APPA (Leadership in Educational Facilities)

APPA (Leadership in Educational Facilities) APPA (Leadership In Educational Facilities), the gathering place for those of us engaged in the field

APPA (formerly the Association of Physical Plant Administrators) is the association of choice serving educational facilities professionals. An international association dedicated to maintaining, protecting, and promoting the quality of educational facilities, APPA represents more than 1,500 learning institutions serving over 4,700 individuals. APPA's membership includes facilities professionals fr

om public and private, two-year and four-year colleges and universities; community and two-year technical colleges; medical and law schools; seminaries; public and private K-12 schools and districts; museums and parks; military installations; federal, state, and city-county governments. Founded in 1914 as a learning forum for those engaged in the improvement and maintenance of educational buildings and grounds, APPA has a long history of effectively meeting the needs of its members and acting as a catalyst to their growth and advancement. Through the years, APPA has provided the forum in which its members collaborate, learn, and create a vision for a better future. APPA elevates educational facilities professionals into higher performing managers and leaders, and helps them transform their institutions into more inviting and supportive learning environments. This furthers the recognition and value of the field, highlighting the direct impact facilities have on the recruitment and retention of students, faculty, and staff. APPA promotes excellence in the administration, planning, design, construction, maintenance, and operations of educational facilities. In addition, APPA serves the entire education community by conducting research, providing learning opportunities, producing publications, developing guidelines, and serving as a central information source on educational facilities issues.

APPAU St. Louis is less than a month away, and registration closes September 1.September 14–17 at the Hilton St. Louis a...
08/19/2026

APPAU St. Louis is less than a month away, and registration closes September 1.

September 14–17 at the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark, APPAU brings the Institute for Facilities Management, Leadership Academy, CEFP Exam Prep, and T3: Targeted Titles and Topics together in one location, taught by faculty from across the country.

A limited-capacity, behind-the-scenes facilities tour of the Gateway Arch is also available to registered attendees on September 15, with a look at the operations and infrastructure keeping a national landmark running and an optional ride to the top for a 630-foot view of the city and the Mississippi River. Sign-up details will be shared with registered attendees soon.

🔗 Register for APPAU here: https://www.appa.org/events/appau-st-louis

Two upcoming webinars to wrap up August:On August 20, join us for a live session with Kings III Emergency Communications...
08/18/2026

Two upcoming webinars to wrap up August:

On August 20, join us for a live session with Kings III Emergency Communications on building reliable emergency communications across campus. Facilities teams will walk away with a practical framework for evaluating systems, maintaining compliance, and planning for what comes next.

On August 27, APPA President & CEO Lalit Agarwal hosts a live virtual session to walk through this year's progress on strategic priorities, share updates on the credentialing program, and recap the launch of the APPA Leadership Exchange. There's dedicated time for questions, so come ready to engage.

🔗 Register for these upcoming webinars: https://www.appa.org/events/webinars

08/17/2026

APPAU St. Louis runs September 14–17 at the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark, with Leadership Academy offered alongside IFM, T3: Targeted Titles and Topics, and CEFP exam prep. Registration closes September 1.

Leadership Academy is APPA's flagship professional development program for facilities professionals who lead or are on a clear path to senior leadership, and are ready to grow as leaders of people and organizations, not just as technical experts.

The program is built around four progressive levels: Individual Effectiveness, Interpersonal Effectiveness, Managerial Effectiveness, and Organizational Effectiveness. Each level builds on the last, deepening your self-awareness, sharpening your decision-making, and equipping you to shape culture and institutional direction. Every level is led by peer facilitators, working and retired educational facilities leaders who bring real-world experience into the room and extend their mentorship well beyond it. You will come away with stronger interpersonal skills, a clearer leadership vision, and the confidence to drive real impact across your team and your institution.

🔗 Learn more and register here: https://www.appa.org/events/appau-st-louis

A few weeks out and the conversations from the APPA Conference are still with us.This year's conference is a reminder of...
08/07/2026

A few weeks out and the conversations from the APPA Conference are still with us.

This year's conference is a reminder of what makes this community distinct: a genuine investment in each other and in the profession. The energy in the room, the ideas exchanged during panels, and the connections made between sessions are exactly what this conference is for. Thank you to every attendee, speaker, sponsor, exhibitor, and volunteer who showed up and made it what it was.

Read about year’s conference in the Facilities Manager Special Issue next week.

Next year, we are headed to Salt Lake City for the APPA Annual Conference July 13-15, 2027. Mark your calendars.

🔗 Learn more and register here: https://www.appa.org/events/appa-2027-annual-conference

08/05/2026

APPAU St. Louis runs September 14–17 at the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark, with IFM offered alongside T3: Targeted Titles and Topics, Leadership Academy, and CEFP exam prep. Registration closes September 1.

The Institute for Facilities Management (IFM) is where emerging facilities professionals build the technical foundation and leadership skills to grow into confident, capable leaders.

IFM's multi-day curriculum covers all four core competency areas of facilities management: General Administration, Operations & Maintenance, Energy & Utilities, and Planning, Design & Construction. Through interactive learning, real-world case studies, and collaborative workshops, you will come away with a stronger knowledge base, sharpened problem-solving skills, and credentials that carry real weight in the field.

🔗 Learn more and register here: https://www.appa.org/events/appau-st-louis

This week’s webinar: campus space is under more pressure than ever. On August 6, Huron Consulting Group and a panel of u...
08/04/2026

This week’s webinar: campus space is under more pressure than ever. On August 6, Huron Consulting Group and a panel of university facilities and space leaders share findings from the State of Space Management in Higher Education survey, covering what's working, what remains challenging, and how institutions are adapting.

🔗 Register for the webinar: https://www.appa.org/events/state-of-space-management-in-higher-education

This September, T3: Targeted Titles and Topics comes to APPAU St. Louis as a two-day workshop on one of the most pressin...
07/31/2026

This September, T3: Targeted Titles and Topics comes to APPAU St. Louis as a two-day workshop on one of the most pressing challenges in the field: Investing in the Future Facilities Workforce.

Facilities leaders are facing unfilled trades positions, rising turnover, and growing competition for talent. Seven case-study sessions bring together practitioners and researchers doing this work at their own institutions right now.

The session lineup:

🎙️ Recruitment and Retention Trends and Impact - Dr. Andy Brantley, CUPA-HR

🎙️ Your Campus as a Living Laboratory: Building the Next Generation Facilities Workforce Through University–Industry Partnerships - Bahar Armaghani, University of Florida, and Steve Hoiberg, Siemens

🎙️ Building the Next Generation of Facilities Leaders: A Case Study from PSFEI - Beth Clark, Pennsylvania State University

🎙️ Hidden Capacity: How Operational Restructuring Became Our Most Effective Workforce Strategy - Terry Maynard, University of Virginia

🎙️ Why Do Employees Not Participate in Offered Training Opportunities? - D. Alan Pogue, Emory University

🎙️ Filling the Pipeline: University of Arizona UFS Apprenticeship Program - Chris Kopach, University of Arizona

🎙️ Creating Career Ladders for Skilled Trades: A Practical Workforce Development Model - Morgan Winfrey-Hansen, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

T3 runs September 15–16 within APPAU St. Louis. 🔗 Learn more and register here: https://www.appa.org/events/appau-st-louis

The July issue of InsideAPPA is here. More than 500 facilities professionals gathered in Washington, DC for the 2026 APP...
07/30/2026

The July issue of InsideAPPA is here. More than 500 facilities professionals gathered in Washington, DC for the 2026 APPA Conference, and this issue covers the highlights. A special issue of Facilities Manager Magazine, coming this August, will take a deeper dive into the conference.

🔗 Read the July Issue: https://mailchi.mp/appa/insideappa-july-26

Leadership isn't reserved for those with the right title. Tomorrow, July 30, Patrick Wilson, Director of Campus Services...
07/29/2026

Leadership isn't reserved for those with the right title. Tomorrow, July 30, Patrick Wilson, Director of Campus Services at Millersville University, shares practical guidance on servant leadership, motivating your team, and developing the habits that make you a stronger leader at any level.

🔗 Register here: https://www.appa.org/events/leadership-for-life-presented-by-erappa

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1643 Prince Street
Alexandria, VA
22314

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Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

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