Happy New Year, ISA! I hope 2026 is off to a fabulous start for everyone, with big dreams and goals on the horizon. I know we have them here at ISA as we continue our incredible path forward.
If you recall, 2025 was the first year of our three-year strategy. This means we are now in year two, and our focus is guided by six central themes. While foundational goals like membership growth and financial stability are always front of mind, these six themes help direct our attention and drive our decision-making.
Our six strategic themes for 2025-2027 are:
- Grow existing business
- Increase awareness and use of ISA content
- Identify the right technical areas
- Improve the agility of content creation and revision
- Protect intellectual property
- Improve our culture
When you read this list, you might think, "Wow, that’s a lot." And it is. However, we are confident that with everyone’s help, we can continue to improve in all these areas and make a positive, lasting impact on ISA.
How Can You Help?
So, how can you help? Which of these themes speaks to you? My challenge for each of us is to see what resonates and get creative with how we can contribute right where we are in ISA. Whether you are a member, customer or volunteer leader, you can help us make an impact.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Have you read a standard lately that really helped your operations? Share your success with your peers so they can leverage it too.
- Introduce yourself to everyone at all your ISA meetings, whether in-person or virtual. In a virtual meeting, use the chat to share a little bit about yourself and ask where others are calling in from.
- Section volunteers: Ask your section members what content they want to see more of this year. This can help cater to the right technical areas for your geographical area. Or venture out and try something new with an emerging topic and see how your local members respond.
- Have you taken a training course with ISA? Did you know we can bring many of the training courses to your local area? You can sign up a group of individuals at your company to take in-person training without the stress and cost of flights and hotels. They can take ISA training and sleep in their own bed at night. It's a win-win; try it out.
- Are you an ISA member? If so, when is the last time you logged into Pub Hub? I challenge you that if you have not done so in the last month, go log in and see all the content that is available to you.
- Start (or participate in) a Connect Forum, the technical discussion forums in ISA Connect. Share ideas of new technical areas ISA should be considering to take us into the future. Crowdsource and discuss with the ISA community to see what is going to be of value for our profession in the years to come.
- Read ISA’s Conduct and Anti-Harassment Policy. ISA has core values, and we want to make sure everyone throughout ISA is treated respectfully. We come from many different backgrounds all over the world, and as automation professionals, we take pride in advancing our profession through the highest expectations in conduct.
- Share on LinkedIn a time when you took an ISA course, read an amazing ISA book or had another incredible experience with ISA. Getting the word out on what you found valuable helps others find ISA too.
2026 is going to be a great year for ISA. I am continually inspired by the people of ISA. That is what keeps this organization top-notch: the people who are passionate and care about the future of this organization and want to help it thrive for many years to come. Thank you for your support. You are appreciated, and I personally look forward to working with you throughout the year. Let’s make 2026 the best one yet.