Association Brain Food: 10.16.26

The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community

barred owl on lichen-covered tree branch

Good Reads for the Association Community

Segmentation without automation. Sending one push notification to the entire membership is easy right up until a longtime member receives an invitation to the young professionals meetup. Clowder explains how your association’s mobile app can sort members into audiences based on their AMS records and what they do in the app. Learn which segments to build first and how to start small by cleaning only the records your first segment needs.

The renewal clock starts early. New members set their course toward renewal somewhere between three days and three weeks after joining, says Amanda Lea Kaiser (Kaiser Insights). The small choices they make about engaging during that window determine whether they renew, so a slow onboarding start can cost you the member. She explains what new members hope to find in those early days and how a short email series can give it to them without trying to solve every problem at once.

Before your AMS search. If a software search is on next year’s calendar, start with this guide from ASI/iMIS. It explains how a system preview lets you try the software with your own data and processes before you invest. You’ll also learn how to use peer references and independent review sites to hear from associations with needs like yours. Another section covers what to look for in a platform so your other tools connect to it and your data stays in one place.

Why they dropped the credential. Liz LeClair (Uprising Philanthropic) and Michelle Fuko (Queen’s University) each earned the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) because they heard it would bring them standing, but neither is keeping it. In a LinkedIn post, Fuko concludes she was buying a way for others to recognize knowledge and experience she already had. LeClair, who served on the CFRE International board and exam committee, still sees a place for credentialing. Her post covers the barriers to certification she observed and the affordable, stackable credentials she’d like to see instead.

Setting board priorities. Association boards have plenty of good ideas and a hard time choosing among them, says Sharon Kneebone (American Academy of Pain Medicine). When the board sees every initiative as mission-aligned, that won’t help anyone decide where limited resources go. She wants the board and CEO to agree on decision criteria once strategic priorities are approved, then share the reasoning with staff and committee leaders. Those criteria also protect the board-CEO relationship since the board sets the reasoning behind decisions and the CEO keeps the authority to recommend and act.

Non-dues revenue playbook. Your website, newsletter, and member directory can earn more than they do now. GrowthZone’s guide describes how associations make money with directory upgrades, sponsored podcast slots, tiered sponsorship packages, and more. The guide includes eight tactics, sample pricing, and a 90-day starter plan that won’t overload a small team.

Exhibit with a plan. After decades of running CES, Gary Shapiro (Consumer Technology Association) has seen exhibitors with modest budgets get great results and big spenders walk away with little. In this Fortune commentary, he credits the difference to strategy, a lesson he takes from Robyn Davis’ new book, Exhibit Smarter. Successful exhibitors set goals and train their staff long before the doors open. He also explains why face-to-face marketing still matters to buyers who want to meet the people behind a product.

Member data for member value. Your AMS may already hold much of the data you need to offer members a more personal experience. Gwen Garrison (Strategico Consultants) shows how to use AI to test whether that data is trustworthy and decide which fixes matter most. Once your data is in better shape, you can spot members like the annual meeting regular who may be waiting for a personal invitation to join a committee.

Association in the News

The Justice Department warned the American Bar Association of a potential antitrust probe over rules limiting the role of part-time law professors. The department said the limits on adjunct faculty hurt education and drive up tuition. | Dave Michaels, The Wall Street Journal (gift link)

If Brain Food has been useful to you or your team, or has helped your webinar marketing, please buy me a beer. One beer is only $5, and there’s a box you can check to make it monthly. Thanks!

You Never Grow Old at the Table

This week’s highlight: huge soft-shell crabs Jim brought home from a seafood market on the coast. I cook them simply, with butter and lemon, because that’s all they need. For our side, I roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon, red onion, garlic powder, and hot smoked paprika.

Softies might have been the highlight, but this creamy chicken Florentine was pretty darn good too. I doubled the recipe because I wanted lots of sauce for the gnocchi I added to the pan. I also added bacon, red bell pepper, and dried Italian herbs, and subbed onion for shallot and evaporated milk for cream, taking it all up a notch.

In this company, firecracker salmon is no slouch. We love its spicy and sweet punch. On the side, we had the usual roasted broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots with garlic powder and sweet smoked paprika.

About CAE credits: Per ASAE, “any continuing professional education offered by any professional entity may be accepted toward the [CAE] professional development requirement as long as it is directly related to either association or nonprofit management as defined by the CAE exam content outline.”

Hello, education providers: If you have a free webinar or event coming up, please send me the link by Wednesday afternoon the week before it’s scheduled. I’m happy to feature it as long as it’s not product-centric.

Fri 10/16 at 3 p.m.* – Nonprofit Consultants Collaborative Monthly Networking Meeting

This monthly networking meeting is organized by consultants for full-time consultants who work with non-profits and associations. You don’t have to be an ASAE member to attend. This month’s agenda topics include holiday messages for clients, plus sharing good news and taking questions from the group. More info/register.

Organizer: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting

*All events are online at Eastern Time unless otherwise noted.

Mon 10/19 at 8 a.m. – Beyond Governance: Building an AI-Ready Data Strategy (Radio Free 501c, the podcast of Rogue Tulips Consulting)

Every week, Rogue Tulips brings the association community intriguing guests who discuss vital topics affecting associations around the world. Episodes are published Monday mornings in both audio and video format, available on YouTube and the usual podcast channels.

Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, ACNP, LPEC, Principal & Founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting

Guest: Daniel Elacqua and Gwen Harrison of Strategico Consulting

Mon 10/19 at 1 p.m. – Off the Record: The Membership Challenges Keeping Us Up at Night

Bring the membership problem that follows you home at the end of the day to this informal Membership Mondays session. You’ll split into breakout rooms with other membership professionals to brainstorm ideas and solutions for each other’s challenges. Come ready to share your own challenge, offer a fresh perspective on someone else’s, and leave with a few ideas to try. More info/register (ASAE members only).

Host: ASAE

Tue 10/20 at 10:30 a.m. – Meditation Skills for Busy Lives

Take a pause from busyness and learn simple mindfulness practices to ease stress and reduce the feelings of burnout. These monthly sessions, designed to help you create space in your day, include: 5 minutes to arrive and settle in, 10 minutes of guided meditation practice, and 5 minutes for questions and reflection. Every month, we explore a new area of meditation and introduce a practical skill you can carry with you. Open to everyone, no prior meditation experience required. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Meditation leader: Moira Edwards, Owner & President, Ellipsis Partners

Tue 10/20 at 11 a.m. – The Executive Playbook for AI Ready Data Strategy

Learn how to build the data foundations required for responsible, scalable, and high-impact AI. Explore how to move from fragmented data environments to governed, trustworthy, decision-ready intelligence. Hear how to prioritize investments, avoid costly missteps, establish effective data leadership and accountability models, and maintain control across complex vendor and integration ecosystems. Learn how to connect data and AI investments to measurable business and mission outcomes, including efficiency, growth, and risk reduction. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers: Daniel Elacqua, Chief Executive Officer, and Christopher Maynard, Senior CIO Consultant, Strategico Consultants

Tue 10/20 at 12 p.m. – From Idea to Income, Part 2: How to Build It

Learn how to translate a topic into course outcomes before you build anything; plan a subject matter expert interview that gets you usable content without stalling the project; build a storyboard that carries a course from outline to published product; evaluate learning platform vendors against five questions that matter more than a feature list; and see how the link between your learning platform and member database affects whether the program survives year two. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: GrowthZone

Speaker: Angela Robbins, Ph.D., VP Global Business Development & Learning Solutions, Mission Fuel AI

Tue 10/20 at 12 p.m. – October Crunch and Munch: Driving Broader Member Engagement with an Inclusive Volunteer Recruitment

Volunteer members are the most engaged members, with a higher retention rate and more perceived value out of the association. Yet many associations don’t create a volunteer recruitment process that actually engages all members, instead relying on members bringing their friends along. Discuss what challenges exist in the volunteer engagement process, ways your association has tried to address them, and what small steps people have taken to improve their process so other people might learn from those. More info/register (ASAE members only).

Host: ASAE Component Relations Volunteer Management Advisory Council

Moderators: Justin Burniske and Sean Shindl

Tue 10/20 at 1 p.m. – Rethinking How Your Nonprofit Structures Its Reserves

Learn how to segment reserves by purpose as well as time horizon, including operating, planned, stability, strategic, and restricted reserves; how to size stability and planned spending reserves; what belongs in a reserve policy your board can adopt and maintain; and how that policy works alongside your Investment Policy Statement. Leave with a practical framework to bring back to your finance committee. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Raffa Investment Advisers

Tue 10/20 at 2 p.m. – Beyond Features: A Modern Framework for LMS Selection

Get a fresh look at LMS selection, including AI readiness, data privacy and security, migration planning, and why your implementation partner matters. Learn how to evaluate AI capabilities, assess privacy and security practices, avoid common selection pitfalls, and recognize the qualities of a strong implementation partner. More info/register.

Host: D2L

Speakers:

Robyn Hammontree, VP Academic Partnerships, D2L
Dr. Luke Hobson, Assistant Director of Instructional Design, MIT xPRO
Dr. Floyd L. Wormley Jr., Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Texas Christian University
Dr. Melissa Clayton, Assistant Director of Learning Technologies & Online Education, Texas Christian University
Dr. Fran Huckaby, Associate Provost of Faculty Affairs and Executive Director of the Koehler Center

Tue 10/20 at 2 p.m. – How Event Teams Use AI to Rethink Their Event Programs

Get a practical framework for using AI to change your event workflows, including how to find gaps, map use cases, prepare your data, define KPIs, assess your AI maturity, and win executive support. Leave with a clearer path to AI adoption, a stronger foundation for AI-ready data and measurement, and next steps you can apply right away. More info/register.

Host: Smart Meetings

Speakers: Allyson Keenan, Senior Manager, Event Technology and Operations, and Stephanie Sweetland, Senior Director, Marketing Systems, Cvent

Tue 10/20 at 3 p.m. – Sponsorship That Sticks: How to Build Corporate Partnerships That Renew Themselves

Learn why sponsors walk away (the reason is rarely the price tag); the proof points corporate decision-makers need to see before they approve a second investment; how to move the conversation from a transactional ask to a value-aligned partnership; how to keep the relationship alive between events; and how to identify the ROI metrics your sponsors track and put them front and center. More info/register.

Host: Cadmium

Speaker: Lori Zoss Kraska, MBA, CFRE, Founder/CEO, Growth Owl

Wed 10/21 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. – CMEpalooza Fall

CMEpalooza is a free, biannual, online conference geared toward individuals involved in the development and implementation of continuing medical education for healthcare professionals. Broadcasts will stream live and be available for viewing shortly after their conclusion. More info/register.

Hosts:

Derek Warnick, continuing healthcare education professional, founder of CMEpalooza
Scott Kober, MBA, Managing Partner, Excalibur Medical Education

Wed 10/21 from 9 :10a.m. to 5:30 p.m. – AMS Demo Days

See presentations from a limited number of industry partners that offer AMS platforms. AMS experts will be showcasing platforms and sharing their knowledge with the association market. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Participants: MemberSuite, MC Professional, GlueUp, Fonteva, Autrinity, MEM360, ReadyMembership, YourMembership, re:Members AMS Platform, Element AMS, ideal AMS

Wed 10/21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Nonprofit Consultants Collaborative Virtual Open House

Meet different consultants, ask them questions, get to know them, and find out more about the unique services they offer to associations and nonprofits. We are all independent experts delivering strategic custom solutions. More info/register.

Host: Nonprofit Consultants Collaborative

Wed 10/21 at 11 a.m. – From Panic to Action: Putting Cybersecurity into Practice

Through real-world case studies, explore how organizations identify vulnerabilities, prepare for threats, and respond when an incident occurs. Learn what to expect from your Managed Service Provider (MSP), where responsibilities lie, and how your critical systems and data are being protected. Get clear, actionable steps you can take today to reduce cyber risk, protect critical assets, and prepare for an incident. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions (AWTC)

Speakers:

Iulia Griffin, CEO and Co-Founder, The Cactus Group
Ryan O’Donnell, Vortacity Cyber & TrapLine.io
Kevin Fassanella, Director of Security and Compliance, designDATA
Nicole Araujo, CAE (facilitator), Senior Client Engagement Director, Mighty Citizen
Trace Wilkins (facilitator), Never Search Alone

Wed 10/21 at 1 p.m. – Beyond the 4.2: How to Get More Insightful, Actionable Feedback From Your Event Attendees

Explore how associations can get richer, more actionable feedback by rethinking what they ask, when they ask it, and how attendees are invited to respond. Look at how better open-ended questions, SMS, voice-to-text, and AI analysis can help uncover the why behind the rating including themes, sentiment, friction points, and practical opportunities to improve the next event. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Chris Bonney, Founder and CEO at DoTell Surveys

Wed 10/21 at 1 p.m. – The State of Associations (Association Tech Expert Series)

Hear what the panel’s organizations are seeing with their memberships, where opportunities are developing, and what all of this means for associations moving forward. Topics include recruiting volunteers and developing a robust leadership pipeline, how associations can lean into community as a strategic advantage, and the ways associations can leverage AI to better serve their members and industries. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Fonteva

Speakers:

Amy Kane, CAE, MBA, SVP, ABC of Georgia
Brandon Robinson, M.A., CEO, AGC of Virginia
James Thomas, Executive Director, ASHI
Anne Tomkinson, SVP People & Business Excellence, NAA

Wed 10/21 at 1 p.m. – Learning Business Roundtable

Spend 45 minutes in discussion with peers from other learning businesses. Recent meetings covered LMS selection and migration, low completion rates for long webinar recordings, using AI to turn session recordings into recaps, pricing a new certificate against low-cost competitors, and keeping leadership program participants from dropping out. The roundtable meets the first and third Wednesdays of each month, and is open to all learning business professionals. Email to get a calendar invitation.

Host: Leading Learning

Wed 10/21 at 1 p.m. – Project Management for Association Professionals

Elevate your project management skills with this session tailored specifically for learning professionals and designed to address the unique challenges of association projects. Hear practical strategies for identifying data, engaging stakeholders, developing teams, setting expectations, tasks, and resources while managing timelines for association initiatives. Learn how to utilize your strategic plan to develop effective project and implementation plans. Review the five phases of the project process including planning, kick-off, design, development, and implementation utilizing goals such as increasing program attendance, registration revenue or fostering an engaged community. More info/register.

Host: Dawn Tedesco

Wed 10/21 at 1 p.m. – Avoiding Leadership Limbo: Principles for Effective Transition Planning

Leadership transitions can arrive suddenly or be delayed by the hope that change is still far off. Either way, many organizations find themselves unprepared when the moment comes. Learn about the types of succession planning and outlines how nonprofits can proactively prepare for each. Through real-life scenarios, explore the practical steps needed to ensure continuity of operations, preserve institutional knowledge, and intentionally carry forward organizational culture. More info/register.

Host: Nonprofit Nav

Wed 10/21 at 1 p.m. – Sharpening Your Negotiating Skills with Vendors & Hotels + Your Salary

Learn how to define your negotiation goals and stick to them; why negotiating doesn’t mean being aggressive, and what to do instead; strategies for negotiating your salary and understanding your value; and the key differences between negotiating with vendors and with employers, and what works best with each. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Prevue Meetings & Incentives

Speakers:

Cheryl Payne, Strategic Partner, INNOV8 Meetings + Events
Mary Clare Darland, CIS, CITP, Sr. Manager, Sourcing & Supplier Relations, Brightspot Incentives & Events

Wed 10/21 at 1:30 p.m. – Meet CNG: Special Event at EXG 2026 (Providence, RI)

If you’re attending The I.C.E. Exchange, stop by the back of Innovation Hall to meet the Certification Network Group board. Learn how to join this free networking group, get involved with its virtual, DC, or Chicago program committees, present as a subject matter expert at a future CNG event, or explore sponsorship opportunities. Location: Providence, RI. More info/register.

Host: Certification Network Group (CNG)

Wed 10/21 at 2 p.m. – RevUP Summit Pre-Game: Amplify Your LinkedIn Presence

Learn five simple moves to strengthen your LinkedIn profile, then identify the people you want to meet and make your outreach more purposeful before RevUP 2026. Leave with practical actions you can use right away, and bring your profile, connection goals, and questions to the onsite RevUP Influence Lab for a personalized next step. More info/register.

Host: Professionals for Association Revenue (PAR)

Speaker: Colleen McKenna, Principal + Founder, Intero Advisory

Wed 10/21 at 2 p.m. – Connect Your Data, Scale Your Non-Dues Revenue: AI LMS meets AMS

Associations have valuable member, learning, and engagement data, but disconnected systems can make it difficult to turn that data into better member experiences and new non-dues revenue opportunities. Explore how connecting your AMS and LMS can create a more connected member experience, personalize learning, and unlock new opportunities through education and certification. Hear how AI is transforming association learning through personalized content, smarter recommendations, and actionable insights. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Speakers: Darrean Janes, Senior Strategic Partnerships & Growth Executive; Matt Peterson, CMP, LES, Relationship Director; and Shubham Sarvesh, LMS Expert | MapleLMS

Wed 10/21 at 2:30 p.m. – Event Contracts Exposed

Hear about the critical questions event professionals should be asking when important protections, responsibilities and remedies are absent from the contract. From supplier failure to perform and labour disruptions to renovations, ownership changes, undisclosed fees and other operational risks, we’ll look beyond the words on the page and ask: What should be in this contract, but isn’t? More info/register.

Host: Heather Reid, Planner Protect

Thu 10/22 from 9:15 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. – AMS Demo Days

Host: ASAE

Participants: Aplusify, iMIS by ASI, Cobalt AMS, re:Members AMS, Wicket, Naylor, Altai Systems, GrowthZone, Protech, Nimble AMS

Thu 10/22 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Strategy, Not Scare Tactics: Executive Leadership for Association Growth (Vienna, VA)

Participate in a live debate, a peer panel, and a hands-on incident tabletop exercise. Get a first-hour incident response plan guide; a clearer view of what your managed IT provider covers during an incident, and where the gaps could sit; language for the conversation with your board about AI risk and AI opportunity; and a room of peers who are making the same calls you are, and the insights they’ve gained along the way. Location: Vienna, VA. CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: designDATA

Thu 10/22 at 11 a.m. – Business Artistry in Associations: Moving from Transaction to Transformation

If you look at the average association website, you’ll see a home page that features a wall of products, events, and news. As a result, members often view their associations as vendors—distributors of products to buy or register for. Learn about the principles of Business Artistry: actionable insights that can be applied to all parts of association operations. Discover how shifting from a product-first mindset to human-centered artistry can transform member recruitment, event experiences, publications, and even daily communications. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Joanna M. Pineda, CEO & Chief Troublemaker, Matrix Group International, Inc.
Nir Hindie, Founder, The Artian

Thu 10/22 at 12 p.m. – Embracing Visibility to Build Your Brand

Learn practical strategies for becoming more intentionally visible without feeling as though you must become someone you are not. Through guided reflection, practical examples, participant interaction, and individual planning, find out about visibility approaches that align with who you are while encouraging you to stretch beyond your current comfort zones. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: The Alliance for Women in Associations

Speaker: Jacqueline M. Baker, leadership strategist, keynote speaker, author, modern etiquette expert, and founder of Scarlet

Thu 10/22 at 12 p.m. – The Membership Flywheel™: Stop Guessing, Start Building Momentum

Explore the Membership Flywheel™, a framework for building real, lasting momentum in your organization. Learn how to map your organization’s Membership Flywheel™ and pinpoint where momentum is building or leaking; define a clear member promise that attracts the right people from the start; reduce friction at each stage, from first invitation through renewal; and build participation pathways that turn new members into long-term advocates. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: GrowthZone

Speaker: Jim Thompson, CAE, IOM, founder and CEO, Tying It Together Consulting

Thu 10/22 at 12 p.m. – Cybersecurity Awareness Month Training

In honor of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, 501CISO is offering live, expert-led cybersecurity training sessions for association staff. What your team will learn: cybercrime now runs like an assembly line, and associations are on the target list; AI is fuel on the fire; in a live, interactive email review, staff learn to catch lookalike domains and spoofed senders; deepfakes and payment fraud—how voice and video cloning work, and why you double-check anything involving money; and simple rules to protect your data when staff use AI tools. More info/register.

Host: 501CISO

Thu 10/22 at 1 p.m. – From “What We Do” to “Why Members Care”: Building a Stronger Association Value Proposition

Learn a practical brand strategy framework that associations can use to clarify who they serve, what they offer, why it matters, and how they deliver value differently. Hear how to write a value proposition and strategy statement that support stronger messaging, better internal alignment, and more meaningful member engagement. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers: Cheri Quinn, Director of Brand Strategy, and Emily Youngblood, Client Services Director, Mercury Creative Group

Thu 10/22 at 1 p.m. – From Tech Debt to Technology That Delivers

Learn how to recognize the hidden costs of disconnected systems, duplicate capabilities, manual workarounds, multiple member logins, and inconsistent data; decide whether to optimize, integrate, consolidate, replace, or retire each technology investment; evaluate tools for strategic alignment, adoption, member and staff experience, and readiness for AI; and turn what you find into a 90-day technology action plan to finish before 2027. More info/register.

Host: Higher Logic

Speakers:

Derek Landes, Director of Research & Technology, Missouri Rural Health Association
Brendan Leehe, Sr. Customer Growth & Retention Manager, Higher Logic

Thu 10/22 at 1 p.m. – From Intention to Action: Using “Inspire, Hire, Train, Retain” to Support Disability Inclusion in Volunteer Engagement

Get to know Inspire, Hire, Train, Retain (IHTR), a free, customizable toolkit for disability-inclusive workplace practices, and learn how to apply it to volunteer administration, from recruitment and role design through onboarding, supervision, and retention. Get practical strategies for designing and championing volunteer programs where people with disabilities can contribute, belong, and thrive. More info/register.

Hosts: Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration (CCVA) and Idealist

Speaker: Larissa Haluszka-Smith, CVA, Manager, Volunteer Resources, Women’s College Hospital, Toronto

Thu 10/22 at 2 p.m. – From Learning to Careers: What Members Really Want from Professional Development

The 2026 Association Trends Research found differences in financial stability, promotions, and access to career resources between members and nonmembers. Learn how to set association learning apart from generic, outdated, or inaccurate online content; how career technology can create an always-on career and learning engine; and the growing role of microcredentials and continuous skill development in member value. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Momentive Software

Speakers:

Helen Mosher, CAE, Founder and Publisher, Association Career Corner
Kristen Wall, VP, Learning and Training Services, Momentive Software
Chelsey Wilson, Sr. Director, Marketing Communications, Momentive Software

Thu 10/22 at 2 p.m. – Your Members Care, So Why Aren’t They Engaged? How Associations Turn Shared Purpose Into Participation

Many members believe in your association’s mission but never get around to participating. Learn how to identify the barriers that keep members from contributing, write clear and manageable invitations to get involved, and show members the difference their participation makes, so their shared sense of purpose becomes practical involvement. More info/register.

Host: Tradewing

Thu 10/22 at 2 p.m. – Balancing Risk, Resilience and Growth

Learn how operational, technology, cybersecurity, and AI risks are increasingly connected; why risk visibility and governance matter to leadership teams; how organizations strengthen resilience while supporting growth and innovation; and practical approaches for assessing risk and setting priorities. More info/register.

Host: Wipfli

Speakers: Carrie Connell (moderator), Partner; Matt Sabo, Director; Jeff Olejnik, Partner; and Tom Loring, Partner | Wipfli

Thu 10/22 at 3 p.m. – Agentic Advocacy: Building an AI-Powered Community

See how Infor’s community team uses AI and Higher Logic Vanilla to improve the member experience. Hear how thoughtful automation reduces manual work, helps members reach value sooner, and moves them from participating to advocating. Get practical ideas for routing unanswered questions to the right experts, creating onboarding experiences your team can update easily, and engaging members through structured ambassador missions. More info/register.

Host: Higher Logic

Speakers:

Mary Green, Director of Community Platforms, Infor, and Founder of CMA Weekly
Marius Ciortea, Chief Community Officer, Higher Logic

Thu 10/22 at 3:30 p.m. – Is Your Membership Marketing Keeping Up?

Explore why traditional “join us” membership marketing may not be enough anymore; what members are really looking for beyond information and access; why human connection and community may become an increasingly important part of an association’s value proposition; the connection between marketing, member experience, and retention; why associations need to communicate value before someone is ready to renew; what associations can learn from other membership and community-based businesses; and how AI and changing member expectations may change what people expect from their associations. More info/register.

Host: Kim Robinson, CEO of FrontlineCo

Speaker: Kelly Howard, membership marketing strategist, Membership Marketing Lab

Thu 10/22 at 5:30 p.m. CT – Beyond Membership: The Revenue Shift Associations Can’t Afford to Ignore (Chicago, IL)

Learn how to evaluate your reliance on dues and identify opportunities to diversify revenue; explore non-dues revenue levers including certification, digital learning, sponsored content, and strategic partnerships; and leave with practical steps to fit those opportunities into your existing structure without overloading your team. Location: Chicago, IL. More info/register.

Host: D2L

Speaker: Bill Sheehan, Global Head of Association Strategy, D2L

Mon 10/26 at 12 p.m. – Cybersecurity Awareness Month Training

Host: 501CISO

Tue 10/27 at 12 p.m. – From Idea to Income, Part 3: How to Sell It

In the final session of this series, learn how to win over the people who control the money first, then bring everyone else along. Start with a three-year revenue projection your board can believe, with every assumption shown. Learn how to position the program as something membership already includes, plan an eight-week pre-launch runway, and win back members who tried an earlier version. You’ll also get a five-slide sequence for board approval and six metrics to track once you’re approved. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: GrowthZone

Speaker: Angela Robbins, Ph.D., VP Global Business Development & Learning Solutions, Mission Fuel AI

Tue 10/27 at 12 p.m. – What Matters to Associations in 2026: Highland’s 3rd Annual YPMI National Report and Career Partnership for Young Professionals

Based on Highland’s 2026 Young Professional Membership Index (YPMI) National Report, learn four actions that matter most for engaging young professionals when time and resources are limited: lead with intent through executive sponsorship and board commitment; design experiences that meet functional, social, and emotional needs; become a career partner through peer-to-peer learning; and build mobile-first access to community and learning. Hear about the AI Horizon Profile, which places associations in three stages of AI maturity. More info/register.

Hosts: Forj and Highland

Speakers:

David Whited, Principal, Design Research & Strategy, Highland
Terri Herrmann, Chief Marketing Officer, Forj

Tue 10/27 at 1 p.m. – A Decade of Engagement Data: What Associations Need to Do Differently

MCI’s Association Engagement Index has surveyed more than 40,000 members and customers across 119 associations over the past ten years. Hear association leaders who have taken part in the index look past the numbers at what has changed, what has stayed surprisingly consistent, and what associations can do differently in the next decade. Learn what the engagement gap between younger and older members tells us and how to move people from consuming content to contributing and co-creating. More info/register.

Host: MCI

Speakers:

Erin Fuller, FASAE, CAE, Global Head, Association Solutions, MCI
Peter O’Neil, FASAE, CAE, CEO, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
Nikki Walker, Strategic Advisor & Global Consultant
Viola Marx, Director, Insidery

Tue 10/27 at 1 p.m. – The Executive Compensation Gap: How Deferred Compensation Plans Help Associations Compete for and Keep Top Talent

Base salary and a standard retirement match often aren’t enough to recruit and keep top executives. Learn how 457(b) and 457(f) deferred compensation plans can help associations put together competitive, flexible executive offers that encourage leaders to stay. Hear how the two plans differ, how to evaluate your current compensation approach, and how to present a strong total compensation story to your board and to candidates. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Speakers:

Jason Dwyer, DPFA, QKA, Founder, Jackson Avenue Advisors
Josh Kopec, AIF, CPFA, Partner, Retirement Plan Practice Leader, Connor & Gallagher OneSource
Kevin Salk, CPFA, Director of Investments, Oppenheimer & Co.
Shelly Howard-Horwitz, AIF, CPFA, Managing Director, Atlanta & Washington DC, World Investment Advisors

Wed 10/28 at 11 a.m. – The Human Algorithm: How AI Makes Big Events Feel Personal

Learn what attendees now expect from event tools, websites, directories, and search; which inputs best match people to the right person or session, and how to collect them at sign-up without adding friction; which moments still deserve a personal touch, such as VIP curation or concierge service; three questions to test any personalization feature before launch; and how to measure success through signals such as meeting fulfillment and participant ratings of conversations. More info/register.

Host: Grip

Speakers:

Laila Hawe, Director of Marketing, Manifest, Hyve Group
Meera Somji, Co-Founder, Grow This Event
Hew Leith, SVP of Marketing, Grip

Wed 10/28 at 12 p.m. – Building Trust and Growing Membership in a Challenging Landscape:  A Look at the Anatomy of One Association’s Successful Membership Recruitment Campaign

Hear a case study examining how an integrated communications campaign helped the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) grow membership recruitment among federal employees at one of the most challenging times in history for this workforce.  Get an inside look at the strategy, execution, and results behind the campaign. Hear fresh insights from association membership and marketing professionals on the priorities, challenges, and barriers shaping association membership growth today. More info/register.

Host: .orgCommunity

Speakers:

Shannon McDaniel, Executive Vice President, BRG Communications
Alexandra Markarian, Director of Sales, Street Level Studio
Nora MacDonald, Director of Member Engagement, NARFE

Wed 10/28 at 12 p.m. – The Invisible Funnel: Converting Anonymous Traffic Into Known, Engaged Prospects

Most of your website visitors may never fill out a form. Learn how behavioral analytics, intent data, cookie tracking, and reverse IP tools can reveal what anonymous visitors care about, help you segment them, and turn them into known contacts. The session is aimed at associations that want to grow audiences, improve event registrations, and increase demand without increasing spending. More info/register.

Host: HighRoad Solutions

Wed 10/28 at 12 p.m. – Frightening Fraud: Critical Thinking & Prevention Habits in the Age of AI

As AI-powered scams grow more common, learn where critical thinking matters most in fraud prevention. You’ll assess the fraud vulnerabilities that call for human judgment and pick up habit-based strategies that strengthen your controls and reduce everyday fraud risk. The session is designed for nonprofit finance professionals, executives, board members, and others responsible for safeguarding nonprofit resources. More info/register.

Host: YPTC (Your Part-Time Controller)

Wed 10/28 at 2 p.m. – Uncovering Overlooked Advocates

Learn how associations use advocacy data to uncover overlooked advocates, identify emerging leaders, understand where engagement drops off, and create intentional pathways that turn participation into deeper advocacy involvement. Explore the signals behind those decisions. Advocacy actions are only one part of a member’s story. When campaign activity can be understood alongside membership, events, communications, relationships, and other engagement data, associations gain a much clearer picture of who their advocates are, what motivates them, and where opportunities for deeper engagement may be hiding. More info/register.

Host: The Advocacy Association

Speakers:

Seth Turner, Director, Grassroots Advocacy & Stakeholder Engagement for the National Apartment Association
Ben Muscolino, Founder and CEO of AMS Geek

Wed 10/28 at 2 p.m. – Make It Personal: How to Make Every Attendee Feel Seen

The best events make attendees feel valued, and attendees who feel valued engage more, learn more, and make stronger connections. Industry experts share ways planners can personalize the attendee experience, including how to tailor the agenda to attendees’ needs and interests, add meaningful personalization without a large budget, and build accessibility and inclusion into event design. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Northstar Meetings Group

Speakers:

Lisa Schulteis, Founder, ElectraLime Marketing
Elise Schoening (moderator), Editor, Meeting News, and Senior Editor, Northstar Meetings Group

Thu 10/29 at 11 a.m. – AWTC Open Doors

Open Doors is a monthly online gathering for AWTC members—45 minutes designed for genuine connection, discussion, and problem solving. With rotating hosts from the AWTC community, volunteers, board, and other leaders in the field, it’s a space to meet new members, deepen existing relationships, and tap into the collective expertise of the community. Each session opens with an ice breaker, moves into a featured topic or AMA, and includes a “Situation Room” where members can bring a real challenge and gather insight from peers. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Thu 10/29 at 12 p.m. – From Ranked to Recommended: Winning Visibility in the Age of AI Answers

Online visibility used to mean ranking high in search results. Now your association needs to be understood, trusted, and recommended in AI-generated answers. Hear about answer engine optimization (AEO), examples of how associations appear in AI answers, and what influences whether your organization and content are treated as trusted sources. Learn how AEO builds on traditional SEO and get next steps for improving your visibility and content citations. More info/register.

Host: Association Xchange (AXC)

Speakers: Merrik Kressley, Senior Digital Marketing Strategist, and Alyssa Hulka, Chief Experience Officer, Accella

Thu 10/29 at 12 p.m. –Managing the Rising Costs of Healthcare for Nonprofits

Learn how to manage rising healthcare costs while still offering benefits that attract talent. Get an overview of healthcare market trends in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia region, the difference between large and small group ratings, and how the bidding process works. Hear about cost-control options, including changing metal tiers and using Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements (ICHRAs), to reduce expenses without lowering benefit quality. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: FAR (formerly the Finance & Administration Roundtable)

Speakers:

Kelly Martin, Executive Director, AMHIC
Chris Mullins, Senior Managing Principal, OneDigital Mid-Atlantic
Joe Apa, Senior Partner, The Baldwin Group

Thu 10/29 at 1 p.m. – Keep the Tiers, Fix the Matrix: A Better Way to Structure Sponsorships

Sponsorship tiers themselves aren’t the problem. The problem is what the matrix is asked to do: bundle products and perks together under one price, and then START the sales conversation. Learn why a traditional sponsorship matrix can make buying harder, not easier; what works about tiers and bundles—and what I’d change; how to create more flexibility without creating an operational nightmare for your team; a practical hybrid approach that blends structure with customization; and two things you can start doing this month to move in this direction. More info/register.

Host: Carrie McIntyre, Navigate CES

Thu 10/29 at 1 p.m. – Meeting Modern Member Expectations: How AI and Technology Can Add Value

How members see their association’s technology is closely tied to how satisfied they are with their membership. Momentive Software’s 2026 Membership Study found that members who see their organization as an early technology adopter are far more likely to be very satisfied than those who see it as a laggard. Explore how to align technology with member expectations, personalize content, deliver timely support, and balance automation with privacy and human connection. More info/register.

Host: Momentive Software

Speakers:

Kapil Kher, Chief Information Officer, U.S. Green Building Council
Matt Rist, VP of Product Management, Momentive Software
Rich Vallaster, MBA, CEM, AAiP, QAS, Senior Director, Industry Strategy, Momentive Software

Thu 10/29 at 3 p.m. – Your First AI Automation: Start Small, Prove Value

Many association teams know AI can help but aren’t sure where to begin. Learn a practical framework for choosing your first AI automation that covers the two tests a task should pass before you automate it, workflows with the highest return for small teams, and tasks better left with people. Get a simple way to compare automation costs against staff time saved, then map your own first workflow so you leave with a use case your team can evaluate right away. More info/register.

Host: Farhad Khan, CEO, Member Lounge

Made it this far? How about buying me a beer in appreciation of what you’ve learned and what you will learn?

Association Brain Food Weekly is published Friday mornings. If you offer free professional development to the association community, please send me the link by Wednesday afternoon.

Creative Commons licensed photo by Philip Brown via Unsplash

Amazon, AssociationBrainFood.com, and Association Academy links allow me to earn a royalty and/or complimentary registration from any resulting leads or sales. Thank you!

Association Brain Food: 10.9.26

The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community

a lake in the fall with the reflection of trees with multi-colored leaves on its edge

Good Reads for the Association Community

“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” —Wayne Dyer

Welcome to new subscribers who landed here thanks to Helen Mosher’s profile of me and Association Brain Food in her newsletter, Association Career Corner. I’m a freelance writer who used to work in associations and now writes blog posts and guides about association management for industry partners. I’ve also published this newsletter for more than a decade.

Curation as generosity. I’m honored to be Helen’s first guest in the Corner Café, a new feature of her newsletter. She tells the story of how Brain Food began, then closes with a perfect take on content curation: done well, it’s a person sharing something they found interesting because they thought you might too. Helen brings that same generosity to association careers. Subscribe for the job openings if you’re looking, and for her tips and recommended reads even if you aren’t.

Certificate vs. certification. In this Association Adviser interview, Adrienne Bryant (Customer Experience Professionals Association) clears up the confusion between a certificate and a certification, and why you need to know the difference. The right choice depends on whether you need to learn a skill or prove you already have it. She explains what each credential tells employers and clients about you, and she shares the questions to ask before you spend time and money on one.

Board buy-in for learning. Education programs often show up in board discussions as a budget line. This D2L guide helps you make the case that learning brings in revenue and gives members a reason to renew. Executives from several associations share how they won over their boards. You’ll learn how to back up your request with member data and early results, so the board can see what the investment will return.

Free newsletter course for associations. The Association Newsletter Success Certificate Course from Association Academy covers everything from strategy to delivery. You’ll work through goals and metrics, formatting, design and copy, AI-assisted production, and the technical work that keeps your newsletters out of spam folders. Chris Gloede (Ricochet) teaches six live online classes starting October 22, and you can earn up to six CAE credits. Use the referral code BRAINFOODFREE to register for free.

A sponsorship gut check. Bruce Rosenthal and Lori Zoss Kraska explain why so many associations default to tiered packages of logos and podium shout-outs, and why those benefits leave senior executives at partner companies wanting more. Benefits designed around each partner’s goals make renewals and bigger commitments more likely. Their short self-assessment at the end helps you judge whether your top package offers enough beyond recognition to justify the price.

Profit protects the mission. While interviewing association leaders for her Mission and Margin white paper series, Deanna Varga (Mayvin Global) kept hearing requests to leave out the words “profit” and “commercial.” She challenges that squeamishness here, arguing that financial strength protects an association’s purpose. Her post shares what she learned from the series’ case studies, including why leaders make better decisions when revenue, risk, and innovation are part of the same conversation.

Before you buy awards software. If your awards program still runs on spreadsheets, this OpenWater guide tells you what that manual work costs your association and what an upgrade should include. It lists what to ask about before you sign with a vendor, including integration, real-time support, user experience, scalability, and whether you can trust the testimonials the vendor shows you.

Rethinking the federated model. Don Scott Knox (Civica Associations, Conferences & Exhibitions) asks whether today’s members get more value from independent chapters and state societies or from a single national organization with central dues collection and shared technology. He explains why the reasons associations adopted the federated structure often no longer apply, and why integration still takes years when volunteers worry about losing their chapter’s independence.

The neglected middle of the learning path. Associations often leave the long stretch between discovering a profession and earning a credential to chance, and that’s when members go elsewhere for help. Elizabeth Moore (Holmes Corporation) shows how to build a connected learning portfolio that serves members and earns revenue at every stage of their careers. She also shares lessons from leaders at AFCPE and CFRE International about deciding which program to add next.

Snacks

After hearing testimony dominated by accounts of antisemitism, a federal advisory panel recommended suspending the American Psychological Association’s accrediting authority for failing to address discrimination. | Sally Satel, The Free Press

Job hunters, along with subscribing to Association Career Corner, keep an eye on my LinkedIn “likes.” I like many of the association job postings in my feed, and the more I like, the more the algorithm sends my way.

You Never Grow Old at the Table

I knew I wanted cod for dinner but wasn’t sure which way to go with it. Then, I remembered my recipe for fish with bold breadcrumbs. The topping is “bold” because it’s full of onion, sweet and hot pepper, garlic, and sweet paprika. For our side, I roasted broccoli florets and stems, carrot, cauliflower, and red onion with garlic powder and smoked paprika.

Temperatures here in North Carolina finally dropped this past weekend, so to celebrate, I made pasta with a red calamari sauce, my Christmas Eve recipe that works any time of year. We had cheesy garlic bread and leftover roasted vegetables on the side.

When ground lamb went on sale, I stocked the freezer and realized it had been a long time since I’d made shepherd’s pie. My version has mashed sweet potato on top because, although I’m three-quarters Irish, I do live in North Carolina. My recipe comes from The Irish Pub Cookbook by Margaret Johnson. Sorry, I couldn’t find the recipe online, which is a shame because this one’s a keeper.

Fri 10/9 at 1 p.m.* – Proposal Party: Brainstorming Your Next Conference Session

Calls for proposals are open for ASAE’s Membership, Marketing, Communications and Technology Conference, as well as for state society events including the Florida Society of Association Executives and the Pennsylvania Society of Association Executives. This session is a chance to work on your ideas with other consultants before you submit. More info/register (ASAE members only).

Host: ASAE Key Consultants Committee

*All events are online at Eastern Time unless otherwise noted.

Mon 10/12 at 12 p.m. – AWTC Virtual Co-Working Session

Virtual co-working is an online gathering where participants spend dedicated time working alongside one another. In the first five minutes, brief introductions: your name, organization, and the project, task, idea, or decision you hope to make progress on or complete during the session. This is not a webinar or presentation; it’s protected time to work alongside your AWTC champions. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions (AWTC)

Tue 10/13 at 12 p.m. – From Idea to Income, Part 1: What to Create

Learn what every association must answer before creating a new non-dues revenue online learning program; whether your program needs a launch or a relaunch; how to do a fast needs assessment to determine what members will genuinely pay for; how to build a revenue model for your own program; and how to write three measurable success targets and assign a named owner to each lane of the work. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: GrowthZone

Speaker: Angela Robbins, Ph.D., VP Global Business Development & Learning Solutions, Mission Fuel AI

Tue 10/13 at 12 p.m. – Tech Tuesday: AI + Your Tech Stack: Opportunities, Risks, and Considerations

What happens when AI moves from a standalone tool to one that can access your organization’s data and systems? What opportunities does that create? What risks should you consider? And how are your peers approaching these decisions? Bring your questions and perspective as we discuss some of the realities of bringing AI into your technology ecosystem, including AI integrations, governance, and security. More info/register (ASAE members only).

Host: ASAE

Facilitators:

Reggie Henry, CAE
Dave Coriale, CAE, President, DelCor Technology Solutions

Guest: Andrew Leggett, Director of Cybersecurity, DelCor

Tue 10/13 at 12 p.m. – On The Hunt

A monthly, community-driven virtual gathering designed to support AWTC members who are exploring new opportunities, navigating a job search, or considering their next move. Connect with peers, share insights, exchange leads and resources, and stay encouraged through the job-hunting process. Each session includes informal discussion, optional themed topics, and space for participants to reflect on their next steps to create momentum while prioritizing connection, flexibility, and community support. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions (AWTC)

Tue 10/13 at 1 p.m. – Retention Reimagined: Building an AI-Ready Member Retention Strategy

Retention is no longer a one-time renewal task – it is a year-round engagement ecosystem. Learn how to move from reactive renewals to predictive member engagement with AI-enabled insights and continuous value delivery. More info/register.

Host: Causeis

Tue 10/13 at 1 p.m. – The Battle Within: Breakthrough Starts in the Mind

Learn how mindset, energy, and internal narratives shape performance far more than strategy or skill alone. Using principles of Conscious Leadership and growth-oriented thinking, learn to recognize the hidden patterns that influence their choices, reactions, and outcomes. Get tools to shift out of reactive, limiting mindsets into intentional, empowered, and possibility-driven leadership—creating sustained success from the inside out. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Speaker: Marvin Chambers, Executive Coach, Leadership Strategist, Speaker, and Founder of Onyx Leadership Collective

Wed 10/14 at 11 a.m. – Clarity Before the Demo: Getting More Out of ASAE’s AMS Demo Days

Demos are designed to impress. Without a clear framework for what you’re looking for, it’s easy to leave with a lot of information and not much direction. This session gives you the tools to evaluate what you see with confidence. More info/register.

Host: Ellipsis Partners

Speakers: Moira Edwards, CAE, President and CEO, and Rhoni Rakos, AAiP, Vice President, Ellipsis Partners

Wed 10/14 at 11 a.m. – Office Hours for LMS Buyers: Shortlisting with the 2026 LMS Awards Winners

The 2026 Talented Learning LMS Awards have just recognized top solutions across key categories worldwide. Learn how to use this independent market intelligence, along with use-case filters and research frameworks, to quickly identify qualified vendors and build a smarter shortlist. More info/register.

Host: Talented Learning

Speaker: John Leh, CEO and Lead Analyst at Talented Learning

Wed 10/14 at 11 a.m. – Conquer Impostor Syndrome to Advance Your Career

Explore the roots of impostor syndrome, including where it comes from, how it shows up and what you can do to move through it with more confidence and courage. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Speaker: Kim Meninger, Keynote Speaker, Leadership Coach, Consultant Human-Centered Leadership, WBENC Women’s Business Enterprise

Wed 10/14 at 12 p.m. – How Associations Are Using AI to Improve Learner Engagement, Efficiency, and Outcomes

Explore how learning businesses are using AI to develop new products and strengthen the value of learning programs to support revenue growth and differentiation; personalize learning using learner data and real-time support to increase engagement, uncover knowledge and content gaps, and improve outcomes; and develop and update content more efficiently while streamlining program management and administrative workflows. More info/register.

Host: .orgCommunity

Speaker: Ashish Rangnekar, CEO and Co-Founder, BenchPrep

Wed 10/14 at 12:30 p.m. – How IDFA Proves the Value of Membership

Hear about how IDFA measures what’s working for members—and how they put a dollar amount on the ROI; the framework behind where IDFA invests, where it supports, and where it keeps watch; how it serves different member segments, without segmenting internal departments; how it keeps a wait-and-see industry up to speed on AI; and how it grows non-dues revenue by listening instead of pitching. More info/register.

Host: TaleWind Digital

Speakers:

Tom Wojno, Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy & Operating Officer, IDFA
Dan Stevens, President, TaleWind Digital

Wed 10/14 at 1 p.m. – Beyond Technology: The Human Side of Association Transformation

Learn about the key drivers making change management essential for associations, from shifting member expectations to AI; strategies to build alignment and engagement across boards, staff, volunteers, and members; and approaches for leading and influencing organizational change. More info/register.

Host: D2L

Speakers: Bill Sheehan, global head of association strategy, and Erin Robson, change management consultant, D2L

Wed 10/14 at 1 p.m. – One Webinar, Three Jobs: Using AI to Turn Association Content Into Learning, Marketing, and Member Growth

Your association does not have a content problem. It has a reuse problem. See how one recorded webinar becomes a member learning asset, a marketing sequence, and a nurture track, using AI with human judgment in the seat that matters. Real before and after examples, honest costs, and the operating rhythm that keep the work alive past launch. More info/register.

Hosts: Lada Consulting and Iceberg Digital Marketing

Wed 10/14 at 2 p.m. – Community Benchmark Briefing: The Strategies Behind High Engagement

Get highlights from the 2026 Association Community Benchmark Report, along with real-world strategies for improving participation, strengthening member connections, helping members find relevant content, and making community management more effective. More info/register.

Host: Higher Logic

Speakers: Georgina Donahue, Director, Community Innovation & Strategy; Kelly Whelan, Senior Content Marketing Manager; Erin York, Sr. Strategic Advisor; and Bekah Weidner, Strategic Advisor, Higher Logic

Wed 10/14 at 2 p.m. – One Staff, One Strategy: How ASLA Made AI Everyone’s Job

Learn how ASLA turned its all-staff meetings into a recurring stage for AI adoption, and why that structure works better than a top-down mandate or a single innovation team. See ASLA team members walk through actual wins from their own departments, real tools, workflows, and outcomes, not hypotheticals. Get a working model to take home and adapt, grounded in what’s already paying off across a real association. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Speakers:

Daniel Martin, Honorary ASLA, Managing Director, Development, The American Society of Landscape Architects
Greg Cohen, CPA, Chief Financial and Operations Officer, The American Society of Landscape Architects
Whitney Mitchell, Professional Development Senior Manager, The American Society of Landscape Architects
Rich Vallaster, CEM, QAS, AAiP (moderator), Senior Director of Industry Relations and Thought Leadership, Momentive Software

Wed 10/14 at 2 p.m. – Ask the Attorney: Challenges in Contracting

Possible topics to be addressed: how to cover sustainability in your agreements, negotiation tactics that work today, where to use AI best when writing contracts, and current trends in data privacy and security clauses. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Northstar Meetings Group

Speaker: Emily Hardin, associate general counsel for Maritz

Wed 10/14 at 4:30 p.m. CT – 2026 AWTC Fall Happy Hour (Chicago, IL)

Come network with the AWTC community of women and allies. All are welcome. This IRL opportunity to socialize and network with your industry peers is brought to you by the generous support of our sponsors. Location: Chicago, IL. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions (AWTC)

Thu 10/15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Beacon’s 2026 AMS AI Showcase

AI is showing up in nearly every AMS conversation. The harder part is understanding what each vendor can actually do today. See multiple AMS providers demonstrate their current AI capabilities in one place, along with a look at where they’re investing next—a much clearer way to compare platforms, assess what is practical now, and understand how different vendors are approaching AI. More info/register.

Host: Beacon Tech Research

Participants: iMIS, Journey Care, Member Smart AC, Membes, Ready Membership, re:Members, Evolve AMS, Toucan Tech, Euclid ClearVantage AMS, Autrinity, Communa, Glue Up

Thu 10/15 at 11 a.m. – How to Maximize LinkedIn for AI Search Visibility

An intentional LinkedIn strategy can significantly help brands increase their visibility on AI engines, capturing high-intent B2B buyers who use AI tools for vendor recommendations and procurement research. Get a recap on the latest LinkedIn news, recent algorithm changes, and what this means for B2B marketers. Learn about the kind of content you should publish, Pulse article best practices, optimizing for AI retrieval, using your founders’ profiles, building a strong brand entity, and hacking LinkedIn URL structure. More info/register.

Host: Nexus Marketing

Speaker: Jenny Russ, Client Solutions Manager, Nexus Marketing

Thu 10/15 at 12 p.m. – Creating Engaging Events

Learn about the most crucial time to engage participants, what both newcomers and long-timers are looking for, why the word “networking” is terrifying, and what to say and do instead. Get dozens of ideas you can implement quickly. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: GrowthZone

Speaker: Amanda Lea Kaiser, engagement strategist and author of Elevating Engagement

Thu 10/15 at 1 p.m. – Keep the Tiers, Fix the Matrix: A Better Way to Structure Sponsorships

Host: Carrie McIntyre, Navigate CES

Thu 10/15 at 1 p.m. – Beyond the Credential: How Associations Are Building Learning Portfolios That Grow Careers and Programs

Many associations offer a strong mix of education, training, and credentials, but those programs don’t always connect clearly for learners. Explore how associations can think more strategically about their full professional development portfolio—connecting learning, skill development, and credentialing into career pathways that meet professionals at different stages of their journey. Review the INFORMS Certified Analytics Professional ecosystem, an example of multiple entry points and pathways for professionals at different career stages. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Prolydian

Speakers:

Carol Curley, MBA, PMI, Director of Education & Industry Programs, INFORMS
Tracy King, MA, CAE, CEO & Founder, InspirEd
Adrienne Sutton, IOM, COO, Soar Forward Solutions / Limitless
Alina Cooper, CAE (moderator), Director of Business Development and Marketing, Prolydian

Thu 10/15 at 1:30 p.m. – Beauty in the Kaleidoscope of Neurodivergence

Explore when, why, and how associations can make neurodivergence a strength—not a liability—for members and staff, with a special focus on association events, including activities that make some of us cringe when others thrive. Learn how event planners, including those with a tight budget and a small team, can bridge those differences for a stronger meeting. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Insight Guide

Speakers:

Dr. Michael Carr-Tatonetti, Founder & CEO Pricing for Associations
Brian Kirkland, CAE, Director of Event Program Development, National Association of Community Health Centers
Barbara Armentrout, CAE (moderator), Founder, BJA Solutions for Associations
Teri Carden (hostess), COO, Insight Guide

Thu 10/15 at 2 p.m. – Chapter Nightmares: The Scary Problems Keeping CRPs Up at Night

Learn about seven chapter monsters haunting CRPs everywhere. We’ll name the problem, flag the warning signs, and hand you practical solutions to send each one back where it came from. Get a framework for evaluating whether to revive, merge, or retire struggling chapters; strategies for succession planning and building leadership pipelines; ways to turn passive boards into engaged, decision-making ones; a model for turning chapters into strategic listening posts; and tools for simplifying bloated governance and reporting requirements. More info/register.

Host: re:Members

Speaker: Peggy Hoffman FASAE, CAE, President, Mariner Management and Marketing

Thu 10/15 at 2 p.m. – The Final 36 Months: Six Still-Crucial Questions for Fit-for-Purpose Association Boards

On January 1, 2027, the final 36 months of The Turbulent Twenties will begin. The association community must act immediately to prepare for the 2030s by asking harder questions today. Join this conversation around six still-crucial questions that every fit-for-purpose association board should be asking to frame their stewardship for the rest of this decade and going into the 2030s. More info/register.

Host: Jeff De Cagna, Executive Advisor, Foresight First LLC

Thu 10/15 at 3 p.m. – How Claude Can Save 100 Hours on Membership Renewals

See how Claude can work with renewal and member data, help determine the right next step, prepare personalized renewal emails, and continue following up without your team manually managing every touchpoint. Walk through a sample renewal workflow to learn where AI can take over repetitive work, where staff should stay involved, and how greater consistency can help you follow up with members more persistently without adding more work to your team’s plate. More info/register.

Host: Farhad Khan, CEO, Member Lounge

Thu 10/15 at 4 p.m. – The 2026 MGI Benchmarking Report Updates with Insights from “Membership Marketing from A-Z” (Alexandria, VA)

Learn about trends, strategies, and innovations shaping membership success such as: what associations who report membership growth are doing differently; how 89% of associations are facing a value proposition challenge; and recruitment trends, innovations, and marketing tactics. Get an exclusive look at the mid-year check-up survey and updated data which provides dashboard results on how current economics and politics are impacting association membership. Location: Alexandria, VA. More info/register.

Host: Reston Loudoun Idea Swap for Associations

Speakers: Jana Darling, president, and Michelle Peterson, Vice President of Client Strategy, Marketing General Inc. (MGI)

Fri 10/16 at 3 p.m. – Nonprofit Consultants Collaborative Monthly Networking Meeting

Organizer: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting

Tue 10/20 at 10:30 a.m. – Meditation Skills for Busy Lives

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Meditation leader: Moira Edwards, Owner & President, Ellipsis Partners

Tue 10/20 at 11 a.m. – The Executive Playbook for AI Ready Data Strategy

Host: UST Education

Speakers: Daniel Elacqua, Chief Executive Officer, and Christopher Maynard, Senior CIO Consultant, Strategico Consultants

Wed 10/21 from 9:10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. – AMS Demo Days

Host: ASAE

Participants: MemberSuite, MC Professional, GlueUp, Fonteva, Autrinity, MEM360, ReadyMembership, YourMembership, re:Members AMS Platform, Element AMS, ideal AMS

Wed 10/21 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. – CMEpalooza Fall

Hosts:

Derek Warnick, continuing healthcare education professional, founder of CMEpalooza
Scott Kober, MBA, Managing Partner, Excalibur Medical Education

Wed 10/21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Nonprofit Consultants Collaborative Virtual Open House

Host: Nonprofit Consultants Collaborative

Wed 10/21 at 11 a.m. – From Panic to Action: Putting Cybersecurity into Practice

Host: Association Women Technology Champions (AWTC)

Speakers:

Iulia Griffin, CEO and Co-Founder, The Cactus Group
Ryan O’Donnell, Vortacity Cyber & TrapLine.io
Kevin Fassanella, Director of Security and Compliance, designDATA
Nicole Araujo, CAE (moderator), Senior Client Engagement Director, Mighty Citizen

Wed 10/21 at 1 p.m. – Beyond the 4.2: How to Get More Insightful, Actionable Feedback From Your Event Attendees

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Chris Bonney, Founder and CEO at DoTell Surveys

Thu 10/22 from 9:15 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. – AMS Demo Days

Host: ASAE

Participants: Aplusify, iMIS by ASI, Cobalt AMS, re:Members AMS, Wicket, Naylor, Altai Systems, GrowthZone, Protech, Nimble AMS

Thu 10/22 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. – Strategy, Not Scare Tactics: Executive Leadership for Association Growth (Vienna, VA)

Host: designDATA

Thu 10/22 at 11 a.m. – Business Artistry in Associations: Moving from Transaction to Transformation

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Joanna M. Pineda, CEO & Chief Troublemaker, Matrix Group International, Inc.
Nir Hindie, Founder, The Artian

Thu 10/22 at 12 p.m. – Embracing Visibility to Build Your Brand

Host: The Alliance for Women in Associations

Speaker: Jacqueline M. Baker, leadership strategist, keynote speaker, author, modern etiquette expert, and founder of Scarlet

Thu 10/22 at 12 p.m. – The Membership Flywheel™: Stop Guessing, Start Building Momentum

Host: GrowthZone

Speaker: Jim Thompson, CAE, IOM, founder and CEO, Tying It Together Consulting

Thu 10/22 at 1 p.m. – From “What We Do” to “Why Members Care”: Building a Stronger Association Value Proposition

Host: UST Education

Speakers: Cheri Quinn, Director of Brand Strategy, and Emily Youngblood, Client Services Director, Mercury Creative Group

Made it this far? How about buying me a beer in appreciation of what you’ve learned and what you will learn?

Association Brain Food Weekly is published Friday mornings. If you offer free professional development to the association community, please send me the link by Wednesday afternoon.

Creative Commons licensed photo by Stephanie Klepacki via Unsplash

Amazon, AssociationBrainFood.com, and Association Academy links allow me to earn a royalty and/or complimentary registration from any resulting leads or sales. Thank you!

Association Brain Food: 10.2.26

The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community

sun-dappled path lined with large oak trees with Spanish moss

Good reads for the association community

“Nothing is more exhausting than the task that’s never started.” —Gretchen Rubin

Tech friction has a price. TopClass LMS explains how technology debt builds up across an association’s website and the systems behind it until learners and staff feel the pain. A clunky login or a video that won’t play on a phone can give even a motivated learner a reason to quit without telling you why. The post shows how to find those friction points and explains why many fixes don’t require a new platform.

Chapter purpose before structure. Mariner Management shares takeaways from an ASAE Annual Meeting panel that looked at what comes next once an association decides its chapter model needs to change. When volunteers spend their time on the business of running a chapter, they have little energy left for building community. Be sure to read the linked AOTA and NAFA case studies, which show how each association lifted administrative work off volunteers’ plates.

Worrisome membership trends. I look forward to Marketing General’s Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report every year, but this year’s findings are sobering, with membership growth slowing and renewal rates softening. On the brighter side, the report finds that growing associations communicate their value clearly and treat engagement and retention as seriously as recruitment. The report also tracks how associations are responding to generational change and AI.

Hard questions for your board. Jeff De Cagna (Foresight First) revisits a set of board questions he first raised in 2024. His updated versions push boards to accept the discomfort that comes with their service. His three-part series gives you material for candid conversations about what board members owe the people who will inherit their decisions.

Gen Z’s missing network. Cory Smith (The National News Desk) examines why so many Gen Z workers feel disconnected from people who could help their careers. They switch jobs more often than any other generation and miss out on the informal relationship-building older generations picked up through internships and in-person work. As a result, many Gen Zers don’t know where to start. Associations have the mentors and member networks to fill that gap, which gives you a strong pitch for recruiting younger professionals.

Resistance is wired in. Your association can choose the right platform and still watch a change effort stall because staff never get on board. D2L’s guide shows how to prevent that by treating change as a people project from the start. The guide includes advice for bringing colleagues along, spotting early adopters who can win over skeptics, and making new practices stick.

Help exhibitors succeed. Kathryn Deen (Professionals for Association Revenue) says associations can do more to help exhibitors get what they came for. Drawing on advice from event tech and trade show experts, she shows how to learn each exhibitor’s goals early and report results they can use, so a standard booth package becomes a partnership they’ll want to renew.

Sponsors want outcomes. David McMillin (Skift Meetings) talks with Circle’s vice president of events and experiences, Peter Bordes, who says the familiar Gold/Silver/Bronze sponsorship tiers have outlived their usefulness. Bordes recommends asking what each partner wants to achieve and building the package around that answer. He also challenges associations to be honest about whether their tiers serve sponsors or mainly save the sales team time.

Snacks

New England’s many regional cultures, with a focus on Massachusetts, of course. | Jeff on X

The five places in America you don’t want to be when society begins to collapse. The water’s fine down here in North Carolina! | John Walter

Turns out your can of pumpkin puree is squash. No biggie for me. | The Food Manufacturing Guy on X

If you need CAE credits, check out Ed Rigsbee’s 42 workshops, including nine one-hour ethics sessions. You earn a CAE credit for each workshop by passing its test.

You never grow old at the table

My recipe for salmon with coconut green curry sauce is pretty flexible. Use whatever fish and greens you like, red or green curry paste, sweet or hot peppers (or both), and any herbs you have on hand. I keep Southeast Asian-style pesto in the freezer for just this purpose. One batch lasts a long time, so I only have to gather the ingredients once.

On Sunday, I tried a new recipe, chicken with lentils and butternut squash, from the America’s Test Kitchen cookbook Mediterranean Instant Pot. What a flavorful dish and, thanks to the pressure cooker, easy to make. The recipe is behind a paywall, but I found an archived version. On the side, creamed collards deluxe, always so good.

Fri 10/2 at 1 p.m.* – Foresight Fridays: Reshaping Social Connections

Hear a conversation inspired by the ForesightWorks driver Reshaping Social Connections. Learn about emerging changes in how people form and sustain connections and what those changes could mean for membership, engagement, belonging, and community across associations. More info/register (ASAE members only).

Host: ASAE

Speakers:

Lowell Aplebaum, EdD, FASAE, CAE, CPF (moderator), CEO, Vista Cova
Celia Chomón Zamora, PhD, CAE, Executive Director, American Council of Academic Physical Therapy
Christina Lewellen, MBA, FASAE, CAE, Executive Director & CEO, National Society of Professional Engineers
DJ Johnson, IOM, FASAE, CAE, Senior Director, Association Governance Operations, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

*All events are online at Eastern Time unless otherwise noted.

Mon 10/5 at 8 a.m.* – Volunteer Engagement (Radio Free 501c, the podcast of Rogue Tulips Consulting)

Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, ACNP, LPEC, Principal & Founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting

Guest: Justin Burniske, Meta Dao

Tue 10/6 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. CT – The Great AMS Reckoning: The Market’s Changed. Are You Ready? (Chicago IL)

Learn what your organization really needs from its next system in terms that resonate with your team and your vendors; how to assess your team’s readiness and build a plan for closing gaps before they become mid-implementation problems; how to evaluate platforms on what matters for your future: architecture, extensibility, and AI-readiness; and the full range of what’s possible – including the best-of-need ecosystems your peers are already exploring. Location: Chicago IL. More info/register.

Hosts: fusionSpan and Achurch Consulting

Speakers:

Rebecca Achurch, Chief Executive Officer, Achurch Consulting
Jeffrey Golembiewski, Chief Revenue Officer, fusionSpan
Rebecca Duff, Director of Client Services, Achurch Consulting
Scott Woodfill, Account Executive, fusionSpan

Tue 10/6 at 10 a.m. – How AI Is Transforming Association Websites

AI offers the opportunity for associations to vastly improve the member experience on their websites. Learn how to leverage AI to empower members to more quickly find answers and access to relevant content, ensure your organization’s content is findable through AEO and GEO, create a content governance structure that supports AI findability, and revolutionize member experience with your own AI Assistant. More info/register.

Host: Results Direct | RD Mobile

Speakers: Dan Scheeler, CAE, Chief Operating Officer; Steve Russell, Solutions Consultant; and Cecilia Satovich, CRO, Results Direct | RD Mobile

Tue 10/6 at 12 p.m. – Many Seats at the Table: Overcoming the Scarcity Mindset

Explore how business culture can unintentionally reinforce a scarcity mindset, leading even the most collaborative leaders to compete rather than connect. Learn how to shift from competition to coalition—unlocking new pathways for influence, growth, and collective success. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Speakers:

Lindsay Currie, CAE, Executive Officer, Council on Undergraduate Research
Clarissa Russell, Chief Revenue Officer, Design your Next Step

Tue 10/6 at 12 p.m. – Do You Really Need a Facilitator? Making the Right Call for Your Strategic Plan

Learn why most strategic plans fail on execution, not vision, and what that means for how you should run your process; seven concrete benefits a skilled facilitator brings to the table; warning signs that your organization is heading toward a plan that stalls under internal politics or gets shelved after the retreat; how to weigh the real ROI of hiring outside help against the cost of running it yourself; and what to look for if you do decide to bring in a facilitator. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: GrowthZone

Speaker: Chris A. Studebaker, CEO, REALTOR® Association of the Fox Valley, Inc.

Tue 10/6 at 1:10 p.m. – Being a Leader, Not Just Doing Leadership (Innovative Methods for Leadership Development series)

Learn about the inner shift from performing leadership to inhabiting it as an identity. Explore what the “being” side of leadership includes; why identity-level development matters for marginalized professionals who have learned to lead by performing someone else’s template; how programs can support people in building a leadership identity that is genuinely their own; and how to facilitate this inner work. More info/register.

Hosts: Tracy King, CEO, InspirEd, and Carolyn B. Thompson, President, Training Systems, Inc.

Tue 10/6 from 3 to 5 p.m. – Data Science Fair (Washington, DC)

Come share a data project with the tech community using the classic tri-fold board. The Data Science Fair brings together association and nonprofit professionals to share practical, creative, and occasionally delightfully overengineered examples of how they are putting data to work. You will see successful projects, actionable research, and maybe even some examples of things not to try. Location: Washington, DC. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Data Analytics Network

Tue 10/6 at 5 p.m. – Beyond Membership: The Revenue Shift Associations Can’t Afford to Ignore (Tallahassee, FL)

Learn how to move beyond dues dependence by diversifying revenue and better monetizing education. Explore practical strategies—from certifications and on-demand learning to sponsorships and digital content—that strengthen member value while driving sustainable non-dues growth. Location: Tallahassee, FL. More info/register.

Host: D2L

Speaker: Bill Sheehan, Global Head of Association Strategy, D2L

Tue 10/6 from 5 to 7 p.m. – Fall DC Networking Event (Silver Spring, MD)

Connect with association and nonprofit women and allies from across the District, Maryland, and Virginia. Whether you have been part of The Alliance from the beginning or are just discovering our community, join us for a welcoming networking reception to reconnect with familiar faces, make new friends and professional connections, and experience the energy of a rapidly growing community committed to supporting and advancing women in leadership. Location: Silver Spring, MD. More info/register.

Host: The Alliance for Women in Associations

Wed 10/7 at 11 a.m. – Beyond Your Member Count: The Metrics That Reveal Your Association’s True Level of Member Engagement.

Traditional membership reports measure dues and renewals but often miss the participation patterns that reveal the real health of your membership. Learn how to evaluate member engagement using data you likely already collect, identify where members are dropping off, and uncover practical opportunities to strengthen participation, retention, and long-term membership value. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Surendar Parasuraman, Co-Founder at Communa

Wed 10/7 at 11:15 a.m. – AI in Membership Part 3: The Future Member Experience

Explore how membership organizations can improve content discovery, support member acquisition and retention, and create more valuable digital experiences through stronger content strategy, personalization and modern content operations. Learn why enterprise content management remains critical in the age of AI, and how to make digital experiences more useful, relevant and discoverable. More info/register.

Hosts: Cantarus and Umbraco

Wed 10/7 at 12 p.m. – How to Make It Easy for Attendees and Speakers to Promote Your Event

Your members, sponsors, speakers, and partners already have relationships with the people you want to reach. When they share an event or opportunity with their networks, your message can travel further through people their peers trust. Learn how to make that sharing easy. Hear how social sharing toolkits help associations activate their attendees and bring results such as event sign-ups and new member acquisition. More info/register.

Hosts: Levitate Marketing and SoSha

Speakers:

Brianne Wheeler, Levitate Marketing
Keith Robinson, American Physical Therapy Association
Will Cyphers, National Association of REALTORS®

Wed 10/7 at 12 p.m. – Nunchi, Briefing, and Managing Up: The Art of Being Exceptionally Aware and Effective at Work

Nunchi, a Korean concept, combines awareness, intuition, and emotional intelligence into a powerful leadership skill. Learn how to pick up on what really matters, adapt your approach in the moment, and build stronger connections with the people who shape your success. Hear how to read your boss’s mood, when to press forward with an idea, and how to make sure both you and your organization shine. More info/register.

Host: AIOT

Speaker: Joanna Pineda, CEO & Chief Troublemaker of Matrix Group International, Inc.

Wed 10/7 at 12 p.m. – Interpreting Data Forensics: Triggers, Investigation, and Remedies

Explore the statistical and practical triggers that prompt deeper investigation of exams and how organizations distinguish between abnormal and normal variation. Hear both organizational and vendor perspectives that demonstrate how psychometric data, SME judgment, and sound governance work together to support fair, valid, and defensible certification examinations. Learn how to protect exam integrity and strengthen defensible, data-informed decision-making. More info/register.

Host: Certification Network Group

Speakers:

Charlie Bonfert (moderator), Psychometrician, PSI
Channing Benson, Program Manager for Examinations, American Association of Veterinary State Boards
Sarah Pelter, Director of Research and Measurement, Inteleos

Wed 10/7 at 12 p.m. – Stop Defending, Start Building: The Risk of Standing Still

GrowthZone’s 2026 industry survey found that 71% of chambers are pursuing new strategies to grow membership, but only 16% have moved past the planning stage. Learn how to calculate the hidden cost of inaction, so you can see what playing it safe is really costing your organization; apply the B.E.T. Framework to turn a stalled idea into a first action step your team can try this month; reframe failed experiments as data, not disasters, so your team stops avoiding smart risks out of fear; and build a simple filter for deciding which bets are worth making, so momentum replaces hesitation. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: GrowthZone

Speaker: keynote speaker Jason Milen

Wed 10/7 from 12 to 4 p.m. CT – Leadership Roundtable: Building Across Communities (Chicago, IL)

Spend time in real dialogue with colleagues who understand the work and bring perspectives you don’t hear every day. Focus on the questions that matter most right now: organizational AI strategy, mentorship that lasts, and leading through change. Location: Chicago, IL. More info/register.

Hosts: Association Latinos, Black Association Executives, and the AANHPI Association Community

Speakers:

Sharon Pare, Director of Partnerships, HighRoad Solutions
Eduardo Arabu, MSPPM, CAE, CEO, National Hispanic Corporate Council
Jemilah Senter, AAiP, Marketing and Communications Strategist

Wed 10/7 at 1 p.m. – The Four AI Risks Every Association Should Detect Before Trusting AI Outputs

Association professionals already use AI for board reports, member communications, and strategic analysis. However, most have no structured way to verify AI outputs before relying on them. Learn what the four top AI risks are when they emerge in your professional workflows, why these AI risks exist, and why learning how to verify AI-assisted outputs matters. Discover the three Human-AI Collaboration Models that apply to AI-assisted outputs. More info/register.

Host: Associations West

Speaker: Josephine Yam, JD, LLM, MA Phil (AI Ethics), CEO and Co-Founder of Skills4Good AI

Wed 10/7 at 1 p.m. – Event Horror Stories: Tales From the Trenches (and How to Survive Them)

Three women with too many event scars and a microphone feels like exactly the kind of group therapy this industry deserves. Hear stories from people who want to share, because misery loves company and frankly, some of these deserve witnesses. More info/register.

Hosts: Dahlia+ Agency and ShowREADY

Speakers:

Dahlia El Gazzar, Dahlia+ Agency
Amanda Eberle, ShowREADY
Barb Campbell, CTC Destination Management

Wed 10/7 at 3 p.m. – Limited Budgets, Big Impact: Tools for Small Association Marketing

Discover why frequency, channel diversity, and doing a few things well outperform complex campaigns. Learn how to leverage your AMS data to build personas and gather member insights using lightweight, low-cost methods. Understand the difference between member journey maps and practical playbooks. Explore how to shift your communications from “inside-out” feature lists to “outside-in” benefit messaging. Learn how to overcome the common “I’m not a writer” hurdle so your entire organization communicates with confidence and consistency. More info/register.

Hosts: Halmyre, Intuto, and Membes

Speaker: Christine Saunders, President & Founder, Halmyre

Thu 10/8 at 11 a.m. – Cybersecurity in the Age of AI: What You Need to Know (But May Be Afraid to Ask)

Get a practical foundation in cybersecurity without the technical overload. Learn about key terms and concepts, how AI is changing cyber risk, and what leaders need to understand, ask, and prioritize. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions (AWTC)

Speakers:

Iulia Griffin, CEO and Co-Founder of The Cactus Group
Alison Maher, President and CEO of Skybrid Solutions
Clare Espina, General Manager of designDATA
Benjamin Muscolino, founder and CEO of AssociationWire (AMS Geek and Data Sangria), and co-founder and Executive Chairman of Vortacity Cyber

Thu 10/8 at 12 p.m. – What Every Association Leader Must Know About AI

Learn how to use AI to reduce friction and improve member value without losing the trust, judgment, and human connection that make associations matter. Hear how to move past the hype and fear around AI and focus on the decisions that matter most right now: where AI can create real efficiencies, where human judgment must stay central, and how to prepare teams and members for what’s next. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: GrowthZone

Speaker: Holly Duckworth

Thu 10/8 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. – Breaking Barreras: Empowering Tomorrow’s Early Professionals: HACE Virtual Student Summit 2026

Whether you’re preparing for an internship, searching for your first full-time role, or simply looking to grow your professional network, this summit is for you. We encourage students and emerging professionals across our network to register and share this opportunity with a friend. More info/register.

Host: Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement

Fri 10/9 from 12:30 to 3 p.m. – Breaking Barreras: Empowering Tomorrow’s Early Professionals: HACE Virtual Student Summit 2026

Host: Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement

Fri 10/9 at 1 p.m. – Proposal Party: Brainstorming Your Next Conference Session

Host: ASAE Key Consultants Committee

Mon 10/12 at 12 p.m. – AWTC Virtual Co-Working Session

Host: Association Women Technology Champions (AWTC)

Tue 10/13 at 12 p.m. – On The Hunt

Host: Association Women Technology Champions (AWTC)

Wed 10/14 at 11 a.m. – Clarity Before the Demo: Getting More Out of ASAE’s AMS Demo Days

Host: Ellipsis Partners

Speakers: Moira Edwards, CAE, President and CEO, and Rhoni Rakos, AAiP, Vice President, Ellipsis Partners

Wed 10/14 at 11 a.m. – Office Hours for LMS Buyers: Shortlisting with the 2026 LMS Awards Winners

Host: Talented Learning

Speaker: John Leh, CEO and Lead Analyst at Talented Learning

Wed 10/14 at 12 p.m. – How Associations Are Using AI to Improve Learner Engagement, Efficiency, and Outcomes

Host: .orgCommunity

Speaker: Ashish Rangnekar, CEO and Co-Founder, BenchPrep

Wed 10/14 at 4:30 p.m. CT – 2026 AWTC Fall Happy Hour (Chicago, IL)

Host: Association Women Technology Champions (AWTC)

Thu 10/15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Beacon’s 2026 AMS AI Showcase

Host: Beacon Tech Research

Participants: iMIS, Journey Care, Member Smart AC, Membes, Ready Membership, re:Members, Evolve AMS, Toucan Tech, Euclid ClearVantage AMS, Autrinity, Communa, Glue Up

Thu 10/15 at 12 p.m. – Creating Engaging Events

Host: GrowthZone

Speaker: Amanda Lea Kaiser, engagement strategist and author of Elevating Engagement

Thu 10/15 at 1 p.m. – Beyond the Credential: How Associations Are Building Learning Portfolios That Grow Careers and Programs

Many associations offer a strong mix of education, training, and credentials, but those programs don’t always connect clearly for learners. Explore how associations can think more strategically about their full professional development portfolio—connecting learning, skill development, and credentialing into career pathways that meet professionals at different stages of their journey. See how the INFORMS Certified Analytics Professional ecosystem is an example of multiple entry points and pathways for professionals at different career stages. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Prolydian

Speakers:

Carol Curley, MBA, PMI, Director of Education & Industry Programs, INFORMS
Tracy King, MA, CAE, CEO & Founder, InspirEd
Adrienne Sutton, IOM, COO, Soar Forward Solutions / Limitless

Thu 10/15 at 1:30 p.m. – Beauty in the Kaleidoscope of Neurodivergence

Host: Insight Guide

Speakers:

Dr. Michael Carr-Tatonetti, Founder & CEO Pricing for Associations
Brian Kirkland, CAE, Director of Event Program Development, National Association of Community Health Centers
Barbara Armentrout, CAE (moderator), Founder, BJA Solutions for Associations
Teri Carden (hostess), COO, Insight Guide

Thu 10/15 at 2 p.m. – The Final 36 Months: Six Still-Crucial Questions for Fit-for-Purpose Association Boards

Host: Jeff De Cagna, Executive Advisor, Foresight First LLC

Thu 10/15 at 4 p.m. – The 2026 MGI Benchmarking Report Updates with Insights from “Membership Marketing from A-Z” (Alexandria, VA)

Host: Reston Loudoun Idea Swap for Associations

Speakers: Jana Darling, president, and Michelle Peterson, Vice President of Client Strategy, Marketing General Inc. (MGI)

Made it this far? How about buying me a beer in appreciation of what you’ve learned and what you will learn?

Association Brain Food Weekly is published Friday mornings. If you offer free professional development to the association community, please send me the link by Wednesday afternoon.

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Association Brain Food: 9.25.26

The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community

white-tailed deer stag leaping through the dark woods

Good reads for the association community

“Believe those who seek the truth. Doubt those who find it.” —André Gide

AI rules for award entries. Odds are your award applicants are drafting entries with AI, and your judges can tell. OpenWater explains how to decide what AI use to allow in award entries, where to draw the line on disclosure and disqualification, and how to brief judges before your next submission window opens.

The membership decision. In his latest association trends report, Chris Vaughan (Sequence Consulting) says membership has shifted from a career reflex to an optional purchase. The usual remedies, like better programs and marketing, aren’t working as well as they used to. AI is chipping away at the value of the information and credentials associations sell, and employers increasingly decide who joins. He suggests treating employers like customers and building membership benefits around their workforce goals.

Board admin headaches. Association boards don’t operate alone. Behind each one sits a network of committees and other groups, each with its own charge and action plan. Most associations manage that work through email chains and shared drives full of PDF attachments. OnBoard describes the consequences: laborious meeting prep, unprepared directors, scattered records, and institutional memory that walks out the door after leadership transitions. The guide also suggests what to look for when shopping for board management software.

Association newsletter course. The Association Newsletter Success Certificate Course from Association Academy covers strategy to delivery. You’ll work through goals and metrics, formatting, design and copy, AI-assisted production, and the technical work that keeps your newsletters out of spam folders. Chris Gloede (Ricochet) teaches six live online classes starting October 22, and you can earn up to six CAE credits. Save $50 on registration with the referral code BRAINFOOD.

Membership lessons from a social club. Danielle Duran Baron (School Nutrition Association) writes for ASAE about the welcome a first-timer received at a private DC club. She says associations already have the lasting community these clubs work hard to create, yet many leave newcomers to find it on their own. Picture your annual conference the way a first-year attendee and a new exhibitor see it, both walking in without knowing a soul.

Run the AI test on your benefits. Sherry Budziak (.orgSource) suggests checking each of your membership benefits against what a professional could find with an AI chat bot in a minute or two, for free. Much of what fills a typical benefits list won’t pass the test. She recommends moving budget and staff hours toward the programs members still value and can’t get anywhere else, such as credentials and peer connection.

Ten website RFP mistakes. Most website design projects go sideways at the RFP stage, before the work even begins. Steward’s guide lists ten mistakes associations make in their website design RFPs. Fix these mistakes and you’ll get sharper proposals and an easier vendor decision.

Helping members with AI. Sidecar expects AI to change the everyday work of doctors, lawyers, architects, and other professionals associations serve. Members will look to their associations for guidance on when to rely on AI tools and how to stay profitable when the service they sell becomes easy to get. Sidecar recommends playing to your strengths, like community and ethical standards.

Setting AI fears aside. Carl Franzen (VentureBeat) looks at the latest round of AI doomsaying and safety research. He says you can set aside your fear of AI wiping out humanity. The danger he sees is people using AI to harm or control one another.

SHRM in the news, again. The blows keep coming for the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Kate Tornone at HR Dive reports that SHRM’s insurance carrier is refusing to pay the $10 million award in a racial discrimination and retaliation suit. Meanwhile, HR Dive’s Emilie Shumway covers big changes to SHRM’s annual conference.

For job hunters. If you’re looking for a new association position, keep an eye on my ‘likes’ on LinkedIn. I ‘like’ many of the association job postings in my feed, and the more I like, the more the algorithm sends my way.

You never grow old at the table

On Sunday, I butterflied, stuffed, and rolled a pork loin with basil pesto, provolone, sun-dried tomatoes, caramelized onions, roasted red bell pepper, and parmesan. Now, THIS is the recipe I’ll make for Christmas Eve. I keep saying that about new pork loin recipes, but I think I’ve found my star.

And I can thank Claude for that. I knew I wanted pesto, some kind of cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes in the middle. I asked it for a recipe for a 4-1/4-pound loin using those ingredients, plus suggestions for anything else worth adding. Et voilà! For our side, I roasted broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots with garlic powder and sweet smoked paprika.

After Friday happy hour at the brewery, I wanted something easy, so I brushed salmon fillets with Korean barbecue sauce and popped them in the oven. Perfect with leftover roasted vegetables and sweet potatoes.

Many of our jalapeños have turned red on the plants because we can’t use them fast enough. Usually when I make fish with creamy jalapeño sauce, the sauce is a pretty shade of green. This time, it was pink. I added sweet onion to the recipe. Pureeing the cilantro into the pink sauce wouldn’t have helped the color, so I sprinkled it over the cod instead.

Our side was a produce-drawer special: I steamed broccoli stems and carrots while sautéing red bell pepper and onion. Then I tossed the steamed veggies and chopped tomatoes into the pan, let the tomatoes melt a bit, and stirred in basil pesto and parmesan.

Mon 9/28 at 8 a.m.* – Strategic Alliances (Radio Free 501c, the podcast of Rogue Tulips Consulting)

Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, ACNP, LPEC, Principal & Founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting

Guest: Paula Seidel, Powerful Partners

*All events are online at Eastern Time unless otherwise noted.

Tue 9/29 from 9 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. – LMS Demo Days

See presentations from a limited number of industry partners that offer Learning Management platforms. LMS experts will be showcasing platforms and sharing their knowledge with the association market. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Participants: LearnUpon, Path LMS by Momentive, D2L, Oasis LMS, GrowthZone, Elevate, BenchPrep, TopClass LMS

Tue 9/29 at 11 a.m. – Keys to Becoming a Certified Association Executive (CAE)

Preparing for the CAE credential is like getting a master’s degree in association management—the study is intense and it changes your professional life. Learn how to think for the CAE exam questions that test your ability to analyze the scenario, synthesize it with your accumulated knowledge, and evaluate which answer is correct. Find out about the foundation for the thinking and commitment you need to bring to the experience. Hear from CAEs in our community who will also share their perspectives on their CAE preparation and exam experience as well as the why of pursuing the credential. More info/register.

Host: Association Latinos

Speakers:

Sue Radwan, 30 years of preparing CAE candidates
David Murillo, CAE, IOM (moderator), President + CEO, Compass Management Solutions, Member of the CAE Commission
Anabel Martinez, MBA, CAE, PMP, AAiP (moderator), Director of Member Services of California Water Environment Association

Tue 9/29 at 11 a.m. – Why Are You Losing Prospective Members?

Uncover the hidden friction points in your path to membership that cause interested professionals to walk away and learn how to turn your member journey into a smooth, high-converting path to purchase. Learn how to diagnose your member pipeline, eliminate sign-up friction, and turn interested prospects into active, long-term members. More info/register.

Host: Heather Hughes, PMP, Wisteria Solutions

Tue 9/29 at 11 a.m. – AWTC Open Doors

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Tue 9/29 at 2 p.m. – Control, Not Panic: What Pacing the Frontier Means for Your Association

Dario Amodei called for the AI industry to slow down. Altman, Musk and Hassabis agreed. The pace of the frontier is not something your association can control. The architecture you build on is. Learn what actually happened, what it changes for associations, and the four things you control that decide how exposed your organization is. More info/register.

Host: Sidecar

Speaker: Amith Nagarajan and John Huisman of Blue Cypress

Tue 9/29 at 3 p.m. – Your AMS Knows Your Members; Does Your Event Tech?

Explores what it looks like when systems share information, strategies leading associations are implementing to close that gap, and what it means for the member experience when they do. More info/register.

Host: Cadmium

Speaker: Ben Muscolino, President & CEO, AMS Geek

Wed 9/30 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. – LMS Demo Days

Host: ASAE

Participants: MemberSuite, Maple LMS, Forj, EthosCE

Wed 9/30 at 11 a.m. – Future-Proofing your Association: Creating Ethical AI Guidelines

A recent study shows that while most executives are embracing AI, only 13% have implemented an AI policy. Without guidance, associations risk inconsistency, data exposure, and missteps. Learn how to write and sustain effective AI guidelines and leave with practical strategies for what to include and what to avoid, how to balance compliance with innovation, and how to use AI responsibly across content and distribution channels. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Sheri Singer, President at Singer Communications

Wed 9/30 at 11 a.m. – Work Smart: How AI Saves Your Event Team Time

Learn what AI can automate for your event team today and what stays with your team because judgment or ‘taste’ is required. Hear how the panel made those calls at their own events, what they automated first, what they tried and pulled back, and how they got their teams comfortable with the change. More info/register.

Host: Grip

Speakers:

Rikki Bhachu, Exhibitions Marketing, CloserStill Media
Samy Shafeeq, Group Director, Data & Business Systems, Mash Media

Wed 9/30 at 12 p.m. – Fewer Clicks, Same Results: Automating the Work That Slows Teams Down

Explore the difference between workflow automation and AI automation, and when each makes sense. Learn how to streamline internal handoffs between marketing, sales, and membership, leverage AI copilots for admin-heavy tasks, and measure efficiency gains in a way that connects time-saved to real business impact. More info/register.

Host: HighRoad Solution

Speakers: Morgan Mulgrew, Strategic Account Manager, and Maneesha Manges, CXO, HighRoad Solutions

Wed 9/30 at 12:30 p.m. – The Member Advantage: What Members Prove, What’s Slipping, and Where AI Changes Everything

Hear about the latest research from the 11th annual Association Trends Report, including: association members report more career success, leadership roles, and promotions than nonmembers, especially Gen Z and early-careerists; loyalty is softening among Millennials and mid-career members; and AI is reshaping what members expect. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Momentive Software

Speakers:

Pam Loeb, Principal, Edge Research
Tirrah Switzer, VP of Product Marketing, Momentive Software

Wed 9/30 at 1 p.m. – Sustainable Meetings: Zero In on Savings

Learn about effective sustainable event strategies designed to be more efficient with your time and money while treading lightly on the planet. Hear about the experience of hosting organizations with real-world examples of cost savings that are possible without sacrificing the attendee experience. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Meetings Today

Speaker: Nancy Zavada, founder and president of MeetGreen

Wed 9/30 at 2 p.m. – New Ideas for Working With Convention Centers

How can you get the most out of using convention centers for your events? Hear about the latest contracting tips, restrictions and opportunities around the vendors you partner with, and hacks to increase efficiency and save money. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Northstar Meetings Group

Speaker: Michael J. Shapiro (moderator), Director of Content Strategy, Northstar Meetings Group U.S.

Wed 9/30 at 2 p.m. – Three Levels of AI: Adopt, Automate & Achieve

Learn how associations are moving through three levels of AI adoption: from taking their first steps, to streamlining operations, to delivering greater member value than ever before. Explore relevant, real-life examples of associations that are figuring out the best ways to adopt AI to save time, reduce costs, and free up staff to do the work that only humans can do. Learn what each level looks like in practice, what it takes to move to the next one, and how to keep people – your staff, your leadership and your members – at the center of every decision. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Speaker: Leona Dalavai Scott, President, JEP Marketing Communications

Wed 9/30 at 2 p.m. – September Meet-Up for the Finance, Business Operations, and HR Professionals Community

Please join the FBO & HR Council for our monthly meet-up of professionals in the finance, business operations, and HR space. This is an open forum for folks to gather and ask questions, share ideas, and stay current on emerging issues. More info/register (ASAE members only).

Host: ASAE Finance, Business Operations, and Human Resources Council

Thu 10/1 at 12 p.m. – Association Governance and Leadership Town Hall: Governing for What’s Next

Every CEO in this profession is solving the same governance problem alone in their own boardroom, on their own timeline, with no way to know what the association down the street has already learned. As part of our ongoing sector research agenda, we’re convening the first Town Hall of its kind—a virtual gathering where association CEOs sit down together as a profession to begin building solutions collectively rather than separately. Using Natter, our AI-enabled conversation platform, you will be able to discuss three critical issues with your fellow participants. Every participant’s perspective is captured live and woven into a picture of where the field stands. More info/register.

Hosts: Association Laboratory and the Association Laboratory Research Alliance

Thu 10/1 at 2 p.m. – Haunted by Hackers: Cybersecurity Threats & How Associations Fight Back

Learn how AI is changing the threat landscape; wat cybersecurity risk actually looks like day-to-day for an association exec; what “cyber resilience” really means for a small-to-mid-size association team; what the most common vulnerabilities are in organizations like yours and the practical steps to close them; how to talk to your leadership and board about cybersecurity risk without inducing panic or putting them to sleep; and what managed detection and response (MDR) looks like in practice, and whether it might be right for your organization. More info/register.

Hosts: 501Works

Speaker: James Marquis, CIO, 501Works

Fri 10/2 at 1 p.m. – Foresight Fridays: Reshaping Social Connections

Host: ASAE

Speakers:

Lowell Aplebaum, EdD, FASAE, CAE, CPF (moderator), CEO, Vista Cova
Celia Chomón Zamora, PhD, CAE, Executive Director, American Council of Academic Physical Therapy
Christina Lewellen, MBA, FASAE, CAE, Executive Director & CEO, National Society of Professional Engineers
DJ Johnson, IOM, FASAE, CAE, Senior Director, Association Governance Operations, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

Tue 10/6 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. CT – The Great AMS Reckoning: The Market’s Changed. Are You Ready? (Chicago IL)

Hosts: fusionSpan and Achurch Consulting

Speakers:

Rebecca Achurch, Chief Executive Officer, Achurch Consulting
Jeffrey Golembiewski, Chief Revenue Officer, fusionSpan
Rebecca Duff, Director of Client Services, Achurch Consulting
Scott Woodfill, Account Executive, fusionSpan

Tue 10/6 at 10 a.m. – How AI Is Transforming Association Websites

Host: Results Direct | RD Mobile

Speakers: Dan Scheeler, CAE, Chief Operating Officer; Steve Russell, Solutions Consultant; and Cecilia Satovich, CRO, Results Direct | RD Mobile

Tue 10/6 at 12 p.m. – Many Seats at the Table: Overcoming the Scarcity Mindset

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Speakers:

Lindsay Currie, CAE, Executive Officer, Council on Undergraduate Research
Clarissa Russell, Chief Revenue Officer, Design your Next Step

Tue 10/6 from 3 to 5 p.m. – Data Analytics Network (DAN) Data Science Fair (Washington, DC)

Host: Data Analytics Network

Tue 10/6 from 5 to 7 p.m. – Fall DC Networking Event (Silver Spring, MD)

Host: The Alliance for Women in Associations

Wed 10/7 at 11 a.m. – Beyond Your Member Count: The Metrics That Reveal Your Association’s True Level of Member Engagement.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Surendar Parasuraman, Co-Founder at Communa

Wed 10/7 at 12 p.m. – Nunchi, Briefing, and Managing Up: The Art of Being Exceptionally Aware and Effective at Work

Host: AIOT

Speaker: Joanna Pineda, CEO & Chief Troublemaker of Matrix Group International, Inc.

Wed 10/7 at 12 p.m. – Interpreting Data Forensics: Triggers, Investigation, and Remedies

Host: Certification Network Group

Speakers:

Charlie Bonfert (moderator), Psychometrician, PSI
Channing Benson, Program Manager for Examinations, American Association of Veterinary State Boards
Sarah Pelter, Director of Research and Measurement, Inteleos

Wed 10/7 from 12 to 4 p.m. CT – Leadership Roundtable: Building Across Communities (Chicago, IL)

Hosts: Association Latinos, Black Association Executives, and the AANHPI Association Community

Speakers:

Sharon Pare, Director of Partnerships, HighRoad Solutions
Eduardo Arabu, MSPPM, CAE, CEO, National Hispanic Corporate Council
Jemilah Senter, AAiP, Marketing and Communications Strategist

Thu 10/8 at 11 a.m. – Cybersecurity in the Age of AI: What You Need to Know (But May Be Afraid to Ask)

Host: Association Women Technology Champions (AWTC)

Speakers:

Iulia Griffin, CEO and Co-Founder of The Cactus Group
Alison Maher, President and CEO of Skybrid Solutions
Clare Espina, General Manager of designDATA
Benjamin Muscolino, founder and CEO of AssociationWire (AMS Geek and Data Sangria), and co-founder and Executive Chairman of Vortacity Cyber

Thu 10/8 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. – Breaking Barreras: Empowering Tomorrow’s Early Professionals: HACE Virtual Student Summit 2026

Host: Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement

Fri 10/9 from 12:30 to 3 p.m. – Breaking Barreras: Empowering Tomorrow’s Early Professionals: HACE Virtual Student Summit 2026

Host: Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement

Made it this far? How about buying me a beer?

Association Brain Food Weekly is published Friday mornings. If you offer free professional development to the association community, please send me the link by Wednesday afternoon.

Creative Commons licensed photo by Dmytro Koplyk via Unsplash

Amazon, AssociationBrainFood.com, and Association Academy links allow me to earn a royalty and/or complimentary registration from any resulting leads or sales. Thank you!

Association Brain Food: 9.18.26

The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community

view from marsh grasses of the sun setting over the coastal water and pier in South Carolina

Good reads for the association community

“The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.” —Isaac Asimov

Renewal warning signs. Your mobile app knows which members are a retention risk long before renewal notices go out. Clowder makes the case for reaching out as soon as members start fading away. The post explains how to spot a drop in activity by comparing members with their own usual habits, then pair app data with the member record to segment people for outreach.

Fiction for strategic planners. Zoe Scaman (Musings Of A Wandering Mind) says speculative and science fiction novels teach strategists to question the frame they bring to their organization’s challenges and its future. She pairs each author, from Ursula K. Le Guin to N.K. Jemisin, with the kind of thinking their books can sharpen. My reading list lengthens!

Where credentialing is headed. TopClass LMS points to a few changes in certification and CE programs, including stackable microcredentials, digital badges, automated renewal reminders, and AI recommendation tools. The guide explains why credentialing programs deserve more attention at budget time now that dues income keeps shrinking across the industry. It breaks down the types of platforms on the market and what manual tracking costs a small staff in hours and turnover.

Encouraging belonging. Barry Schieferstein (American Society for Nondestructive Testing), writing for ASAE, says that attendance and registration counts can’t tell you whether members feel connected to your association. He recalls the relationships he built with fellow volunteers during a certification item-writing session and suggests creating participation pathways so people who mostly take in information start contributing.

Recurring themes from ASAE Annual. Vamshi at Snapsight combed through the content his company captured at nearly every Annual session to find the ideas that kept popping up. His roundup covers who should own AI and how it’s affecting the professions associations serve, plus new competitors, AMS strategy, intentional networking, and why behavior tells you more than surveys. Associations produce a lot of insight at their conferences, and much of it stays in the room unless an AI tool captures it.

Where the budget and hours go. GrowthZone asked association, chamber, and nonprofit leaders where their budget and staff hours go. Most respondents named sponsorship among their top revenue sources, even though it gets very little budget and is the area staff most often handle entirely by hand. The report explains why manual processes hang on and how to use data to argue for more budget and staff time for the work that brings in money.

Keepers of industry knowledge. Home from ASAE Annual, Janet Staderman (D2L) kept thinking about trust. Anyone can get a polished answer from an AI tool now. An association’s best content comes from experts who can tell when a correct-looking answer would steer members wrong at work. She says associations should become the place AI goes to learn about their industries, and that means making sure their expertise shows up accurately wherever members look for answers.

Calming AI jitters. Junior staff worry that senior colleagues will choose AI tools over them when delegating work, while executives are anxious that slow adoption means falling behind. Andy Fabian (Mighty Citizen) takes on the AI concerns his agency hears most often from mission-driven organizations and suggests practical steps for each one. For anyone frozen in place by AI fear, he offers some comfort: Very few associations have been transformed by AI, so there’s still time to learn.

Snacks

Boycott puts American Diabetes Association meeting under pressure. | Andrea Doyle, Skift Meetings

Time magazine is serving ads directly to AI crawlers, a strategy that could reshape how brands influence AI-generated answers. | Constantine von Hoffman, MarTech

How to read a big Victorian novel without losing the plot, the names, or your will to live. | Karen Rodriguez, Literary Fancy [Here’s my tip for long novels, especially Russian ones: Keep a list of characters with every nickname and patronymic each one goes by.]

If Brain Food has been useful to you, your team, or your webinar marketing, please buy me a beer. One beer is only $5, and there’s a box you can check to make it monthly. Thanks!

You never grow old at the table

Summer corn is gone, but frozen corn works just as well in this sauce for panfried salmon: poblano, red bell, jalapeño, and habanero peppers sautéed with onion, garlic, and corn, plus evaporated milk, chipotle en adobo, lime juice, and cilantro. On the side, steamed green beans tossed with sautéed onion, bacon, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and parmesan.

On Sunday, I roasted corned beef. Before putting it in a 325° oven, I rubbed a spice mix over the top: allspice, mustard, coriander, cloves, black pepper, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, and Aleppo pepper flakes. On the side, green cabbage sautéed with bacon, onions, carrots, orange bell and red jalapeño peppers, and garlic, then cooked down with ham broth. Roasted sweet potatoes rounded out our meal.

Fri 9/18 at 12 p.m.* – AI Is the New Infrastructure: What the Hugging Face/OpenAI Incident Can Teach Associations About the Future

AI is not simply another application; it’s a new layer of technology infrastructure that must be intentionally engineered. Explore what happens when AI is given an objective, encounters an obstacle, and begins finding its own path to accomplish the goal. Hear what association leaders and IT teams need to start thinking about now. What happens when AI can act, rather than just advise? How do existing user permissions change when AI can operate at machine speed? What happens when multiple AI agents can communicate and delegate work to one another? How do we teach AI not only how to succeed, but when to stop and ask for help? And what does IT need to start engineering and governing before read-only AI becomes autonomous AI? More info/register.

Host: Brian Scott, President / CTO / CISO, ClearTone Consulting

*All events are online at Eastern Time unless otherwise noted.

Fri 9/18 at 3 p.m. – Nonprofit Consultants Collaborative Monthly Networking Meeting

This monthly networking meeting is organized by consultants for full-time consultants who work with non-profits and associations. You don’t have to be an ASAE member to attend. This month’s agenda includes the October 2026 consultants virtual open house on the Qiqo platform, the April 2027 virtual conference for association staff featuring consultant speakers, good news, and questions from the group. More info/register.

Organizer: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting

Mon 9/21 at 8 a.m.* – The Human Factor in Associations (Radio Free 501c, the podcast of Rogue Tulips Consulting)

Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, ACNP, LPEC, Principal & Founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting

Guest: Kevin Novak, 2040 Digital

Tue 9/22 at 10:30 a.m. – Meditation Skills for Busy Lives

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Meditation leader: Moira Edwards, Owner & President, Ellipsis Partners

Tue 9/22 at 11:30 a.m. – Beyond Dues: Practitioner Insights on Building Non-Dues Revenue

Hear from practitioners who have built and scaled non-dues programs across industries. Explore positioning non-dues revenue as a mainstream business model and strategies for diversifying revenue streams. Learn how to structure programs to navigate compliance risks like unrelated business income tax. Leave with frameworks you can apply immediately, a clearer view of the compliance guardrails, and connections with peers solving the same problems. More info/register.

Host: iMIS by ASI

Speakers:

Laura Williamson (moderator), Chief Business Officer, Real Estate Business Services
Cheryl Post, Director, Eisner Advisory Group
Staff from ABC National, Tree Care Industry Association, and Upstate Alliance of REALTORS®

Tue 9/22 at 12 p.m. – The Human Advantage: 5 Things AI Can Do for Your Association Right Now

Learn how to transform learning programs into high-impact, revenue-generating experiences—backed by case studies from organizations that have done it. Hear how to distinguish high-performing education programs from traditional CE-credit-only offerings; evaluate and modernize an existing learning program for greater member engagement and non-dues revenue potential; use AI to scale and accelerate education program results without significantly increasing costs or staff time. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: GrowthZone

Speaker: Dan Streeter, Mission Fuel

Tue 9/22 at 1 p.m. – Ethical Facilitation: From Principle to Practice

Every stage of facilitation, from stakeholder alignment to closing reflection, carries ethical responsibilities. Explore real-world dilemmas and apply a self-assessment framework to evaluate your own practice across eight domains. Learn about strategies to remain neutral, build inclusive environments, balance competing perspectives, and safeguard trust. By connecting facilitation ethics to professional competencies, you will leave with a practical roadmap for upholding integrity and modeling ethical leadership in association and nonprofit contexts. 1 CAE ethics credit. More info/register.

Host: Event Garde

Speakers:

Aaron Wolowiec, Founder & President, Event Garde
Lowell Aplebaum, CEO, Vista Cova

Tue 9/22 at 1 p.m. – Building a Culture of Inclusion Through Budgets, Financial Reporting and Communication

Learn how to better connect project managers and staff with budget planning and budget building processes including adding an annual budget process assessment, engaging staff with rolling projections and looking forward, budgeting for revenue and support, special tactics for budgeting for salaries, and how decentralizing the budget building process and documenting budget assumptions is key to success. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Paul Preziotti, CPA, Partner, Johnson Lambert LLP
A. Michael Gellman, CPA, CGMA, Co-Founder at Sustainability Education 4 Nonprofits

Tue 9/22 at 1 p.m. – Managing Volunteers Remotely: Building Trust, Structure & Connection Across Distance

Managing volunteers as a remote volunteer management professional requires adapting your management style away from direct oversight, onboarding, and recognition methods to a more asynchronous model. Learn to establish clear infrastructure, nurture communication and connection, and empower and motivate volunteers. More info/register.

Host: Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration

Speaker: Brittni Coe, CVA, Volunteers Manager at the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum

Tue 9/22 at 1:10 p.m. – One Size Doesn’t Fit All: Designing for Different Leader Populations

A leadership program built for everyone often ends up built for no one in particular. In this episode of Innovative Methods for Leadership Development, we’re looking at why emerging leaders, senior executives, and identity-specific cohorts need fundamentally different program design, and what you can do to design that way. More info/register.

Hosts:

Tracy King, InspirEd
Carolyn B Thompson, Training Systems, Inc.

Tue 9/22 at 2 p.m. – No Mission Begins at Liftoff: How Communities Turn Ambition into Action

Learn what it actually takes to turn a breakthrough idea into research in spaceflight—and the steps along the way; why breakthroughs depend on communities, not individuals; how diverse disciplines and perspectives improve problem-solving; what leaders can learn from astronaut training, research and high-performance teams; how associations can create environments where ambitious ideas emerge and grow; and why investing in people and knowledge today can shape what becomes possible tomorrow. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Speakers:

Dr. Shawna Pandya, Canada’s First-Named Commercial Astronaut
Robert McCreight, International Convention Attraction Fund and Canadian Visionaries Network, Destination Canada’s International Convention

Tue 9/22 at 3 p.m. – Q3 ASAE Consultant Community Call

This free, members-only Zoom gathering is your hour to network, exchange ideas, and build relationships with peers who get what it’s like to run a consulting business. Don’t miss this chance to connect, learn, and recharge with your consulting community. More info/register (ASAE members only).

Host: ASAE

Wed 9/23 at 12 p.m. – AI Critical Thinking for the 2030s

Let’s consider whether we are so caught up in labeling what’s happening with AI today, that we are not engaging in critical thinking about AI’s real-world implications for the 2030s and beyond. Hear about the serious questions that AI raises for our organizations, the country, and humanity, and how to embrace our responsibility for holistic dialogue about the range of consequences of AI adoption. More info/register.

Host: Association Xchange

Speaker: Jeff De Cagna, executive advisor, Foresight First

Wed 9/23 at 12 p.m. – Levers for Growth: Practical Psychology for Mentors and Leaders

Explore how practical psychology can lead to better conversations, stronger mentoring outcomes, and growth that lasts. Drawing on research spanning more than 100 self-help books and 23 evidence-based therapies, hear about practical techniques that mentors, leaders, and professionals can use to improve communication, navigate challenges, strengthen relationships, and support meaningful personal and professional development. More info/register.

Host: Pollinate Networks

Speakers:

Dr. Spencer Greenberg PhD, founder of ClearerThinking.org, and co-author of The 12 Levers: The Complete Psychological Toolkit for Improving Your Life
Christy Pettit (moderator), CEO, Pollinate Networks Inc.

Wed 9/23 at 12 p.m. – 2026 State of Credentialing Webinar

Discover new 2026 data from nearly 200 credential issuers and 1,000 learners: where credential value stalls after issuance, what learners want next, and what the most successful programs do differently. Hear perspectives on helping learners turn credentials into careers and proving it worked. Get recommendations to strengthen learner outcomes, demonstrate program impact to leadership, and grow enrollment. More info/register.

Host: Accredible

Speakers:

Stacy Caldwell, President and CEO, CredLens
Alexandra O’Connor, Senior Manager, Skills Solutions: Service Delivery & Design, City & Guilds
Rochelle Ramirez, Vice President of Product, Accredible
Ryan Greives,Senior Director, Brand Marketing, Accredible

Wed 9/23 at 2 p.m. – How to Measure AI Visibility & Brand Influence: Key Metrics, Signals & Sources

Learn how organizations assess AI visibility, establish meaningful benchmarks, and measure brand influence. Using real-world examples, explore the content, sources, and channels shaping AI-generated results and how to evaluate your presence, identify opportunities, and report on what matters. More info/register.

Host: Content Marketing Institute

Speakers:

Brittany Brad, Notified
Marcel Goldstein, Allison Worldwide
Lisa Zanchi, Padilla

Wed 9/23 at 2 p.m. – Engaging Your Audience Before and After the Event

Engagement doesn’t end when the attendees head home—it’s usually just the start. Hear tips for building an intentional, year-round engagement strategy and discuss why this approach can make in-person meetings even more impactful. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Northstar Meetings Group

Speakers:

Victoria Matey, Event Psychology Advisor and Co-founder of Matey Events
Elise Schoening (moderator), Editor, Meeting News; Senior Editor, Northstar Meetings Group

Thu 9/24 at 12 p.m. – Prompting Like a Pro: A Hands-On Guide to Getting Better Results from AI

Writing effective AI prompts is a skill, and like any skill, it gets better with practice. In this interactive session, you’ll learn by doing, experimenting with prompts, comparing results, and discussing what works with others. Develop a practical framework for thinking about prompting that you can apply across different tools and tasks. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Speaker: Dr. Catherine A. “Cathy” Lada, D.Sc., CAE, AAiP, senior nonprofit brand and communications executive, Lada Consulting

Thu 9/24 at 12 p.m. – From Agenda to Action: How to Run Productive Board and Committee Meetings

Have you ever left a board or committee meeting realizing that it ran too long and produced too little? It doesn’t have to be that way. Learn how to develop and maintain momentum across meetings, foster meaningful discussion, and keep everyone’s eyes on the priorities and deliverables that matter. More info/register.

Host: Zzeem Consulting

Thu 9/24 at 12 p.m. – The Career Moves Every Association Leader Needs Right Now: What We Heard from Coaching Sessions at the ASAE Annual Meeting

Hear ASAE Career Coaches share key insights gathered from coaching sessions conducted during the ASAE Annual Meeting. Learn about the career questions, concerns, and aspirations most frequently expressed by association professionals, including topics such as career transitions, leadership readiness, executive presence, networking, burnout, and professional growth. Find out how to strengthen your personal brand, communicate your value effectively, build meaningful professional relationships, and translate conference insights into tangible next steps for career advancement. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Thu 9/24 at 1 p.m. – 5 Ways to Build Engagement

Building an effective website for an association requires a different set of strategic choices, a playbook that is unique to organizations like yours. Learn why your Member Benefits page matters more than you think, and what every association should include on it; what change you can make across your website that helps members feel more connected to your organization; what should happen immediately after someone joins, and why most associations miss the opportunity; and how AI is changing association websites in 2026, including where it helps and where it doesn’t. More info/register.

Host: Steward

Speaker: John Hooley, president, Steward

Thu 9/24 at 3 p.m. – Agentic Advocacy: Building an AI-Powered Community

Learn how to improve the member experience by routing unanswered questions to the right experts, creating onboarding experiences that community teams can easily update, and engaging members through structured ambassador missions. Explore how thoughtful automation can reduce manual work, help members find value faster, and create clearer paths from participation to advocacy. Get tangible ideas you can adapt to make your own community more responsive, scalable, and connected. More info/register.

Host: Higher Logic

Speakers:

Mary Green, Director of Community Platforms, Infor and Founder, CMA Weekly
Marius Ciortea, Chief Community Officer, Higher Logic

Thu 9/24 at 3:30 p.m. – Associations & Human Connection in an Increasingly Isolated World

Remote work, increasingly home-based lives, and a generation entering the workforce without ever experiencing a traditional office are changing how people build relationships and find connection. Hear about professional isolation, changing workplaces, younger professionals, and the evolving role of associations. Explore what AI means for membership. As information becomes easier to access and more transactional work becomes automated, could the things technology can’t easily replicate: relationships, trust, belonging, and community, become even more valuable? More info/register.

Host: Kim Robinson, CEO, FrontlineCo

Tue 9/29 from 9 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. – LMS Demo Days

Host: ASAE

Participants: LearnUpon, Path LMS by Momentive, D2L, Oasis LMS, GrowthZone, Elevate, BenchPrep, TopClass LMS

Tue 9/29 at 11 a.m. – Keys to Becoming a Certified Association Executive (CAE)

Preparing for the CAE credential is like getting a Master’s Degree in Association Management—the study is intense and it changes your professional life. Learn how to think for the CAE exam questions that test your ability to analyze the scenario, synthesize it with your accumulated knowledge, and evaluate which answer is correct. Find out about the foundation for the thinking and commitment you need to bring to the experience. Hear from CAEs in our community who will also share their perspectives on their CAE preparation and exam experience as well as the why of pursuing the credential. More info/register.

Host: Association Latinos

Speakers:

Sue Radwan, 30 years of preparing CAE candidates
David Murillo, CAE, IOM (moderator), President + CEO, Compass Management Solutions, Member of the CAE Commission
Anabel Martinez, MBA, CAE, PMP, AAiP (moderator), Director of Member Services of California Water Environment Association

Tue 9/29 at 11 a.m. – AWTC Open Doors

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Wed 9/30 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. – LMS Demo Days

Host: ASAE

Participants: MemberSuite, Maple LMS, Forj, EthosCE

Wed 9/30 at 11 a.m. – Future-Proofing your Association: Creating Ethical AI Guidelines

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Sheri Singer, President at Singer Communications

Wed 9/30 at 12:30 p.m. – The Member Advantage: What Members Prove, What’s Slipping, and Where AI Changes Everything

Host: Momentive Software

Speakers:

Pam Loeb, Principal, Edge Research
Tirrah Switzer, VP of Product Marketing, Momentive Software

Thu 10/1 at 12 p.m. – Association Governance and Leadership Town Hall: Governing for What’s Next

Hosts: Association Laboratory and the Association Laboratory Research Alliance

Thu 10/1 at 2 p.m. – Haunted by Hackers: Cybersecurity Threats & How Associations Fight Back

Hosts: 501Works

Speaker: James Marquis, CIO, 501Works

Made it this far? How about buying me a beer?

Association Brain Food Weekly is published Friday mornings. If you offer free professional development to the association community, please send me the link by Wednesday afternoon.

Creative Commons licensed photo by Samantha Fortney via Unsplash

Amazon, AssociationBrainFood.com, and Association Academy links allow me to earn a royalty and/or complimentary registration from any resulting leads or sales. Thank you!

Association Brain Food: 9.11.26

The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community

view of green mountains surrounding the town of Black Mountain, NC from the Two Sisters and a View trail in Montreat, NC

Good reads for the association community

“Day by day, your choices, your thoughts, your actions fashion the person you become. Your integrity determines your destiny.” ―Heraclitus

Growing a course catalog with a small team. Demand for online learning keeps climbing while head count stays flat. For association education, TopClass LMS suggests the corporate training approach: build a repeatable production system. Among their suggestions: create a course shell you reuse, bring in member volunteers to supply the content, let AI handle first drafts that a speaker then verifies, and retire courses nobody finishes.

Online community content is AI-invisible. Nicole Saunders (Higher Logic) shares highlights from her company’s internal AI study group about community content’s lack of discoverability. AI tools can’t reach it, so they don’t recommend it, even when members and prospects are asking questions. Community managers now have to connect the dots between business goals, tech staff, content plans, and AI readiness.

Before you buy an AI tool. Your board wants an AI strategy. Staff are trying to figure out which tools to use. Dennison & Associates’ guide for associations walks you through a methodical way to size up your options. It opens with a warning: associations tend to buy the tool before they’ve defined the problem. You also get a ten-question checklist for pressure-testing any AI tool purchase before you commit.

Association newsletter course. The Association Newsletter Success Certificate Course from Association Academy covers everything from strategy to delivery. You’ll work through goals and metrics, formatting that fits your audience, design and copy, AI-assisted production, and the technical work that keeps your email out of spam. You can earn up to six CAE credits in six live online classes starting October 22 with Chris Gloede (Ricochet) teaching. Save $50 on registration with the referral code BRAINFOOD.

Fresh thinking for chapters. Peggy Hoffman (Mariner Management), writing on Event Garde’s blog, says the standard toolkits-and-training approach to chapter support asks too much of leaders who are already stretched thin. Among her wise ideas: swap long board commitments for bite-sized volunteer tasks members can say yes to on the spot, then get ruthless about trimming legacy activities that drain energy and deliver little value.

Before the LMS demo. Moira Edwards (Ellipsis Partners) condenses her firm’s ASAE Demo Day webinar into ten practical tips for associations shopping for an LMS. She describes the mistakes she keeps seeing, poses a few questions to answer before you look at a single vendor, and breaks down the three levels of AMS-LMS integration.

Member magazine. If your board keeps asking about magazine costs, this m3Magazines guide hands you the ROI case to bring back to them. It explains how a well-designed publication builds member trust and loyalty, and pulls in non-dues revenue. It also includes a five-point checklist for spotting when your magazine needs a refresh and describes the kind of content that keeps members turning pages.

Exhibitor retention strategy. The fee for booth space is just the first expense for exhibitors. The real cost also includes shipping, travel, lodging, staffing, and client dinners. Back at the office, decision-makers want to know what that investment bought them. Beth Surmont (360 Live Media) describes how associations can help exhibitors get more out of the show. Her list includes a pre-show summit for booth staff, packages built around exhibitor goals, registration questions that reveal who will be in the room, and reports that justify their spend.

The loneliness numbers. Francesco Riganese (Makerstations) rounds up the latest depressing data on workplace isolation, including a 58% jump in the hours remote workers spend by themselves. Millennials report the highest rate of workplace loneliness. Lonely workers are also far more likely to be job hunting. If your members and prospects work remote or hybrid, this is a reason to highlight community and connection when you pitch membership.

Snacks

If you’re looking for an association job, keep an eye on my “likes” on LinkedIn. I “like” many of the association job postings in my stream, and the more I “like,” the more the algorithm sends my way.

The $100 experiment that slashed event no-show rates to just 10% | Andrea Doyle, Skift Meetings

Association Brain Food is a labor of love and always will be. If it’s been useful to you, your team, or your webinar marketing efforts, I’d really appreciate you buying me a beer. Thanks!

You never grow old at the table

We spent the long weekend in Black Mountain, NC, a lively little town where we hiked and visited breweries. I have only one homemade meal to report, but it’s a good one: Caribbean smothered chicken with coconut, lime, and chiles. The recipe comes from Carla Hall’s Soul Food: Everyday and Celebration. A few newspapers reprinted it when they reviewed the cookbook, so it’s easy to track down online. I served the chicken and sauce over brown rice, alongside broccoli roasted with curry powder and lime zest.

Education providers: If you have a free webinar or event coming up, please send me the link by Wednesday afternoon the week before it’s scheduled. I’m happy to feature it as long as it’s not product-centric.

Mon 9/14 at 8 a.m.* – Something on Membership (Radio Free 501c, the podcast of Rogue Tulips Consulting)

Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, ACNP, LPEC, Principal & Founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting

Guest: Jim Thompson, Tying It All Together

*All events are online at Eastern Time unless otherwise noted.

Tue 9/15 at 12 p.m. – Beyond Technology: The Human Side of Association Transformation

Find out how associations can navigate change more effectively across staff, boards, volunteers, and members. Explore why change initiatives often stall, how to build alignment across leadership, and what associations can do to future-proof their organizations while minimizing resistance and disruption. Learn how to communicate change with clarity, build momentum, and drive long-term organizational success. More info/register.

Host: .orgCommunity

Speakers: Bill Sheehan and Erin Robson from D2L

Tue 9/15 at 12 p.m. – Chasing the Next Threat Is a Losing Game – Here’s What Wins: The Questions That Actually Secure Your Test

Security strategies built around today’s technology will always be playing catch-up, because tactics change constantly while the attack vectors they exploit rarely do. Hear how to reframe the security conversation around four questions every program should be asking, and why assumptions must be challenged. Get a framework for evaluating your program’s resilience: one that treats AI not only as a threat to defend against, but as a security asset in its own right. More info/register.

Host: Institute for Credentialing Excellence

Speaker: Wallace Dalrymple, Chief Security Officer, ETS & PSI

Tue 9/15 at 12 p.m. – Strategic Planning: Create the Yellow Brick Road that Will Propel Chapter Success (CRVM Crunch and Munch)

Join us for an invigorating session on strategic planning, where you’ll actively collaborate to craft a visionary roadmap—your chapter’s Yellow Brick Road—that propels success. Through dynamic discussions, you’ll set SMART goals that drive member growth, enhance engagement, boost retention, and align with your organization’s mission and vibrant future. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Component Relations Volunteer Management Advisory Council

Tue 9/15 at 1 p.m. – Awareness to Acquisition: Structuring an AI-Ready Member Journey

Discover how to strengthen awareness and drive meaningful acquisition by building the foundations for intelligent member growth. Learn to understand the limits of traditional SEO and content strategy and where AI adds value, leverage connected data and behavioral signals to attract qualified prospects, build onboarding pathways that feed into long-term membership success, and assess your association’s AI readiness at the top of the funnel. More info/register.

Host: Causeis

Tue 9/15 at 1 p.m. – Effective Facilitation for Association Professionals

In the association environment, facilitation shows up in committees, strategic planning, chapter relations, discussions, staff meetings, webinars, and hybrid engagements. Yet many association professionals are never exposed to formal training or recognize the power of effective facilitation, particularly in member-driven environments where consensus, engagement, and focus are critical. Explore the art and science of facilitation, learn how to overcome friction points and obstacles, how to encourage real debate, and take-home critical tools that will move you from running meetings and facilitating results. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Speakers: Brian Riggs, CEO, Lead Facilitator, and Brian Summers, CAE, VP Operations, Dialogue Shop

Tue 9/15 at 2 p.m. – What Not To Do When Working With an Agency

Event management agencies can be a valuable resource for lean teams, bring advanced strategies and resources and manage everything from marketing and logistics to production and reporting. But too many planners leave valuable contributions on the table because they don’t know what to ask. Learn when an agency is a good fit for a project and when it isn’t, what questions to ask to determine if an agency would work, and how to manage accountable roles and responsibilities. More info/register.

Host: Smart Meetings

Speakers:

David Caldwell, corporate sales, Maritz
Rudy Garza, president and CEO, Brightspot Incentives & Events
Nikole Fridenmaker, founder, Build Better Meetings and Business Events Academy

Wed 9/16 at 11 a.m. – A Tamagotchi Guide to Exhibitor Success

Most people remember the Tamagotchi, a tiny digital pet that needed steady attention, or it quietly wasted away. It ran on a simple principle: neglect compounds quietly. Ensuring your exhibitors’ success follow the same curve. Learn what that ongoing care looks like in practice and how to build it into how you work. More info/register.

Host: Swapcard

Speakers:

Sean Soth, Founder & Leadership Advisory Board Chair, PAR
Elizabeth Peters, Exhibit & Sponsorship Manager
Alex Martin, Customer Support Manager, Swapcard

Wed 9/16 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. CT – Rethinking Your Association’s Growth Potential: The Next Steps (Rosemont, IL)

Session one surfaced the growth obstacles holding associations back. Now it’s time to tackle them. Over two hours, a panel of industry leaders will move the conversation forward: from understanding what’s holding associations back to the actionable steps and plans that actually drive growth. Come ready to work through what this means for your 2027 priorities. Location: Rosemont, IL. More info/register.

Hosts: Association Laboratory

Speakers:

Michael Moran, Executive, Business Development, American Society of Anesthesiologists
Ronny Kay, Senior Exhibits Manager, American Society of Nephrology
Rachel Bowers, CPA, MBA
Donna Malert, CAE, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Governance Officer, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
Dean West, FASAE (moderator), President, Association Laboratory

Wed 9/16 at 12 p.m. – Scrappy to Scalable: Building the Tech Infrastructure Behind a New Event

Learn how to identify the technology you need and get a look at the specific tools that helped MOAA solve event, marketing, and project-management challenges; build workflows that connect people, processes, and platforms while keeping cross-functional teams moving together; and identify technology gaps, demonstrate organizational value, and build internal buy-in for the tools your team needs to succeed. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Speakers: Leslie Janaros, Vice President, TotalForce+; Sarah Ferris, Vice President and Chief Information Officer; Elizabeth Limarzi, CAE, Senior Director of Marketing Strategy; Rachel Barth, CAE, Director, Creative & Visual Communications; and Kristen Stotz, Senior Director, TotalForce+ Operations, Military Officers Association of America (MOAA)

Wed 9/16 at 1 p.m. – Why Now Is the Time to Change Your Pricing Strategy (and How to Do It)

Learn the five steps to creating a Pricing and Value Governance Model that your association can use to streamline who makes pricing decisions, what your processes are, and how often you will review your pricing and value by product. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Raffa Advisers

Speakers: Dr. Michael Carr-Tatonetti, CPP, CAE, and Michelle Brien, Pricing for Associations

Wed 9/16 at 1 p.m. – From Fear to Flow: Navigating AI in Associations

AI is already changing how associations work, what employees expect, and how members engage. Get a practical roadmap for navigating what comes next: building workforce AI fluency, deciding what should remain human, be augmented or automated, reimagining member experiences, and establishing guardrails for responsible AI and agentic systems. Leave with practical frameworks to move their organizations from AI uncertainty to confident, purposeful action. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Speaker: Susan Caesar, Director of Artificial Intelligence, International Coaching Federation

Wed 9/16 at 1 p.m. – Music Licensing for Meetings & Events: Are You Playing Their Song?

Not every musical performance requires a license fee, like playing music in your car or streaming songs in the privacy of your home. Yet, using that same source for music in a meeting setting will likely require a license fee from the Performing Rights Organizations. Learn why businesses and organizations need to be licensed to play music, and what happens if music is used without permission; how licenses work, and why a venue’s music license doesn’t necessarily mean your event is covered or protected; how to get licensed and what your license covers, as well as how much music licensing costs and where that money goes; and alternatives to music licensing and other ways to incorporate music into your events. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Meetings Today

Speaker: Michael Owen, Managing Partner, EventGenuity®

Wed 9/16 at 1 p.m. – ASAE NextGen Social

Join fellow ASAE NextGen members for a virtual community gathering designed to bring emerging association professionals together for conversation, connection, and collaboration. NextGen Social is a welcoming space to meet peers, share ideas, discuss today’s challenges and opportunities, and strengthen your connection to the broader NextGen community. More info/register (ASAE members only).

Host: ASAE

Wed 9/16 at 2 p.m. – From Awareness to Purchase: Building a Content Strategy for the AI Search Customer

AI answer engines are changing how your customers research, evaluate, and discover brands. But most content teams are still building for a world where Google was the only destination that mattered. Learn why intent is the main driver that predicts how consistent AI search will be when it recommends brands; how different AI intent types—education, recommendations, pricing, comparison, and purchase—require different content formats and approaches; how to create content that ensures AI search visibility across all stages of the customer journey; and what content types to prioritize and what to include within that content to align with the primary search intent. More info/register.

Host: Content Marketing Institute

Speakers: Shannon Vize, Content Marketing Director, and Conor Baker, Content Marketing Manager, Conductor

Wed 9/16 at 3 p.m. – Building Legislative Relationships That Last

Learn how to become a trusted, credible resource on the Hill. Hear how to open doors, stay useful between asks, and navigate the difficult conversations that test a relationship. More info/register.

Host: VoterVoice

Speaker: Sathya Mandjiny, Senior Director at Penta and former Political Director for U.S. Senator Ed Markey

Wed 9/16 from 4 to 6 p.m. – Achurch Consulting and D2L Happy Hour (Washington DC)

More info/register.

Hosts: Achurch Consulting and D2L

Thu 9/17 at 11 a.m. – The New Vendor Shortlist: What Buyers See Before They Ever Talk to You

By the time a prospect in a mission-driven sector fills out a contact form or requests a demo, the majority of their purchasing evaluation is already complete. B2B buyers are turning to AI engines to evaluate market offerings, compare competitor capabilities, and generate vendor shortlists. Learn how generative AI crawlers process, evaluate, and cite your digital footprint to construct vendor recommendations; how to structure on-site and off-site brand-entity signals so LLMs can accurately represent your product capabilities to your target sector; how to set up your webpages to match what your buyers are looking for, reducing friction in your conversions; and other AI visibility best practices you can immediately apply. More info/register.

Host: Nexus Marketing

Speaker: Jenny Russ, Client Solutions Manager at Nexus Marketing

Thu 9/17 at 12 p.m. – Adapting to AI Search: Practical AEO/GEO Strategies for Digital Growth

Organizations are seeing competitors appear in ChatGPT recommendations, leadership wants answers about AI performance, and marketing teams are being asked to increase visibility across LLMs, AI Overviews, and traditional search. Learn why some brands appear in AI-generated answers while others don’t, how AI search is influencing organic visibility and traffic, where competitors may be gaining an advantage you can’t see, how to improve discoverability across search and AI platforms, and how to position your brand for the next generation of search. More info/register.

Host: Americaneagle.com

Speakers: Harley Helmer and Matt Kirtley, SEO Team Leads, Americaneagle.com

Thu 9/17 at 1 p.m. – What Is Executive Presence, Really? Turning Cultura Into Your Leadership Brand

Learn how to become the person leaders turn to when the stakes are highest, the trusted advisor, instead of the reliable technical contributor everyone leans on but overlooks. Hear how to build the kind of executive presence that makes senior leaders, boards, and partners seek out your judgment, without pretending to be someone you’re not. More info/register.

Host: Association Latinos

Speakers:

Erick Prospero Torres (moderator), Chief Ninja, Ninja Tropic
Aquiles Damiron-Alcantara, Founder and Principal Consultant, Unlearning Solutions, LLC

Thu 9/17 at 1:30 p.m. – Making Your Association Essential: How AI Changes Things

Learn how AI is reshaping what it means for an association to be truly essential to members, sponsors, partners, and the broader profession—beyond the hype to strategic questions leaders must answer now. Explore critical “can-opener” questions—why must your organization exist, and for whom?—while sharing practical examples of when AI can amplify your mission and when it can unintentionally introduce new risk or competition. Get a clearer lens for balancing vision and execution, and for positioning their organizations not just to survive, but to lead in an AI-enabled future.

1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Insight Guide

Speakers:

Christine Saunders, President and Founder of Halmyre
Kim FitzSimmons, Chief Marketing Officer of the American Association of Endodontists
Barbara Armentrout, CAE (moderator), Founder, BJA Solutions for Associations
Teri Carden (hostess), COO, Insight Guide

Thu 9/17 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. – Grow Different: Making Growth AI Your New Advantage (Washington DC)

Growth AI is a no-hype approach to using AI as an organizational sales and marketing growth engine, built on the framework Erica uses with executive clients to turn cutting-edge tech into visible results. Learn about a concrete starting point for applying Growth AI to whatever you’re responsible for growing: sales, marketing, and your organization’s potential. Location: Washington DC. More info/register.

Host: Erica Salm Rench, former COO, rasa.io

Thu 9/17 at 2 p.m. – Year-End Association Health Check: Strengthening Governance, Operations, and Member Value for 2027 Planning

Get a practical Year-End Association Health Check covering four areas: organizational foundations, governance and succession readiness, member value clarity, and systems and data readiness. Learn about potential risks across people, processes, data, and technology; assess whether board and staff decision rights are clearly understood; and work through a practical method for developing or refreshing an association value proposition. Hear about a foundational approach to automation and AI readiness, including data quality, system access, appropriate use cases, and areas requiring additional caution. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Speakers: Kristy Cohen, Senior Vice President, Client Services, and Monica Evans-Lombe, CAE, Senior Vice President, Client Services Association Headquarters

Thu 9/17 at 3 p.m. – The Member Acquisition Toolkit: 3 Tactics That Work Now

Associations seeing consistent growth have built repeatable systems. Learn how to build landing pages that convert, lead magnets that attract your ideal member profile, email sequences that nurture without being pushy, and referral mechanisms that reward your existing members for spreading the word. Get a prioritized implementation checklist, real templates you can adapt to your association, and a clear picture of which tools will have the biggest impact based on where you are today. More info/register.

Host: Member Lounge

Speaker: Amanda Doimo, marketing specialist, Member Lounge

Thu 9/17 at 4 p.m. – Learning Programs That Work: Research Insights on Mission, Strategy, and Revenue

Many associations learning programs are running on momentum. They built something that worked, and they keep going, even as the environment around them shifts. Is your learning portfolio doing its job? Drawing on two Tagoras research initiatives—interviews with 27 association CEOs and a survey of 107 associations, hear what the data shows about where associations are focused, where they’re struggling, and what distinguishes the organizations that are getting it right. Get practical frameworks and real benchmarks you can apply to your own situation. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Reston Loudoun Swap

Speakers: Jeff Cobb and Celisa Steele, co-founders, Tagoras/Leading Learning

Fri 9/18 at 12 p.m. – AI Is the New Infrastructure: What the Hugging Face/OpenAI Incident Can Teach Associations About the Future

AI is not simply another application; it’s a new layer of technology infrastructure that needs to be intentionally engineered. Explore what happens when AI is given an objective, encounters an obstacle, and begins finding its own path to accomplish the goal Hear what association leaders and IT teams need to start thinking about now. What happens when AI can act, rather than just advise? How do existing user permissions change when AI can operate at machine speed? What happens when multiple AI agents can communicate and delegate work to one another? How do we teach AI not only how to succeed, but when to stop and ask for help? And what does IT need to start engineering and governing before read-only AI becomes autonomous AI? More info/register.

Host: Brian Scott, President / CTO / CISO, ClearTone Consulting

Fri 9/18 at 3 p.m. – Nonprofit Consultants Collaborative Monthly Networking Meeting

Organizer: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting

Tue 9/22 at 10:30 a.m. – Meditation Skills for Busy Lives

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Meditation leader: Moira Edwards, Owner & President, Ellipsis Partners

Tue 9/22 at 11:30 a.m. – Beyond Dues: Practitioner Insights on Building Non-Dues Revenue

Host: iMIS by ASI

Speakers:

Laura Williamson (moderator), Chief Business Officer, Real Estate Business Services
Cheryl Post, Director, Eisner Advisory Group
Staff from ABC National, Tree Care Industry Association, and Upstate Alliance of REALTORS®

Tue 9/22 at 1 p.m. – Ethical Facilitation: From Principle to Practice

Host: Event Garde

Speakers:

Aaron Wolowiec, Founder & President, Event Garde
Lowell Aplebaum, CEO, Vista Cova

Tue 9/22 at 1 p.m. – Building a Culture of Inclusion Through Budgets, Financial Reporting and Communication

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Paul Preziotti, CPA, Partner, Johnson Lambert LLP
A. Michael Gellman, CPA, CGMA, Co-Founder at Sustainability Education 4 Nonprofits

Tue 9/22 at 3 p.m. – Q3 ASAE Consultant Community Call

Host: ASAE

Wed 9/23 at 12 p.m. – AI Critical Thinking for the 2030s

Host: Association Xchange

Speaker: Jeff De Cagna, executive advisor, Foresight First

Wed 9/23 at 12 p.m. – Levers for Growth: Practical Psychology for Mentors and Leaders

Host: Pollinate Networks

Speakers:

Dr. Spencer Greenberg PhD, founder of ClearerThinking.org, and co-author of The 12 Levers: The Complete Psychological Toolkit for Improving Your Life
Christy Pettit (moderator), CEO, Pollinate Networks Inc.

Thu 9/24 at 12 p.m. – Prompting Like a Pro: A Hands-On Guide to Getting Better Results from AI

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Speaker: Dr. Catherine A. “Cathy” Lada, D.Sc., CAE, AAiP, senior nonprofit brand and communications executive, Lada Consulting

Thu 9/24 at 3 p.m. – Agentic Advocacy: Building an AI-Powered Community

Host: Higher Logic

Speakers:

Mary Green, Director of Community Platforms, Infor and Founder, CMA Weekly
Marius Ciortea, Chief Community Officer, Higher Logic

If Association Brain Food has ever sent you to information you used, helped you earn CAE credits, or made Friday a little more interesting, buying me a beer is a nice way to thank me.

Association Brain Food Weekly is published Friday mornings. If you offer free professional development to the association community, please send me the link by Wednesday afternoon.

Amazon, AssociationBrainFood.com, and Association Academy links allow me to earn a royalty and/or complimentary registration from any resulting leads or sales. Thank you!

Association Brain Food: 9.4.26

The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community

hummingbird hovering over an orange flower

Good reads for the association community

“When solving problems, dig at the roots instead of just hacking at the leaves.” —Anthony J. D’Angelo

Turning courses into career paths. Association learning catalogs usually sort courses by topic, format, credit status, or credentialing program. But members want to know which program will get them the job they want. TopClass LMS explains how to build a skills-based catalog that maps existing courses to the competencies a role requires and gives learners something to show an employer when they ask for financial support.

Membership value AI can’t replicate. Kim Robinson (FrontlineCo) says associations built their value on being where members went for information. AI answers most of those questions now. She points to what technology can’t replicate: relationships and a sense of belonging, which matter more as our professional lives continue to move online and time for real connection gets scarce.

Before you buy awards software. If your awards program still runs on spreadsheets, this OpenWater guide adds up what the manual work costs you and describes what an upgrade should include. It lists the topics to address before signing with a vendor, including integration, real-time support, user experience, scalability, and how much to trust the testimonials they put in front of you.

The upside of being wrong. Cate Hall (Useful Fictions) argues that admitting a mistake brings relief once you do it, even though most people avoid being seen as wrong at all costs. She writes about her own years of needing to seem right about everything, and what happened when she loosened that grip. Research she cites shows that people who own their mistakes come across as more likable and competent.

Membership growth and marketing. Jana Darling (Marketing General Incorporated) came home from ASAE Annual with plenty on her mind. Fewer associations grew their membership this year, and value propositions don’t persuade the way they used to. Her advice: make member acquisition a priority with a budget behind it, market the full range of what membership delivers while leading with what each member cares about, and bring marketing into strategy conversations before anyone builds a campaign.

Non-dues revenue playbook. Your website, newsletter, and member directory can earn more than they do now. GrowthZone’s non-dues revenue guide describes how associations are making money from those channels with directory upgrades, sponsored podcast slots, tiered sponsorship packages, and more. The guide comes with eight tactics, sample pricing, and a 90-day starter plan that won’t overload a small team.

The third places we lost. Alicia M. Walker, writing in Psychology Today, traces our loneliness problem back to the loss of “third places”: the bars, clubhouses, churches, and hobby groups where people used to run into the same faces often enough to become friends. People who gather in person around a shared interest, again and again, build stronger networks and find real emotional and practical support. Can association membership fill some of that gap?

Bar stools and belonging. Dwight Furrow (Food & Wine Aesthetics) makes the case for the neighborhood bar as a necessary social activity. Public health officials go on about the harms of drinking while ignoring the social and psychological benefits of a regular seat at the bar. This is why I love talking with familiar faces at our local brewery, and why associations and chapters should host more social events.

Snacks

ASAE’s Key Consultants Committee Community Task Force compiled a reference guide with annual meeting dates and Call for Proposals deadlines for state, regional, and national societies of association executives.

How the ballroom lost its ball. | David Adler, Gathering Point News

How to bypass a paywall to read an article for free. | Joel Cunningham, Lifehacker

If you need CAE credits, check out Ed Rigsbee’s 42 workshops—nine of them are one-hour ethics workshops. Each one requires passing a test to earn a CAE credit.

Association Brain Food is a labor of love and always will be. If it’s been useful to you, your team, or your webinar marketing efforts, buying me a beer is much appreciated. Thanks!

You never grow old at the table

I love spicy food on hot nights. This pressure cooker Jamaican jerk chicken hit the spot, though it wasn’t crazy hot. I added freshly squeezed orange juice and cut back on the lime juice and soy sauce. I skipped browning the chicken, figuring the skin would go soft anyway in the sauce. I served it over brown rice. On the side, a zucchini and yellow squash sauté with onion, poblano, red bell, and habanero peppers, broccoli stem, corn, tomatoes, and fresh basil.

It’s been a while since we enjoyed my Southwest skillet, so I started chopping. This time I used ground turkey and chorizo with onion, red bell, jalapeño, poblano, and habanero peppers, garlic, sweet potato, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, chile powder, chipotle en adobo, chicken broth, black beans, corn, spinach, cilantro, and cheddar cheese. One of our favorites!

Tue 9/8 at 12 p.m.* – Tech Tuesday: Time to Eat Your Broccoli: Tech Policies Every Association Should Have

Policies may not be the most exciting item on your to-do list, but they have a huge impact on security, operations, and user expectations. Hear about the technology policies associations can’t afford to ignore, where policy ownership belongs, and how organizations are adapting policies for emerging technologies like AI. More info/register (ASAE members only).

Host: ASAE

Facilitators:

Reggie Henry, former Chief Information and Performance Excellence Officer, ASAE
Dave Coriale, President, DelCor Technology Solutions

*All events are online at Eastern Time unless otherwise noted.

Wed 9/9 at 12 p.m. – Non-Dues Revenue Is Not a Side Hustle: Building a Sustainable Revenue Strategy

Learn why non-dues revenue stalls when it’s treated as a side project; how to evaluate opportunities against member value, not just revenue potential; what distinguishes sustainable non-dues models from one-time wins; and practical first moves you can bring back to your organization. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: GrowthZone

Speaker: Chris Vaughn, Chief Strategy Officer at Sequence Consulting

Wed 9/9 at 12 p.m. – ’26 State of MX: The Trust Advantage

AI is reshaping what members expect from their associations, but it’s also clarifying where associations create value AI can’t replace. Get a walkthrough of Forj’s 2026 State of Member Experience report, where we’ll unpack what over 1,000 association members told us about trust, technology, and engagement in the AI era—and what it means for your strategy going into 2027. More info/register.

Host: Forj

Speakers: Kurt Heikkinen, CEO, and Andy Hicken, VP of Technology Solutions, Forj

Wed 9/9 from 1 to 4 p.m. – Education and Credentialing Trends (Washington, DC)

As workforce needs change and traditional educational pathways shift, professions must explore new ways to prepare and credential future practitioners. Hear about the relationship between educators and industry, micro-credentials, and alternative pathways to career entry in response to declining college enrollment and changing employer expectations. Learn about emerging trends shaping the future of education, certification, and professional development. Location: Washington, DC. More info/register.

Host: Certification Network Group

Speakers:

Dr. Debbie Crimmins, SVP, Global Client Advocacy & Marketing, Prometric
Dr. Jeff Strohl, Director, Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce
Bill West, Partner & Chief Strategy Officer, KaWest Partners
Michael Coley, President, ASE Education Foundation
Sandy Hogg (moderator), Director or Business Development, ITS

Thu 9/10 at 12 p.m. – AI-Powered Event Strategist

Get a high-level perspective of how Julius Solaris uses AI to create strategy for his clients, some of the largest tech, media, and events companies. Hear how he changed his approach to: data analysis, event strategy, event design, engagement, marketing, acquisition, and sponsorships. Find out what tools he uses daily. More info/register.

Hosts: Boldpush and FIRST

Speakers:

Julius Solaris, founder, Boldpush
Bob Bress, head of data and AI, FIRST

Thu 9/10 at 12 p.m. – ASAE Key Consultant Committee (KCC) Update

Get an update on the KCC’s work and the key emerging themes from the recent consultant community survey. Hear what your fellow consultants shared and learn how their feedback is helping shape the KCC’s priorities and work moving forward. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Key Consultant Committee (KCC)

Speaker: KCC Chair Dean West, Founder, Association Laboratory

Thu 9/10 at 1 p.m. – How to Grow Your Credentialing Business: Protect, Expand, Diversify

Learn about three core strategic actions that position your credentialing business for growth—protecting your base, expanding your base, and diversifying your offerings. Get practical tools and perspectives to help your learning business grow, whether credentials are a cornerstone of your portfolio or something you’re considering adding to your education mix. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Leading Learning/Tagoras

Speakers:

Jeff Cobb and Celisa Steele, co-founders of Tagoras and Leading Learning
Evan Burton, head of growth at BenchPrep

Thu 9/10 at 1 p.m. – How to Build a Custom AI Agent

Learn best practices to build a custom AI bot that is secure, effective, and useful. Hear about common missteps to avoid and strategic guidance on your approach to change management. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers: Heinan Landa, Founder & CEO, and Chris Abel, Manager of Consulting Services, Optimal Networks

Thu 9/10 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. – Fall Association Professionals Social (Alexandria VA)

At this social event exclusively for association professionals at the Providence, Tall Ship dock, converse with other industry leaders, and learn a little history about the ship while making new contacts in-person and connecting with old friends. Location: Alexandria VA. More info/register.

Hosts: DMV Association Connect, Reston Loudoun Swap & AIOT

Sponsors: M & T Bank and D2L

Tue 9/15 at 12 p.m. – Beyond Technology: The Human Side of Association Transformation

Host: .orgCommunity

Speakers: Bill Sheehan and Erin Robson from D2L

Wed 9/16 at 12 p.m. – Scrappy to Scalable: Building the Tech Infrastructure Behind a New Event

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Wed 9/16 at 1 p.m. – Why Now Is the Time to Change Your Pricing Strategy (and How to Do It)

Host: Raffa Advisers

Speakers: Dr. Michael Carr-Tatonetti, CPP, CAE, and Michelle Brien, Pricing for Associations

Thu 9/17 at 1 p.m. – What Is Executive Presence, Really? Turning Cultura Into Your Leadership Brand

Host: Association Latinos

Speakers:

Erick Prospero Torres (moderator), Chief Ninja, Ninja Tropic
Aquiles Damiron-Alcantara, Founder and Principal Consultant, Unlearning Solutions, LLC

Thu 9/17 at 1:30 p.m. – Making Your Association Essential: How AI Changes Things

Host: Insight Guide

Speakers:

Christine Saunders, President and Founder of Halmyre
Kim FitzSimmons, Chief Marketing Officer of the American Association of Endodontists
Barbara Armentrout, CAE (moderator), Founder, BJA Solutions for Associations
Teri Carden (hostess), COO, Insight Guide

Thu 9/17 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. – Grow Different: Making Growth AI Your New Advantage (Washington DC)

Host: Erica Salm Rench, former COO, rasa.io

Thu 9/17 at 4 p.m. – Learning Programs That Work: Research Insights on Mission, Strategy, and Revenue

Host: ASAE Reston Loudoun Swap

Speakers: Jeff Cobb and Celisa Steele, co-founders, Tagoras/Leading Learning

Fri 9/18 at 3 p.m. – Nonprofit Consultants Collaborative Monthly Networking Meeting

This monthly networking meeting is organized by consultants for full-time consultants who work with non-profits and associations. You don’t have to be an ASAE member to attend. This month’s agenda includes sharing good news and taking questions from the group. More info/register. Organizer: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting

If Association Brain Food has ever sent you to information you used, helped you earn CAE credits, or made Friday a little more interesting, buying me a beer is a nice way to thank me.

Association Brain Food Weekly is published Friday mornings. If you offer free professional development to the association community, please send me the link by Wednesday afternoon.

Creative Commons licensed photo by Dulcey Lima via Unsplash

Amazon, AssociationBrainFood.com, and Association Academy links allow me to earn a royalty and/or complimentary registration from any resulting leads or sales. Thank you!

Association Brain Food: 8.28.26

The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community

windy day at the beach with dune grass and wooden fence in the foreground

Good reads for the association community

“Aging is an extraordinary process whereby you become the person you always should have been.” –David Bowie

Members drift before they leave. Renewal emails go out, but members made the decision to stay (or not) months earlier. TopClass LMS says an online education program keeps your association useful to members between renewal cycles. They describe how course activity signals who’s slipping away and which educational perks give members a reason to renew.

Website accessibility starts before you publish. Mark Wallach (Engagement Mobile Strategies) explains new Section508.gov guidance that treats accessibility as a publishing process with named owners and review steps. He lists questions to take back to your team, such as who identifies new issues, who decides what gets fixed first, who verifies a fix, and what keeps the same problem from coming back.

Making the case for a membership app. Clowder’s guide helps you make the case for a membership app. It breaks down the difference between event apps, mobile websites, web apps, and native platforms, with the pitfalls of each. You also get an evaluation checklist, cost comparison, feature list, and stories from associations whose members already use an app year-round.

Educational pathways. Ellen Maiara advises designing handoffs between your educational programs so conferences feed certification prep and continuing ed programs feed leadership development. She says professional growth stalls because certification lives with one team, conferences with another, and nobody owns the full educational journey.

Proving it’s AI (or not). Tori Miller Liu at AIIM explains what AI watermarks and provenance marks like C2PA do and where new regulations require them. That matters if your association worries about AI-generated content. Katharine English put Pangram, the AI detector now built into Substack, to the test on her own writing, with unsettling results. Even with these tools, spotting AI-generated writing is still hard.

Before you send a software RFP. ASI’s guide suggests pairing an RFP with a system preview so you can test a vendor’s software with your own data and processes before you commit. It also describes how an engagement management system differs from CRM software built for sales teams and how to assemble a tech stack around your core platform. You’ll find questions to ask your team before shopping, plus the attributes to look for in a system.

Rethinking mentoring opportunities. In Harvard Business Review, Marlo Lyons says AI is taking over the routine tasks that junior employees once cut their teeth on. Without it, they miss the work experience that builds judgment. She wants senior leaders to make their thinking visible in everyday work, like explaining decisions out loud. Done well, the habit grows leaders faster. Associations should offer informal mentoring that does the same.

When AI ignores your site. Sherry Budziak (.orgSource) says membership growth stalls when prospects can’t find you. Professionals increasingly ask AI their career questions instead of searching the web. Content behind a form or written only for members never turns up in those answers, so prospects don’t visit your site or learn your association exists. She suggests watching whether AI names your association in those results, then publishing plain answers in formats machines can read.

The same person, everywhere. Thiru Thangarathinam (KeenStack), writing for Entrepreneur, makes a personal case for carrying the same values into every room you enter, whether at work or home. People notice your values most in unscripted moments, like how you handle a board discussion or pushback from your teenager. He warns that presenting more than one version of yourself wears you down and affects how people see you.

Snacks

Warning: Compromised hotel Wi-Fi routers send users to phishing sites. | KnowBe4

Three questions your registration form doesn’t need. | David Beckett, Velvet Chainsaw Consulting

Entrepreneurship is booming in the U.S., and Gen Zers are leading the way. | Mary Cunningham, CBS News

This tool maps your road trip route and marks the roadside oddities, hidden curiosities, and worthwhile detours you would never have found otherwise. | Make My Drive Fun

Association Brain Food is a labor of love and always will be. If it’s been useful to you, your team, or your webinar marketing efforts, buying me a beer is much appreciated. Thanks!

You never grow old at the table

Use any hot pepper in this simple sauce for pan-fried salmon. I went with habanero since we have so many ready to pick, though the jalapeños and cayennes are coming in too. I made the sauce with butter, minced garlic, minced habanero, honey, and lime juice. The fat must tame the heat, because the sauce wasn’t as hot as we expected. Or did all the rain make some of the older peppers less hot to begin with? I’ll keep adding more peppers until I find out.

For our sides, I made mashed sweet potatoes made with maple syrup, sour cream, milk, butter, cinnamon, and sweet smoked paprika, plus steamed asparagus, which was so good under a big spoonful of that habanero butter.

Friday night, we had fried flounder with cheesy grits and the leftover mashed sweet potatoes. For our veg, I made the usual roasted broccoli with red onion, sweet smoked paprika, and garlic powder.

For my birthday meal on Tuesday night, we stayed in for “beach pasta.” This time, my sort-of recipe included bacon, butter and olive oil, onion, cayenne and habanero peppers (still not hot enough!), garlic, tomatoes, corn, white wine, shrimp, lemon juice, and fresh basil and chives. Pasta water loosened the sauce, and parmesan went over the top.

Fri 8/28 at 12 p.m.* – The Volunteer Advantage: Secrets to Recruiting and Engaging Difference-Makers

Do you see a gap between what your volunteers bring to the table and what your organization draws out of them? And do you need clarity on whether they’re getting what they need in return? Hear real case studies on volunteer recruitment and engagement, and how to build a culture where they are engaged, contributing, and satisfied. More info/register.

Host: Zzeem Consulting

*All events are online at Eastern Time unless otherwise noted.

Mon 8/31 at 8 a.m. – Stewardship That Strengthens: Rethinking the Board’s Role in Talent and Stability (Radio Free 501c, the podcast of Rogue Tulips Consulting)

Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, ACNP, LPEC, Principal & Founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting

Guest: Allison Wyatt, Founder & CEO of Edgility Talent Partners

Tue 9/1 at 1:30 p.m. – Why and What: LMS Data in Your AMS

Hear a candid, vendor-neutral conversation about what actually belongs in each system. Learn about the real line between an LMS and an AMS, and the credentialing misconception that costs associations a platform they never needed; why the 360-degree member view is the whole point, and the reports you cannot run until both halves of the member live in one place; where e-commerce should live and the middle path most people don’t know exists; the write-back “101” most associations already do, and the next-level data almost nobody sends; what your AMS needs to send back down; and why neither of us can yet name an association doing personalization well. More info/register.

Hosts: Sam Hirsch of 360Factor (OasisLMS) and Pat Newell of Wicket

Tue 9/1 at 2 p.m. – ASAE: Follow Up Strategies After Indy

Is your head buzzing with ideas about what to do next? Join a brief, 30-minute conversation about follow-up strategies. Meeting people is obviously important. Staying in touch is where you build the relationship. Learn how to save time, stress, and money. More info/register.

Host: Diane Darling, speaker at ASAE Annual on Effective Networking Strategies for Associations

Wed 9/2 at 11 a.m. – Putting Momentum Back in Your Membership Flywheel: Workflow Activation for Associations

Learn where the membership flywheel loses energy across the member journey and why the cause usually runs through how the pieces connect, so improving a single tactic rarely holds. Find out how to pick one workflow to activate first, whether onboarding, renewal, or event follow-up, and how a clearly defined workflow sets up the right, governed use of AI and automation on the AMS, CRM, and content systems you already own. Get a right-sized path you can start now and a simple checklist to run the first pass on your own. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Jim Thompson, CAE, IOM, Founder at Tying It Together Consulting
Walt Rolle, Founder & Principal Solutions Architect at Light 516

Wed 9/2 at 12 p.m. – Easy Ways to Multiply Your Sponsors’ & Exhibitors’ Success at Events

Many events unintentionally isolate sponsors and exhibitors from the very community they hope to reach. Discover practical techniques to create more conversations, stronger relationships, and greater value through better networking, room design, receptions, participation activities, strategic breaks, and other easy-to-implement engagement strategies. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: AIOT

Speaker: Lee Gimpel, founder of Better Meetings

Wed 9/2 at 12 p.m. – Where Mission and Margin Meet: Insights on Learning Strategy for Association Leaders

Learn how to use the Mission-Margin Matrix to map your learning portfolio and identify what to protect, strengthen, and let go. See how your priorities compare against other associations on their strategic goals, biggest constraints, and areas of investment. Hear what 27 association CEOs said about what’s working with their learning programs and the forces putting pressure on old models. Get clear on why AI is an accelerant, not a strategy, and what that means given where most associations are with AI adoption. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: GrowthZone

Speakers: Jeff Cobb and Celisa Steele, co-founders of Tagoras and co-hosts of the Leading Learning Podcast

Wed 9/2 at 1 p.m. – Align, Assess, Govern, Launch: Creating a Value-Driven AI Strategy

AI adoption is accelerating, but many organizations lack a clear strategy for turning experimentation into meaningful outcomes. Learn how to align AI initiatives with organizational goals, establish effective governance, and launch high-impact use cases. Get a practical framework, governance guidance, and a 90-day roadmap for responsible AI adoption. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Dan Hickey, Sr. Strategic Consultant, DelCor Technology Solutions
Ginger Ausloos, VP, Information Technology at AACSB International

Wed 9/2 at 2 p.m. – Collaborating With AI to Solve Event Challenges

Learn how to turn AI from a generic advice machine into a collaborative thinking partner for the hardest parts of the job. Working with a real planner scenario, we’ll build a custom GPT to solve a planner challenge and use voice AI to work through a crisis in real time. Hear why your experience and judgment are what can make AI genuinely useful; a repeatable way to think through your challenges with AI; and how to build your own GPT to tackle those challenges, with a short tutorial download you can refer to later. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Northstar Meetings Group

Speaker: Noah Cheyer, AI Thought Leader and Founder, Silicon Valley Speakers

Thu 9/3 at 1 p.m. – How to Become a Possibility Thinker

Learn about the concept of Possibility Thinking, a practical approach to expanding your options, reframing challenges, and making more intentional decisions. Get tools to generate new options, shift your perspective in high-stakes moments, and move forward with greater clarity and confidence. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Speaker: Irina Cozma, Ph.D., Irina Cozma Consulting

Thu 9/3 at 3 p.m. – Using Claude Cowork to Automate Member Operations

Learn how associations are using Claude Cowork to take repetitive member operations off their team’s plate, from drafting renewal sequences to organizing member data across systems. See how the AI handles multi-step tasks that used to eat up a whole afternoon, and how your team stays in control while it works. Get a clear picture of where to start: which tasks to automate first, how to set up your first workflow, and how to know it’s working. More info/register.

Host: Farhad Khan, CEO Member Lounge

Wed 9/9 from 1 to 4 p.m. – Education and Credentialing Trends (Washington, DC)

Host: Certification Network Group

Speakers:

Dr. Debbie Crimmins, SVP, Global Client Advocacy & Marketing, Prometric
Dr. Jeff Strohl, Director, Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce
Bill West, Partner & Chief Strategy Officer, KaWest Partners
Michael Coley, President, ASE Education Foundation
Sandy Hogg (moderator), Director or Business Development, ITS

Thu 9/10 at 1 p.m. – How to Grow Your Credentialing Business: Protect, Expand, Diversify

Host: Leading Learning/Tagoras

Speakers:

Jeff Cobb and Celisa Steele, co-founders of Tagoras and Leading Learning
Evan Burton, head of growth at BenchPrep

Thu 9/10 at 1 p.m. – How to Build a Custom AI Agent

Host: UST Education

Speakers: Heinan Landa, Founder & CEO, and Chris Abel, Manager of Consulting Services, Optimal Networks

Thu 9/10 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. – Fall Association Professionals Social (Alexandria VA)

Hosts: DMV Association Connect, Reston Loudoun Swap & AIOT

Sponsors: M & T Bank and D2L

If Association Brain Food has ever sent you to information you used, helped you earn CAE credits, or made Friday a little more interesting, buying me a beer is a nice way to thank me.

Association Brain Food Weekly is published Friday mornings. If you offer free professional development to the association community, please send me the link by Wednesday afternoon.

Creative Commons licensed photo by Kaya Arro via Unsplash

Amazon, AssociationBrainFood.com, and Association Academy links allow me to earn a royalty and/or complimentary registration from any resulting leads or sales. Thank you!

The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community

Good Reads for the Association Community

Association in the News

You Never Grow Old at the Table

Share this:

The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community

Good Reads for the Association Community

Snacks

You Never Grow Old at the Table

Share this:

The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community

Good reads for the association community

Snacks

You never grow old at the table

Share this:

The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community

Good reads for the association community

You never grow old at the table

Share this:

The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community

Good reads for the association community

Snacks

You never grow old at the table

Share this:

The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community

Good reads for the association community

Snacks

You never grow old at the table

Share this:

The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community

Good reads for the association community

Snacks

You never grow old at the table

Share this:

The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community

Good reads for the association community

Snacks

You never grow old at the table

Share this: