The association founded in 1942 as the National Secretaries Association to provide a professional network and educational resources for secretarial staff. The association's name was changed in 1998 to the International Association of Administrative Professionals to encompass the large number of varied administrative job titles and recognize the advancing role of administrative support staff in business and government.

What are IAAP’s core values?
Integrity: We demonstrate this cornerstone of our profession through honesty, accountability and high ethical standards.
Respect: We create respect within our profession and association through listening, understanding and acknowledging member feedback.
Adaptability: We ensure the success of our association by embracing positive change and by nurturing diversity, creativity and visionary thinking.
Communication: We cultivate and maintain excellence by remaining approachable at all levels, communicating openly and building strong relationships.
Commitment: We are steadfast in our goals to develop learning opportunities for career-minded administrative professionals and to strengthen efficiency and effectiveness.

Our Mission
Enhancing the success of career-minded administrative professionals by providing opportunities for growth through education, community building and leadership development.