Message from the Chair Winter 2025

STATE ACADEMY FOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION WINTER 2025

A Message from the Chair

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SAPA’s 2025 Events Schedule Released

SAPA’s 2025 Events Schedule was announced at the Board’s December Meeting and SAPA’s 2024 Holiday Gathering on December 3, 2024. With the theme of Connect, Collaborate, Engage and Empower, this year’s lineup includes a combination of professional and leadership development programs, networking and mentorship opportunities for SAPA Members, and the broader public service community interested in strengthening and enhancing their existing skills, adding new ones, and engaging with other public service professionals in their pursuit of public service excellence. Mark your calendars and be on the lookout for individual event announcements and registration information. 

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January Sharp Skills Session

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2025 Leaders Learn Series

Are you ready to explore innovative ideas to transform government in the digital age? Then you’ll want to join us for SAPA’s 2025 Leaders Learn book discussion series centered around Jennifer Pahlka’s thought-provoking book, Recoding America: Why Government is Failing in the Digital Age and How We Can Do Better. This engaging three-part series, led by Rockefeller College Professors and experienced public leaders, will dive deep into the book’s key themes, offering actionable insights and sparking meaningful dialogue. Don’t miss this thought-provoking discussion series! Register today for all or any of the session dates. 

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SAPA Annual Business Meeting
-Save the Date-
April 1, 2025

Mark your calendars and join us for SAPA’s Annual Business Meeting on April 1, 2025. A formal notice with Zoom link will be distributed in early March. The business meeting will be held prior to our April Board of Directors meeting, so please feel free to remain after the meeting and participate in the Board meeting. Important reminder – in accordance with our By-Laws, only SAPA members in good standing are allowed to vote on any item(s) presented for consideration or adoption. So, make sure you are current with your dues. 

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2025 Public Service Excellence Awards Ceremony
-Save the Date-
May 21, 2025

Mark your calendars and join us for SAPA’s 2025 Public Service Excellence Awards Ceremony. This year’s ceremony will be held once again at the UAlbany Emerging Technology and Entrepreneurship Complex (ETEC) located at the W. Averell Harriman State Office Building Campus, Albany, NY. Be on the lookout for the formal event announcement to be distributed through Constant Contact in April. 

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Calling All Members!
SAPA Needs You!!

Have you been thinking about, or looking for an opportunity as a Member to contribute more to advancing SAPA’s mission? If the answer is yes, there are a number of ways you may contribute directly to advancing excellence in public service in New York State:

• Become a member of the SAPA Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors is responsible for the management, direction, and conduct of the activities of the State Academy. The Board is, at all times, accountable to the membership of the State Academy. 

SAPA members at any level, who are in good standing, are eligible for election to the Board of Directors. Directors are elected each year by the membership to fill Board vacancies. Directors are elected to three-year terms and may serve a maximum of two (2) three-year terms. Want to know more? Review Article V, Organization, of the SAPA By-Laws available on the SAPA website.

If you are interested in potential election to the Board of Directors, submit a letter of interest outlining why you are interested in becoming a Director, and how you can advance the mission of the State Academy along with a short bio to the attention of the Nominating Committee at: sapa@nysapa.org. Indicate “Board of Directors” in the Subject Line. 

• Join a SAPA Standing Committee.

The SAPA Board of Directors may establish and maintain Standing Committees at its discretion. These may include, but are not limited to Audit, Membership, Excellence Awards, Nominations, and Program. The Committees assist the Board in advancing SAPA’s mission by managing specific activities or programs. A description of the current Standing Committees may be found on the SAPA website. If you are interested in joining one or more committees, please let us know by sending an email to sapa@nysapa.org. Indicate “SAPA Standing Committees” in the Subject Line. 

• SAPA Webmaster

SAPA currently needs an individual to serve as the organization’s Webmaster responsible for regularly updating and maintaining the SAPA website. If you have web development and management experience and are interested in serving as the State Academy’s Webmaster, send us an email indicating your interest at sapa@nysapa.org. Indicate “SAPA Webmaster” in the Subject Line. 

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2025 Dues Notice Coming Soon

The 2025 Annual Dues Notice will be distributed shortly via Constant Contact to all SAPA Members. The revenue received from Member Dues is what supports State Academy activities and events. To ensure that we can sustain and enhance the valuable benefits we provide— including offering more networking opportunities that you, our Members, have requested, strengthening and expanding our professional and leadership development programs, and appropriately supporting a strong community of like-minded individuals—we must adjust our membership dues for the first time in more than 15 years to account for rising costs.

At its February meeting, the Board approved the following dues schedule:

• Fellow — $50;
• Associate Fellow — $30;
• New Professional — $15 

This necessary change will allow us to continue offering the annual Excellence Awards Program, Essentials program, regular events, and support that empower you in your public service career. Your investment in this organization is an investment in your growth, in the strength of our professional community, and in the future of public service. Together, we will continue to advance SAPA’s mission and make a meaningful impact.

When you receive this year’s dues notice, I hope that you will take a moment and submit your dues payment. It is only through the support of our members that we are able to sustain the organization. Your dues submission demonstrates your commitment to preserving the legacy of our founders and ensuring that the State Academy continues to shape public service excellence for the next 50 years. 

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Thank You for Your Support

Over the past 50 years, State Academy members have made the State Academy a recognized leader for harnessing the skills and talents of senior government professionals to support excellence in public service in New York State. We are all keepers of that legacy and today it is important for all of us to renew our commitment to, and actively participate in, the pursuit and advancement of the goals, objectives, programs, and services of the State Academy. For those of you who have paid your dues, thank you.

If you have any thoughts about how we can strengthen and enhance SAPA programs and services to meet your professional and personal development needs, please send them to me at dcunningham@nysapa.org. I am so very grateful to each of you for your continued membership and commitment to the Academy’s work. Working together, we can do great things and ensure a brighter future for the current and next generation of public service professionals.

Until next time, thank you for your continued support and, on behalf of the entire SAPA Board of Directors, I wish you all the best for continued success in the coming year! 

Dan Cunningham, SAPA Chair

Visit our website (https://stateacademy.org) for information about upcoming events!