Academic development is increasingly complex and multi-faceted, and highly contextual. This study investigates why academic developers do what they do, within a continuing professional development (CPD) context. This qualitative research examines how six academic developers value their engagement in CPD and highlights five desired characteristics that form the basis for conceptualising and enacting a holistic approach to academic development. Findings show that academic development practice embraces concepts of dialogue, adaptive expertise, and connected communities with an emphasis on engaging with the disciplines and the larger purposes of higher education, as illuminated by the desired characteristics to sustain its value.