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