President’s Column

Tara Behrend

I am very pleased to report that SIOP has a new CEO. David Feldner, CAE, began his new role on September 1. Dave has decades of experience leading professional societies like SIOP. His most recent post was with the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT). I’m sure there will be many jokes to come about who is more difficult to wrangle: puppies or SIOP members!

We will be saying goodbye to the wonderful Tracy Vanneman, who has been SIOP’s Executive Director for the past 3 years and a member of the SIOP team for a decade before that. It’s hard for me to explain how impressive and awe-inspiring Tracy is to anyone who hasn’t worked with her. SIOP emerged from the pandemic financially healthy while so many of our peer organizations struggled—that is thanks to Tracy’s diligence and determination. She leads with care, empathy, wisdom, and the highest ethical standards at all times. She tolerates an Executive Board that is more than a little bit puppy like in wranglability. And in just another example of her commitment to SIOP, she will stay on part-time temporarily to support Dave in his onboarding and make sure he has a smooth transition. We will miss her a lot, and we are so grateful for everything she has given to SIOP, but we are also celebrating her success and her new opportunity—another lucky organization will benefit from her talents.

Beyond the CEO transition, the board has been busy working on our annual budget, planning new endeavors, and moving our strategic initiatives forward. It’s also time to get excited for the LEC in October! 

In other news, I had the pleasure of meeting many new and prospective SIOP members at the recent APA Annual Convention. I am so inspired about the future of our field, and I look forward to seeing some of those new faces at our conference in April! Thanks to Alyssa McGonagle for organizing a terrific Division 14 program. More details about the convention and other APA affairs from our council representatives are in the Highlights of 2023 APA Conference and August Council Meeting article in this issue.

To the hundreds of you who volunteer your time and energy to make SIOP successful: We are thriving thanks to your efforts. Thank you!