Professional development has become an increasingly important topic among information technology (IT) professionals in higher education, but what does it mean to engage in professional development activities? How does an institution create an initiative that meets broad organizational goals while taking into account the specific needs of the individual? The University at Albany is one of four university centers in the state university system. Three campuses are home to 10 colleges and schools, numerous research centers, approximately 17,000 students, and 4,400 unionized faculty and staff. With a staff of 130, Information Technology Services (ITS) is the centralized provider of IT services; at least another 50 professional staff provide support locally in various colleges, schools, and centers. The distribution of staff at various stages of their careers required the ITS management team to think about avenues of professional development that would accommodate a variety of needs, expertise, and aspirations. The ITS management team quickly recognized that a professional development program would need to establish a balance across three priorities: (1) preparing staff for promotional opportunities; (2) building technical expertise; and (3) bringing fresh ideas to the organization. Examining the characteristics of the workforce and establishing a framework for a definition and goals for professional development clarified the importance of creating a model that considered the needs of both the organization and individual staff. This article presents a case study which demonstrates the development plan through the individual development plan (IDP) process for Lisa Trubitt, ITS staff member and assistant to the chief information officer (CIO). Trubitt is represented in the ITS demographic as a mid-career professional. A social scientist by training, her primary responsibilities include drafting IT policies, managing the governance process, and organizing and executing communication initiatives on behalf of the organization. A great deal of her time is spent on building relationships with customers and constituencies, as well as evaluating the success with which ITS conveys information to users on policies and broad communication issues. CIO Christine Haile initiated the IDP process. (Contains 1 figure.)