Building Expertise, Sharing Knowledge: An Inside Look at the Professional Development Committee

The Professional Development Committee plays a key role in driving PDA’s mission by equipping members with the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to grow as board leaders. From advancing educational offerings to refining PDA’s Body of Knowledge (BOK), the committee helps ensure the association remains a valuable source of learning and leadership development.

Originally known as the Resources Committee, the group was renamed to better reflect its purpose and consolidated efforts. “We basically put a little more clarity and definition into it,” explained Sheperd Pryor, committee chair and Chicago Chapter member.

Today, the committee’s work is structured around four key focus areas:

• Body of Knowledge (BOK) Content – Enhancing the scope and substance of PDA’s knowledge base.

• Access to BOK – Improving how members can search, retrieve, and apply that knowledge in a functional way.

• White Papers and Thought Leadership – Generating content that supports PDA’s philosophy and illustrates the value of independent boards.

• Education Development – Taking a more intentional approach to identifying gaps and building professional learning programs.

Each area has its own task force, and in some cases, groups are joining forces to tackle overlapping priorities. “That’s good,” Pryor noted. “It puts more brainpower behind the effort.”

The committee is made up of members with a wide range of professional experience, including corporate leadership, AI expertise, academic teaching, and internal training. Many were drawn to the committee by its impact and strategic importance. “It never ceases to amaze me—the quality of the resumes and the depth of background. Lots of horsepower,” said Pryor.

Members can get involved with the committee’s work through PDA’s 2026 call for volunteers coming up in September,” said Pryor. “Committees often ‘vacuum up’ great people who raise their hands.”

For those considering where to lend their time and talent, Pryor offered this encouragement: “As we bring in new members and give people opportunity to come in, we bring in the level of enthusiasm and capability that’s embedded out there in the membership. It’s going to be the best thing for us.”

Members can reach out to committee members directly through CommUnity.