My first official duty as the president-elect was to pick a theme for next year’s conference that we would use all year upon returning from Nashville. As I pondered the theme for my year, I thought about what it is that has uniquely allowed me to get to this place—what has informed my life and my career and could best set the context for my presidency.

As I look back at my career, I know that many things have contributed to my achievements and accomplishments. I thought about my education, my intelligence, my people skills, and just dumb luck. But at the end of the day, I believe that what has made the most difference in my effectiveness is my attitude. I am one of those people for whom the glass is always half full; I always see the future as filled with possibilities. And I work to engender that attitude in everyone who works with me.

So I knew that I needed a theme that reflected this orientation. I needed a theme that was “aspirational” if not inspirational.  And so, Achieve Greatness is our theme for the upcoming year. It really resonates for me on many levels. It implies that greatness is attainable. It implies that everyone can attain it. And it sets the bar at a very high place—fo me, for you, for IASA, for your career, and for your life.

Achieving Greatness requires much. It requires hard work, it requires passion, it requires integrity, it often requires collaboration and creativity. It requires believing—in yourself, in your goals and in your capabilities. I hope you will all join me this year in aiming high, dreaming big, and living your life like it makes a difference. And I hope you will partner with the IASA to hone your skills, to make new connections, to identify new best practices, and to contribute to your colleagues and to the industry that sustains us all.