The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community
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!
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.
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
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
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
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 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 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
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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 Dulcey Lima via Unsplash
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