ASTD August 2007 Chapter of the Month:
Metro DC Chapter
The Metro DC Chapter of ASTD is a regional association of workplace performance professionals, providing our members with a forum for the exchange of professional development opportunities and resources as they strive to improve workplace learning and performance. The chapter was founded in 1953. Chapter presidents have included such industry leaders and authors as Leonard Nadler, Mary Lippitt, Mary Broad, and Annabelle Reitman. Joe Willmore and Kimo Kippen have served as members of the ASTD National Board of Directors.
Our Vision
The programs and services of the chapter increase the net worth of individual members in their communities and provide opportunities for networking with workplace learning and performance professionals in the Metropolitan Washington DC area.
Our Mission
Our mission is to build and sustain a community of workplace learning and performance professionals that offers substantive, cutting-edge learning opportunities for members’ professional development.
The Metro DC Chapter offers its members a wealth of activities and services. In addition to monthly programs we offer an annual professional development conference, expanded Career Services opportunities, numerous Special Interest Groups, a wide variety of volunteer opportunities, and outstanding communications vehicles.
Programs
Our chapter provides outstanding monthly professional development programs. In 2007, programs and speakers have included:
v How to Be a Performance Detective – Front-end Analysis with Joe Willmore
v Marcus Buckingham Live!
v People Professional Mega-Mixer – co-hosted by six area professional associations and attended by 170 enthusiastic workplace learning and performance, human resources, and coaching professionals
Professional Development
Last year’s successful one-day event laid the foundation for the 2007 two-day Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference, Play Your Best Hand, Stack the Odds for Maximum Success, September 6-8, 2007. The 2007 conference will reinforce the nine areas of expertise defined in ASTD’s Competency Model through a variety of inspirational, interactive, and intensive learning experiences. This year, participants will be invited to deepen their knowledge in areas that allow them to play their best hand in the workplace. The collective experiences of our region offer an exciting opportunity to bring professional dialogue to new levels!
Career Services
In addition to an active Job Bank, we offer our members professional resume review service and an outstanding Consultant Referral Service (CRS). Each month at the chapter meeting an independent consultant listed in the CRS is highlighted at the meeting. CPLP support in the way of study groups is due to be launched at the Fall Professional Development Conference.
Talent Management/Volunteerism
One of the unique opportunities for our members is to participate as a volunteer at the ASTD Chapter Leaders Conference. Consistently the members of the Metro DC Chapter have supported this event. This gives our members an opportunity to network with chapter leaders from across the country. We have also successfully hosted two ASTD International Conferences & Expositions. We are looking forward to working with the national organization to host the conference again in 2009.
Membership Focus
Membership is the blood line of every chapter. In order to more effectively serve our members we have divided membership into two positions: Director of Member Retention and Director of Member Recruitment. We realized that we all focus on getting new members, often taking our current members a little for granted. In 2006 it was decided that we needed equal attention to both. Our membership has increased by 35 percent with an increasing percentage of members renewing as well.