That was me as motivated by a conflicting sense of hope and fear. The book position Student Affairs, educators enrolls to nurture students hope and help them confront and overcome their fears. So while the book may have painted an overly simplistic, generalized picture of college students in the 90s, the juxtaposition of a generative hope, while acknowledging real and tangible fears, indeed a critical hope, is a path forward for us both as an association as well as a profession. Jeffrey Duncan Andrade, defined critical hope, as an ability to realistically assess one’s environment through a lens of equity and justice while also envisioning the possibility of a better future. As one of those hopeful college students in the 90s, that Levine and Curtin depicted here I am moving into my residence hall. Look at that stereo, it was amazing, no computer, but I had a really amazing stereo. And then I worked later as an involvement quarter coordinator and then as an assistant hall director. Listen, I acknowledge the fear that we all experienced in these roles. But that is why cultivating hope is so critical. Much like gratitude, hope can be more of a practice that we develop rather than a motion we await. Hope is critical to us together contributing to the field and being restorative to the profession. I’m not talking here about toxic positivity, okay? Or a naive sense of hope. Rather, I am talking about our collective responsibility to assess reality, acknowledge fear, and dream together the possibilities of a better future. Audrey Lord said, when I dare to be powerful to use my strength in the service of my vision, it becomes less and less important, whether I am afraid. That doesn’t mean that fear isn’t difficult and fear is very real presence in the world today. And yet, if I allow that fear, to prevent me from functioning and take me out of commission, I can’t move forward. We can’t move forward together to transform higher ed. I want to also say that I recognize my positionality in this privilege I bring to this concept of fear. I’m a white cisgender. Now educated woman serving in a director level role. I have a fair amount of latitude and some agency both in my current position, as well as in the field to step into the fray, speak truth to power and disrupt the fear. That is exactly what I will continue to do as ACPA president for the benefit of those experiencing marginalization both our fellow professionals and the students on our campuses.

Heather Shea
I continually though need to check myself when my thoughts center on fear fear of not being perfect fear of saying the wrong thing or not saying anything fear of not doing enough or overstepping fear of making mistakes that have lasting consequences, on relationships, I freeze in those moments. I gasped for breath. I share this. Because Brene Brown says owning our story and loving ourselves through the process is the bravest thing that we will ever do. I’ve also learned from a lifetime of dealing with anxiety and depression, that I exist far more productively when I wade into uncertainty. Acknowledge that I like all of us will probably make mistakes. I noticed that fear but I try not to let it become me. Instead, I’m at my most effective when I nurture adaptable and flexible expectations, embrace imperfection. Thanks Brene foster trust and love and my colleagues, rather than allow uncertainty to limit me again, sometimes the things that you want in life that scare you the most can turn out to be the most worthwhile. So how do we do this? I believe we must work together to create trust, foster accountability, and keep a hopeful outlook on the future informed by the realities of the present. I know I am Not the first ACPA leader who has identified the unique factors of the current moment in which they found themselves as president, contributing to a higher education context that compels us as an association, to act boldly and transform higher education. And so I’ll say it again we are here we are finding ourselves again in this moment, this is not new. Higher Education exists within a politically polarized financially precarious and as we know, to well, at Michigan State University, violent national context, particularly in the US and beyond as well. It might be tempting to succumb to despair and cynicism and give up hope leave higher ed. Relieve adjacent fields for those of you don’t work in higher ed for completely unrelated work that doesn’t require as much of our hearts

Heather Shea
Kerri Grain writes in her book critical hope, hope alone can be transformational. But in moments of despair, when you’re up against profound injustice, it isn’t enough on its own hope without action is at best naive. At worst, it tricks you into giving up the power and agency you have the very power and agency you have to create change in the systems that cause suffering. Collectively, with critical hope on our side, we can harness our power and agency to understand and then address issues facing students that are keeping them from realizing their goals, disrupt systems of oppression, close opportunity gaps, and amplify the voices of activists whose identities are often under attack. It gives me great hope to work alongside colleagues on my campus to advocate for more opportunities, greater access, and more resources to do this work, even in the midst of a crisis. How do you cultivate hope, especially in times of tragedy, fear, pain, and crisis, I want to take a moment to pause and acknowledge last month’s tragedy at Michigan State, a senseless act of gun violence, three students lives taken, five injured and countless more impacted by this traumatic event. In the aftermath of the tragedy, I like all of my colleagues, in student life and engagement, tried to do everything everywhere, all at once. I reached out to staff students individually and collectively who reported to me to check on how they were doing. I signed up thanks to Janine royal to staff several listening sessions alongside our spiritual and religious advisors and lots of therapy dogs, they were amazing. And I listened to colleagues who like me were working with such focus and intensity, but probably felt then and still feel today that we aren’t doing enough. The larger issue I’m grappling with today is how we entered this tragedy as a campus. Many Student Affairs educators at MSU, maybe like on your campus are struggling with burnout, fatigue, and some are even questioning the sustainability of this as a career for them. It would be easy to succumb to fear and despair. But to be honest, I cannot help but be infused with some level of critical hope. You see, in the wake of the violence at Michigan State, the Spartan community has come together in my ACPA family has come through in ways I cannot even begin to describe. Thank you to everyone who expressed care concern through supportive messages to my MSU colleagues in me. And I want to take a moment to express gratitude to Dr. Domain. And all of the others who sent me trauma informed resources facilitation guides, one pagers for students, faculty and family. They flowed into my inbox when I made the call and request from campuses across the United States. These resources today are vital in our response, and in our care for our students. Given the plentiful resources that made their way to my inbox, I know MSU is not alone. Many of you have these resources, resources on hand to share because you faced your own collective trauma in the wake of ongoing police violence, structural inequity, escalating student mental health issues, continuing pandemic chaos, natural disasters, financial and political threats, and global climate catastrophe. I’m wondering if we can collectively mobilize these actions and think together using the lens of a bold vision forward, the strategic imperative for racial justice and decolonization informed by our recent report on employment in the 21st century in higher education, and guided by the campus racial justice and decolonization expectations project, grounded in the love and care and support we have for each other, our students and our campus communities, and put for strategic action from a trauma informed path. So as we listen to students speak out at town halls and orchestrate our responses to to address the things that they say they need to regain a feeling of safety. We learned that students aren’t experiencing tragedy in the same way. And they’re not coping in the aftermath in the same way. And indeed, some of you in the audience may be saying, I don’t feel stressed or burned out. I’m good. But in the face of a crisis, again, I believe we have a collective responsibility to assess reality, be adaptive, iterative and nonlinear as we explore possibilities for a better future. And we must be responsive to each student and each ACPA member within this broader context. as I embark upon this role as ACPA President working alongside other leaders on the governing board, I will strive to cultivate critical hope for our collective work. And so I want you all to consider, who does ACPA need to be to boldly transform higher education? And how must we, both as an association and as a larger field of Student Affairs in Higher Ed evolve to meet these challenges? Barbara Kingsolver is one of my favorite authors. And she says in her book, animal dreams, the very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope, not admire it from a distance, but live right in it under its roof. What I want is so simple, I almost can’t say it. Elementary kindness enough to eat enough to go around the possibility that kids might one day grow up to be neither the destroyers nor the destroyed. That’s about it. Right now, I’m living in that hope running down its hallway and touching the walls on both sides. ACPA I have figured out a few things, we can cultivate and nurture hope for. I am hopeful for our new governance structure and the many opportunities it affords us if you are here with us. For the last hour the business meeting, you know, our members voted on and passed a major revision to our bylaws. We have been engaged in revisioning our structure to expand opportunities and sustained leadership decolonize governance processes and create mechanisms for increased engagement. I’m also hopeful for other strategic actions already underway. Governance transformation is just one step in this process of creating a hopeful future. Our work will continue to attend to the needs of current and future membership, generate and share transformational educational experiences, maintain and increase our strength in research and scholarship and foster Association leadership in presence. We’re entering the third phase of this strategic plan, which is designed to conclude after our 100th anniversary. I’m also hopeful that we can transform our signature annual professional development event this convention and positively impact our members. I’ve charged the task force to look at future convention experiences. Not only do we need to look at the structure of our primary professional development event, but ACPA must also rethink how we are best serving our members. Do we continue to hold our annual meetings in locations in which some of our members may not feel physically, socially or emotionally safe as legislation is passed? That denies the existence of transgender people restricts reproductive rights and foments more violence? Or do we boldly go where we are most needed to make an impact and create change? Our ACPA leadership needs to teacher guidance for how we will engage where we put our convention and association dollars and where we will ask our members to travel. Thank you to Kelvin Rutledge in the larger group of recent and current convention and program chairs who are gathered to critically think through this strategy. I’m also hopeful that we can think together about creating the sustainable careers in student affairs that we so long for. I’m very interested in continuing the work started by Dres taskforce on employment in the 21st century, informed by the work of Margaret Sully and others, because I believe our ability to foster resilience as individuals must be supported by our institutions efforts to nurture and promote sustainable environments in which we do our work. This will ultimately contribute to the longer term outcome a better serving our students. Over the coming year, you can expect opportunities for you all to lend your voice to this conversation.

Heather Shea
Finally, I am hopeful for ACPAs vision to boldly transform higher education. As you heard in the business meeting, we updated this vision this year. And our vision is now to be higher education and student affairs most inclusive and community driven Association by leading our profession in centering social justice, racial justice and decolonization as defining concepts of our time. And for the foreseeable future. There is clearly tension between our current reality. This isn’t an argument against hope, that is hope. As a creative, non linear thinker, I have hope and can see those possibilities from here, even if the path to get there may be unclear. We need to create those paths together. I’m not naive, and I know we are in a different place. That reality informs our collective work. As Bell Hooks said in her 2013 book teaching community, a pedagogy of hope. My hope emerges from those places of struggle, where I witnessed individuals positively transforming their lives and the world around them. Today as I move into the ACPA presidency, I am so grateful for my foundations, my previous leadership experiences and commissions and networks as an assembly coordinator on the governing board serving on convention planning teams, and most recently, co chairing next gen. Through it all, I have deeply appreciated all of the ACPA leaders who I’ve worked alongside learn from and who encouraged me in my own path that has led me to this podium today. And I cannot wait to be with you all. One more shout out for ACPA 24. In conclusion, since 2002, I have watched with great interest the many people who took on the enormous job of ACPA president, Nancy, Paul, Myra, Greg, Jeanne and Jeanne did two terms Vasti Patty, Tom, Susan, Heidi, Keith, Kathleen, can’t get Gavin, Donna, Steven, Jamie, Craig, Vernon, Danielle, and Ray. So many people whose work in this association I have admired, who have led ACPA through difficult periods taken controversial and principled stances, celebrated anniversaries and even pivoted to create engagement and support during a global pandemic. I’m honored and humbled to now be among you as we collectively foster critical hope for the next 100 years of ACPA. Thank you

Keith Edwards
Well, that was terrific. Thank you to Heather for the wonderful job that she did and ACPA for letting us share this with a broader audience. We really appreciate it. Huge shout out as always to our producer Nat Ambrosey does all the behind the scenes work to make us look and sound good. We love the support for these important conversations from our community. You can help us reach even more folks by subscribing to our podcast, YouTube and weekly newsletter announcing each new episode and more. If you’re so inclined, you can also leave us a five star review. It really helps. I’m Keith Edwards. Thanks again to Heather and ACPA today and everyone who’s watching and listening, make it a great week all.

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