Last year ended quietly for me. Intentionally so.
As many of you know, the last part of 2025 was hard. My husband and son were ill, and when life narrows like that, it has a way of clarifying what actually matters. Family. Health. Presence. Time.
In February, my daughter becomes a mother and I become a grandmother. That alone reshapes priorities. It means less travel in 2026, fewer miles, more moments that matter.
At the same time, something significant is happening in our profession.
We are in the most acute state of change it has ever faced. Not coming. Not looming. Already here.
We are at a pivotal moment.
Many organisations still do not fully understand what assistants do.
That misunderstanding now has consequences. We are already seeing layoffs in some large organisations, not because the work has disappeared, but because its value is poorly defined and poorly articulated.
AI is not a side skill. Hybrid is not a phase. Digital first is not optional. These shifts are fundamentally changing how administrative work is delivered and where judgement, trust, and decision-making sit.
And without clear structure, shared language, and credible frameworks, the administrative profession will continue to be misinterpreted, undervalued, and expected to adapt without support, recognition, or protection.
That is my why for 2026.
If we want a genuine rebrand, not just a new label but a new understanding, we have to build the scaffolding underneath it. Tools that give you confidence. Frameworks that give you authority. Evidence that gives you leverage.
So in 2026, my focus is on exactly that.
In Q1 you will see a new version of the Global Skills Matrix from WA-Alliance that reflects how work is actually done now. AI, hybrid, digital first, and the judgement-led work that sits at the heart of modern administrative roles.
And we’re launching the first ever Hackathon for the administrative profession. Not for show. Not for noise. But to surface ideas, capability, and collective intelligence that has been hidden in plain sight for far too long.
My focus for this year is on what matters. On what matters at home, and on what matters for your future at work.
We do not need louder voices. We need better structures. New ideas that translate to a better understanding. A clear path forward.
And that is where my energy is going in 2026.
