President’s Message

Welcome to 2022. I hope the year has started well for you and your organisation. Though I am not one for making new year resolutions, I love the feeling that a new year brings. The year ahead stretches with endless possibilities and opportunities and a couple of lazy weeks of summer still to enjoy.

Sitting at my desk during week two of term, I realise summer is coming very quickly to an end, but I am determined to keep that ‘new year’ feeling going. Start each day with a reset and that ‘new year’ mindset where you feel you can achieve so much. At times, this can be challenging in a busy school advancement office, juggling smaller tasks and moving ahead with the more significant projects that build momentum.

I want to thank the NSW/ACT Chapter Committee, which has already met twice this year and has locked in a calendar of events to support our professional development and provide networking opportunities at a Chapter level. I encourage you to look through the program and mark the dates in your calendar. The program starts with an Alumni Special Interest Group (SIGs) ‘Maximising Engagement, How to plan your year for your Alumni’, followed by Fundraising, ‘Prospect Research’, and a leadership panel ‘Collaborate with Class’ that will appeal to members across all pillars.

We are excited to announce that we are once again taking a professional development program on the road. On Friday 4 March we will be at Frensham School in Mittagong and on Friday 29 July we will be at Newcastle Grammar. This will be an excellent opportunity for our regional members to come together, exchange ideas, learn from one another and hear from the dynamic speaker Ingrid Messner. Ingrid will run an interactive workshop on ‘How to achieve more positive impact with less stress and struggle’. The day will also include breakout sessions after lunch to discuss issues or trends, share information, or seek informal advice in a confidential setting among professional colleagues.

Then mid-year, we will have the opportunity to gather in Adelaide for the REIGNITE International Conference, where we will be inspired, motivated, and energised for the second half of 2022.

I hope to meet you throughout the year, either online or in person. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me or any committee with ideas, suggestions, or questions.

Lyn O’Neill 

NSW/ACT Chapter President