The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community
Good reads for the association community
“Socialism is the philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy.” ~Winston Churchill
Job-hunting tool. Thad Lurie launched a site to help association job seekers. His tool crawls over 600 association job boards daily to build a searchable index. You can see the day’s listings for free or subscribe for full access.
Membership trends. Aaron Wolowiec’s team at Event Garde completed three environmental assessments last month and the same findings kept popping up. Younger members feel like afterthoughts. Leadership pipelines look like closed circles. Geography sidelines people who can’t show up in person. Advocacy work often goes unrecognized. And AI? Exactly what you’d expect.
Membership metrics. Association math was never my favorite subject, but if you’re in charge of membership, you need to get these numbers right. MGI’s guide covers seven essential membership formulas—including renewal rate, lifetime value, maximum acquisition cost, and steady state analysis—with plain-language explanations of what each one tells you.
Membership value. James Young of Product Community says most associations are built around value-in-exchange: package something, deliver it, done. But real value only emerges through use. It’s co-created with members based on what they do with it. This value-in-use model reframes how you design programs, measure success, and structure membership.
Board/committee bubble. If your association’s strategy is shaped mainly by engaged volunteer leaders, you’re probably not hearing from the broader pool of potential members you’re trying to reach. Christine Saunders of Halmyre explains how to escape this “member bubble” by treating assumptions about non-members as hypotheses to test, rather than facts to act on. She also describes how to work around internal politics and justify new investments.
Industry survey. GrowthZone surveyed 518 associations at the end of 2025 to find out what’s working and what’s not. The results reveal some issues requiring attention: only 21% have reinstatement programs for lapsed members and only 25% have written member engagement plans. If you’ve been wondering how your challenges stack up against other associations or need data to back up a budget request, this report covers membership, AI, online communities, learning, and more.
Uncertainty. Kevin Kelly lays out a scenario most of us would rather not think about: the next 10-15 years as the “Age of Ambiguity.” This isn’t a temporary rough patch but a sustained period of severe uncertainty driven by AI, shifting global power, and damaged trust in media and institutions. His prescription is radical adaptability, which requires getting good at changing your mind. That’s a tall order for anyone, especially ideologues.
Mental models. Mark Manson says intellectuals are f*cking idiots. Smart people build mental models of the world, get rewarded for those models, and then defend them long after reality has proved them wrong. Once a model gives you identity and a sense of meaning, you instinctively fight any challenge to it. Association leaders are as prone to doubling down on a failing model as anyone. He suggests holding your opinions lightly and looking for evidence that you might be wrong.
Snacks
Ask five people on staff what your association does and you’ll get five different answers. | Sherry Budziak, .orgSource
B2B brands that exhibit at trade shows: ditch the swag and deliver learning that sticks. | Kim Lawton, Trade Show Network News
I’ve often wondered: How the heck does Shazam work? | Shri Khalpada, PerThirtySix
Another thing on my mind: How do bands keep their concert wardrobe clean while on tour? Thank you, Reddit.
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
With three lonely sausages in the freezer and remnants of a bag of grapes, the dinner decision was obvious: polenta with hot Italian sausages and roasted grapes. On the side, Brussels sprouts roasted with red onion, carrot, garlic powder, and hot smoked paprika.
Good salmon doesn’t need much fussing. I kept it fairly simple this time by sautéing garlic and green onion in butter, then adding the zest and juice of a lemon and a hefty splash of white wine. On the side, roasted (ok, nuked) sweet potato.
We both enjoyed this new dish: creamy Tuscan chicken. I subbed thighs for breasts, onion for shallot, and evaporated milk for cream. I also added red bell pepper and mushrooms to the onions. On the side, mashed potatoes and cauliflower—getting veggies in where you wouldn’t expect them—and roasted broccoli with red onion, garlic powder, and hot 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.”
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 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
*All events are online at Eastern Time unless otherwise noted.
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
Mon 5/4 at 8 a.m. – The Belonging Bubble (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: Enid-Mai Jones, EMJ Consulting
Mon 5/4 at 1 p.m. – AI for Associations: Strategy First, Responsible, and Ready to Act
AI is moving quickly into association operations, but many leaders are being pushed toward tools before strategy, governance, and clarity of purpose. Explore how AI is being applied in associations today, a strategy-first framework tailored to associations, and real examples of early, practical results. Hear about responsible AI guardrails for mission-critical work and a practical 30-day starting plan to help you move forward confidently without increasing risk. More info/register (ASAE members only).
Host: ASAE
Speakers:
- Alexander White, PhD, Principal, AI & Automation, CliftonLarsonAllen LLP
- Holly Rice, CAE, Director CRM and Analytics, Infectious Diseases Society of America
- Laura Vansuch, CPA, Principal, CliftonLarsonAllen LLP
Tue 5/5 at 12 p.m. – BI Will Do You Good: How Associations Should Approach BI Tools (Data Analytics Network)
Join a discussion about the ecosystems being built around business intelligence (BI) platforms. Whether you use Power BI, Tableau, Looker, or another BI platform, chances are you have access to more features and tools for data orchestration, governance, and reporting than you may realize. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Data Analytics Network
Speakers: Evan Reid, MPP (ASHA), Denny Lengkong (Intellidata), Walker Mullin (Wipfli), and Justin Burniske (Meta-dao)
Tue 5/5 at 12 p.m. – The Power of Partnership: The AMC Playbook for Non-Dues Revenue Growth
Discover how innovative technology and the right partnerships can help your organization uncover new sources of income and sustain long-term growth. Learn how to automate daily administrative tasks to free up staff time, how top-performing AMCs use to scale efficiently, and how a strong software partnership directly impacts your bottom line. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: GrowthZone
Speakers:
- Emily Leonczyk, President & CEO, Canopy Management Group, Inc.
- Kimberly Ton, Customer Solutions Executive, GrowthZone
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
Tue 5/5 at 1 p.m. – What Funders Won’t Say Out Loud: The Financial Practices That Help You Get Funded
Nonprofits are now facing accountability from grantors and donors who want to see strong financial performance, fiscal responsibility, and strategic financial planning before they commit funding. Learn how federal policy shifts and OBBB changes are raising the bar for financial accountability, how to operate with a for-profit” mindset and still stay mission-driven, how to diversify revenue streams and strengthen financial systems, what funders are looking at in your financial reports (and why it matters), and how to build financial practices that attract rather than repel funding opportunities. 1 CAE credit. More info/register (free for ASAE members only).
Host: ASAE
Speaker: Jackie McLaughlin, CPA, Chazin and Company
Tue 5/5 at 2 p.m. – Be the Event Innovator, Not The One Disrupted
The age of AI demands some irrational experimentation if you are going to lead as an event innovator rather than waiting to be the meeting prof disrupted and left behind. Learn what questions to ask when considering technology partners for your events; how to use technology to personalize experiences, making them more human; and strategies for courageously testing and iterating. More info/register.
Host: Smart Meetings
Speakers:
- Brent Turner, Opus Agency
- Dahlia El Gazzar, DAHLIA+Agency
- Vinnu Deshetty, Event ROI Coach
Tue 5/5 at 4 p.m. – Let’s Chat: Technology Strategies for Small Staffs
Small organizations must be intentional about how they select and support their technology while balancing the need to provide high-touch, personalized experiences. This hour will focus on technology strategies that can drive our small teams forward but are also scalable and affordable. More info/register (ASAE members only).
Host: ASAE Small Staff Associations Advisory Committee
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 12 p.m. – Lead with your Legacy: Building Leadership Impact for Associations & Boards
With the “Silver Tsunami” reshaping association leadership, organizations face a dual challenge: experienced leaders need to articulate and transfer their hard-won wisdom, while emerging leaders must step confidently into significant roles, often without the decades of experience their predecessors had. Both need intentional legacy planning-just at different life stages. Get practical frameworks for building leadership impact that lasts beyond any individual tenure. More info/register.
Host: Jacqueline M. Baker, founder of The Scarlet Institute and author of “The Unexpected Leader”
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
Wed 5/6 at 2 p.m. – Building Purpose Into Your Program
The most successful events do more than just deliver content—they leave a lasting impression on every attendee. Hear strategies and real-world examples of how purpose-driven design can elevate every aspect of your event. Learn how to define and align stakeholders around the purpose of your meeting, craft agenda with more intentional sessions and networking activities, engage the local community and incorporating CSR initiatives that give back, and evaluate the success and impact of your event. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: Northstar Meetings Group
Speaker: Elise Schoening, Editor, Meeting News; Senior Editor, Northstar Meetings Group
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 1 p.m. – Retention Reimagined: Building an AI-Ready Member Retention Strategy
Retention 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. Hear how data and predictive models identify renewal risk before it materializes, ways to move beyond annual campaigns to continuous personalized engagement, and real examples of associations turning retention into long-term revenue stability. More info/register.
Host: Causeis
Thu 5/7 at 1 p.m. – Is Your Event Data Actually Working? How Associations Are Unlocking Real ROI
Many associations collect a large amount of event data, but very little of it actually translates into meaningful outcomes. Data is often spread across multiple systems, insights are delayed and opportunities to improve engagement or revenue are missed. From registration and check-in to on-site interactions and lead capture, see how capturing and connecting the right data at every stage creates a complete and reliable view of your events. More info/register.
Host: ASAE
Speaker: Gil Gonzalez, Director of Events, EVA Event Tech Hub
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
Thu 5/7 at 2 p.m. – Drivers of Member Retention
Explore the core factors that sustain long term participation and provide a clear, practical framework to evaluate your current approach and identify opportunities for impact. Learn how to strengthen early engagement, deliver consistent value, and build meaningful connections that drive retention over time. More info/register.
Host: Tradewing
Speakers:
- Will Allen, Community Consultant, Liaison Community Management
- Rhona Ruiz, Marketing Specialist, Tradewing
Fri 5/8 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. – Eventprofs Coffee Rave (Washington DC)
Two hours of espresso, beats, and the kind of conversations that don’t start with a name tag. Location: Washington DC. More info/register.
Host: Dahlia+ Agency
Mon 5/11 at 3 p.m. – ASAE Q2 Consultant Community Call
This 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. After a few quick updates, we’ll dive into small-group breakouts to discuss topics you’ve asked for: Ethics for Consultants, Getting Started and Growing Your Consulting Business, and Finance for Consultants—plus space for more as requests come in. More info/register (ASAE members only).
Host: ASAE
Tue 5/12 at 1 p.m. – Member Engagement Lab #2: How to Engage Members When You are Super Duper Busy
Member engagement doesn’t always have to be time-consuming. It’s something you can add to what you are already doing. Learn how to turn regular administrative tasks into meaningful moments of connection. Adapt these big ideas, brainstorm with your colleagues, and leave with practical ideas that don’t add one more thing to your plate. 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 5/12 at 1 p.m. – Your YouTube Channel Is an AI Strategy: A New Playbook for Association Marketers
With AI engines now answering questions directly, 60% of searches end without a single click—traditional SEO is losing its grip. But there’s an opportunity hiding in plain sight: YouTube is now the #1 cited domain in AI-generated search results. Learn why a library of modest, well-structured videos answering your audience’s real questions will outperform a single polished production every time, how to build that library without a dedicated video team, and how to measure success in a way your leadership will actually understand. Get a concrete 30-day plan to start building AI visibility through video. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Michael Hoffman, Co-Founder and CEO, Gather Voices
Wed 5/13 from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. CDT – AI Foresight for Certification: Table Talks (Chicago IL)
Using AI‑driven environmental scanning and foresight methods, the presenters will identify the top ten issues facing certification and assessment in 2026 and 2027. After a brief overview of the AI platforms and methodologies used by the presenters in their assessment work, attendees will participate in roundtable conversations to evaluate the AI findings—examining where it was accurate, where gaps remain, and potential implications for the field. Location: Chicago. More info/register.
Host: Certification Network Group
Speakers:
- Alan Mead, Chief Psychometrician, Certiverse
- Evelyn Ronkowski, Director for Test Development, National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners
- Sarah Miller, Director of Applied Intelligence, BrightLink
Wed 5/13 at 11 a.m. – How to Write a Valuable RFP: Cut Through the Marketing Fog (Office Hours for LMS Buyers)
Learn how to use apples-to-apples comparative data from your shortlisted vendors to develop a strong RFP. With our RFP Template, you’ll accelerate the documentation process, improve the quality of vendor responses, use scientific methods to justify your decision, and impress everyone with your professionalism. More info/register.
Host: Talented Learning
Speaker: John Leh, CEO and Lead Analyst at Talented Learning
Wed 5/13 from 12 to 5 p.m. – 2026 Regional Roundtable: Next-Level Leadership Development (Arlington VA)
Association Latinos is convening a select cohort of mid- to senior-career association professionals in the DC area for a half-day, practitioner-led experience. We will tackle one question together: how do you lead with clarity when the ground keeps shifting? This is a working session. You will leave with strategies you can apply immediately. Location: Arlington VA. More info/register.
Host: Association Latinos
Speakers:
- Mark Lowry, Higher Logic
- Carlos Cardenas, CAE, AAiP, DelCor; Chair, Association Latinos
- Eduardo Arabu, MSPPM, CAE, CEO, National Hispanic Corporate Council
Thu 5/14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Beacon’s AMS Showcase
See leading AMS platforms in one place. The event will run across three simultaneous demo tracks, organized by average implementation cost, so you can focus on the systems that are more likely to fit your budget range. Each provider will present for 30 minutes with a standard scripted format so attendees can compare AMSs on an apples-to-apples basis, then they have 15 minutes to showcase the features that set their platform apart, plus live Q&A. More info/register.
Host: Beacon Tech Research
Participants: ALTAI, Cannolai, CE21, Euclid, GrowthZone, iMIS, MatrixMaxx, Mem360, MemberPlex, MemberSmart, MemberSuite, Membes, ReadyMembership, re:Members, Tradewing, Wild Apricot, YourMembership, Wicket
Thu 5/14 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 Champtions
Thu 5/14 at 1 p.m. – The Strategic Role of Exam Prep in Growth and Differentiation
Explore the different roles exam prep can play and how learning businesses can think more intentionally about where it fits—or might fit—in the learner journey, the broader credentialing context, and their portfolio of offerings. Hear about alternatives available to learners, what candidates increasingly expect from these experiences, and how learning businesses are approaching exam prep today. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Leading Learning
Speakers:
- Jeff Cobb and Celisa Steele, co-founders, Tagoras and Leading Learning
- Evan Burton, head of growth, BenchPrep
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—please consider 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 Jan-Willem via Unsplash
Amazon, AssociationBrainFood.com, Association Academy, and Rogue Tulips links allow me to earn a royalty and/or complimentary registration from any resulting leads or sales. Thank you!
Association Brain Food 