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CAPstone Spring 2026 is 100% virtual and your opportunity to deep dive into Records Management, Human Resources and Project Management. These specialty certificate courses provide relevant and up-to-date content designed specifically for administrative professionals.

Starts on February 16, 2026 – Ends on April 10, 2026

Records Management

Live Session Days and Time:

Fridays from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Central Time

An introduction to the discipline of Records Management, arming you with the Why, What and How of organizing, storing, accessing, and disposing of information once it is no longer needed.

February 20, 2026 – April 10, 2026

READ MORE REGISTER NOW
Records Management Specialty Certificate Course

Human Resources

Live Session Days and Time:

Thursdays from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Central time

A hands-on workshop covering HR-related duties and training to expand your knowledge and career opportunities.

February 19, 2026 – April 9, 2026

READ MORE REGISTER NOW
Human Resources Specialty Certificate Course

Project Management

Live Session Days and Time:

Wednesdays from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Central time

Are your days filled with juggling projects, staff, customers, and your “day job”? Do you need some help engaging your teams, staff, and colleagues in various activities related to your projects?

February 18, 2026 – April 8, 2026

READ MORE REGISTER NOW COURSE SHOWCASE
Project Management Specialty Certificate Course 

CAPstone Spring 2026

Whether you are expanding your competencies for your current role or are looking to expand your skills for a new role, CAPstone offers just what you need, right to your home or office.

Courses are open to all administrative professionals, but spaces are limited to ensure personalized learning, so register early!  Specialty certificate courses are worth 25 recertification points for CAP designees.

CAPstone Spring is held on February 16 – April 10, 2026. While most of the content can be experienced at times convenient to you (asynchronous learning), these specialty courses require attendance during the weekly live virtual 60-minute session (synchronous learning).

These sessions create space to connect with your learning community and facilitator for questions, discussion, and engagement for high-level learning. You’ll also be invited to a Virtual Meet & Greet before launch to get to know the platform, expectations, and your fellow learners and facilitator. 

We strongly recommend taking only one CAPstone course at a time to ensure you have the time and capacity to fully immerse yourself in the learning experience. This focused approach allows you to engage deeply with the material, apply your knowledge effectively, and achieve the best outcomes for your professional development.

What is CAP?

Live Session Dates

Starts on February 16, 2026 – Ends on April 10, 2026
All four specialty certificate courses are worth 25 recertification points for CAP designees.

Pricing of specialty certificate courses

IAAP Members – $850
Nonmembers – $1050

Register 5 or more attendees and receive a 10% discount. To access this discount, please email us for more information.

Claim the Discount!


Includes all course materials – no additional fees are required! Course fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. 

Not an IAAP member? Join today!

Community Calendar

Community calendar offers a comprehensive platform for users to stay informed about upcoming events as well as browse through photo galleries from past events. The calendar also facilitates easy registration and ticket purchasing for select events through its online platform.

Check out the calendar

Specialty Certificate Course Facilitators

LinkedIn

Julie Colgan

Records Management

Julie Colgan, a certified Records Manager (CRM) and certified Information Governance Professional (IGP), has over 20 years of experience as an advisor, consultant, executive and operational leader helping organizations identify, understand and manage the risks and capture the opportunities inherent in their information assets and business operations. At Epiq, Julie leads the Solutions group which focuses on ensuring the solutions Epiq builds for its clients are creative, modern, financially rewarding and deliver exceptional operational outcomes that solve real-world business problems. 

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Tera Ladner

Records Management

Tera N. Ladner, JD, IGP, CRM specializes in cloud implementations of information governance enabled technologies, e-discovery and litigation preparedness and assuring alignment to information security programs. Currently she leads the strategy and implementation of a state-of-the-practice information governance and eDiscovery program for Aflac Inc. Aflac is a Fortune 200 company headquartered in Columbus, Georgia and the largest provider of supplemental insurance in the United States and Japan.

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LinkedIn
Maggie Peters
LinkedIn

Maggie Peters

Human Resources

Maggie is passionate about the role Human Resources and Change Management plays in people’s lives and towards the overall success of organizations. Maggie’s knowledge and experience in Human Resources is deep and wide. She has spent her career in both public and private organizations of all sizes, small to Fortune 500.

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Mary Beth Imaratto

Project Management

Mary Beth has over 25 years of experience in project management, change management, performance management, and risk. Mary Beth’s experience includes managing a wide range of project efforts in various market segments including finance, global risk, telecommunications, IT, publishing, health care, non-profit, state and federal agencies, and energy.

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LinkedIn

What Your Peers Are Saying

Strategic Empowerment

“The Technical Application CAPstone reignited my passion—not only for technology, but for the work we do every day as administrative professionals. After 30+ years in the profession, I’ve seen firsthand how much technology has evolved.

This course didn’t just keep pace—it challenged me to think strategically about the tools I use, how they integrate, and how they drive real impact. The structure was immersive, the collaboration energizing, and the learning immediately applicable. I walked away with new skills, fresh ideas, and a stronger sense of community. If you’re considering it, take the leap—this course is truly something special.”

Debra Bullis
CAP

Learning Advocate

I am an advocate for lifelong learning and continuous professional development. I believe we must take advantage of the opportunities available to help us excel in our chosen profession.
I thoroughly enjoyed the IAAP CAPstone Specialty courses I have taken. The instructors are well-versed in the specific and timely needs of today’s administrative professionals and have tailored their classes accordingly. They want students to succeed and make themselves available to ensure each student completes the courses successfully.
I am fortunate to have the support of my executive in my professional development efforts. She offers encouragement and appreciates my keeping her up to date on my course projects. She is also there to assist with any barriers I face on my learning journey. My team has implemented several productivity strategies I learned in my CAPstone courses.
As a member of IAAP for over 20 years and a former volunteer leader, I applaud IAAP for making CAPstone Specialty courses cost-effective and accessible to administrative professionals worldwide—thereby contributing to the success of our profession.
Karen Swoopes

Evolving Excellence

The CAPstone courses have been instrumental in my growth as an administrative professional. They have challenged me to think outside the box and opened my eyes and mind to many new ways of working. As our profession continues to grow and the needs of those we support change, it is essential to stay current with new technology and approaches to administration.
The CAPstone courses provide the tools and knowledge needed to remain current with the ever-evolving landscape of the administrative profession. The virtual classrooms allow you to work at your own pace and around a busy schedule. IAAP sources excellent instructors who are very knowledgeable in their fields. The weekly virtual cohort meetings are a great way to share knowledge and experiences with people across various fields in the workforce. I would highly recommend the CAPstone courses to any administrative professional who wants to consistently excel in their chosen field.
Simone Callender
M.S.Ed., CAP Expert

IAAP CAPstone

Spring 2026

Fall 2025

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Records Management Specialty Certificate Course

An introduction to the discipline of Records Management, arming you with the Why, What and How of organizing, storing, accessing, and disposing of information once it is no longer needed.

Besides its people, information is the most valuable asset of any organization. But the volume and variety of information that needs to be managed can oftentimes be staggering.

As the heartbeat of a department, division or an organization, the administrative professional is often tasked with managing information to assure it is available to those that rely on it to carry out their work. Sounds easy enough, but the task can quickly become overwhelming.

The Records Management Specialty Certificate will introduce you to the discipline of Records Management, arming you with the Why, What and How of organizing, storing, accessing, and disposing of information once it is no longer needed.

This course will cover the following:

  • Information Overload: Why we need to do Records Management
  • Cost
  • Complexity
  • Risk
  • Records Management Overview
  • The Information Lifecycle
  • Generally Accepted Recordkeeping Principles
  • Records Management as a discipline
  • Paper vs. electronic
  • To scan or not to scan
  • Retrieval considerations
  • Filing schemes
  • Naming conventions
  • Metadata
  • Storage considerations
  • Onsite/offsite
  • File shares, hard drives, archives
  • Cloud (e.g. Dropbox, SharePoint Online)
  • Retention and disposition
  • How long do we have to keep this?
  • Disposition considerations
  • Information Security starts with Records Management
  • Information access management
  • Secure storage
  • Secure destruction

The course will conclude with an interactive Course Assessment exercise where participants will put their learning to the test.

Participants are required to be online at the same time for the 60-minute live weekly, virtual discussions; these take place every week on Fridays from 12:00 pm – 1:00 p.m. Central time for the 8-week course on the Zoom platform.

This course runs from February 20 – April 10, 2026.

All materials included. Course fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.

Human Resources Specialty Certificate Course

A hands-on workshop covering HR-related duties and training to expand your knowledge and career opportunities.

This course is for you if you currently handle HR-related duties and desire more training or if you aspire to expand your HR knowledge and career opportunities. Even if you don’t currently have HR responsibilities, the HR Specialty Certificate will provide insights into workplace trends and how they may impact you. Have you ever wondered about what goes on ‘behind the scenes’ in the field of HR or what an HR Business Partner (HRBP) does? Find out in this course!

The employee lifecycle is about Attracting, Engaging, Developing, Rewarding, and Retaining talent. This practical, interesting, and interactive course will provide you with a well-rounded understanding of each of the functions of HR. Actual lessons learned, situations, stories, and cases will be referenced to further enhance your learning and understanding. You and your peers will then apply your knowledge on how you would handle specific cases.

  • Human Resources Overview
    • Attract, Engage, Develop, Retain, Reward
    • The Employee Lifecycle
    • HR Organizational Structures and Job Roles
  • HR Disciplines
    • Talent Acquisition & Onboarding
    • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion [DEI]
    • Total Rewards – Benefits, Compensation, Employee Experience
    • Employee Relations
    • Performance Management & Coaching
    • HR Technology
    • Learning & Development
    • Policies
    • HR Analytics/Metrics
    • Communications
    • HR Projects
  • Payroll
  • Legal Compliance (U.S.)*
  • Current Trends in the Workforce
  • Partnering with HR
  • Course Assessment / Case Studies

HR Specialty Certificate Course Outcomes:

  • Gain a practical understanding of how each of the HR disciplines fit together in the employee lifecycle.
  • Engage in interactive discussions around real-life workplace situations.
  • Learn about laws and potential compliance issues.
  • Become up to date with current trends in the workplace.
  • Identify ways you can benefit by successfully partnering with HR.
  • Create a personalized career development plan.

* The information provided should not be construed as legal advice and is for educational purposes only.

Participants are required to be online at the same time for the 60-minute live weekly, virtual discussions; these take place every week on Thursdays from 1:00 pm – 2:00 p.m. Central time for the 8-week course on the Zoom platform.

This course runs from February 19 – April 9, 2026.

All materials included. Course fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.

Project Management Specialty Certificate Course

Are your days filled with juggling projects, staff, customers, and your “day job”? Do you need some help engaging your teams, staff, and colleagues in various activities related to your projects? Do you need to improve communication with staff, colleagues, management, vendors, and business partners? Welcome to Project Management!

Project management practices are life skills which are valuable at work, at home, in school, in the community and with your volunteer positions. Everyone benefits from learning project management skills. In this course, you will have the opportunity to learn the fundamental concepts of project management principles. These skills will set you up for success, if you are leading a project, or are contributing to the project as a team member.

Learning Objectives

  • What project management is and why the skills are important to both you, as an individual, and your organization.
  • Develop an understanding of a typical project process and how projects unfold.
  • Recognize the key elements of a project and how they are used to build a strong foundation for the project activities and deliver a successful outcome.
  • How you, as an Administrative Professional, can support the project process as a Project Lead or a Project Team Member.
  • Raise your level of confidence in leading projects and working with project teams.
  • Learn some of the most common challenges associated with project work and how to respond to those challenges.
  • Review the activities, ideas, and the tools and templates provided to determine what you can put into action today!

Topics Covered

  • Project management overview, project lifecycle, and the Project Toolkit.
  • Project Initiation & the Project Charter, Stakeholder Identification, and Risk Identification
  • Project Team Kick-Off, Work and Schedule Planning and Team Development.
  • Schedule Management, Risk Management Planning and Change Management Planning.
  • Communication planning for an effective delivery of meaningful and valuable information to the Stakeholder groups, including the Project Team and Leadership.
  • Quality Management, Scope Management, and Cost Control.
  • Execution Phase and Monitoring Phase of the project lifecycle.
  • Implementation and Lessons Learned.

Participants are required to be online at the same time for the 60-minute live weekly, virtual discussions; these take place every week on Wednesdays from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Central time for the 8-week course on the Zoom platform.  
  
This course runs from February 18 – April 8, 2026.

All materials included. Course fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.  

Tera N. Ladner
Records Management Specialty Certificate Course

Tera N. Ladner, JD, IGP, CRM specializes in cloud implementations of information governance enabled technologies, e-discovery and litigation preparedness and assuring alignment to information security programs. Currently she leads the strategy and implementation of a state-of-the-practice information governance and eDiscovery program for Aflac Inc. Aflac is a Fortune 200 company headquartered in Columbus, Georgia and the largest provider of supplemental insurance in the United States and Japan.

Prior to her position with Aflac, Tera directed the information governance program at SunTrust Bank in Atlanta, Georgia. Tera’s experience spans the legal aspects of compliance to the development and use of emerging technology for information governance.

Tera is past president of ARMA International. She has served both at the local and international level within ARMA since 1999 and credits her leadership skills to the experience gained from motivating volunteers. She is passionate about assuring the next generations of information governance professionals are equipped with the breadth of knowledge necessary for success in the industry.

Maggie Peters, HR Options, LLC

Maggie is passionate about the role Human Resources and Change Management plays in people’s lives and towards the overall success of organizations. Maggie’s knowledge and experience in Human Resources is deep and wide. She has spent her career in both public and private organizations of all sizes, small to Fortune 500. Her agility and business savvy have been built from the variety of industries she has supported including technology, consulting / professional services, distribution, manufacturing, and defense/aerospace. Additionally, Maggie is a forward-thinking and innovative professional.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Central Florida and a Master’s in Business Administration from Webster University.  Maggie currently holds four active HR certifications, Predictive Index (PI) Talent Optimization Consultant, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) certified practitioner, SHRM Senior Professional in HR (SPHR) and the HRCI Senior Certified Professional (SCP).  She is trained in the Korn Ferry Leadership Framework and in Prosci ADKAR Change Management.

Mary Beth Imbarrato, PMP, CSM, SPP, CMS MBI Consulting, LLC

Mary Beth has over 25 years of experience in project management, change management, performance management, and risk. Mary Beth’s experience includes managing a wide range of project efforts in various market segments including finance, global risk, telecommunications, IT, publishing, health care, non-profit, state and federal agencies, and energy. Other efforts include helping clients establish best practices through process improvement assessments which will identify efficiencies and increase effectiveness in an effort to support continuous improvement plans.

 

She is a member of the Project Management Institute (PMI) and is a graduate of the PMI Leadership Institute Master Class (2013). Mary Beth is also an elected member of the Upstate New York PMI Chapter Board of Directors and serves as the VP of Marketing as well as the Director of Sponsorship Program. She is also a member of the Association for Strategic Planning (ASP) and the Capital Region Chapter of the Association of Talent Development (CRATD) and established the Capital Region Project Manager’s Meetup group to help further the project management profession locally with new and aspiring Project Managers.