Beyond the Desk: Admin Advocates

Welcome to 'Beyond the Desk: Admin Advocates' where Melissa Mahoney and Rachel Suman, CXO of IAAP, lead listeners on an enlightening journey into the world of administrative professionals. In each episode, Melissa and Rachel share practical insights, real-life stories, and actionable advice to empower administrative professionals at every stage of their careers. From navigating workplace challenges to embracing technology and fostering personal growth, 'Beyond the Desk' covers a wide range of topics relevant to administrative professionals. Join Melissa and Rachel as they redefine the narrative surrounding administrative work and inspire listeners to reach new heights in their professional lives. Whether you're a seasoned admin or just starting out, this podcast is your go-to resource for success in the administrative world. Tune in and discover what lies 'Beyond the Desk'!

Beyond the Desk: Admin Advocates is a arts podcast hosted by IAAP, with 33 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

IAAP hosts Beyond the Desk: Admin Advocates, a arts show with 33 episodes published.

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  Episode #9

  The Training Your Admin Team Has Been Waiting For

  Aug 5, 202622 minS3

  Every organization depends on its administrative professionals. But investing in them — with intention, with structure, and with the expectation of real, measurable results — is rarer than it should be. In this episode of Beyond the Desk: Admin Advocates, hosts Rachel Suman and Melissa Mahoney sit down with Veronica Ingram, CAP, IAAP's AdminElevate Training Manager, to talk about what it looks like when that investment is done right. The AdminElevate Experience is a flexible, facilitator-led professional learning framework built specifically for administrative teams — and it meets organizations exactly where they are. Whether you're an admin professional who has been quietly wishing your organization would invest in your growth, or a manager or HR leader looking for a credible, practical way to do exactly that, this conversation is for you. Because when the people who support every function of the business are equipped to show up at their best, everyone wins. Connect with us on our socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iaaphq/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/international-association-of-administrative-professionals-iaap/ X: https://twitter.com/iaap

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  Episode #8

  Learning That Actually Moves the Needle

  Jul 22, 202623 minS3

  What does it take to build professional development content that actually meets admins where they are — and challenges them to grow? CAPstone brings administrative professionals together to build real-world skills, learn proven best practices, and grow in a community that strengthens impact and elevates performance. But behind every course is a commitment to making sure that content stays relevant, rigorous, and worthy of the professionals it serves. In this episode, Rachel and Melissa sit down with Teresa Stewart, CAP — chair of IAAP's Professional Development Forecasting Committee — to talk about what CAPstone is, why these certificate courses are such a powerful investment for admin professionals, and the peer review audit process that Teresa and the panel are leading to ensure every course delivers on its promise. This is a conversation about standards, growth, and what it looks like when the admin community takes ownership of its own professional future. Connect with us on our socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iaaphq/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/international-association-of-administrative-professionals-iaap/ X: https://twitter.com/iaap

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  Episode #6

  Next Level: The Leadership Identity Every Admin Already Has

  Jun 24, 202624 minS3

  What if the biggest barrier to stepping into your leadership potential isn't skill — it's identity? In this episode of Beyond the Desk: Admin Advocates, hosts Rachel Suman and Melissa Mahoney welcome Danielle Adams-Wiltshire, PCC — certified professional coach, TED fellows coach, facilitator, and the trainer behind IAAP's Aspire: Next Level leadership conference — for a conversation that starts with a simple but powerful premise: administrative professionals are already leaders. The question is what happens when you truly believe that about yourself. Danielle brings her coaching expertise and her deep connection to the administrative profession to explore what it means to lead with executive presence, strategic thinking, and authentic influence — not by becoming someone different, but by uncovering what's already there. And if you're ready to take that next step in community, Aspire: Next Level is coming to Chicago this September — and this episode is your invitation to imagine yourself in that room. Connect with us on our socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iaaphq/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/international-association-of-administrative-professionals-iaap/ X: https://twitter.com/iaap

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  Episode #5

  From Juggling to Leading: The Admin Project Management Shift

  Jun 10, 202625 minS3

  Administrative professionals have always been the ones keeping everything on track — the timelines, the priorities, the people, the moving parts. But what happens when you pair that instinct with real project management strategy and the right tech tools to back it up? That's exactly what the Innovation Lab at Summit 2026 is designed to find out. In this episode of Beyond the Desk: Admin Advocates, hosts Rachel Suman and Melissa Mahoney sit down with Innovation Lab facilitators Mary Beth Imbarrato and Vonetta Watson-Edwards for a conversation about what it really means to lead projects with clarity and confidence. From hands-on Microsoft 365 workflows to the post-Summit virtual cohort that keeps the momentum going, this episode is your insider's preview of one of the most high-impact add-on experiences at Summit 2026 in Los Angeles. Whether you're already comfortable in a project lead role or just starting to see yourself in that seat, this conversation will meet you where you are — and push you further. Connect with us on our socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iaaphq/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/international-association-of-administrative-professionals-iaap/ X: https://twitter.com/iaap

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  Episode #4

  You Are the Culture: Kindness, Connection, and the Admin Advantage

  May 27, 202625 minS3

  <p>What if the most powerful thing you bring to work every day isn't your skills or your systems — but your capacity for genuine human connection? That's the question at the heart of Beyond the Desk: Admin Advocates hosts Rachel Suman and Melissa Mahoney's conversation with Shola Richards, the kindness champion, bestselling author, and returning favorite of the IAAP community. Shola is back — first as a guest on this podcast, and then on the Summit stage in Los Angeles, where his opening keynote, Our Power Is in Our Hands, will set the tone for the entire Summit 2026 experience. In this conv...

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