The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community
Good reads for the association community
Online course completion rates. When members enroll in an online course and then never finish it, that’s a design problem, not a motivation problem. TopClass explains what causes even motivated learners to drop off. Their course completion advice includes cohort learning, modular course design, progress tracking, and content tied to career outcomes.
Member advocacy education. Nowadays, executive orders, agency guidance, and court decisions are reshaping federal policy faster than traditional legislation ever did. Members are scrambling to keep up and looking to their associations for help. Apti suggests partnerships between education and government affairs teams, and describes how to structure these collaborations, match content to legislative urgency, and give members a clear path from policy literacy to advocacy skills.
Member renewal. Stop the churn! Marketing General Inc. shares nine renewal strategies backed by their Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report data. The guide covers data, research, timing, grace periods, payment options, renewal reminders, and channels, plus a month-by-month renewal schedule.
In defense of the humanities. For years, students were told to abandon the humanities and learn to code. Nils Gilman of Noema Magazine says the AI era is making that advice obsolete. As AI takes over routine knowledge work, cross-domain thinking, ethical reasoning, and judgment—the competencies a liberal arts education develops—rise in value. But because employers tend to treat these as senior-level skills, entry-level workers may have fewer chances to develop them.
Peer learning is the future. YPO charges roughly 30 times the typical association dues and keeps members renewing for decades. Jackson Boyar of RallyBoard credits their peer forum model as the foundation that everything else sits on. He describes what YPO built, why it works, and what most associations keep getting backwards about peer learning and the annual conference.
AMS implementation. AMS implementation projects go sideways when the wrong people are in the room—or the right people aren’t. re:Members walks you through the five roles every association needs on its implementation team, what each person actually does, and how to handle the inevitable “I don’t have time for this” pushback. Their advice is grounded in 400+ implementation projects, so dig into it if you’re in the AMS research or selection process.
Taking the CAE exam in May? Check out the revised CAE Practice Exam from Rogue Tulips Consulting. Created by CAE expert Cheryl Ronk, CAE, FASAE, this practice exam has tough questions that’ll test your knowledge and sharpen your thinking. Seriously, don’t take the exam without it. Get $25 off with discount code RTBRAINFOOD.
Microsized belonging. Drawing on data from their 2025 Chapter Performance and Benchmarking Report, Mariner Management makes the case that belonging doesn’t happen in a room of 100 people once a month. Small, intentional experiences—built around shared roles, career stages, or interests—foster a member’s sense of belonging. Mariner’s suggestions include accountability pods, mentoring circles, and pop-up gatherings. The same logic applies to special interest groups, state associations, and any other member community you run.
Associations as loneliness antidotes. Depending on which survey you read, somewhere between 20% and 60% of Americans say they’re lonely. Patricia Troy of Next Wave Group believes associations are naturally equipped to tackle this problem, since working together on common causes and shared interests is where member relationships develop and deepen.
Snacks
Job-hunters: Schedule time each week to review my LinkedIn reactions. I ‘like’ association and industry partner job postings so you can find the ones you missed.
Want to read some of the classics alongside others? I’ve been enjoying the commentary and discussions in Substack book clubs devoted to slow reads of the great books. Christina Bieber Lake keeps an updated list of these Substacks.
If you need CAE credits, check out Ed Rigsbee’s 39 workshops—nine of them are one-hour Ethics workshops. You have to pass a test to qualify for the credits.
I’ve been curating Association Brain Food for over ten years as a community service. If it’s been a useful part of your professional life or your company’s webinar marketing, buying me a beer is a super nice thing to do in return.
You never grow old at the table
We got back this week from a ten-day road trip up north. First stop, Pittsburgh to see the Cannons and Bob Moses in concert. We spent an enjoyable morning in the Heinz History Center, which was right across the street from our hotel. Proper Brick Oven and Tap Room was a good spot for pizza and beer.
A good friend told us to get lunch at Primanti Bros. Just imagine inches of meat plus cheese, tangy slaw, and French fries between slices of bread, washed down with an Iron City. We walked it off in the Strip District where I was overwhelmed by all the Italian shopping possibilities at Pennsylvania Macaroni Co.
We hit a few breweries (Aslin, Helltown, and Southern Tier for a salad) in Pittsburgh and at our next stop, Gettysburg (Appalachian), where we visited the museum and did the NPS auto tour of the battlefields.
Our ultimate destination was North Easton, MA, where we enjoyed Shovel Town Brewery and linguica and onion pizza at my favorite hometown bar, Union Villa. But my food highlight of the trip was the lobster salad plate at The Red Parrot in Newport, RI. OMG, that’s the best dish I’ve had in forever.
I had to make Mummy Lorraine haddock for my mum and Jim while up in MA: crushed Ritz crackers, lemon zest, garlic powder, and melted butter as a topping for the baked fillets, with roasted Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes on the side.
We made an overnight stop on our way back south in Carlisle, PA, another historic downtown. I enjoyed shepherd’s pie at Market Cross Pub & Brewery, then caught NHL playoffs over an espresso stout at Molly Pitcher Brewing. Go Canes!
Thankfully, I had cod cakes in the freezer ready to bake for dinner when we got back—the original NYT recipe and the archived version. On the side, sweet potato fries from the freezer. No energy for anything green.
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.”
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 4/24 at 1 p.m.* – How to Write Volunteer Recruitment Copy That Works
Learn a proven step-by-step formula for making a compelling case to serve, how to transform your subject lines from blah to bling, ten 10 common call to action mistakes to avoid, and next steps to design and implement a complete “what’s working now” recruitment campaign. More info/register.
Host: Tobi Johnson, President & Founder, Tobi Johnson & Associates and VolunteerPro
*All events are online at Eastern Time unless otherwise noted.
Mon 4/27 at 8 a.m. – The Membership Growth Strategy Hiding in Your Own Data (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: Denny Lengkong, Intellidata
Mon 4/27 at 12 p.m. – Association Business Week Open House: Meet PAR & Your Association Business Community
Kick off Association Business Week with an open-access virtual open house designed for association executives and business leaders who want to rethink what “association business” can be. Get an inside look at PAR’s point of view on revenue, partnerships, and mission-driven growth—and see how our community is reshaping sales and business development for the association sector. Meet the PAR team, connect with peers from across the sector, and join guided networking designed to spark real relationships and candid conversation. Come as you are, stay as long as you like, and leave with new connections and a clearer picture of how PAR can support your growth. More info/register.
Host: Professionals for Association Revenue (PAR)
Speakers: Jen Smith, Executive Director, and Sean Soth, Founder & Leadership Advisory Board Chair, PAR
Mon 4/27 at 1 p.m. – Top Legal Questions Association Leaders Should be Asking in 2026
Learn how to shift from reacting to legal issues to asking better, forward-looking questions that guide smarter decisions in 2026. Hear from legal professionals on the current legal landscape for associations and the dynamic shifts that are evolving faster than relevant laws and regulations. As courts issue rulings that affect the future of association work, make sure you have the information you need to ask the right questions and lead proactively through any outcome. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: ASAE
Speakers: lawyers from Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman
Mon 4/27 at 2 p.m. – Hot Markets, Smart Moves: Ask Me Anything on Choosing and Advancing Your Next Expansion Country
As associations look beyond mature markets, regions like the Middle East, Asia, and Africa are becoming central to many organizations’ growth plans. Ask experienced international association executives your questions about specific countries or regions you are considering. Bring your questions about where to go next, how to compare and prioritize hot markets, what market research to rely on, which entry strategies fit different contexts, and what it really takes to gain traction once you commit. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: ASAE
Speakers:
- Kristin Richeimer, Executive Director, Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine
- Nora Zei, Chief Member and Participant Experience Officer, Rotary International
- Tarnbir Kaur, Vice President Membership and Strategic Engagement, American Chemical Society
Tue 4/28 at 12 p.m. – The Impact of AEO On Your Member Acquisition Funnel
Explore how answer engines (like Google AI Overviews and LLMs) are playing a key role in awareness and intent, upending the traditional marketing funnel; why visibility, authority, and consistency matter more than ever; what associations can learn from other industries navigating long, varied decision journeys; how to talk to leadership about AEO when traditional funnels and vanity metrics no longer tell the full story; and how to start evaluating whether your organization is showing up in AI-driven answers today. More info/register.
Host: Association Women Technology Champions
Speakers: Alyssa Hulka, Chief Experience Officer, and Merrick Kressley, Digital Marketing Strategist, Accella
Tue 4/28 at 12 p.m. – Elevating YOU: Personal Branding for Association Executives
70% of employers believe a strong personal brand is crucial for career success and may be even more important than a resume. Learn how to elevate your personal brand on LinkedIn. More info/register.
Host: Association Xchange
Speaker: Tal Woliner, Chief Communications Officer, American Association for the Advancement of Science
Tue 4/28 at 2 p.m. – Association Business Week: Mission-Driven Sales for Every Association Professional
Explore how influence powers success across all roles. Discover ways to communicate value clearly, build authentic relationships, and create opportunities that advance your organization’s goals. Learn strategies to strengthen trust, uncover member or partner needs, and turn everyday conversations into impactful, revenue‑driving interactions. Take part in facilitated small‑group breakout discussions—a dynamic opportunity to connect with peers, exchange ideas, and experience the engaging, community‑first culture that defines PAR events. More info/register.
Host: Professionals for Association Revenue
Speakers:
- Sean Soth, Founder & Leadership Advisory Board Chair, Professionals for Association Revenue
- Jen Smith, Executive Director, Professionals for Association Revenue
- John Bacon, VP, Sales & Partner Experience, ASAE
- Brittany Shoul, SVP, Revenue Strategy & Operations, MCI USA
Tue 4/28 at 2 p.m. – Click to Convention Floor: Why Members Want to Attend (But Don’t)—and What to Do About It
New research from 750+ association and event professionals reveals a surprising truth: attendance challenges aren’t driven by lack of interest, they’re driven by lack of access. Learn why “knowing your members” isn’t enough to drive attendance, the hidden barriers preventing registration (and how to remove them), how to reframe your event’s value to resonate with both attendees and their employers, practical tools to help attendees secure internal approval and budget, and proven strategies to turn interest into confirmed registrations. More info/register.
Host: A2Z Events by Momentive Software
Speaker: Rich Vallaster, CEM, QAS, AAiP
Tue 4/28 at 2 p.m. – How to Write Volunteer Recruitment Copy That Works
Learn a proven step-by-step formula for making a compelling case to serve, how to transform your subject lines from blah to bling, ten 10 common call to action mistakes to avoid, and next steps to design and implement a complete “what’s working now” recruitment campaign. More info/register.
Host: Tobi Johnson, President & Founder, Tobi Johnson & Associates and VolunteerPro
Tue 4/28 at 2 p.m. – Wellbeing by Design: Reimagining the Modern Meeting Experience
Wellbeing is no longer a luxury add-on. It is a strategic driver of engagement, performance, and meaningful connection within meetings and events. Explore how intentionally designed wellbeing experiences can transform the attendee journey from arrival through departure. Drawing on real-world examples, learn how people-first design, immersive experiences, retreat programming, and strategic partnerships can enhance engagement and satisfaction while supporting measurable business outcomes. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: ASAE
Speakers: Hyatt Hotels Corporation professionals
Tue 4/28 at 2 p.m. – Plan to Lead with Heart
Three Smart Speaker winners will share how they found their inner leader and learned to connect and inspire teams in good and bad times. Learn how to center yourself so you can be there for others, focus on the decisions that will matter long-term, and lead across generations. More info/register.
Host: Smart Meetings
Speakers:
- Sarah Reuter, CEO of Elevate Travel Co
- Debbie Peterson, Leadership Readiness Expert and creator of The Clarity Compass
- Christy Renee Stehle, keynote speaker, neurodiverse global citizen and behavioral science expert
Tue 4/28 at 3 p.m. – Intro to AI Webinar for Associations and Nonprofits
Learn about Generative AI and LLM (what they are, why they matter, and what they can and can’t do), how associations are using AI to support member engagement and operations, prompt engineering and creating targeted ChatGPT personas for content and interactions, privacy/security settings to adjust, and what information is safe to input into LLMs. Watch live demos showing what’s possible with AI tools today. More info/register.
Host: Sidecar
Speakers:
- Erica Salm Rench, CMO, Sidecar
- Thomas Altman, Co-Founder, Tasio
Wed 4/29 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. – CMEpalooza Spring
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 4/29 at 11 a.m. – Brand Strategy That Works: How Organizations Can Evolve Without Losing Their Identity
Explore how organizations can modernize their brand strategy in a thoughtful, strategic way—ensuring relevance while preserving organizational identity. Learn what brand strategy really means beyond logos and visual identity, and how to create a practical framework that supports consistency across touchpoints. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Lidia Varesco Racoma, Brand Strategist & Marketing Designer at Lidia Varesco Design
Wed 4/29 at 11 a.m. – From scans to sales: How to drive sponsor ROI and increase revenue
Get your event sponsors and exhibitors hooked on your show so they rebook and drive your revenue even higher. Learn how to help sponsors demonstrate tangible ROI, how customizable lead qualification questions enable exhibitors to score and filter prospects on the show floor, how attendee actions automatically generate inbound leads, why a collaborative workspace is critical for sponsor teams and giving your attendee list to sponsors is a bad idea and what you can do instead. More info/register.
Host: Grip
Speakers:
- Chiyon Yoon, Senior Sponsor Logistics Manager, Yotta
- Kelly Hogan, Director of Product Development, DealCatalyst
- Nick Westerman, Head of Strategic Partner Events, NHS Confederation
Wed 4/29 at 12 p.m. – Smarter Workdays: Connect & Explore AI with Your Association Peers
What if you could save hours each week, while improving how you serve your members? Join an honest, peer-led conversation structured around the question everyone is asking: how is AI actually showing up in association work right now? Learn what’s working, what’s not, and what’s next. Bring questions, leave with ideas. Every tool welcome. Every experience level welcome. No prep. No prerequisites. Just one hour that moves you forward. More info/register (ASAE members only).
Host: ASAE Marketing Professionals Advisory Council
Wed 4/29 at 1 p.m. – Beyond Webinars: Building an Education Pathway Your Members Can Actually Use
Learn why member education needs to feel like a pathway, not just a collection of webinars, courses, and content; where traditional professional development offerings fall short for members who are looking for real career advancement; how to organize education offerings around career stage, member need, and next-step relevance; how degree options can strengthen your association’s education strategy by giving members a more concrete path forward; and how to make your education benefits feel more useful, more visible, and more connected to member value. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Jennifer Goode, CEO at EDUTrust
Wed 4/29 at 1 p.m. – Why Staff Retention Is Your New Member Retention Strategy
Inefficient, disconnected tech is burning out association staff — and when staff struggle, member experience suffers. Learn why staff retention is your most powerful member‑retention strategy and a critical driver of long‑term association sustainability. Walk away with a roadmap to reduce burnout, support your team, and ultimately create a stronger, more sustainable member experience. More info/register.
Host: Momentive Software
Speakers:
- Kerri McGovern, MPP, CAE, AAiP, VP Membership, Engagement, and Volunteerism, Council for Advancement and Support of Education
- Andrew Leasure, VP and Chief Financial Officer, The Economic Club of Chicago
- Rob Miller, MPA, CAE, SVP of Association Strategy, Momentive Software
Wed 4/29 at 1 p.m. – Destination and Site Selection: Rates-Dates-Space to the Power of 10
Think beyond the basic “dates, rates and space” information to create an RFP that yields a more complete proposal, including considerations such as accessibility, travel time, cost and air lift (number of flights to destinations’ airport/s), and venue availability. Learn the basics of effective destination and site selection; the resources, in addition to DMOs (aka CVBs), to inform destination and site searches, inspections, decisions and contracting; and how to overcome objections to thorough RFPs and the requirement for thorough proposals. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: Meetings Today
Speaker: Joan Eisenstodt, Principal, Eisenstodt Associates, LLC
Wed 4/29 at 2 p.m. – Inside the Membership Growth Playbook: Experts Share Strategies for Growth
Four leading membership researchers share essential membership strategies and respond to your questions about current membership concerns. More info/register.
Host: Sarah Sladek, XYZ University and Membership U
Speakers:
- Mary Byers, CAE, author, podcast host
- Amanda Kaiser, author
- Sheri Jacobs, FASAE, CAE, author, founder
- Sarah Sladek, author, founder of XYZ University and Membership U
Wed 4/29 at 2 p.m. – Measuring the Impact of Sustainable Meetings
Once you’ve put a number of practices in place to make your events more sustainable, it’s time to measure the actual impact of efforts related to waste diversion, carbon emissions, F&B and products sourcing, and community engagement. Learn about sustainability objectives, selecting the right metrics, and using practical tools to evaluate how green your meetings really are. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: Northstar Meetings Group
Speakers:
- Nancy J. Zavada, CMP Fellow, president of MeetGreen
- Anna Abdelnoor, Founder of ISLA, Creator of TRACE by Isla
- Aaron Elliott, Project Manager, Meetgreen
Wed 4/29 at 2 p.m. – Finance and Business Operations (FBO) Meet Up
Connect with peers in Finance, Business Operations, and HR. Each month, we create an open forum for professionals to share pressing challenges, exchange ideas, and gain fresh perspectives from others in the field. Expect an interactive discussion that’s low-pressure, engaging, and packed with practical insights. Bring your questions, your experiences, and your curiosity, let’s learn from each other. More info/register (ASAE members only).
Host: ASAE Finance and Business Operations Professional Advisory Council
Thu 4/30 at 11 a.m. – Foundations of Effective Advocacy for Associations
Hear about the essential tools in the advocacy toolbox, including direct lobbying, grassroots member mobilization, grasstops engagement, coalition building, and fly-ins, and strategies for organizations of any size. Learn how to navigate Congress and federal agencies effectively, understand compliance and ethics requirements, and engage boards and members to build lasting organizational support for advocacy. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Kyle Hayes, Senior Director of Public Policy at American Society of Association Executives
Thu 4/30 at 12 p.m. – The Art of the Possible: What Advanced AI Looks Like in Associations
Hear how ASHA built transformational data science and AI capabilities from the ground up: 140+ member engagement touchpoints captured in a centralized framework, five predictive models driving real membership campaigns, and a full NLP toolkit for member survey analysis at scale. Explore the harder questions that AI association practitioners think but rarely say aloud. More info/register.
Host: Association Women Technology Champions
Speakers:
- Ryan Risley, Partner and Chief Technology Officer, Wipfli
- Julia Reilly-Edwards, Director of Data Science, ASHA
- Jamie Atchison, MSMIT, Senior Director of Innovation and Strategic Planning, ASPPH
Thu 4/30 at 12 p.m. – AI for Events Demo Day
The biggest online event ever done on the use of AI in Events. Half a day with 39 companies showing you the present and future of AI in Events. 5-minute demos on practical use for events. 2 thought leadership sessions on how eventtech leaders are tackling AI. More info/register.
Host: BoldPush
Thu 4/30 at 12 p.m. – Expanding Your Nonprofit’s Global Footprint: Practical Considerations and Key Developments
Get an overview of the key legal, regulatory, and compliance considerations involved in operating internationally, including guidance on selecting an appropriate entity structure and understanding how to manage operational and other risks. Learn about compliance with sanctions, export controls, and anti-corruption obligations, along with practical steps to expand your reach while protecting your organization. More info/register.
Host: Venable LLP
Speakers: Lindsay Nathan, Partner, and Neha Dhindsa, Counsel, Venable LLP
Thu 4/30 at 12 p.m. – Board Governance: Separating Strategy from Operations
Without proper governance safeguards, your Board risks getting stuck in the operational mud and losing focus on strategy and oversight. Discover practical ways to clarify roles, enforce boundaries, and keep your Board focused on what matters. More info/register.
Host: Zzeem Consulting
Speaker: Erin Roberts
Thu 4/30 at 1 p.m. – Inside The Alliance: Women’s Leadership in 2026
Join us for the first virtual gathering from The Alliance for Women in Associations—an open, engaging conversation focused on women’s leadership in 2026. We’ll kick things off with a brief introduction to The Alliance and the community we’re building, followed by a dynamic discussion on the challenges and opportunities shaping women’s leadership today. This is a space to share perspectives, learn from one another, and connect with peers who are navigating similar paths. More info/register.
Host: The Alliance for Women in Associations
Thu 4/30 at 1 p.m. – Rethinking Event Sponsorship: A Conversation on Strategy and Value
Learn what associations and nonprofits must get right to secure event sponsors, such as aligning your event with corporate priorities, avoiding the common missteps that stall deals, positioning your opportunities to resonate at the executive level, and building sustainable partnerships instead of one-off sales. More info/register.
Host: Growth Owl LLC
Speakers:
- Lori Zoss Kraska, Founder and CEO of Growth Owl LLC
- Ed Byers, President of CANRev Collaborative and Owner of Non Dues a Palooza
Thu 4/30 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. – Humanity at the Core: Redesigning Association Governing for the 2030s
The belief that investing in the rapid adoption of generative or agentic AI-enabled platforms and services is the only pathway to establishing association “relevance” reflects a Silicon Valley-inspired perspective that runs counter to the true purpose of our organizations. This session will challenge participants to think differently about what it will mean to govern an association in the next decade, and how we must redesign our community’s current governing approaches by situating humanity at the core of board stewardship. More info/register.
Host: Jeff De Cagna, executive advisor, Foresight First LLC
Thu 4/30 at 3 p.m. – Unlock Viral Engagement: Stop Broadcasting, Start Connecting
Learn how to audit your current communication for engagement killers, how to create content loops that sustain themselves, and how to measure what’s actually driving connection versus what’s just generating vanity metrics. More info/register.
Host: Farhad Khan, CEO of Member Lounge
Fri 5/1 at 12 p.m. – Association Business Week Debrief: Big Takeaways, Fresh Ideas, and What’s Next
Close out Association Business Week with an open-access debrief that brings the best insights from the week into one lively session. PAR facilitators and select speakers from the week will share their top takeaways, emerging themes, and practical ideas you can bring back to your association right away. Ask questions, reflect with fellow association executives, and compare notes on what inspired you most. More info/register.
Host: Professionals for Association Revenue
Speakers: Jen Smith, Executive Director, and Sean Soth, Founder & Leadership Advisory Board Chair, PAR
Fri 5/1 at 1 p.m. – How Executives Choose Their Next AMS Panel
Most executives choose a new AMS maybe once a decade. Some have never done it at all. No wonder the process can feel overwhelming, slow, and—honestly—a little dated. Learn what actually drives a smart AMS decision today. Not feature lists. Not 200line RFPs. Not marathon demos. We’re talking strategy, outcomes, and the realities leaders face when the stakes are high and the change is big. Hear what works. What doesn’t. And the “please don’t do this” moments we’ve seen in hundreds of AMS searches. More info/register.
Host: re:Members
Speakers:
- Mark Soticheck, CEO, North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants
- Moira H. Edwards, MS, CAE, President, Ellipsis Partners LLC
- Kristina Jakstas, VP, Implementation, re:Members
- Patrick Dorsey (moderator), VP Marketing & Sales, re:Members
Tue 5/5 at 1 p.m. – Member Engagement Lab #1: How to Engage People When You Don’t Know What to Do
Leadership is saying, “We need to engage members more.” You agree, but… how? You know engagement matters, and at the same time, next steps feel really unclear. It’s easy to overthink it or do nothing at all. Learn how to start engaging members even when there’s no strategy or a perfect plan. You just need a few simple moves to get going. Hear about the 3 powerful engagement hacks that you can use right away to spark participation and connection. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: re:Members
Speaker: Amanda Lea Kaiser, member engagement strategist and author of Elevating Engagement: Uncommon Strategies for Creating a Thriving Member Community
Tue 5/5 at 1 p.m. – Turn Your Association Into a Growth Platform for an Entire Profession
Associations no longer compete on content or events, they compete on their ability to cultivate real-world capability, professional judgment, and trusted communities of practice. Explore how learning is already happening in the flow of work, why traditional program models are losing gravity, and how forward-looking associations are redesigning themselves as living learning ecosystems that drive relevance, loyalty, and long-term impact. Get a clear framework for identifying your association’s most critical practice gaps and a concrete experiment you can launch to begin shifting from episodic programming to continuous professional growth. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Chris Huizenga, Head of Client Experience + Strategy at Desklight
Wed 5/6 at 10 a.m. – How NAGARA Delivers High-Impact Event Experiences
While many associations focus on year-round engagement strategies, the National Association of Government Archives and Records Administrators has taken a highly effective event-first approach, using their mobile app as a central hub for attendee engagement, communication, and on-site experience during their annual meeting. Learn how their team drives adoption leading up to the event, enhances the on-site attendee experience, uses key app features to support engagement and logistics, and measures success and continues to evolve its strategy year over year. More info/register.
Host: Clowder
Wed 5/6 at 12 p.m. – Passiontivity: Do What You Love
Too often, we focus solely on our competencies, ignoring the intrinsic motivators that actually fuel long-term fulfillment. Using a breakthrough diagnostic tool, move beyond a simple list of skills to identify your “High Engagement” zone—where your greatest talents meet your deepest passions. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: AIOT
Speaker: Shira Lotzar, Chief Engagement Officer of Purposeful Hire
Wed 5/6 at 1 p.m. – Leverage Your Education Content and Unlock New Revenue Streams
Learn about repackaging content for institutional sales and creating a B2B revenue engine; moving beyond large course catalogs and focusing on curated, role-specific bundles; implementing flexible purchasing models with vouchers, subscriptions, and more; and differentiating with data through learner progress tracking, peer benchmarking, etc. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Fonteva
Speaker: Sam Hirsch, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, OasisLMS
Thu 5/7 at 11 a.m. – Cybersecurity in a Nutshell: A High-Level Guide for Executives
Hear about your association’s biggest cybersecurity threat (AI-powered financial fraud), outdated defenses (multi-factor authentication), signs you’re protected (pessimistic permissions), and action items to delegate (5-point framework). 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speakers: Heinan Landa, Founder & CEO, and Chris Abel, Manager of Consulting Services, Optimal Networks
Thu 5/7 at 12:30 p.m. – How to Get More From Your Marketing Team (Without Adding Staff)
Get an insider’s look at what separates high-performing marketing teams from ones that stay stuck—and what it takes to turn it around. Hear about the patterns that limit results, how to bring more focus and consistency to your marketing, and where AI tools can help your team do more without adding headcount. Get a practical approach to diagnosing what’s holding your marketing efforts back, steps your team can take immediately to improve results, and clearer priorities for where to focus next. More info/register.
Host: .orgCommunity
Speakers: Jane Pearson, AAiP, Vice President of Marketing and Communications Services, and Jennifer Proctor, AAiP, Operations Excellence Lead, .orgSource
Thu 5/7 at 2 p.m. – AMS/CRM Selection Survey: The Results Are In!
Get an exclusive first look at the latest AMS/CRM System Selection Survey results and learn what the data actually means for your organization. Hear real feedback from association professionals who’ve been through the selection and implementation process, insights from the vendors and consultants who participated in the survey, and guidance for associations starting their journey to a new AMS. More info/register.
Host: 501Works
Speakers:
- James Marquis, CIO, 501Works
- Olivia Wilkins, Business Analyst/Project Manager, PerByte
Thu 5/7 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. – DMV Association Connect Quarterly Social Event (Bethesda MD)
Are you an association professional looking to expand your network, build meaningful connections, and have fun while doing it? DMV Association Connect is a social networking group for professionals in the Washington DC, Virginia and Maryland areas who work for or collaborate with associations. Come for the conversation. Stay for the community. Grow through the connections. Location: Bethesda MD. More info/register.
Organizer: DMV Association Connect
Association Brain Food takes about six hours a week to put together. If it saves you time finding good reads and CAE credits—or just makes for a better Friday—I’d love for you to buy 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.
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