First-Time Attendee Finds 2007 NAPO Conference An Abundance of Riches

Several NAPO-NC Chapter Members and friends.

The 19th annual conference for the National Association of Professional Organizers was hosted in Minneapolis, Minnesota during the last week of April, 2007. One brand-new NAPO-NC Chapter Member, Dorothy Merchant, relates her experience:

"As a new organizer it was comforting to be in the company of 899 other people who understand what I do. It was amazing even for me to find out how many different things professional organizers really do and the multiple streams of income it is possible to generate from organizing.

Careful planning was clearly apparent. Our NAPO bios were captured in the ribbons worn under our name badges. These ribbons indicated the committees and offices each member has served in and helped to stimulate conversation. Those of us wearing First Time Attendee ribbons were warmly welcomed and I recognized some of the Golden Circle Members as the authors whose books I’ve read or celebrities I’ve seen on TV. It was easy to spot someone who had a similar interest, say in NAPO's Quantum Leap community service program, so that you could ask questions about it. And, the inclusion of presentation outlines, speaker contact information and additional resources for each session in the conference handbook will expedite follow-up.

Tables reserved by state chapters at lunch and dinner allowed us to find our groups and share our experiences, if we desired to do so, but it was not mandatory.

There was a good balance between a full schedule of sessions and free time to mix and mingle. The program included a wide variety of topics. Knowing that tapes are available for sessions that I could not attend made the choice of concurrent sessions a little less agonizing.

The sessions I attended included many practical suggestions. Among my personal favorites were Dan Poynter’s session on self-publishing and a panel entitled, “Simple and Sustainable Organizing.” A list of websites compiled by Claire Josefine and Amanda Kavattana offer a great starting point for those interested in helping others live more simply and in harmony with the environment.

The Keynote by Jack Canfield of the "Chicken Soup" series fame was another personal favorite. He emphasized the need for written goals and the importance of taking action toward meeting them.

An atmosphere of collegiality prevailed. People were helpful, friendly, willing to share. The Conference provided an opportunity to meet many new people. Returning conference attendees had the opportunity to renew old friendships. The sound of laughter was heard coming from many of the sessions. I am already looking forward to next year."

Nine NAPO-NC Chapter Members attended the conference this year, more than ever before. Also, the NAPO conference was preceded by the conference for the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization, which was attended by six NAPO-NC members.

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