In this episode, Melissa Venable, NCDA's Director of Professional Development, talks with NCDA President Marty Apodaca about the upcoming NCDA 2025 Global Career Development Conference, scheduled for June 18-20 in Atlanta, Georgia. Marty discusses the theme he selected, Autonomy to Change: Evolving and Adapting Career Development in Revolutionary Times, drawn from the significant changes in the career development landscape, especially influenced by AI and workforce dynamics. He highlights key speakers, including Sonny Wong, Dr. Marian Higgins, and JP Michel, and emphasizes this year's DEI symposium and the event's historical and cultural significance, being held during Juneteenth in Atlanta. Additionally, Marty introduces new conference formats, including mini-sessions on diverse topics such as AI and resilience. He reflects on his tenure as NCDA President, sharing the establishment of an AI task force, the organization's commitment to DEI, and his personal and professional growth through global relationships.

Marty Apodaca, MA, LPCC, CCC, NCC is a Senior Counselor at the University of New Mexico’s (UNM) Student Health and Counseling where he assists his clients in exploring the intersections of career and mental health. For over a decade, he previously served as a Career Development Facilitator at UNM Career Services, where he supervised and trained both individual and group counseling interns. Marty presents to counseling graduate students on career related topics and has taught undergraduate career development courses.

Marty’s NCDA roles include being the Trustee-at-Large for Leadership Academy and a co-associate editor for the Features section of NCDA's web magazine, Career Convergence. Previously, he served on the President’s Strategic Planning committee and is an alumnus of Leadership Academy. Marty is an active board member and former president of the NMCDA, where he helps facilitate workshops aimed at educating community providers, career practitioners, and school counselors on serving their populations' career needs. Marty has also been faculty at two Career Construction Institutes and offers supervision and guidance to UNM staff and graduate students who use the Career Construction Interview with clients.

Marty has publications in the Career Development Quarterly, Career Planning and Adult Development Network, and Career Convergence. Marty has also been published in the Journal of Individual Psychology, Teaching and Supervision in Counseling, and ACA’s VISTAS web magazine. Marty received his BA in English and MA in Counseling from UNM. While working on his MA, he served as a board member and president for Chi Sigma Iota, the counseling honor society. Marty is a Professional Clinical Counselor, Certified Career Counselor, and National Certified Counselor. At UNM, Marty has received the People Appreciate Wonderful Staff Award and was recognized as an American Indian Student Services Campus Partner.

Resources

NCDA 2025 Global Career Development Conference

NCDA AI Task Force - Artificial Intelligence Resources