Another year, another Prospect Development conference complete. In late August a few Apra Greater Houston board members attended the conference in Indianapolis to have the opportunity to learn more about best prospect development practices, current business trends, and the chance to expand their networks with industry counterparts and vendors. Here board members share their thoughts and experiences from this year’s conference:
Apra PD 2023 was a whirlwind of learning and connecting…and I loved it! I’m a learner at heart, so the opportunity to have 3 dedicated days (4 days, if you register for a pre-conference session) to learn new concepts and sharpen my skills was a joy. Armed with coffee and a charged laptop, I was ready for action, and PD did not disappoint. Whether it was your first year or your tenth in the field, there was a session for you. I did not walk away from any presentation feeling like I did not benefit from the experience. Along with learning, PD is a wonderful opportunity to network. As a solid introvert, pushing myself outside of my comfort zone to meet new people takes a concentrated effort, but it is very much worth it. As prospect researchers/prospect development professionals, it is easy to feel isolated. In this specialized field, there are few people who understand what the day-to-day looks like for us or what challenges we face. Apra PD is an event where you and near 800+ of your soon-to-be best friends can gather and talk shop. Everyone you meet there already gets it. Throughout the conference, there were breakout sessions available, where attendees could meet to discuss industry trends, process improvement, and many other topics. As an Apra GH board member, I cannot miss an opportunity to plug the local chapter. In between the annual PD conference, your friendly, neighborhood Apra chapter is another great place to meet your colleagues and connect. If you are considering Apra PD 2024, I highly recommend it – work it into your budget, apply for a scholarship, etc. You will not regret it!
– Natasha Jesudason, Secretary
As a first-time attendee at Apra PD and just wrapping up my first year in the field, I found the conference a fountain of information. I found myself being pulled in different directions and decided on building the foundations which for me were learning more research tools, database management, and relationship management skills. I really enjoyed the DEI-focused sessions as that is a special interest of mine. Additionally, the networking opportunities did not disappoint, there were professionals with a wide-range of experience in their prospect development/research careers which was helpful in adding perspective to a first-time/first-year in the field attendee. What I especially enjoyed out the conference is the community-building, all the connections I came across were so willing and open to talking shop and offering some guidance or encouraging words. Definitely a worthwhile experience!
– Javi Mares, Marketing and Communications Director
As my first Prospect Development conference since the pandemic, and my first time on behalf of a large university and healthcare system, I was particularly excited to go this year to be able to see people I haven’t been able to see in person in years and also take in the conference from a different perspective. A few big themes I noticed from this conference were: portfolio sizes were continuing to go down and efforts to optimize the was a hot topic; EVERYONE is having a hard time finding candidates to fill their open positions; and AI is quickly being adopted by people both for their own uses and for wider projects. It was so great to see everyone again and feel the amazing support and comradery from prospect development professionals across the country. I can’t wait to see everyone again next year in Seattle!!
– Amanda Whiteside, Vice President
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