I could not be more honored to serve as president of our beloved organization, and I am deeply humbled to follow the remarkable Dr. Belinda Wilkerson, who guided 51³Ô¹Ï with such grace and steadiness.
It was wonderful to meet so many new faces in Baltimore, hear about your practices, and reconnect with old friends and colleagues. The energy was palpable. You are such a generous, engaged community of professionals. It was especially meaningful to gather as we stepped into a new era with Stephanie Simpson at the helm.
Watching Stephanie engage with members, listen with genuine curiosity, and lead with both clarity and warmth gave me tremendous confidence about where we are headed. The data backs it up: 93.4 percent of members rate 51³Ô¹Ï as good or excellent.
So what are we building together this year? Here is a look at the board’s priorities, drawn directly from the survey that 721 of you completed.
Elevating our public profile. 51³Ô¹Ï membership should be the unmistakable mark of trained, ethical practice. We are working to make that visible to families, schools, and the broader education community as never before.
Building a credentialing framework worth standing behind. Our members deserve a credential that genuinely differentiates them in the market. We are developing rigorous, validated assessments that give membership real weight and real meaning.
Leading on AI. Nearly 70 percent of you named AI as the top trend shaping the field. We are building a year-round curriculum and a living resource hub to help members navigate AI in admissions, integrate it ethically into practice, and advise students on a rapidly changing career landscape.
Governance reform. Our bylaws are getting a comprehensive rewrite modeled on best practices for modern associations. We are creating clearer leadership pathways and making it genuinely easier for new voices to step forward.
Deeper inclusion and belonging. K–12 consultants, therapeutic specialists, international consultants, and newer members deserve to feel fully at home here. We are strengthening onboarding, rebuilding our Mentor Match program, and creating real on-ramps into our community. To remain a vibrant community, we must ensure every voice is heard.
This work happens because 721 members showed up and told us exactly what they need. It happens because we have a CEO with the trust and talent to execute. And it happens because of what I witnessed in Baltimore: a community of professionals who genuinely care about this work and about each other.
I am honored to serve as your president during this pivotal time. The momentum we are building is powerful, and I am committed to ensuring we harness it to create lasting impact for our members and the students we serve. Let’s keep moving forward together.
With deep appreciation and excitement for what is ahead,
Lisa Bain Carlton, MEd
51³Ô¹Ï President