Association Director’s Corner: Building Connections Beyond Our Profession

One of the most rewarding parts of serving as Association Director for the National Association of Activity Professionals (NAAP) is the opportunity to represent our profession beyond the traditional activity and life enrichment space. Our work is deeply connected to so many other disciplines within senior living, long-term care, healthcare, wellness, and human services. When we step outside our familiar circles, we discover new ideas, new partnerships, and new opportunities to advocate for the importance of meaningful engagement.

This fall is shaping up to be an exciting season of connection and collaboration for me and NAAP.

AgingIn: Strengthening Partnerships

A recent highlight was the AgingIn Conference, where NAAP and the National Certification Council for Activity Professionals (NCCAP) had the opportunity to vend together. Having both organizations represented at the same event created a wonderful opportunity to showcase the importance of professional education, certification, and quality activity and life enrichment services.

More importantly, it gave us the chance to connect with professionals from throughout the aging-services industry. We had conversations with individuals who may not work directly in activities but who understand the importance of engagement, wellness, dementia support, social connection, and quality of life.

These conversations remind me that our profession does not exist in isolation.

Activity and life enrichment professionals work alongside administrators, nurses, social workers, therapists, educators, marketers, wellness professionals, dementia specialists, and countless others. Each discipline brings a different perspective, and when we work together, residents benefit.

Vending alongside NCCAP was also a great reminder of the power of collaboration. NAAP and NCCAP each have important roles in supporting the activity profession, and being together allowed us to answer questions, share resources, and introduce attendees to the broader professional pathway available to activity professionals.

The AgingIn Conference wasn’t simply about having a booth. It was about having conversations.

And sometimes, one conversation can lead to an entirely new relationship.

Taking NAAP on the Road This Fall

The fall calendar is packed with opportunities for NAAP to connect with professionals across the country. These events allow us to bring the NAAP message directly to other organizations while learning from the people who are leading change in their own areas of expertise.

On September 16, NAAP and the Education Council will host the Navigating the Perfect Storm Workshop, providing another opportunity to connect the work of activity and life enrichment professionals with broader conversations surrounding behavioral health and whole-person care. You can register here: https://naap.info/workshop-navigating-the-perfect-storm-an-informed-approach-for-planning-activity-options-for-residents-living-with-substance-use-disorder/

I will also be speaking to several state and regional organizations throughout the fall, including the Michigan Assisted Living Association, California Assisted Living Association, Greater Area in Sabine, Texas, LeadingAge Midwest, and LeadingAge Georgia. Each presentation offers a unique opportunity to share the value of meaningful engagement while learning about the needs and challenges facing professionals across the country.

These conversations are important because advocacy doesn’t always happen through legislation or formal policy. Sometimes advocacy happens when we explain what activity professionals actually do.

It happens when we help another professional understand that activities are not simply entertainment.

It happens when we explain the connection between engagement and quality of life.

It happens when we demonstrate how meaningful programming supports identity, purpose, relationships, choice, autonomy, emotional wellness, and person-centered care.

And it happens when we help other professionals see activity and life enrichment as an essential component of the interdisciplinary team.

Connecting With Other Professionals

NAAP will also be vending at the American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) Annual Conference in California. ATRA represents another important professional community whose work intersects with activity and life enrichment. The 2026 ATRA conference will take place October 17–19 in Brea, California.

I am particularly excited about the opportunity to continue conversations between recreational therapy and activity professionals. Although our professional roles may have different educational pathways and scopes of practice, we share an important commitment: helping people experience meaningful lives.

NAAP and NCCAP will also be represented at the AHCA/NCAL Convention & Expo, October 11–14 in Boston. The event brings together thousands of professionals and hundreds of solution providers from across long-term care.

This is an important audience for NAAP because administrators and organizational leaders need to understand the role that qualified activity professionals play in meeting the psychosocial, emotional, cognitive, physical, and social needs of residents.

And then there is ICAA—the International Council on Active Aging. NAAP and NCCAP will be vending at the ICAA Conference & Expo November 17–19 in Orlando. ICAA brings together professionals from across active aging and wellness, making it an ideal environment for conversations about the future of engagement and wellness in senior living.

These opportunities allow NAAP to reach beyond our traditional audience and introduce our profession to people who influence the future of senior living.

Learning From the Marketing Experts

I am honored to be attending the SMASH Senior Care Marketing Summit in Las Vegas October 5–7.

Why would an activity professional association director attend a marketing summit?

Because telling our story matters.

We can be doing incredible work, but if we don’t know how to communicate our value, others may never understand the impact of our profession.

Marketing is not simply about selling a product. For NAAP, it is about communicating our mission, telling the stories of activity professionals, demonstrating the value of meaningful engagement, and helping senior living leaders recognize the connection between life enrichment and quality outcomes.

Learning from professionals outside of our immediate field helps us think differently. It challenges us to look at how we communicate, how we build relationships, and how we position the activity profession for the future.

The Power of the Booth

Some people may look at a conference exhibit booth and see a table, a banner, brochures, and giveaways.

I see an open door.

A booth creates an invitation to start a conversation.

Someone may stop by because they have a question about certification. Another person may be looking for education. Someone else may have a colleague who needs support. An administrator may want to understand the role of the activity professional. A therapy professional may see an opportunity for collaboration. A vendor may have an idea for a future partnership.

We never know what conversation will lead to the next opportunity.

That is why these events are so important to NAAP.

Looking Beyond Our Own Profession

As I look at the fall ahead, I am reminded that the future of the activity profession will be strengthened through connection, collaboration, and visibility.

We need to continue showing up.

We need to sit at tables where activity professionals have not always had a seat.

We need to introduce ourselves to other disciplines.

We need to share our expertise while remaining willing to learn from others.

And we need to continue demonstrating that meaningful engagement is not an optional service—it is an essential part of person-centered care and quality of life.

I am grateful for every organization that opens its doors to NAAP, every professional who stops at our booth, every speaker who shares their expertise, and every industry leader who takes the time to have a conversation.

As Association Director, one of my greatest responsibilities—and privileges—is creating those connections.

Because when NAAP connects with other leaders and organizations, we don’t just build relationships. We build a stronger future for the activity profession and, ultimately, better lives for the people we serve.