Author: deirdrereid

Deirdre is a content marketing writer/partner for companies serving the association market. After more than 20 years managing associations and restaurants, she's enjoying the good life now by helping companies inform, educate, and deepen relationships with the association community. Away from her laptop, you can find her walking in the woods, enjoying live music, reading hundreds of newsletters, watching hockey, cooking, hanging at the local brewery or tap room, or relaxing in a comfy chair with a good Kindle book and a glass of something tasty in hand.

Association Brain Food: 3.13.26

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

red rock ledge dusted with snow with mountains in the distance

“A civilization is not destroyed by wicked men; it is destroyed by weak men who cannot defend what is good.” —G. K. Chesterton

Good reads for the association community

Learning pathways. Members don’t just want courses; they want the career transformation made possible by learning pathways. In making the case for pathways, Apti describes four pathway structures (career stage, job role, specialty certification, and competency-based), the learning experiences to include in each, design considerations for navigation and progress tracking, and planning questions for associations to work through.

Introvert engagement. Nearly 70% of people aren’t naturally extroverted, yet most association engagement strategies are built for the other 30%. Clowder explains how to use your mobile app to reach introverted members. Their practical suggestions involve member directories, seeded discussion forums, small-group chats, pre-event prep tools, and more—features that improve the experience for every member, not just the introverted ones.

Non-dues revenue. If your association still has separate teams chasing sponsorships, event revenue, and education dollars with separate goals and separate metrics, Intuto’s 2026 Non-Dues Revenue Playbook has some pointed things to say about that. Drawn from two post-RevUP Summit webinars, it covers the shift from ad buys to multi-year sponsor pathways, why your LMS might be your most underused revenue source, and why the term ‘non-dues revenue’ may be part of the problem.

Leadership training for association professionals. Rogue Tulips Consulting teamed up with Cheryl Ronk, CAE, FASAE, and Michael Butera, MLCT, to build this self-paced course on adaptive leadership for association professionals. The three sections cover organizational values and purpose, data-infused decision making, and future vision and scenario planning. During weekly Zoom office hours, go deeper into the content with course leaders. Earn up to 18 CE credits. Take $50 off by registering with promo code RTBRAINFOOD.

Chapter management. To energize chapters in 2026, Mariner Management & Marketing says you have to shift the chapter model. They recommend five approaches: micro-volunteering menus, using chapters as local intelligence hubs, shared national moments chapters can localize, cross-chapter peer networks, and a “do less, better” strategy that gives leaders permission to retire legacy activities.

Board performance. In this Association CEO Conversations interview with Jeff De Cagna, MRAA President Matt Gruhn says some problems, like leadership turnover through term limits, aren’t solvable. They’re inherent to association work, and CEOs have to understand and be okay with that. He describes two tools MRAA developed to keep boards grounded: a comprehensive board handbook and a strategy placemat for board meetings with a quick-reference guide on one side and the mission, vision, values, and three-year plan on the other. Their “dealership of the future” task force is another idea worth stealing.

Association SEO course. Rank higher in Google search results when you apply what you learn from the Association Academy’s Association Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Certificate Course. Through expert-led on-demand lessons, you’ll learn the SEO strategies that bring more organic traffic to your site, while earning five CAE credits. Topics include keyword research, content optimization, site authority, and technical SEO. Enrollment is $299. Save $50 by using the referral code BRAINFOOD.

Education as member engagement. D2L argues that learning programs can both deepen member engagement and generate new revenue. They describe what effective association learning looks like across four dimensions—flexible, relevant, lasting, and amplifying—illustrated with four association examples.

Finding the focus to get it done. Chaos isn’t a phase you manage your way through and emerge from. It’s the permanent operating environment for associations. Mark Wallach of Engagement Mobile Strategies makes the case that what separates organizations that advance from those that just react is focus, not speed. He shares a simple daily framework for finding focus and two concrete habits: defining meeting goals before you schedule them and recognizing incremental wins as real progress.

AI agents and your association. When Carlos Cardenas of DelCor asked a room of association executives why a member would come to them for an answer they can get from ChatGPT in 30 seconds, everyone paused. He says the bigger threat isn’t AI replacing associations, but the agentic economy, where members’ AI agents will authenticate into your portal, pull what they need, and deliver it back without the member ever visiting your site.

If Association Brain Food has made a difference in your professional life or for your webinar registrations, please consider supporting my time working on it—Buy Me A Coffee/Beer, please.

You never grow old at the table

This one’s going into the spring rotation: sheet pan salmon and asparagus. On the side, roasted sweet potatoes.

Roasted chili maple pork tenderloin requires three hours of marination, but after that, all you have to do is pop it in the oven along with some pear wedges. My 1-1/2 pound tenderloin took much longer (22 minutes) to come up to temp than the recipe says, so bear that in mind. On the side, Brussels sprouts sautéed with bacon, mushroom, red bell pepper, onion, and garlic.

The comfort food meal this week: lamb stroganoff with egg noodles. My recipe is from Fine Cooking, but, sadly, they are no more. The dish includes cremini mushrooms, eggplant (my addition), onion, garlic, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, fresh sage, ground lamb, dry sherry, roasted red bell pepper (jarred is fine), sour cream, and Worcestershire sauce. I suppose you could find a lamb stroganoff recipe and adapt it if you like this ingredient list.

On the side, broccoli with pecorino crunch. I used broccoli instead of broccoli rabe, doubled the cherry peppers, and only used about half the pecorino/panko topping.

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.

Mon 3/16 at 8 a.m.* – Establishing an Ethical Culture (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, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, and other channels.

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

Guest: Shawna Strickland, American Epilepsy Society

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

Tue 3/17 at 10:30 a.m. – Meditation Skills for Busy Lives

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

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

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

Tue 3/17 at 12 p.m. – Partnership Professionals Network Idea Exchange: Strategies for Corporate Partnerships & Sponsorships

If you manage sponsorships, you know that your association wants more non-dues revenue; companies are demanding more sponsorship value; and you’re supposed to make that work! Join this webinar discussion with sponsorship experts Bruce Rosenthal and Dan Kowitz to find out what drives companies to sponsor associations and what associations are doing differently to expand their sponsorship programs. More info/register.

Host: Partnership Professionals Network

Speakers:

Bruce Rosenthal, author of the book “Mastering Association Corporate Sponsorships
Dan Kowitz, Founder & CEO of JSB Partnership Consultants

Tue 3/17 at 12 p.m. – The Institute for Organization Management (IOM): What to Know

If you work in associations, chambers, or nonprofits and are looking to deepen your leadership, operational, and strategic expertise, this session is for you. The IOM, offered by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, equips professionals with practical knowledge and leadership skills to strengthen their organizations and expand their influence. Explore the IOM, including program structure, curriculum, cost, eligibility, and the real-world value of the IOM curriculum. More info/register.

Host: Association Latinos

Tue 3/17 at 12 p.m. – CRVM Crunch and Munch: Navigating AI

Participate in a big‑picture conversation designed for component relations and volunteer management professionals navigating AI thoughtfully. We’re not talking tech stacks or software demos. We are talking about how AI impacts volunteers, chapters, trust, governance, and engagement. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Component Relations Volunteer Management Advisory Council

Tue 3/17 at 1 p.m. – A Check-In on the Current Political Landscape’s Impact on Associations

Join a discussion about the ongoing impact of executive orders, impact of funding legislation on association operations and the agencies they work with, impact of recent policy shifts on membership and event registrations, broader impact on specific industries and professions, how members are responding as policies take hold, where associations are finding clarity, where they are still navigating gray areas, when they are choosing to engage publicly, when they are opting for a quieter approach, how they are adjusting their advocacy to achieve wins for their sectors, and short-term adjustments vs. long-term shifts. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Joanna M. Pineda, CEO & Chief Troublemaker, Matrix Group International, Inc.
David Jackson, Executive Officer at ASPET
Christopher Glen, Vice President of Public Affairs at The Fertilizer Institute
Mark Franco, Partner at Rimon PC

Tue 3/17 at 2 p.m. – Upskilling Your Team on AI

Learn how to assess your organization’s AI readiness, identify high-impact use cases, optimize content for AI-powered search, and upskill your team with practical training. Take away clear, realistic next steps they can apply right away. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Speaker: Adam Campbell, AI Solutions Specialist, mdg

Tue 3/17 at 3 p.m. – The Trust Advantage: How to be the Most Trustworthy Person in Every Room, Every Zoom and on Every Platform

Managing board engagement is a skill. Both a lack of engagement and overstepping boundaries are symptoms of an underlying issue: a lack of trust. Explore the research behind trust, identify the behaviors that build (or erode) it, and provide practical strategies you can apply immediately to strengthen board relationships and governance effectiveness. More info/register.

Host: OnBoard

Speaker: Andrew Sykes, founder and CEO of Habits at Work

Wed 3/18 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. – Workforce Trends That Will Impact Your Candidate Demand in the Next 5 Years (Washington DC)

Hear about workforce trends over the next 5 years and how your program can continue to attract new candidates. Panelists will discuss a variety of factors that impact your future candidates, including education, state and federal legislative initiatives, legal influences, economic factors, and changing demographic and geographic trends. Location: Washington DC. More info/register.

Host: Certification Network Group

Speakers:

Sandy Hogg (moderator), Director or Business Development, ITS
Andre T. Allen, Chief Business Officer, Human Resource Certification Institute
Isabelle Gonthier, Chief Assessment Officer, ETS & PSI
Angela Macauley, President & CEO, National Board for Occupational Therapy
Roy Swift, Recently Retired, Former Executive Director, Workcred

Wed 3/18 at 12 p.m. – Behavioral Scoring That Works – Reimagining Lead Scoring for Modern Member Journeys

Traditional lead scoring models sometimes reward the wrong behaviors or worse, collect dust and never get updated at all. Today’s member and buyer journeys are non-linear, omnichannel, and heavily driven by micro-engagements. Learn how to build dynamic scoring models that reflect real-world behaviors across email, web, content, events, and community interactions. Understand what to score, what to ignore, and how to use scoring to drive timing, segmentation, and campaign prioritization. More info/register.

Host: HighRoad Solutions

Speaker: Maneesha Manges, CXO, HighRoad Solutions

Wed 3/18 at 12 p.m. – Charting Your Course: Career Journeys in the Association Space

Not all career paths are linear, and that’s especially true in the association space. Hear how the panel found their way into associations, whether through a mid-career pivot or a first professional role. Attendees will be challenged to think about what is next in their path, whether that be deepening your current role or moving onto something else. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Next Gen

Wed 3/18 at 1 p.m. – From Transactional Sponsorships to Year-Round Partnerships: A Marketing Agency Approach

Learn how to replace the generic prospectus with a consultative discovery process that uncovers sponsor goals, constraints, and budget, so you can propose what they’ll actually buy. Hear about a simple framework for building value-based, customized partnership proposals that move beyond logo placements and one-off event transactions. Discover ways to turn sponsorship into a “team sport” internally by breaking down silos so education, marketing, membership, and leadership all support sponsor success and member value. Explore a blueprint for expanding beyond conference-only sponsorships into year-round partnership opportunities that improve ROI for sponsors and stabilize non-dues revenue. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Fonteva

Speaker: Bruce Rosenthal, Strategist, Consultant, and Author, Bruce Rosenthal Associates, LLC

Wed 3/18 at 1 p.m. – The Hidden Tax: What Outdated Technology Is Really Costing Your Association

This isn’t the time to wait for things to settle around AI. In fact, there’s a real cost to waiting on implementing new tech. So, if you need some hard numbers to get you or your leadership sold on advancing your org’s tech stack into the modern age, this webinar is for you. More info/register.

Host: David Schulman, president, Associations Rewired

Wed 3/18 at 1 p.m. – When Boards Change: Building Sustainable Chapter Operations

Explore how organizations are preserving institutional knowledge when leadership transitions every year, reducing volunteer workload so burnout doesn’t become the norm, creating consistent processes across chapters while respecting local autonomy, maintaining financial oversight and reporting clarity, and onboarding new board members quickly so progress doesn’t reset annually. Hear examples of how chapter networks are building operational structures that outlast individual terms, reduce friction during transitions, and support leaders without overwhelming them. More info/register.

Host: Glue Up

Speakers:

Newlyn Wing, Executive Director of National Association of Asian American Professionals Inc
Kyle Sadewhite, Executive Manager at International Association of Advisors in Philanthropy
Eric Schmidt, CEO of Glue Up
Patrick Shanahan, Enterprise Sales Manager at Glue Up

Wed 3/18 at 2:30 p.m. – Accessibility First: Contracting for Events That Welcome Everyone (Event Contracts Exposed!)

Learn what true inclusion looks like in event contracting. Explore how planners can move beyond good intentions and ensure their venue and supplier agreements actively support attendees with visible and unseen disabilities and differences. From accessibility clauses and accommodation language to risk mitigation and supplier accountability, hear about the critical contract considerations that help create events where everyone feels welcomed, respected, and able to fully participate. Because inclusion isn’t just a design decision—it’s a contractual responsibility. More info/register.

Host: Heather Reid, Planner Protect

Guest: Samantha Evans, International Association of Accessibility Professionals

Wed 3/18 at 3 p.m. – How to Make Your Community Migration a Success Story

A community platform migration isn’t just a technical project—it’s a strategic opportunity to transform how your community platform operates and how your customers experience it. Learn about the community migration process, sharing real-world lessons from hundreds of enterprise migration projects. Hear about the key decisions, dependencies, and milestones that most directly impact your timeline, execution, and long-term success. More info/register.

Hosts: Higher Logic and itD

Speakers:

Nicole Saunders, Sr. Director, CX Strategy, Higher Logic
Alan Aisbitt, Head of Community & Customer Strategy, itD

Thu 3/19 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. – AWS Imagine for Nonprofits (Oxon Hill, MD)

Hear from nonprofit leaders who are building robust data strategies, and ethical AI frameworks to transform their organizations, while keeping people and purpose at the center of every solution. Learn how modern technology foundations and human-centered AI capabilities are redefining how organizations evaluate their impact, accelerate time to insight, and broaden their reach. Location: Oxon Hill, MD. More info/register.

Host: Amazon Web Services

Thu 3/19 at 10 a.m. – How AI Is Transforming Association Websites

The next-generation website is here, powered by AI that transforms the member experience, surfaces relevant content from across your organization, and makes member support and website management significantly easier for staff. Hear about opportunities for leveraging AI to deliver next-level personalization, provide intelligent search and quick access to relevant content, empower members to find answers 24/7, and dramatically simplify content tasks & governance. More info/register.

Host: Results Direct | RD Mobile

Speakers: Russ Magnuson, CEO; Steve Russell, Solutions Consultant; and Cecilia Satovich, CRO, Results Direct | RD Mobile

Thu 3/19 at 11 a.m. – How to Make the Most of LMS Demo Day

ASAE’s LMS Demo Days will showcase a range of learning platforms designed for associations. The challenge is knowing how to evaluate what you’re seeing. When every system promises engagement, automation, seamless integrations, and advanced reporting, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, especially if technology isn’t your primary focus. Without a clear plan, you can leave with more information, but less confidence. This pre-event session is designed to help you create clarity before Demo Days begin. More info/register.

Hosts: Moira Edwards and Rhoni Rakos, Ellipsis Partners

Thu 3/19 at 11 a.m. – Why Cookie Compliance Is No Longer “Just a European Issue”

Learn why cookie compliance matters for US association websites—particularly those serving multi-state or international audiences—and where many current consent implementations fall down. Hear about practical examples of common issues, modern best practices, and tactics to improve consent in a way that builds user trust and reduces unnecessary risk, without adding complexity. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers: Rob Kaighn, Director, US & Global Partnerships, and Chris Menez, Senior Data Analyst, Cantarus

Thu 3/19 at 12 p.m. – Ready for Management: How to Interview Before You Have the Title

You’ve led projects. You’ve trained new hires. You’ve stepped up when your manager was out. But when you apply for a management role… you hit: “Must have prior management experience.” Learn about the four signals hiring managers actually look for, how to answer “You haven’t managed before — why are you ready?”, and how to frame influence, ownership, and strategic thinking. More info/register.

Host: Careers in Nonprofits

Thu 3/19 at 1 p.m. – B2B Distribution: How Learning Businesses Can Capitalize on Their Catalog

Explore how learning businesses are approaching B2B sales and multitenant learning distribution in practice—offering education to organizations, partners, or employers rather than only to individual learners. Examine how organizations, like the National Restaurant Association, are using existing catalog assets to support B2B distribution and what it takes to make those efforts pay off. More info/register.

Host: Leading Learning

Speakers:

Tommy Fagan, National Restaurant Association
Jeff Cobb and Celisa Steele, co-founders of Tagoras and Leading Learning
Tamer Ali of Authentic Learning Labs

Thu 3/19 at 1 p.m. – What’s Normal for Nonprofit Reserves? | Using Peer Benchmarking to Support Better Financial Decisions

Heara about a practical way to think about reserves and investments without needing expert-level investment knowledge. Explore how to use peer benchmarking to provide additional context, with a focus on insights from Raffa’s Study on Nonprofit Investing (SONI) Dashboard. Take away clearer questions to bring to your boards, practical ideas for strengthening policies, and greater confidence in guiding reserve and investment conversations. More info/register.

Host: Raffa Investment Advisers

Speakers: Ryan Frydenlund, CIMA®, CIPM, Director of Operations, and Dennis Gogarty, CFP®, AIF®, Co-Founder & President, Raffa Investment Advisers

Thu 3/19 at 1 p.m. – Unlocking Program Health: Using Data to Strengthen Credentialing Programs

Explore how metrics like pass rates, reliability, and candidate trends can inform exam updates, recertification policies, and overall program strategy. Learn how to turn program data into better decisions, why strong credentialing programs focus on the right evidence, and how to start using analytics without overwhelming your team. More info/register.

Host: Prolydian

Speakers:

Ian Hembry and David Chen, Quadterion
Michael Mayer, Prolydian

Thu 3/19 at 1:30 p.m. – From Hidden Strengths to Team Success: Neurodiversity in Association Leadership and Events

Hear real-world strategies for identifying and coaching staff toward their strengths, designing events that work for every attendee, hiring and retaining talent with diverse work styles, and creating accommodations that strengthen—not complicate—your team. Neurodiversity isn’t a niche issue. It’s about recognizing that autistic, ADHD, dyslexic, and neurodiverse professionals often bring exceptional focus, creativity, and attention to detail—exactly what great associations and their events require. More info/register.

Hosts: Insight Guide and BJA Solutions for Associations

Speakers:

Lindsay Currie, CAE, Executive Officer, Council on Undergraduate Research
Sharon Heiges Kneebone, IOM, FASAE, CAE, Executive Director American Academy of Pain Medicine
Laurie Kulikosky, CAE, CEO at CHADD (Children and Adults with ADHD)
Brian Haney CLTC, CFS, CFBA, CIS, LACP, LUTCF, RFC, CAESVP, Association & Non-Profit Specialist, Relation Insurance Services
Barbara Armentrout, CAE (moderator), BJA Solutions for Associations
Teri Carden (hostess), COO, Insight Guide

Thu 3/19 at 2 p.m. – DISC for Teams: Why Smart Teams Still Miscommunicate (and How to Fix it)

Understanding behavior is one thing – knowing what to do with it at work is another. Get a clear, no-nonsense overview of the DISC behavioral styles and how they show up on real teams. Learn how to recognize different styles, communicate more effectively with each one, and avoid the common friction points that derail collaboration. More info/register.

Host: Whitsell Innovations

Speaker: Stephanie Durbin, Manager of Operations, Whitsell Innovations

Thu 3/19 at 3 p.m. – How to Use AI to Accelerate Your Digital Transformation

Learn how AI can dramatically speed up digital transformation across both websites and applications — from ideation and wireframing to development, testing, SEO, and customer experience. See real-world examples of how AI transforms traditional development cycles into lean, intelligent, and scalable digital systems. More info/register.

Host: Simpalm

Thu 3/19 at 4 p.m. – Reframing Association Strategy for the 2030s

Strategic planning is association management orthodoxy that our organizations can and must discard. Learn why strategic planning undermines associations operating in a BANI world, what “strategy as capacity building” is and what it requires of associations, and how association decision-makers can shift to a “strategy as capacity” building” approach. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Reston Loudoun Swap

Speaker: Jeff De Cagna, executive advisor, Foresight First LLC

Fri 3/20 at 1 p.m. – Foresight Fridays, Part 1

As polarization increases and information becomes harder to trust, associations have a powerful opportunity to serve as credible sources of trust and truth for their communities. Learn how associations can step into this moment and lead, and strengthen their role as trusted conveners, credible voices, and stabilizing forces within their industries and professions. More info/register (ASAE members only).

Host: ASAE

Speakers:

Artesha Moore, CEO of Association Forum
Tori Miller Liu, CEO of AIIM

Tue 3/24 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

Tue 3/24 at 3 p.m. – HerStory Live: Trailblazers in Tech — Then & Now

This session will connect AWTC’s HERStory series, celebrating members’ journeys and leadership in association technology, with the broader theme of March’s Women’s History Month by elevating stories of women who have shaped technology historically and today. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Speakers:

Amber Worthen, Chief Executive Officer, Email Maven
Nikki Beidler, Director, E-commerce & Marketing Technology, ASHA
Monica Pemberton, Vice President & CIO, ACE
Cecilia Sepp (moderator), Principal & Founder, Rogue Tulips

Tue 3/24 at 1 p.m. – Cash: It’s All About the King

Learn how to apply financial statements as strategic tools to support business growth; analyze the true drivers of cash generation; develop plans to ensure cash abundance, not just sufficiency; and implement strategies to improve cash conversion and liquidity. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Jane-Scott Cantus, Principal Member at ILEX Leadership Associates LLC
Michele Barry, Business Coach at Assured Strategy

Wed 3/25 from 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. – LMS Demo Days

This two-day event features presentations from a limited number of industry partners that offer learning management system (LMS) platforms. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Participants: MissionFuel, GrowthZone, MapleLMS, Forj, EthosCE, BenchPrep, TopClass by ASI, OasisLMS by 360 Factor, and Rustici Software

Wed 3/25 at 11 a.m. – Accessibility Isn’t Compliance — It’s a Revenue Engine: How Frictionless Digital Experiences Drive ROI, SEO, and Generational Growth

Most organizations treat digital accessibility as a compliance requirement. The smart ones treat it as a growth strategy. Explore how frictionless digital experiences increase engagement, improve SEO and generative AI visibility, attract younger members, and extend the lifetime value of Baby Boomers—turning accessibility into measurable ROI. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Mark Wallach, MBA, CEO Emeritus at Engagement Mobile Strategies

Wed 3/25 at 12 p.m. – Death To PDFs: From Static Documents to Discoverable Knowledge

In the age of answer engines, AI search, and conversational interfaces, publishing a PDF is no longer a knowledge strategy. It’s a shortcut that may be limiting visibility, engagement, and long-term member value. Learn how associations can increase exposure to existing and past PDFs while building a smarter content management strategy for the future — one that expands reach, improves accessibility, and turns static documents into discoverable, AI-ready knowledge. More info/register.

Hosts: Accella and Betty:AI

Speakers:

Marcus Duhon, Director of Technology Delivery, and Johanna Byrne,
Chief Operating Officer, Betty:AI
Alyssa Hulka, Chief Experience Officer; Kelsey Mills, Senior Website Strategist; and Jason King, President, Accella

Thu 3/26 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – LMS Demo Days

This two-day event features presentations from a limited number of industry partners that offer learning management system (LMS) platforms. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Participants: Path LMS by Momentive, D2L, Elevate, and LearnUpon

Thu 3/26 at 1 p.m. – The Belonging Blueprint: What Today’s Members Actually Want—Locally

Explore how HQ/component staff help chapters adopt small‑group formats that create real connection—mentoring circles, micro‑gatherings, challenge sprints, and pop‑ups. Hear about examples to get components innovating and add metrics that matter (belonging, activation, event pull, agility, equity, interaction quality) so they can track depth, not just headcount. Leave with examples, KPI options and quick win plan. More info/register.

Hosts: re:Members and Mariner Management

Speakers: Peter Houstle, CEO, and Peggy Hoffman, President, Mariner Management & Marketing

Thu 3/26 at 1 p.m. – Operating Reserves as a Key Indicator of Financial Health

Learn how to leverage your operating reserve as a strategic financial asset, ensuring your organization can navigate unforeseen challenges and maintain continuous service delivery. Hear how to determine the appropriate reserve target based on your organization’s unique risk profile and operational needs. Learn about calculating the reserve, best practices for policy documentation, and effective strategies for communicating the purpose and status of the reserve to the board, staff, and external stakeholders. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

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

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 Cristofer Maximilian 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: 3.6.26

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

barred owl perched in a tree with bare branches against a gray winter sky

“Experience is the hardest kind of teacher. It gives you the test first and the lesson afterward.” —Oscar Wilde

Good reads for the association community

Professional development competition. LinkedIn Learning has 27 million users, AI-powered recommendations, and courses that show up directly on members’ LinkedIn profiles. Can your association compete with that? TopClass LMS says yes indeed. You have something LinkedIn Learning doesn’t: deep industry expertise, credentials employers recognize, and a real professional community. They describe five strategies for modernizing your learning programs and closing the competitive gap with LinkedIn Learning.

AI agents and your website. First, you had to optimize your website for search, then make it mobile-responsive, and soon you’ll have to make it agent-ready. I first read about Google Chrome’s WebMCP in a LinkedIn post from Gayathri Kher of fusionSpan, who gave the association context I needed before reading this article by Sam Witteveen at VentureBeat. Why the excitement? WebMCP could turn your association’s website from a destination members have to remember to visit into infrastructure woven into their daily work.

Online education. The old model of association education was transactional: the member pays, takes a course, and gets a certificate. GrowthZone argues that model no longer fits how members want to learn. Their report explains how to design programs that bring members back throughout the year with blended learning, social learning, and just-in-time content.

Need a redo on the CAE exam? CAE Exam Redux, a six-week intensive starting March 25 from Rogue Tulips, is designed specifically for candidates who’ve already seen the exam and need to go deeper, not just review the same material again. You’ll build Chief Staff Executive thinking and get a stronger grip on the CAE Body of Knowledge in six 90-minute sessions with a small group. Take $25 off by registering with promo code RTBRAINFOOD.

Membership value. The current benefits-as-a-package membership model assumes value flows from association to member. But James Young at Product Community says real membership value is in member-to-member connections: “from the knowledge they share with each other and the problems they solve together.” Associations leave value on the table and prevent it from being created in the first place when they treat membership as a benefits package rather than a participation system.

New member engagement. After conducting 477 member interviews, Amanda Kaiser learned what first sparks member engagement. The answer was almost never a program or benefit. Nearly always, it was a volunteer leader offering a warm welcome. She shares what she heard in those interviews and why those two-sentence exchanges at registration stick with members for 20 years or more.

Membership marketing for small associations. YourMembership shares ten membership marketing tactics for small-staff associations. They cover recruitment, onboarding, renewals, communications, feedback, and membership models—the whole member journey. Their advice works regardless of your AMS or tech stack.

Career centers. Most employed members never visit their association’s career center because the messaging essentially says “come back when you lose your job.” On Association Adviser, Naylor’s David Butler makes the case that career centers could be serving members at every stage, not just during transitions. He shows how reframing it around career growth—leadership pathways, mentorship, and reskilling—could turn it into something members use year-round.

Snacks

Three nutritious snacks this week from Wes Trochlil at Effective Database Management. If you have a tech project coming up, don’t forget this: Your staff have day jobs. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should: Beware the automated “How did we do?” trap. And the lowest bid or cheapest solution almost always costs more in the long run.

Americans have perfected the art of countertop (bar) cuisine. | Sean Thomas, The Spectator

If Association Brain Food has made a difference in your professional life, please consider supporting my work on it via Buy Me A Coffee/Beer.

You never grow old at the table

Here’s a new recipe we loved: hot honey glazed salmon. I baked it instead of broiling it. This glaze would be great on shrimp too—it was wonderful on roasted sweet potatoes. On the side, leftover veggie pesto.

I was more ambitious than I should’ve been for a Friday night, but it was totally worth it. First I made Nantucket cranberry sauce, which I needed for pork chops with a cranberry herb pan sauce. On the side, steamed green beans tossed with sautéed onion, bacon, sundried tomatoes, and parmesan. I also roasted cubes of butternut squash with cinnamon, smoked paprika, and garlic powder. I’m enjoying the leftover squash with hummus in a wheat tortilla—for breakfast and for lunch.

Another old favorite: polenta with Italian sausages and roasted grapes. The link also includes an easy microwave method for cooking polenta. I know, nonne are rolling in their graves. On the side, a kale and cabbage sauté with bacon, onion, red bell pepper, carrots, garlic, and chicken broth.

Mon 3/9 at 8 a.m.* – The Ethics of Star Wars (Radio Free 501c, the podcast of Rogue Tulips Consulting)

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

Guest: Craig Polk

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

Mon 3/9 at 12 p.m. – Membership Mondays: Breaking Through the Noise

Learn best practices for breaking through the noise with your membership marketing campaigns and see real-life examples that were successful for your peers. More info/register (ASAE members only).

Host: ASAE

Mon 3/9 at 7 p.m. – Member Insights 2026: Key Findings from Membership Surveys & Benchmarks

Dive into key insights and trends impacting membership growth, retention, engagement, communication strategies, AI, event models, and technology from Associations Forums’ Association Membership & Services Survey 2026, and Higher Logic’s Email, Member Experience, and Community Benchmark Reports. More info/register.

Host: Associations Forum

Speaker: Kelly Whelan, Senior Content Marketing Manager, Higher Logic

Tue 3/10 at 8 a.m. – Stop Planning Events on Autopilot: Make Your Association Convenings Count (Nonprofit Mission: Impact)

Too many nonprofit and association conferences are built around logistics and tradition rather than purpose and participation. In this episode, Lee Gimpel shares practical ways to redesign events so they tap the collective wisdom in the room, strengthen meaningful connections, and deliver value that truly advances your mission. From rethinking keynotes to making networking intentional, this conversation offers simple shifts that can transform your next convening. More info.

Host: Carol Hamilton, Principal, Grace Social Sector Consulting

Guest: Lee Gimpel, Better Meetings

Tue 3/10 at 11 a.m. – Strategy: A Year-Round Process

Learn how a strategic framework can, when properly structured, serve as an organizational nexus and north star; approaches to incorporating strategic practices into regular organizational function; and the volunteer and staff frameworks needed to elevate the strategy potential of an organization. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Lowell Aplebaum, EdD, FASAE, CAE, CPF, CEO at Vista Cova

Tue 3/10 at 12 p.m. – Tech Tuesday: Protecting Your Tech Stack in an Unstable Vendor Landscape

Is your association ready if a vendor changes direction tomorrow? Join a discussion about building resilience in today’s rapidly changing software landscape. Hear about reducing risk when platforms merge or pivot, maintaining data ownership and portability, and identifying the right questions to ask vendors for true roadmap visibility. Learn practical steps to strengthen resilience across your entire tech stack and leave with a vendor health check framework you can use immediately. More info/register (ASAE members only).

Host: ASAE

Facilitators:

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

Tue 3/10 at 1 p.m. – Execution: You Can’t Scale Chaos

Learn how to develop strategies to grow effectively and efficiently with discipline and intention; design processes that scale as the business grows; identify execution gaps that erode effectiveness and profit margins; and apply communication techniques as a tool to enhance execution. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Jane-Scott Cantus, Principal Member at ILEX Leadership Associates LLC
Michele Barry, Business Coach at Assured Strategy

Tue 3/10 at 2 p.m. – Event Contract Clauses Worth Negotiating in 2026

Hear tips for finding win-win solutions in a VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity)-proof contract. Learn how to approach negotiations and relationship-building with a constructive mindset, what is up for negotiation and what will be a harder lift, and what clauses can protect your program from surprises. More info/register.

Host: Smart Meetings

Speakers:

Tyra Warner, CMP, associate professor and department chair of Hospitality and Tourism Management at College of Coastal Georgia
Ginny Davito, founder and chief experience officer with Hotel Contracting Hub

Wed 3/11 at 11 a.m. – How to Define Requirements: What Do You Really Need…and Why? (Office Hours for LMS Buyers)

Learn how to capture and prioritize your functional, technical, and learning experience needs, and use our Adaptive LMS Requirements Survey to simplify stakeholder input and build a viable set of requirements that support your shortlist and RFP. More info/register.

Host: Talented Learning

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

Wed 3/11 at 12 p.m. – Earning Attention: A Television Producer’s Take on Association Content (Association Amplified LIVE)

Associations create a lot of content—but not all of it earns attention. This conversation brings an outside lens to that problem, exploring what broadcast instincts can teach associations about deciding what actually deserves their members’ attention. More info/register.

Host: TaleWind Digital

Guest: Carolyn Shomali, television producer with 20+ years of experience in live sports, studio programming, and long-form storytelling, and former Director of Content at Professionals for Association Revenue (PAR)

Wed 3/11 at 12 p.m. – Convince Leadership of the Importance of Cybersecurity

Association leaders are under increasing pressure to protect member data, maintain trust, and navigate an escalating cyber threat landscape, yet many organizations still struggle to get cybersecurity prioritized at the executive and board level. Learn why cybercrime has become industrialized — and why associations are prime targets; how ransomware-as-a-service, affiliate networks, and AI-powered attacks are lowering the barrier for criminals; new attack vectors, including AI prompt injection and risky browser extensions; the real financial and reputational consequences of a breach; how to frame cybersecurity as a leadership and governance responsibility; what a right-sized cybersecurity assessment should deliver; and examples of high-value, low-cost controls that dramatically reduce risk. More info/register.

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

Wed 3/11 at 12:30 p.m. – Credentialing in the 2020s and Beyond | Modernization, Globalization, and Legalization

Learn about recent changes to NCCA / ISO accreditation standards, challenges that credentialing programs are facing today, and how to smartly grow your credentialing brand internationally. More info/register.

Host: Element AMS

Speakers:

Sheetal Tiwari, founder of Global Certification Partners
Mark Franco, nonprofit legal expert at Rimon Law

Wed 3/11 at 1 p.m. – More Than “Meh”: How Web Governance Turns Website Management Into a Strategic Win

Learn how to transform your website into a strategic asset, rather than a catch-all repository, and how the shift from reactive management to a strategic web management delivers measurable value for members and stakeholders. Hear how to implement a web governance framework empowers leadership, aligns competing priorities, advances your mission, and increases member engagement. Take away actionable tools, including a RACI Matrix, practical governance frameworks, and standards and policies that achieve buy-in from your team so everyone is heading in the same direction. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Ray van Hilst, CAE, Vice President of Strategy at Yoko Consulting

Wed 3/11 at 1 p.m. – Project Management for Association Professionals

Learn how to identify the roles and responsibilities of clients and stakeholders to activate engagement throughout the project lifecycle; develop a project plan to manage tasks and meet deadlines, utilizing a no- or low-cost project management tool; activate team commitment through setting expectations and accountability; and create a communication plan to leverage communication among the organization and mitigate barriers to project execution. More info/register.

Hosts: Career Compliance Solutions and Evolve Solutions

Wed 3/11 at 1 p.m. – The Email & Content Engagement Booster Workshop

Hear about the email tactics and content tests that actually move the needle right now. Learn what to update, what to experiment with, and how small subject-line tweaks, segmentation shifts, and content optimizations can turn into big results for your campaigns. More info/register.

Host: Content Marketing Institute

Speaker: Jay Schwedelson, Founder, Subjectline.com

Wed 3/11 at 2 p.m. – Fresh Ideas for Incorporating Wellness Into Meetings

Learn how small shifts can create big impacts, helping participants feel more grounded, engaged and supported. Explore fresh, practical wellness ideas for in‑person events; how to build wellness into the flow of a meeting without disrupting the agenda; and ways to support diverse needs, energy levels and accessibility considerations. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Northstar Meetings Group

Speakers:

Ashley Brooke James, wellness strategist and co-founder, Triluna
Johanna Roodt, founder & CEO, Leladijo Consulting BV
Sarah J.F. Braley (moderator), Managing Editor, Northstar Meetings Group

Wed 3/11 at 3 p.m. – We Cannot Flee the Future: Preparing for the 2030s

Learn why association contributors must choose to stand up for their successors’ futures today through intentional learning, short-term sacrifice, and long-term action, and how all stakeholders can work together to navigate sustained turbulence while preparing for the challenges and opportunities of the 2030s. More info/register.

Host: Jeff De Cagna, executive advisor, Foresight First LLC

Thu 3/12 at 1 p.m. – From Content to Intelligence: How Associations Can Turn Member Voices into Actionable Insight

Associations are rich with member stories—from conferences, advocacy efforts, volunteer leadership, and professional practice—but most of that insight never makes it beyond isolated videos or anecdotal feedback. Explore how associations can systematically capture member voices and use AI to transform those stories into usable intelligence. Learn how to scale story collection without adding staff burden, extract themes and insights efficiently, and turn authentic member voices into strategic assets that inform marketing, education, advocacy, and leadership decision-making. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Michael Hoffman, Co-Founder and CEO, Gather Voices

Thu 3/12 at 1 p.m. – From Badge to Business Value: Making Digital Credentials Work for Learners, Issuers, & Employers

Drawing on research from over 500 employers and lessons from renowned credentialing programs in higher education, workforce development, and professional training, hear how to design credentials that are not just earned, but also explained, shared, verified, and valued. Learn how effective programs distribute credentials that are clear and explainable to learners and external audiences; easy to share, discover, and verify; consistent and scalable through strong frameworks and governance; and aligned to outcomes learners and employers care about. More info/register.

Host: Learning Guild

Speaker: Evan Noyes, Account Executive, Accredible

Thu 3/12 at 2:30 p.m. – Reducing Member Attrition with Proactive Strategies

Hear about approaches associations are using to better retain members-what’s working, what hasn’t, and lessons learned along the way. More info/register.

Host: Tradewing

Thu 3/12 at 2:30 p.m. – What Board Members Think Association Community Survey Information Sessions

The What Board Members Think Association Community Survey, presented by Foresight First LLC, is an invitation to association board directors/officers to share their perspectives on board service and help elevate board performance in 2026 and beyond. Please join one of our March 2026 information sessions to learn more about this project, including how your association can benefit from your board’s participation. More info/register.

Host: Jeff De Cagna, executive advisor, Foresight First LLC

Tue 3/16 at 10:30 a.m. – Meditation Skills for Busy Lives

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

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

Tue 3/17 at 12 p.m. – Partnership Professionals Network Idea Exchange: Strategies for Corporate Partnerships & Sponsorships

Host: Partnership Professionals Network

Speakers:

Bruce Rosenthal, author of the book “Mastering Association Corporate Sponsorships
Dan Kowitz, Founder & CEO of JSB Partnership Consultants

Tue 3/17 at 1 p.m. – A Check-In on the Current Political Landscape’s Impact on Associations

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Joanna M. Pineda, CEO & Chief Troublemaker, Matrix Group International, Inc.
David Jackson, Executive Officer at ASPET
Christopher Glen, Vice President of Public Affairs at The Fertilizer Institute
Mark Franco, Partner at Rimon PC

Wed 3/18 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. – Workforce Trends That Will Impact Your Candidate Demand in the Next 5 Years (Washington DC)

Host: Certification Network Group

Speakers:

Sandy Hogg (moderator), Director or Business Development, ITS
Andre T. Allen, Chief Business Officer, Human Resource Certification Institute
Isabelle Gonthier, Chief Assessment Officer, ETS & PSI
Angela Macauley, President & CEO, National Board for Occupational Therapy
Roy Swift, Recently Retired, Former Executive Director, Workcred

Wed 3/18 at 1 p.m. – From Transactional Sponsorships to Year-Round Partnerships: A Marketing Agency Approach

Host: Fonteva

Speaker: Bruce Rosenthal, Strategist, Consultant, and Author, Bruce Rosenthal Associates, LLC

Thu 3/19 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. – AWS Imagine for Nonprofits (Oxon Hill, MD)

Host: Amazon Web Services

Thu 3/19 at 11 a.m. – Why Cookie Compliance Is No Longer “Just a European Issue”

Host: UST Education

Speakers: Rob Kaighn, Director, US & Global Partnerships, and Chris Menez, Senior Data Analyst, Cantarus

Thu 3/19 at 1 p.m. – B2B Distribution: How Learning Businesses Can Capitalize on Their Catalog

Host: Leading Learning

Speakers:

Tommy Fagan, National Restaurant Association
Jeff Cobb and Celisa Steele, co-founders of Tagoras and Leading Learning Tamer Ali of Authentic Learning Labs

Thu 3/19 at 1:30 p.m. – From Hidden Strengths to Team Success: Neurodiversity in Association Leadership and Events

Hosts: Insight Guide and BJA Solutions for Associations

Speakers:

Lindsay Currie, CAE, Executive Officer, Council on Undergraduate Research
Sharon Heiges Kneebone, IOM, FASAE, CAE, Executive Director American Academy of Pain Medicine
Laurie Kulikosky, CAE, CEO at CHADD (Children and Adults with ADHD)
Brian Haney CLTC, CFS, CFBA, CIS, LACP, LUTCF, RFC, CAESVP, Association & Non-Profit Specialist, Relation Insurance Services
Barbara Armentrout, CAE (moderator), BJA Solutions for Associations
Teri Carden (hostess), COO, Insight Guide

Thu 3/19 at 4 p.m. – Reframing Association Strategy for the 2030s

Host: ASAE Reston Loudoun Swap

Speaker: Jeff De Cagna, executive advisor, Foresight First LLC

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 Hunter Masters 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: 2.27.26

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

looking out over tall brown grass to the ocean on a gray day

“Anne sat long at her window that night companioned by a glad content.” —from Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery

Good reads for the association community

Chapter member engagement. Members often feel more connected to their chapter than to the national association, but remote work and busy schedules make in-person chapter meetings hard to attend consistently. Clowder explains how a mobile app with dedicated spaces—separate news feeds, discussion forums, and event calendars for each chapter or special interest group—keeps members connected between events and gives volunteer leaders better tools to manage communications.

Education programs. The Apti team talked to John Leh of Talented Learning about what associations can learn from solopreneur training firms, using the real-world example of Alicia Katz Pollock’s QuickBooks training empire—she built 70+ courses and multiple revenue streams as a one-person operation. The post shares eight strategies associations can adapt, from targeting employer partnerships and building subscription models to using AI for content scaling and launching affiliate programs to grow your audience.

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.

Association SEO course. Rank higher in Google search results with the Association Search Engine Optimization Certificate Course from Association Academy. Expert-led, on-demand lessons walk you through keyword research, content optimization, site authority, and technical SEO—the practical stuff that translates into real search visibility. You’ll earn five CAE credits and come away knowing how to bring more traffic to your site without paying for ads. Enrollment is $299. Use referral code BRAINFOOD to save $50.

Member surveys. Members rarely give honest answers in surveys because the questions don’t make it safe to do so. In one of the most illuminating posts I’ve read lately, Pamela Wilton writes for Boardroom about HBR research on the psychology of disclosure and what it means for associations. For example, asking about someone’s immediate situation gets far more candid responses than asking about their goals. She also explains how to word questions so that acknowledging challenges feels normal, not risky, and why closing the feedback loop matters.

Association education programs. Continuing education has long served associations as both a core mission and a financial anchor, but that model is under real pressure. Chris Urena of the Endocrine Society writes for ASAE about what associations need to reconsider, including how you define your audience (hint: not just members), price programs, gauge what learners need right now, and decide when to retire offerings that have run their course.

Technology selection. Dennison & Associates covers the six essential sections of an effective RFP and the pitfalls that make qualified vendors bail before submitting proposals. They cover evaluating proposals, assessing implementation fit, calculating multi-year costs, and figuring out whether vendors really understand your challenges.

CAE prep course/study group. Preparing for the May CAE Exam? If you want to pass, take it from this CAE: don’t do it alone and definitely don’t rely on cramming the week before. Through March 18, you can join the Rogue Tulips’ CAE Prep Course + Study Group. You’ll get a study group, course materials, individual guidance, and small-group discussions to support whatever you’re doing on your own. Take $25 off by registering with promo code RTBRAINFOOD.

Your association’s future. After talking with nearly two dozen healthcare association CEOs, Dean West of Association Laboratory has some bad news. Fragmentation—across communities, structures, strategies, messages, and cultures—will kill associations, especially if professionals and their employers already see you as an optional line item.

Snacks

ChatGPT sells out: OpenAI tests ads in ChatGPT at premium rates, while Anthropic markets Claude as ad-free, igniting debate over AI trust and sponsored answers. | Jackie Snow, Quartz

Most workers spend more than three hours per week cleaning up AI workslop. | Allisa Boulette, Zapier

Red Robin is a case study in how to kill a restaurant chain (or any business) from the inside out. | Aakash Gupta

If Association Brain Food has made a difference in your professional life, please consider supporting my work on it via Buy Me A Coffee/Beer.

You never grow old at the table

A weeknight win: orange-glazed salmon. I used navel instead of blood oranges, decreased the brown sugar by half, and used a 1/2 teaspoon each for all the spices. On the side, Brussels sprouts roasted with red onion, bacon, garlic powder, and hot smoked paprika.

On Sunday, I made 20 big meatballs—more than half of them went into the freezer. I served them with marinara over linguine. On the side, a vegetable sauté—yellow squash, zucchini, broccoli stem, onion, red bell pepper, and tomato—tossed in homemade basil pesto from the freezer.

Fri 2/27 at 11 a.m.* – From Search to AI Discovery: A One-Person B2B Inbound Story for Associations

Learn what still works, what needs to evolve, and what to ignore. More info/register.

Host: OasisLMS

Speaker: Samuel Hirsch, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, OasisLMS

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

Fri 2/27 at 12 p.m. – What We Stopped Doing: The Hard Decisions Behind Building a Modern Association Tech Stack

Resources—time, people, money, attention—are not infinite. True growth in one area often requires reductions in another. Learn how to identify systems for sunset, decide when programs no longer deliver value, and evaluate processes, workflows, and customizations for inefficiency and drag. Find out how to approach the stakeholders (teams, members, board) about a system that needs to go, make space for honest evaluation, and keep generating buy-in for continuous change. More info/register.

Host: fusionSpan

Speakers:

Edima Elinewinga, Vice President & Chief Technology Officer, Association of Corporate Counsel
Thad Lurie, Senior Vice President of Digital & Technology, AGU
George Breeden, Chief Learning and Innovation Officer, American Society for Microbiology

Fri 2/27 at 3:15 p.m. – Sustainable Leadership in Demanding Times: Preventing Burnout & Building Resilience

Learn how to identify early signs of stress and burnout in themselves and within leadership roles; apply practical stress-management and emotional regulation tools that support daily leadership demands; strengthen personal resilience through adaptive coping strategies that enhance energy, focus, and decision-making; and develop a sustainable leadership approach that supports long-term well-being and organizational effectiveness. 1 CAE credit. More info/register (ASAE members only).

Host: ASAE Executive Management Professionals Advisory Council

Speaker: Nadia Paredes, Lecturer, Marital and Family Therapy, Loyola Marymount University

Mon 3/2 at 8 a.m. – Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) for Associations (Radio Free 501c, the podcast of Rogue Tulips Consulting)

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

Guests: Alyssa Hulka, Kelsey Mills, and Merrik Kressley of Acella

Tue 3/3 at 12 p.m. – Association Tech Trends: Insights from Association Leaders

Each year, ASAE’s Chief Information & Performance Excellence Officer, Reggie Henry, asks association leaders to share the technology challenges and trends shaping their organizations. Hear about the latest findings from emerging tools and integration hurdles to data strategy, AI adoption, and member experience priorities. Get a practical look at what your peers are navigating and what it means for your technology roadmap in the year ahead. More info/register.

Host: Data Analytics Network

Tue 3/3 at 12 p.m. – Managing Event Risk in an Unpredictable World

It’s not just that things are unpredictable, it’s that they are also unusually unstable. Political shifts, economic pressure, changing workforce expectations, and accelerating technology are colliding at once and creating new worlds of risk at our events. Join Beth Surmont of 360 Live Media in a fireside chat with Jeannie Weber, the Smithbucklin SME on event risk management. More info/register.

Host: Smithbucklin

Tue 3/3 at 1 p.m. – Strategy: Crafting the Right Strategy Based on Purpose and Core Values

Learn how to anchor strategy in purpose and core values; differentiate between a growth story and true strategic growth; translate strategy into a clear, memorable statement; and align stakeholders around the organization’s strategic direction. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Jane-Scott Cantus, Principal Member at ILEX Leadership Associates LLC
Michele Barry, Business Coach at Assured Strategy

Tue 3/3 at 4 p.m. – Let’s Chat: Small Staff Associations

Join a discussion about developing governance pipelines and onboarding board members. Topics include: Governance Pipeline & Recruitment Strategy; Election Models & Candidate Development; Preparing the Board, Onboarding, & Setting Expectations; and Offboarding, Evaluation & Succession Continuity. More info/register (ASAE members only).

Host: ASAE Small Staff Advisory Committee

Wed 3/4 at 12 p.m. – Rethinking Event Sponsorship for Growth

Hear how to rethink sponsorship strategy by using events as year-round revenue platforms rather than one-time transactions. Learn how to better align sponsor objectives with member engagement, design higher-value sponsorship opportunities, and leverage event technology to deliver measurable ROI that sponsors are willing to pay more for. More info/register.

Hosts: CANRev Collaborative and PheedLoop

Speakers:

Ed Byers, CHRP, CMP, CAE, President, CANRev Collaborative
Mitch Malinsky, Vice President, PheedLoop

Wed 3/4 at 12 p.m. – The Personalization Mirage: What Your Members Aren’t Telling You

Associations say they “know their members,” but most rely on outdated profiles, stale behavioral data, or generic content journeys that no longer reflect what today’s professionals want, need, or expect. Explore how AI-powered personalization is transforming the member experience. Hear how associations use dynamic content signals, adaptive tone, automated summaries, and behavioral insights to deliver experiences tailored to learning style, seniority, accessibility needs, and cultural context. Learn what true personalization looks like, what data it requires, how to ethically deploy it, and how to avoid the pitfalls of fractured systems or biased models. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: AIOT

Speakers:

Adam Hostetter and Johnny Clayton of FUSE Next
Joseph DeMicco of Amplify Industrial Marketing.

Wed 3/4 at 1 p.m. – AI & [Canadian] Associations: Legal Readiness in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Learn about the current state of AI law in Canada and what’s coming soon; key legal risks for associations using AI (internally or through vendors); how to handle donor, financial, and member data responsibly; internal policy essentials: red/yellow/green light AI usage scenarios; contracting with AI vendors: what to watch for and what to ask; and first steps toward responsible AI governance in your organization. More info/register.

Hosts: Wicket and Navio Law

Thu 3/5 at 10 a.m. – Digital Marketing Analytics Starter Pack: Measuring What Matters for Membership Growth (Membership & Marketing Symposium)

Learn how to identify key digital marketing metrics across email, social media, web, and paid ads that signal progress toward membership goals; apply UTM codes and GA4 reporting to track campaign effectiveness and user engagement across channels; translate analytics into strategic insights that answer leadership questions and guide membership-focused decision-making; benchmark performance using internal and external data to refine content and outreach strategies; and build a starter analytics toolkit that supports ongoing evaluation, optimization, and storytelling around member impact. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Julie McDowell, Director, Strategic Communications & Digital Content at College of American Pathologists

Thu 3/5 at 11:15 a.m. – Using AI to Power Smarter Membership and Marketing Strategies (Membership & Marketing Symposium)

Learn how AI is changing membership and marketing strategy, not just speeding up the work; which AI tools are worth paying attention to and how associations are using them; and where strategy needs to shift in response to AI. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Joanna Pineda, CEO & Chief Troublemaker at Matrix Group International

Thu 3/5 at 12:45 p.m. – Members Aren’t Responding—Now What? (Membership & Marketing Symposium)

Learn how to diagnose the real reasons behind poor member engagement using segmentation, messaging, and product-fit frameworks; evaluate member data and campaign performance to identify what’s working—and what’s not—in your marketing strategy; differentiate between symptoms of marketing problems (like low open rates) and underlying product or value gaps within the association; redesign core marketing messages to align with meaningful member needs and motivations, avoiding one-size-fits-all communication; collaborate with peers to create actionable solutions and engagement strategies that can be applied immediately within your organization; and implement a feedback and measurement loop to continuously improve marketing, segmentation, and product relevance over time. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Laura Sparks, Director of Marketing and Communications at American Society of Appraisers

Thu 3/5 at 2 p.m. – There’s Gold in That There Content! The AI Tech Stack to Turn Hidden Assets into a Member Education Goldmine

Learn how to transform archived webinars, papers, and conference content into fresh, high‑value learning products. Hear how AI augments staff capacity, enabling faster content turnaround and scalable education programs powered by your association’s own expertise. More info/register.

Host: 501Works

Speakers:

AJ Sallis, Chief Executive, Intuto
Caitlin Tennant-Brooks, Head of Customer Success, Intuto
James Marquis, CIO, 501Works

Thu 3/5 at 2 p.m. – From Reactive to Strategic: Building a High-Impact Marketing Function in Today’s Associations (Membership & Marketing Symposium)

Learn how to identify and assess common failure points in association marketing teams, including misaligned priorities, lack of strategic clarity, and unclear performance expectations; apply a practical quarterly planning framework that helps teams stay focused, measure what matters, and communicate results to leadership more effectively; and implement strategies to shift the internal perception of marketing—from order-taking to strategic partner—through better goals, reporting, and cross-team collaboration. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Brianne Wheeler, CEO/Owner at Levitate Marketing

Thu 3/5 at 2:30 p.m. – What Board Members Think Association Community Survey Information Sessions

Host: Jeff De Cagna, executive advisor, Foresight First LLC

Thu 3/5 at 3 p.m. – Email 2.0 for Associations: Turning Messages Into Meaningful Engagement

Hear how associations can evolve their email strategy beyond announcements and reminders, turning it into a consistent engagement driver. Learn how to align email with member value, reduce noise, and create messages that feel timely, relevant, and worth responding to. More info/register.

Host: Member Lounge

Speaker: Amber Worthen, Founder and CEO of Email Maven

Tue 3/10 at 11 a.m. – Strategy: A Year-Round Process

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Lowell Aplebaum, EdD, FASAE, CAE, CPF, CEO at Vista Cova

Tue 3/10 at 1 p.m. – Execution: You Can’t Scale Chaos

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Jane-Scott Cantus, Principal Member at ILEX Leadership Associates LLC
Michele Barry, Business Coach at Assured Strategy

Wed 3/11 at 12:30 p.m. – Credentialing in the 2020s and Beyond | Modernization, Globalization, and Legalization

Host: Element AMS

Speakers:

Sheetal Tiwari, founder of Global Certification Partners
Mark Franco, nonprofit legal expert at Rimon Law

Wed 3/11 at 1 p.m. – More Than “Meh”: How Web Governance Turns Website Management Into a Strategic Win

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Ray van Hilst, CAE, Vice President of Strategy at Yoko Consulting

Wed 3/11 at 3 p.m. – We Cannot Flee the Future: Preparing for the 2030s

Host: Jeff De Cagna, executive advisor, Foresight First LLC

Thu 3/12 at 2:30 p.m. – What Board Members Think Association Community Survey Information Sessions

Host: Jeff De Cagna, executive advisor, Foresight First LLC

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 Alex Talmon 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: 2.20.26

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

plump russet-bellied bird perched on a feeder hanging from a tree while the snow comes down

“Music is liquid architecture; architecture is frozen music.” — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Good reads for the association community

Global education programs. Most associations still serve only their domestic members, even as the global e-learning market keeps growing. TopClass LMS lays out six strategies for taking your online education programs international. They explain how to pick the right markets, adapt content for different cultures and languages, structure pricing for international audiences, and use LMS analytics to figure out what’s working.

AI’s impact on your members. If you haven’t read Matt Shumer’s viral essay on X yet, Lowell Aplebaum of Vista Cova thinks you should. Shumer’s argument: AI capability is accelerating at a pace most people haven’t grasped yet, and the window to get ahead of it is narrowing. Lowell frames it as a board-level strategy conversation: how is AI changing your members’ work and what does that mean for your education and credentialing programs?

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 it’s well worth reading if you’re anywhere in the research or selection process.

Need a redo on the CAE exam? CAE Exam Redux, a six-week intensive starting March 25 from Rogue Tulips, is designed specifically for candidates who’ve already seen the exam and need to go deeper, not just review the same material again. Build your Chief Staff Executive thinking and strengthen your command of the CAE Body of Knowledge in six 90-minute small-group sessions. Take $25 off by registering with promo code RTBRAINFOOD.

Member engagement. On the MemberWise blog, Julia Yerikova of Advanced Communities looks at the psychology of members who stop engaging long before they cancel. She says most associations over-rely on benefits alone when what actually keeps people around is feeling seen, connected, and part of something.

AI and content strategy. Even AI doesn’t like its own work. AI search systems are increasingly deprioritizing AI-generated content in favor of original thinking and firsthand insight, which is good news for those of us who actually read (and write) to learn something. Gev Balyan of Jakka AI makes the case in Fast Company that the next era of AI search will reward content marketers who think the most, not those who publish the most.

Vendor contracts. Ellipsis Partners shows you how to better negotiate contracts and avoid surprises that could cost your association thousands or lock you into unfavorable terms. Their contract checklist covers the areas where associations most often run into trouble—scope, fees, data ownership, renewals, and exit terms. They flag the language to push back on and how to protect yourself from scope creep, surprise costs, and vendor lock-in.

Digital culture. Sherry Budziak of .orgSource says your association might have the best AMS, CRM, and LMS on the market but it will still struggle if the culture around those tools hasn’t changed. She explains what a digital culture actually looks like, what gets in the way, and what to do to fix it. And fix it you must if you want to survive the coming years.

Content strategy. “Can you do a quick blog post on this?” I can imagine for-profit marketers fielding this question way too often, and association mar/comm staff probably do too. If your team spends more time fulfilling content requests than sticking to your strategy, Sara Coggin at Animalz shares tactics from four enterprise content leaders on how to stop being the office vending machine for blog posts and start shaping what actually gets made and why.

Snacks

‘What Board Members Think’ Association Community Survey: background information and link to the survey. | Jeff De Cagna, Foresight First LLC

Books, museums and languages can ‘delay dementia by five years’ | by Eleanor Hayward, The Times

If you need CAE credits, check out Ed Rigsbee’s 37 workshops—nine of them are one-hour Ethics workshops. To qualify for the credits, you have to pass a test.

If Association Brain Food has made a difference in your professional life, please consider supporting my work on it via Buy Me A Coffee/Beer.

You never grow old at the table

This recipe has become one of my favorites: bratwurst, cabbage and white bean skillet. I know, it doesn’t sound that exciting, but I love it. I don’t exactly follow the recipe: I use white beans instead of noodles; omit the bacon; add mushrooms, red bell pepper, and jalapeño pepper; and increase the tomato paste and caraway seeds.

My shipment of linguiça from Gaspar’s Sausage in southern MA came in, so I made pizza on Friday night. Here’s how: spread pizza sauce over the dough—I used store-bought sauce and dough this time; cover with sautéed ground linguiça, onion, red bell pepper, jalapeño, and garlic; and top the pizza with a mix of mozzarella, provolone, and parmesan. Heaven.

I used to try different banana bread recipes but stopped once I discovered this one from Bon Appétit. The only change I make is using whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour.

On Sunday, I made Italian stuffed pork loin again, but this time I reduced the salt by half and it was so much better. On the side: broccoli roasted with red onion, garlic powder, and smoked paprika; and roasted sweet potatoes.

Fri 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 a discussion about Ethics Awareness Month (March), Qiqo tips from Sandra Nam, plus sharing good news, topics, and questions from the group. More info/register.

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

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

Mon 2/23 at 8 a.m. – Resilience When an Unexpected Layoff Happens (Radio Free 501c, the podcast of Rogue Tulips Consulting)

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

Guest: Vanita Murray

Mon 2/23 at 2 p.m. – From Certification to Career Signal: How Associations Build Credentials Employers Trust

According to the 2025 State of Credentialing report, 91% of employers say they look for digital credentials when evaluating candidates. But only 46% say they see them—a missed connection with high stakes for both members and associations. Learn how top associations are responding with new research from 500+ employers. Hear how organizations like the International Association of Privacy Professionals, Institute of Industrial & Systems Engineers, and American Board of Emergency Medicine are designing credentials that function as trusted, verifiable career signals. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Speaker: Ryan Greives, Senior Director, Brand Marketing, Accredible

Tue 2/24 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. – AI in Action Workshop + Networking Luncheon for Association Leaders (Alexandria VA)

Exclusively for C-level association executives, learn how to build an AI advisor for your association and create your AI roadmap. Location: Alexandria VA. More info/register.

Host: Results Direct | Results Mobile

Speakers:

Reggie Henry, CAE, Chief Information & Performance Excellence Officer, ASAE
Keith Soares, CAE, AAiP, Vice President, Web Strategies, ASAE
Dan Scheeler, CAE, AAiP, COO, Results Direct | RD Mobile
Alex Skinner, CEO & Founder, ReadyIntelligence
Russell Magnuson, AAiP, CEO, Results Direct | RD Mobile
Katie Atkinson, President, Results Direct | RD Mobile

Tue 2/24 at 10 a.m. – ASAE World Cafe: When Do We Take a Position?

Explore how global organizations can thoughtfully navigate expectations to “take a stand.” Examine real-world scenarios, share experiences, and reflect on how mission alignment, member diversity, governance, and reputational risk should inform decision-making. The session will emphasize the value of having a clear framework or policy to guide when to communicate—and when silence may be the more strategic choice. More info/register (ASAE members only).

Host: ASAE International Associations Advisory Council

Speakers:

Susan Mosedale, CAE, Chief Global Engagement Officer, ASIS International
Carrie Abner, CAE, Vice President, Credentials & Standards, International Coaching Federation
Michiel Gen (facilitator), Partner, Exempla

Tue 2/24 at 10:30 a.m. – Meditation Skills for Busy Lives

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

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

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

Tue 2/24 at 11 a.m. – How to Build/Develop a Podcast to Foster Trust and Engagement Within a Professional Community – Part 4: Sustaining Success and Evolving With Your Audience

Success in podcasting isn’t just about launching—it’s about staying relevant and connected. Explore how to sustain momentum, evolve your content, and grow your podcast alongside your audience. Learn practical strategies for staying inspired, adapting your show to meet changing needs, and turning your podcast into a long-term community asset. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Kate Coffey-Bacon, SVP of Marketing and Strategy, US Transactions Corporation/UST Education
Joanna M. Pineda, CEO & Chief Troublemaker, Matrix Group International, Inc.

Tue 2/24 at 12 p.m. – Member Spotlights That Build Community

Learn how to design and run a member spotlight program that boosts visibility, celebrates your community, and strengthens your culture—without adding extra work to your team. Find out how to build a repeatable member spotlight process, choose spotlight formats that drive real engagement, and turn spotlights into culture-building assets. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: GrowthZone

Speaker: membership expert Leona Scott

Tue 2/24 at 1 p.m. – Chapter Benchmark Insights That Matter Now

How can insights from re:Members and Marine Management’s latest chapter benchmarking survey inform decisions in the months ahead? Associations already have the data the question is what to do with it. Hear about the latest benchmark findings and how they can inform smarter decisions in the months ahead, from technology investments to member engagement strategies. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Hosts: re:Members and Mariner Management

Speakers: Peggy Hoffman and Peter Houstle, founders, Mariner Management

Tue 2/24 at 1 p.m. – Survey Says! Vendor Relationships Healthy and Positive

Dive into the results of the 2024 and 2025 Vendor Engagement Survey. Explore the sentiments and predictions of association executives and event planners: what’s driving strong vendor partnerships, how organizations are maintaining engagement and generating new sales, what offerings are making the biggest impact, and where sales are declining. Hear about what’s working across the industry and where there’s room to improve. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Teri Carden, Chief Operating Officer, Insight Guide

Tue 2/24 at 2 p.m. – Healthcare Hot Topic: Using AI at Work

Which areas of your association’s work (member engagement, marketing, education, events, SEO) have you piloted or discussed using AI for improvement? What challenges, risks or ethical considerations have surfaced around adopting AI in your organization? How are you helping staff and leadership stay current with rapidly evolving technologies? More info/register (ASAE members only).

Host: ASAE Healthcare Community Cafe

Wed 2/25 from 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. – Marketing Technology Demo Day

Tasked with finding the right marketing technology systems for your organization? Wondering what platforms are out there and what features you should be looking for? Experience seven in-depth demos from industry partners that are standing by ready to help. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Participants: Blend Interactive, fusionSpan, Showcare, GrowthZone, rasa.io, Higher Logic, Map Your Show, Aplusify, and Click

Wed 2/25 at 11 a.m. – Is the Data in the Room With Us? Channeling Association Data Into One Place

Explore why data silos exist in associations and how bringing data together without replacing existing systems can improve clarity, collaboration, and insight. This practical, non-technical session focuses on aligning people and processes first, helping teams create a shared view of their data and turn disconnected information into actionable analytics. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Gil Gonzalez, Director of Events at EVA – Event Tech Ecosystem

Wed 2/25 at 12 p.m. – Climate Action for Associations Launch in America

Join the Climate Action for Associations (CAFA) in America Launch webinar to explore how professional and trade associations can lead meaningful climate action, reduce emissions, and support decarbonization across America. Learn about CAFA and hear from association and industry leaders and connect with a growing global network driving collective climate impact. More info/register.

Host: Climate Action for Associations

Speakers:

Scott Breen and Roxi Sharif from the Can Manufacturers Institute
Christopher Hancock from Destination Canada
Tanya Popeau from the Professional Convention Management Association
Stephanie Jones from the Water Environment Federation
Jennifer Sproul from the Institute of Internal Communication
Mary Ntamark from the International Marine Contractors Association.

Wed 2/25 at 12 p.m. – Digital Governance: Technology’s Role in Modernizing Nonprofit Board Operations

Discover how technology can revolutionize nonprofit board operations for increased efficiency and impact. Examine the crucial role of digital governance in reshaping how boards operate today. Dive into strategies that enhance decision-making and transparency in an ever-evolving landscape. Join us to explore these insights and discover how to implement effective digital solutions within your organization. More info/register.

Host: Nexus Marketing Agency

Speakers:

Andrew Abrams, Senior Strategy Consultant at Heller Consulting
Katie Alexander, Account Executive at OnBoard
Kyle Ungerman, Director of Partnerships at Crowded

Wed 2/25 at 1 p.m. – The Strategic Alliance: How CEOs and Board Chairs Build Trust, Alignment, and Impact

Learn how to clarify the distinct and shared roles of the CEO, board chair, and board to strengthen trust, alignment, and leadership effectiveness; assess the health of your current CEO–Chair–Board partnership using practical indicators of communication, decision flow, and strategic alignment; apply proven frameworks and conversation tools to elevate collaboration, navigate tension productively, and strengthen board engagement; and design intentional leadership rhythms and touchpoints that support clarity, momentum, and strategic progress throughout the year. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Fonteva

Speaker: Lowell Aplebaum, EdD, FASAE, CAE, CPF, CEO, Vista Cova

Wed 2/25 at 1 p.m. – Cost-Savings Strategies: From Cuts to Creativity

Learn how to identify and eliminate hidden costs that can inflate event budgets; apply creative cost-saving techniques without compromising attendee experience or quality; negotiate smarter with hotels and vendors to maximize value; demonstrate ROI, ROE and ROO through strategic budgeting and cost communication; translate savings into stakeholder impact, showcasing fiscal responsibility and results; and gain confidence in building leaner, more effective budgets that drive measurable success. More info/register.

Host: Meetings Today

Speaker: Robyn Mietkiewicz, Innovation Partner, INNOV8 Meetings + Events

Wed 2/25 at 2 p.m. – Making Your Event a ‘Must-Attend’

Learn new ways to boost early registration and generate FOMO around your gathering; how small changes to the agenda can have a big impact on the value delivered; and tips for helping attendees justify the time and cost of attending. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Northstar Meetings Group

Speakers:

Constance Samuels, Senior Vice President of Events, Opportunity Finance Network
Elise Schoening (moderator), Editor, Meeting News; Senior Editor, Northstar Meetings Group

Wed 2/25 at 2 p.m. – Finance and Business Operations (FBO) Meet Up

Bring your pressing problems and share experiences and potential solutions in an engaging conversation with your colleagues. More info/register (ASAE members only).

Host: ASAE Finance and Business Operations Professionals Advisory Council (including HR)

Thu 2/26 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – How to Design a Product Portfolio

In this outcome-based workshop, learn how to define and describe the indispensability of a product portfolio; analyze and map your current offerings; organize your offerings into a high-level product portfolio; identify interdependencies and find new value for your membership; use your portfolio as a strategy, planning, or budget tool; and keep your portfolio updated and timeless. More info/register.

Host: James Young, founder, Product Community

Thu 2/26 at 12 p.m. – Transforming Association Marketing Through AI

According to AIIM, 88% of associations use AI for content creation, and 44% use it for data analysis. As AI begins to transform association marketing, leaders must decide how to balance rapid innovation with brand integrity. Hear the perspectives and experiences of association marketing professionals regarding responsible AI adoption. Learn how to create frameworks to protect member trust while scaling high-quality marketing content and confidently use AI to enhance your marketing efforts—without compromising the voice and values your members trust. More info/register.

Host: Association Xchange

Speakers:

Jay S. Daughtry, M.Ed (moderator), Chief Communications Officer/Owner, CQbd
Kellie Bove, IOM, CAE, Vice President, Marketing & Branding, American Dental Education Association
Kelly Henseler, Marketing Director, International Council on Systems Engineering
Curtis Kitchen, CAE, Director of Marketing, Society for Simulation in Healthcare
Dr. Catherine Lada, CAE, AAiP, Chief Marketing & Membership Officer, American Alliance of Orthopaedic Executives

Thu 2/26 at 12 p.m. – Betty:UNFILTERED! How We Failed – 12 Months of Mistakes at Betty

Innovation is rarely a straight line, and at Betty, the last year was full of sharp turns, “aha” moments, and—to be completely honest—some significant missteps. We believe that the best way to move forward is through radical transparency, which is why we’re opening up the hood to show you what didn’t work, what we learned, and how we pivoted. Hear stories and lessons learned from 12 months of building, scaling, and occasionally breaking things, including the product assumptions that missed the mark, the implementation hurdles we didn’t see coming, and the pivots that ultimately shaped the intelligent assistant you use today. More info/register.

Host: Betty AI

Thu 2/26 from 12 to 3:15 p.m. – Event Professionals Now: The Big Event

Get fresh outlooks on the 2026 event landscape, actionable insights from real pros, and a blend of innovation, tech, wellness, and audience experience design, all rooted in what event leaders need now. More info/register.

Host: Event Professionals Network

Thu 2/26 at 1 p.m. – Principled Living: How Ten Nonprofit Director Duties and Rules Make Practical Guidelines for Daily Decision-Making

Nonprofit directors are routinely guided by rules and principles that offer practical value beyond the boardroom. Learn about ten core nonprofit director duties and governance rules—including the duties of care, loyalty, and obedience, and the business judgment rule—and the underlying decision-making frameworks they establish to personal conduct. Through applied examples and brief scenario analysis, find out how these governance standards can improve personal accountability, judgment, and outcomes. 1 CAE ethics credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Mark Franco, Partner at Rimon PC

Thu 2/26 at 2 p.m. – Benchmarking Association Financial Performance: A First Look at ASAE’s New Operating Ratios

With the release of ASAE’s new and improved Association Operating Ratios Report, association executives have a new, more powerful benchmarking tool at their disposal. Get a sneak peek at the latest operating ratios data, including longitudinal trends available for the first time. Hear about what’s new in the report, key insights emerging from the data, and how associations can use operating ratios to assess financial health, efficiency, and sustainability over time. Learn how to interpret key ratios, identify meaningful peer comparisons, and apply benchmarking insights to budgeting, resource allocation, and board-level conversations. More info/register (free for ASAE members only).

Host: ASAE

Speakers:

Nat Bartholomew, CPA, Principal, CLA
Thomas Nordby, CAE, Principal, Association Industry Segment Leader, CLA
Christin Berry, CAE, Vice President, Business Analytics & Data Services, ASAE

Thu 2/26 from 3 to 6 p.m. – AWTC Awards Ceremony & Reception (Washington DC)

Join us to celebrate and be inspired at the AWTC Awards Ceremony. Network with women and allies from across the association technology community as we recognize leaders making an impact. Location: Washington DC. More info/register.

Organizer: Association Women Technology Champions

Fri 2/27 at 11 a.m. – From Search to AI Discovery: A One-Person B2B Inbound Story for Associations

Learn what still works, what needs to evolve, and what to ignore. More info/register.

Host: OasisLMS

Speaker: Samuel Hirsch, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, OasisLMS

Fri 2/27 at 12 p.m. – What We Stopped Doing: The Hard Decisions Behind Building a Modern Association Tech Stack

Host: fusionSpan

Speakers:

Edima Elinewinga, Vice President & Chief Technology Officer, Association of Corporate Counsel
Thad Lurie, Senior Vice President of Digital & Technology, AGU
George Breeden, Chief Learning and Innovation Officer, American Society for Microbiology

Fri 2/27 at 3:15 p.m. – Sustainable Leadership in Demanding Times: Preventing Burnout & Building Resilience

Host: ASAE Executive Management Professionals Advisory Council

Speaker: Nadia Paredes, Lecturer, Marital and Family Therapy, Loyola Marymount University

Tue 3/3 at 12 p.m. – Association Tech Trends: Insights from Association Leaders

Host: Data Analytics Network

Tue 3/3 at 1 p.m. – Strategy: Crafting the Right Strategy Based on Purpose and Core Values

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Jane-Scott Cantus, Principal Member at ILEX Leadership Associates LLC
Michele Barry, Business Coach at Assured Strategy

Thu 3/5 at 10 a.m. – Digital Marketing Analytics Starter Pack: Measuring What Matters for Membership Growth (Membership & Marketing Symposium)

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Julie McDowell, Director, Strategic Communications & Digital Content at College of American Pathologists

Thu 3/5 at 11:15 a.m. – Using AI to Power Smarter Membership and Marketing Strategies (Membership & Marketing Symposium)

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Joanna Pineda, CEO & Chief Troublemaker at Matrix Group International

Thu 3/5 at 12:45 p.m. – Members Aren’t Responding—Now What? (Membership & Marketing Symposium)

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Laura Sparks, Director of Marketing and Communications at American Society of Appraisers

Thu 3/5 at 2 p.m. – There’s Gold in That There Content! The AI Tech Stack to Turn Hidden Assets into a Member Education Goldmine

Host: 501Works

Speakers:

AJ Sallis, Chief Executive, Intuto
Caitlin Tennant-Brooks, Head of Customer Success, Intuto
James Marquis, CIO, 501Works

Thu 3/5 at 2 p.m. – From Reactive to Strategic: Building a High-Impact Marketing Function in Today’s Associations (Membership & Marketing Symposium)

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Brianne Wheeler, CEO/Owner at Levitate Marketing

Creative Commons licensed photo by Clever Visuals via Unsplash

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Association Brain Food: 2.13.26

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

ice-covered trees and bushes in a forest with a trail going off into the distance under a gray sky – inspiration for my weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community

Good reads for the association community

Online education. Association Forum’s December FIRE Report shows what associations lose by underinvesting in online education. Apti expands on the report’s strategies for fixing this gap, such as building year-round learning ecosystems, creating career pathways with stackable credentials, owning the AI training space in your industry, and proving ROI beyond satisfaction surveys.

Award press releases. OpenWater explains how to write award press releases that journalists actually open. They break down the seven elements journalists need, plus provide sample structures, headline formulas, email pitch strategies, and distribution tips for getting winners to help spread the news without creating more work for your team.

Association AI course. The Association AI Accelerator Certificate Course from Association Academy is a 10-week intensive for association professionals. This program covers advanced prompting for text and imagery, building custom GPTs, navigating AI ethics, and more. In live weekly classes led by Chris Gloede, CAE, you’ll learn how to use AI tools and strategies to make your work more efficient and your content more engaging—all while earning up to ten CAE credits (including one ethics credit). Save $50 by using the referral code BRAINFOOD.

Online learning revenue. D2L explains which types of online learning programs generate the most revenue, how to monetize them, and why three-quarters of associations are increasing their learning budgets this year. They also examine how associations are rebuilding their membership models around these programs and what implementation challenges they’re facing. If you treat education purely as a member benefit, this data might change your strategy.

Membership value. Jamie Green from ContentOvation writes for ASAE about the engagement gap driving membership declines. The problem is associations are no longer the default hub for connection and learning in their industries. He says associations must earn engagement repeatedly in ways that matter to each member and make membership part of their professional identity or daily work.

AI adoption. Inspired by his time speaking in Florence, Brian Solis writes about what he calls an Enterprise RenAIssance—companies actually become intelligent rather than just sprinkling AI on old processes. He suggests choosing one thing that would truly set you apart, then, using AI, redesign your work around it. Instead of replacing people with AI, promote them into “above-the-loop” roles where they oversee the work, make the calls, and innovate.

Event marketing. ExpoLogic shares advice, backed up by their research, for event marketing from registration through post-event follow-up. Their guide covers social proof, early bird campaigns, personalized marketing, landing pages, abandoned registrations, post-event surveys, and more. It’s worth downloading if your event registrations have been disappointing or if, like many, you worry they might be.

Content marketing. Superpath’s Jimmy Daly wrestles with a frustrating reality: SaaS blogs stopped being worth reading when companies made SEO the top priority. But he still thinks content matters—and so do I. Creating long-form content keeps your storytelling muscle strong, signals legitimacy to prospects (especially enterprise buyers), and influences what people find in search and LLMs.

2026 action items. Joanna Pineda from Matrix Group shares what her team saw in 2025, what they think is coming in 2026, and what your association can do about it. They cover AI moving from optional to essential, associations making small, data-informed changes instead of waiting for full redesigns, and why community will be the thing that sets you apart when AI can answer most questions faster than your website.

Snacks

Today’s the last day to participate in the 2026 Membership Marketing Benchmarking Survey. Check out last year’s report so you can see how valuable the data is, then take this year’s survey. | Marketing General Inc.

Apply for a $500 CAE scholarship from the ASAE Foundation: details here.

If Association Brain Food has made a difference in your professional life, please consider supporting my work on it via Buy Me A Coffee/Beer.

You never grow old at the table

I made this a few years ago and forgot about it, but boy is it ever good: slow-roasted gochujang chicken and potatoes. I used bone-in thighs instead of a whole chicken so it cooked in less than half the time. At the end, I broiled it until the skin got crispy, took the chicken out of the pan and the garlic cloves out of their skins, and then broiled the potatoes and garlic for a few minutes more.

On the side, collard greens sautéed with bacon, onion, red bell pepper, dried figs, and Better Than Bouillon ham broth. I added the figs for a hit of sweetness and something different.

I brought smoked gouda and ground chorizo-stuffed jalapeños to a Super Bowl party and they were a hit, as usual. You can’t go wrong with this recipe as long as you remove all the seeds and as much of the ribs from the peppers as you can.

For an easy weeknight meal, I pulled Christmas Eve calamari sauce out of the freezer to serve over rigatoni. On the side, broccoli roasted with red onion, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.

Tue 2/17 at 11 a.m.* – How to Build a Podcast to Foster Trust and Engagement Within a Professional Community – Part 3: Growing Your Audience and Engagement

You’ve launched your podcast—now what? This session dives into the marketing and engagement strategies that help podcasts grow and thrive. Learn how to promote your episodes, build a loyal audience, and encourage interaction across platforms. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Kate Coffey-Bacon, SVP of Marketing and Strategy, US Transactions Corporation/UST Education
Brad Prendergast, MVP, Vice President of Product Development at Tigunia
Kristoffer Ruyeras, Vice President at Tigunia

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

Tue 2/17 at 12 p.m. – Aligning Association and Component Strategy (CRVM Crunch and Munch)

Join a discussion about practical approaches to ensuring components are meaningfully connected to the association’s strategic goals and objectives. Explore key considerations for aligning component activities with association-wide priorities, effective ways to engage components in strategy development and implementation, and structures and practices that foster shared accountability and cohesion. More info/register (ASAE members only).

Host: ASAE Component Relations Volunteer Management Advisory Council

Facilitator: Catherine Wasner, Founder and Lead Consultant, The Next Page Consulting, and Executive Director, T200

Tue 2/17 at 1 p.m. – Developing Member & Volunteer Roadmaps for Your Association

Explore how associations can build effective member and volunteer roadmaps to strengthen engagement, retention, and leadership development. Using research-backed onboarding strategies and real case studies, learn how to create personalized touchpoints, guide members into meaningful involvement, and measure engagement through actionable metrics. Take away practical steps to improve new member onboarding and support volunteer growth. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers: Jordan Burghardt, Director of Member Engagement, and Gina Florzak, Director of Marketing Communications, American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Tue 2/17 at 3 p.m. – Q1 ASAE Consultant Community Call

Take a deep dive into ASAE Solutions HQ, an enhanced platform designed to deliver greater visibility, deeper engagement, and smarter connections between industry partners and association professionals—you receive a complimentary listing with your Consultant Membership. More info/register (ASAE consultant members only).

Host: ASAE

Speakers:

Teri Carden, Chief Operating Officer, Insight Guide
Dean West, Chair, ASAE Key Consultant Committee, and founder/CEO, Association Laboratory

Wed 2/18 from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. – Marketing for the Next Generation: Engaging Tomorrow’s Professionals Today (Chicago IL)

Hear how to attract, engage, and retain the Next Generation of professionals through innovative marketing and learning strategies. This interactive session will feature a panel of experts discussing how organizations can evolve their approach to certifications, micro-credentials, and professional development to align with the expectations and behaviors of emerging professionals. Learn how leading companies and credentialing bodies are creating ecosystems of learning, assessment, and growth that resonate with digital-native audiences. Location: Chicago IL. More info/register.

Host: Certification Network Group

Speakers:

Missy Pydo (moderator), VP and Managing Director, Global Strategy, Prometric
Pam Rosenberg, CAE, Sr. Director, Learning Shared Services, American College of Rheumatology
Liz Wannemacher, Sr. Director of Product and Growth Marketing, National Restaurant Association
Jeffery Moss, Founder and CEO, Parker Dewey
Jessica Heraty, Director of Marketing, Association for Supply Chain Management
Aleese Eckenrode, Sr. Director, Professional Development, National Association for Healthcare Quality

Wed 2/18 at 11 a.m. – Deep Dive: 2026 Membership Performance Benchmark Report

What’s the #1 reason members don’t renew? How does your member engagement compare to your peers? How are other industry leaders increasing their revenue? Hear about all this and more in a deep dive into the 11th annual Membership Performance Benchmark Report, which includes insights from more than 400 association and membership professionals worldwide. Learn the most effective new-member recruiting strategies; why members don’t renew and the method 70% of respondents use to win them back; the biggest obstacles your peers are facing in 2026; and this year’s top revenue sources, aside from membership fees. More info/register.

Host: iMIS by ASI

Wed 2/18 at 12 p.m. – Now What? Reinventing an Association

When the landscape shifted and a major source of revenue disappeared, many would have seen it as a crisis too big to overcome. But this association chose to redefine its value, deepen its mission, and transform how it serves its members. This is the story of how a pivot became a platform for long-term relevance and resilience. Hear how Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science is reinventing itself. More info/register.

Host: Zzeem Consulting

Speakers:

Christine Nielsen, CEO, Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science
Erin Roberts, Zzeem partner and association executive

Wed 2/18 at 12 p.m. – Managing Risk in the 2026 Election Year: Considerations for Nonprofits

An election year offers nonprofit organizations tremendous opportunities to shape debate and engage an activated electorate. But especially as the nonprofit sector navigates a heightened political environment, many organizations pause over how to pursue these opportunities while complying with the limits and restrictions of their tax status and campaign finance laws. Learn how to navigate common election-year activities—including voter education, engaging with candidates and officeholders, and the personal political activities of employees—with advice on the rules and best practices to keep your organization compliant. More info/register.

Host: Venable LLP

Speakers: Meredith McCoy, Partner, and David Owens, Counsel, Venable LLP

Wed 2/18 at 2 p.m. – Make Your Fly-In Matter: A Strategic Reset

Explore what’s changed inside legislative offices, where fly-ins quietly lose impact, and what signals credibility, follow-up, and success in 2026. Get renewed clarity on what still matters, what needs adjusting, and which small shifts can strengthen fly-in effectiveness without rebuilding your approach from scratch. More info/register.

Host: VoterVoice

Wed 2/18 at 2 p.m. – Marketing After AI: How Content Health Determines Who Wins in 2026

As AI becomes the primary interpreter of brand content, traditional marketing metrics and workflows are breaking down. Explore why content health is becoming the non-negotiable KPI for modern marketing teams, how the marketer’s role is shifting from content creator to high-impact curator, and what it takes to reduce crippling content debt before it undermines visibility and trust. Get a 90-day action plan to restructure content as an enterprise asset, built to perform in an AI-driven discovery landscape. More info/register.

Host: Content Marketing Institute

Speakers: Alex Stark, Product Marketing Manager, and Brandon Watts, Director of PR & Communications, Storyblok

Wed 2/18 at 3 p.m. – Impossible to Ignore: Advocacy Powered by Human Stories

Lawmakers respond to real stories, real people, and real experiences. The organizations that win in 2026 will be the ones that know how to capture those stories and deliver them in compelling, modern ways. Learn how to collect authentic advocate stories that resonate with lawmakers, turn those stories into interactive digital campaigns, and use video messaging and advertising to capture attention and grab lawmakers’ attention. More info/register.

Host: Quorum

Wed 2/18 at 3 p.m. – Open Forum for Association CEOs: Skills for the Future of Work

Skills training and development are essential components of many associations. In a time of rapidly changing work landscapes, and especially as AI continues to reshape roles and expectations, how can we ensure we’re providing the skills our staff and members need to thrive? Engage in a peer-to-peer conversation about the skills that matter most for us as leaders, the professional association staff teams we lead, and the industries and professions we serve. More info/register (ASAE member association CEOs only).

Host: ASAE

Facilitator: Leslie Hortum, Partner, Association Practice Leader, Spencer Stuart Executive Search

Thu 2/19 at 11 a.m. – Embracing AI with Confidence: Practical Steps for Nonprofit Leaders

Learn how to start using MS Copilot in your organization right away. Hear about the differences between Free and Licensed Copilot, simple guidance on costs and security, how to get started, how to pick your trial team, and what kinds of real productivity gains you can expect. Get sample prompts and concrete use cases drawn directly from day‑to‑day nonprofit work. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Michael Getter, CSM, CSPO, ITIL v4, Head of Technology, American Alliance of Museums
Galina Kozachenko, Managing Director, Organizational Strategy and Performance at Association for Financial Professionals

Thu 2/19 at 11 a.m. – The new meeting revolution: Why meetings are becoming the #1 growth lever for events

Content is no longer the primary reason people attend events, connection is. Event organizers are moving away from “hope-based networking” toward data-driven, “intentional networking”. These organizer-arranged meetings have emerged as the single most powerful tool for driving new revenue streams, retention and exhibitor ROI. Learn how the world’s most successful event organizers are transitioning to become expert matchmakers, and why scheduled meetings are the key to unlocking new sources of growth. More info/register.

Host: Grip

Speakers:

Sophie Wawro, CEO & Founder, For Real Events
Nadira Ramatally, Marketing Director, Clarion Events

Thu 2/19 at 12 p.m. – Looking Forward 2026 Impact: First Look at Trends and Analysis

Hear about data from Looking Forward 2026 Impact, the most current and comprehensive examination of 75 critical factors affecting association members and the potential impacts on association strategy. The research includes coverage of economic, information and technology, workforce, government, global, and stakeholder perceptions. Learn about the factors impacting association strategy, what associations are doing to strategically adapt, and how to use custom reporting to facilitate conversations that are unique to your board or staff with access to the complimentary Looking Forward Dashboard, which houses three key studies of the association sector—Impact, Challenges and Solutions. More info/register.

Host: Association Laboratory

Speakers:

Dean West, founder and President, Association Laboratory
Nikki Golden, CAE, Managing Director, Association Laboratory
Tiffany Swanigan, CAE, Vice President of Operations, Society of Women Engineers
Heidi Weber, MBA, CAE, Executive Director, Ohio Osteopathic Association

Thu 2/19 at 12 p.m. – The Expert Advantage: Using High-Authority Content to Drive Member Acquisition

Establishing your organization as the definitive source of truth is the fastest way to turn casual readers into committed members. Hear about the strategy behind using deep, authoritative content to showcase your association’s unique value proposition. For associations competing for attention, providing actionable expert knowledge is often the deciding factor in professionals’ choice of where to belong. Explore practical ways to source, package, and distribute the kind of high-level intelligence that drives recruitment numbers up. More info/register.

Host: Nexus Marketing

Thu 2/19 at 12 p.m. – The Rise of the Roundtable: Why Smaller Events are In

Big conferences aren’t disappearing—but smaller, more intentional events are taking the lead. Join this session to learn why roundtables and intimate gatherings are driving better conversations, stronger relationships, and real business impact—and how to run them without adding more work. More info/register.

Host: Zuddl

Speakers: Stephanie Christensen, Event Marketing Leader, and Ashley Keating, Head of Global Events & Field Marketing, Zuddl

Thu 2/19 at 12 p.m. – Navigate Saying No

In high-pressure work environments, the inability to say no often leads to burnout, diluted focus, and missed deadlines. Learn how to transform boundary-setting from a source of anxiety into a professional superpower. Explore the psychology of people-pleasing and get a toolkit of diplomatic, high-integrity scripts. Learn how to protect your time, manage upward expectations, and say no to the “good” so you can say yes to the “great.” 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Speakers:

Lori Bruhns, Career Coach, Lori Bruhns, LLC
Mariama S. Boney, LMSW,CAE, CPEC, CTS, CEO, Achieve More LLC

Thu 2/19 at 12:30 p.m. – Designing for Durable Learning: Applying Learning Science to Drive Sustained Member Engagement

Today’s members are overwhelmed, distracted, and short on time, making it harder than ever for professional development programs to hold their attention. Learn how to design engaging learning experiences informed by proven concepts such as the Forgetting Curve, Spaced Repetition, Confidence-Based Learning, Learning Pathways, and more. Explore how these concepts can be applied across the full learner journey, from certification prep to continuing education and professional development. More info/register.

Host: .orgCommunity

Speakers: Evan Burton,Head of Growth, and Claudine Townley, Director, Customer Success, BenchPrep

Thu 2/19 at 1 p.m. – When Partnerships Create Real Value: Lessons from Two Associations

Hear from two association learning businesses using partnerships and collaboration to extend reach, diversify revenue, and increase impact.

Learn why they pursued partnerships, what those collaborations look like in practice, and what they’ve learned along the way. From there, we’ll dig into common questions, trade-offs, and decision points learning businesses face when considering collaborative approaches. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Leading Learning

Speakers:

Veronica Diaz, Senior Director of Professional Learning and Development, EDUCAUSE
David Upbin, Vice President of Education and Strategy, Mortgage Bankers Association
Jeff Cobb and Celisa Steele, Managing Directors, Tagoras and Leading Learning

Thu 2/19 at 1 p.m. – Finding Sponsors for Transformation, Not Activities

Too many purpose-driven organizations struggle with sponsorship not because their work isn’t meaningful, but because it’s framed as a list of programs instead of a catalyst for transformation. Learn why sponsors invest in outcomes, not offerings; how movements create deeper emotional buy-in than programs; what associations can learn from translating mission clarity into strategy; how to articulate transformation in a way sponsors understand and value; and why strong positioning attracts the right partners not just more partners. More info/register.

Host: Lori Zoss Kraska, Founder/CEO of Growth Owl LLC

Guest: Rex Enriquez, Founder of Mission Focused Coaching

Thu 2/19 at 1 p.m. – The Future of Employee Benefits: Practical Strategies for Associations

Explore current health benefit strategies shaping association workplaces. Learn how effective programs can enhance organizational culture, support employee engagement, and align with ethical standards in association management. Hear about innovative and inclusive benefit approaches, practical implementation insights, and how to measure outcomes. 1 CAE credit. More info/register (ASAE members only).

Host: ASAE Finance and Business Operations Council

Speakers:

Samantha Rosenberg (moderator), Chief People & Governance Officer, Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine
Spencer Whalen, Vice President, Workforce Solutions, OneDigital
Zack Pace, Senior Vice President, Benefits Consulting, CBIZ

Thu 2/19 at 1:30 p.m. – Elevate Your Events with AI-Powered Tools for Association Meetings Professionals

Explore innovative ways to cut through the complexity of data and tasks to plan and execute unforgettable meetings. Dive into unified cross-channel and cross-departmental communications, the real-world value of engagement scoring, and the transformative AI tools that can supercharge your team’s capabilities. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Hosts: Insight Guide and BJA Solutions for Associations

Speakers:

Donna Page, Sr. Director, Exposition Marketing, AVIXA
Heather Rubenaker, DES, Sr. Manager of Member Programs and Events, OHI
Barbara Armentrout, CAE (moderator), BJA Solutions for Associations
Teri Carden (hostess), COO, Insight Guide

Thu 2/19 at 3 p.m. – Why Association Marketing Feels Harder Than Ever (And How to Fix It)

Learn why association marketing feels increasingly complex and how leaders can simplify their approach without losing impact. Hear practical insights on engagement strategy, digital transformation, and what to prioritize when everything feels urgent. More info/register.

Host: Farhad Khan, CEO at Member Lounge

Guest: Olena Lima, Founder and Principal Consultant at MemberBoat

Thu 2/19 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. – DMV Association Connect Event (Washington DC)

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.

Location: Washington DC. More info/register.

Organizer: DMV Association Connect

Tue 2/24 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. –AI in Action Workshop + Networking Luncheon for Association Leaders (Alexandria VA)

Exclusively for C-level association executives, learn how to build an AI advisor for your association and create your AI roadmap. Location: Alexandria VA. More info/register.

Host: Results Direct | Results Mobile

Speakers:

Reggie Henry, CAE, Chief Information & Performance Excellence Officer, ASAE
Keith Soares, CAE, AAiP, Vice President, Web Strategies, ASAE
Dan Scheeler, CAE, AAiP, COO, Results Direct | RD Mobile
Alex Skinner, CEO & Founder, ReadyIntelligence
Russell Magnuson, AAiP, CEO, Results Direct | RD Mobile
Katie Atkinson, President, Results Direct | RD Mobile

Tue 2/24 at 10:30 a.m. – Meditation Skills for Busy Lives

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

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

Tue 2/24 at 11 a.m. – How to Build/Develop a Podcast to Foster Trust and Engagement Within a Professional Community – Part 4: Sustaining Success and Evolving With Your Audience

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Kate Coffey-Bacon, SVP of Marketing and Strategy, US Transactions Corporation/UST Education
Joanna M. Pineda, CEO & Chief Troublemaker, Matrix Group International, Inc.

Tue 2/24 at 1 p.m. – Chapter Benchmark Insights That Matter Now

Host: re:Members

Speakers: Peggy Hoffman and Peter Houstle, founders, Mariner Managment

Tue 2/24 at 1 p.m. – Survey Says! Vendor Relationships Healthy and Positive

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Teri Carden, Chief Operating Officer, Insight Guide

Wed 2/25 from 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. – Marketing Technology Demo Day

Host: ASAE

Participants: Blend Interactive, fusionSpan, Showcare, GrowthZone, rasa.io, Higher Logic, Map Your Show, Aplusify, and Click

Wed 2/25 at 11 a.m. – Is the Data in the Room With Us? Channeling Association Data Into One Place

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Gil Gonzalez, Director of Events at EVA – Event Tech Ecosystem

Wed 2/25 at 12 p.m. – Climate Action for Associations Launch in America

Host: Climate Action for Associations

Speakers:

Scott Breen and Roxi Sharif from the Can Manufacturers Institute
Christopher Hancock from Destination Canada
Tanya Popeau from the Professional Convention Management Association
Stephanie Jones from the Water Environment Federation
Jennifer Sproul from the Institute of Internal Communication
Mary Ntamark from the International Marine Contractors Association.

Wed 2/25 at 1 p.m. – The Strategic Alliance: How CEOs and Board Chairs Build Trust, Alignment, and Impact

Host: Fonteva

Speaker: Lowell Aplebaum, EdD, FASAE, CAE, CPF, CEO, Vista Cova

Thu 2/26 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – How to Design a Product Portfolio

Host: James Young, founder, Product Community

Thu 2/26 at 12 p.m. – Transforming Association Marketing Through AI

Host: Association Xchange

Speakers:

Jay S. Daughtry, M.Ed (moderator), Chief Communications Officer/Owner, CQbd
Kellie Bove, IOM, CAE, Vice President, Marketing & Branding, American Dental Education Association
Kelly Henseler, Marketing Director, International Council on Systems Engineering
Curtis Kitchen, CAE, Director of Marketing, Society for Simulation in Healthcare
Dr. Catherine Lada, CAE, AAiP, Chief Marketing & Membership Officer, American Alliance of Orthopaedic Executives

Thu 2/26 from 3 to 6 p.m. – AWTC Awards Ceremony & Reception (Washington DC)

Organizer: Association Women Technology Champions

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 Simon Berger via Unsplash

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Association Brain Food: 2.6.26

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

snow-topped red rock mountains of Zion National Park

A big thanks to the Association Brain Food readers who bought me beers last week—I appreciate your support! If Association Brain Food has made a difference in your professional life, please consider supporting my work via Buy Me A Beer.

Good reads for the association community

Corporate training partnerships. Employers spend money on external training when they don’t have a training team or their team can’t keep up with demand. Revenue’s waiting if your association can step in. TopClass LMS explains how to start small and build trust with companies, and price and pitch three tiers of training partnerships.

Associations as platforms. Johanna Kasper Snider at Blue Cypress reflects on conversations from the CESSE conference about how associations need to rethink their identity. She spotted two themes: associations moving faster (acting like product companies, not publishers) and becoming platforms rather than hubs. This shift means your services and resources become part of members’ daily work. They interact with you continuously instead of stopping by periodically.

Association AI course. The Association AI Accelerator Certificate Course is a 10-week deep dive designed specifically for association professionals. This program covers everything from advanced prompting for text and imagery to building custom GPTs and navigating AI ethics. In live weekly classes led by Chris Gloede, CAE, you’ll learn how to use AI tools and strategies to make your work more efficient and your content more engaging —all while earning up to 10 CAE credits (including one ethics credit). Save $50 by using the referral code BRAINFOOD.

Industry survey. GrowthZone surveyed 518 associations at the end of 2025 to find out what’s working and what’s not. The results show some avoidable gaps—like only 25% have written engagement plans and 21% have reinstatement programs for lapsed members. 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.

CAE prep course/study group. Preparing for the May CAE Exam? If you want to pass, listen to this CAE: don’t do it alone and definitely don’t rely on cramming the week before. Rogue Tulips’ 12-week CAE Prep Course + Study Group starts February 11 or 12. You’ll get a study group, course materials, individual guidance, and small-group discussions to complement your self-directed learning. Take $25 off by registering with promo code RTBRAINFOOD.

Strategic planning. I’m a huge fan of zero-based budgeting (and wish our government practiced it), so it’s no surprise I love the concept of zero-based strategic thinking proposed by Mallory Mejias at Sidecar. Instead of starting with what you did last year, ask “what should we be doing?” and require every existing and proposed program to justify its existence. She suggests using data to back up your case for change and build sunset provisions into new programs.

Association trends. Kelly Whelan at Higher Logic looked at webinar insights and three research reports to find eight trends shaping associations in 2026. If prospects aren’t aware of and can’t find your association, don’t count on membership growth. What else? Focus on the first-year member experience, communicating your membership value proposition, micro-communities, replacing old technology, and expanding capacity with AI.

Event design. Kara Nacarato at Event Garde says attendee engagement is “a financial strategy. It directly influences registration growth, sponsor retention, and whether people feel your conference is worth their time and money.” She explains how to design event schedules, sessions, networking, and sponsorships that keep attendees engaged.

Content discovery by AI. Kelsey Mills at Accella says if your content isn’t strong, AI won’t save you—instead it will expose you. Large language models can only work with what exists, so thin or unclear content means AI-driven discovery won’t work in your favor. Associations that get serious about content fundamentals will have stronger AI discoverability than those chasing trends.

Snacks

A majority of CEOs are alarmed as AI delivers no financial returns. | Victor Tangermann, Futurism

Research reveals that AI agents are mathematically incapable of doing functional, reliable work. | Joe Wilkins, Futurism

The CEO of Palantir says AI means you’ll have to work with your hands. | Joe Wilkins, Futurism

Read more books! Join one of these book groups on Substack. I’m reading Paradise Lost, Les Miserables, and Antigone alongside other readers right now. New groups start every month. Christina Bieber Lake | Art & Soul

You never grow old at the table

Try this chipotle tomato soup—it’s so good. I made a few changes to the recipe: subbed onion for shallots, dry sherry for sherry cooking wine, andevaporated milk for heavy cream; increased the chipotle powder; and reduced the brown sugar. Next time, I’ll increase the broth or add water because it was too thick for my taste, but the flavor, wow. The accompanying smoked cheddar pull-apart sourdough wheat bread was fantastic too.

On the side, kale sautéed with bacon, onion, red bell pepper, garlic, ham broth, and dried cranberries.

We splurged on salmon with a crab topping that’s made with spinach, cream cheese, green onion, Parmesan, basil, garlic powder, bread crumbs, and Old Bay. On the side, butternut squash purée made with chipotle en adobo, orange juice, maple syrup, and cinnamon, and steamed green beans tossed with sautéed onion, bacon, garlic, sundried tomatoes, and parmesan.

Mon 2/9 at 8 a.m.* – Eradicate Hate (Radio Free 501c, the podcast of Rogue Tulips Consulting)

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

Guest: Neil Saul and Brette Steele

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

Mon 2/9 at 12 p.m. – Membership Mondays – Beyond Dues: Strengthening Membership & Community in a Challenging Economy

Discuss how associations are adapting membership strategies in today’s economy, creating meaningful communities, and demonstrating value when budgets are tight and expectations are high. Attendees are encouraged to share challenges, successes, and questions in a collaborative environment.

More info/register (ASAE members only).

Host: ASAE

Tue 2/10 at 12 p.m. – Owning Your Power: Career Strategies for Women in Tech to Achieve Your Dreams and Define Your Destiny

Learn how to take ownership of their career paths, build influence, and fulfill their professional dreams on their own terms. Through a blend of leadership insights, real-world examples, and interactive reflection, participants will explore how to overcome internal and external barriers, cultivate strategic relationships, and advocate for their growth. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Speaker: Shereen Mahoney, Technology Consulting Partner in Wipfli’s financial and operational systems practice

Tue 2/10 at 12 p.m. – Tech Tuesday: Protecting Your Tech Stack in an Unstable Vendor Landscape

The association tech environment is shifting faster than ever. Roadmaps change. Platforms consolidate. Products sunset with little warning. Explore how to reduce risk when platforms merge, pivot, or sunset products; data ownership, access, and portability essentials every association must understand; the right questions to ask vendors for real visibility into roadmaps and long-term viability; and practical steps to strengthen resilience across your tech stack. Take away a vendor health check framework you can use immediately. More info/register (ASAE members only).

Host: ASAE

Facilitators:

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

Tue 2/10 at 1 p.m. – Ethical AI in Action: Harnessing Artificial Intelligence Responsibly

Explore how AI isn’t just a futuristic “take-over” scenario, but rather a tool whose impact is shaped by the humans who build, deploy, and govern it. Examine three core ethical fault-lines—bias encoded in data, decisions made by “black-box” models without explainability, and the dark side of large-scale data analytics infringing on personal privacy. Hear how organizations can harness AI for good by embedding human judgement, designing for transparency, testing carefully, and aligning AI systems with values and mission. Get concrete take-aways to assess their own AI initiatives and steer them towards responsible, human-centered use. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Arden Winner, Accent Practice Lead at Fionta

Tue 2/10 at 2 p.m. – Planner, Heal Yourself! Tips for Staying Healthy on the Road

The long hours, irregular schedules and variable meals required for travel and producing events can take a toll on the body at any age. We are asking experts in women’s, men’s and mental health for best practices to maintain peak physical #travellife performance. Learn how hormones and biorhythms impact immunity and alertness, practices for maintaining calm and mental health on the road, and the role of sleep and nutrition for short- and long-term health. More info/register.

Host: Smart Meetings

Speakers:

Dr. Romie Mushtaq, wellness speaker and bestselling author of The Busy Brain Cure
Light Watkins, author and TEDx Talk speaker
Greg Scheinman, author, speaker, coach and founder of Midlife Male Ventures

Wed 2/11 at 11 a.m. – How to Build a Strong Business Case for LMS Replacement: Stay or Go? (Office Hours for LMS Buyers)

Is your LMS contract renewing? Has your vendor been acquired? Are you paying too much? Learn how to ask the right questions and use our LMS Readiness Assessment and Business Case Template to evaluate costs and gaps, measure results, and justify your decision to move on or remain with your current vendor. More info/register.

Host: John Leh, CEO and Lead Analyst, Talented Learning

Wed 2/11 at 11 a.m. – How to Build a Podcast to Foster Trust and Engagement Within a Professional Community – Part 2: Crafting Content that Builds Trust

What separates a good podcast from a great one? Trust. Discover how to craft content that connects with your audience and builds credibility within your professional community. From storytelling techniques to interview strategies, explore how to deliver value while staying authentic and engaging. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Kate Coffey-Bacon, SVP of Marketing and Strategy, US Transactions Corporation/UST Education
Sam Bush, President, AMBUSH

Wed 2/11 at 12 p.m. – Rethinking the All-in-One AMS Model (Association Amplified LIVE)

You don’t have to have an AMS—but most association leaders have never been given permission to question that assumption. In this live, 30-minute session, learn why so many associations cycle through AMS replacements, what that pattern reveals about the limits of the all-in-one model, and how leaders can rethink technology decisions before committing to another system. More info/register.

Host: TaleWind Digital

Speakers:

Jeff Horne, Co-Founder & CEO, Wicket
Marcus Leite, Director of Sales and Marketing, TaleWind Digital

Wed 2/11 at 1 p.m. – From Training to Certification: Designing Seamless Pathways for Lifelong Learning

In a crowded marketplace where professional development options are expanding rapidly, how do you ensure your training and certification programs stand out—and stay relevant? Learn about the latest trends, technologies, and shifting workforce expectations that are reshaping the lifelong learning landscape. Hear insights from the front lines, bust persistent myths, and offer actionable strategies for designing training-to-certification pathways that not only attract new learners across generations—but also drive lasting industry impact and financial sustainability. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Tracy King, CAE, CEO at InspirEd
Adrienne Sutton, IOM, COO at Limitless Association Solution Resource
Alina Cooper, CAE, Director of Business Development & Marketing at Prolydian

Wed 2/11 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. – Invest Wisely: Getting the Best from a New AMS

Technology alone doesn’t guarantee success—the real value comes from how you approach, plan, and execute your AMS project from day one. A panel of industry-leading consultants and vendors who bring decades of practical, hands-on experience guiding associations through successful AMS transformations will share the critical strategies, common pitfalls to avoid, and proven best practices that separate successful implementations from costly mistakes. More info/register.

Host: League of Association Technologists

Wed 2/11 at 2 p.m. – Intro to AI Webinar for Associations and Nonprofits

Learn about the basics and importance of generative AI and Large Language Models. Witness the power of AI tools through live demonstrations that showcase their impact on real-world scenarios. Learn to create targeted personas in ChatGPT for personalized content and interactions, which settings to adjust for privacy and security, and what information is safe to input into AI tools. More info/register.

Host: Sidecar

Speakers:

Erica Salm Rench, CMO, Sidecar
Thomas Altman, Co-founder, Tasio

Wed 2/11 at 3 p.m. – Critical Thinking in a BANI World

Finding solutions to these critical challenges is more difficult in today’s brittle, anxious, non-linear, and incomprehensible (BANI) world, unforgiving conditions that will intensify and accelerate for the rest of this decade and into the 2030s. Learn how to navigate the cognitive burdens of a BANI world and why critical thinking skills are essential, what critical thinking requires, and how being a critical thinker can help build capacity for intentional learning, independent judgment, and wise decision-making. More info/register.

Host: Jeff De Cagna, executive advisor, Foresight First LLC

Wed 2/11 at 3 p.m. – From Application to Renewal: Smoothing Friction Points in the Member Journey

Explore how to identify and smooth out the hidden friction points in your member journey, from the first application click to the final renewal notice. Learn practical ways to audit your current systems and implement smoother, member-centric pathways that encourage long-term commitment. More info/register.

Host: NXUnite by Nexus Marketing

Speakers:

Alyssa Carlson, Account Executive at Big Red M
Amber Worthen, Founder and CEO at Email Maven
Brittany Lancor, Senior Marketing Manager at PropFuel

Thu 2/12 at 11 a.m. – From Batch-And-Blast to 1:1 Messaging: How AI Is Redefining Email Marketing

Email marketing is evolving—and your strategy should too. Hear how AI is reshaping the way marketers build, send, and optimize campaigns. No more generic blasts. Learn how to deliver personalized, 1:1 messaging that drives higher opens, clicks, and conversions—without adding manual work. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Ali Tillery, Customer Success Manager at rasa.io

Thu 2/12 at 11 a.m. – The Cost of Doing Nothing: Why Inaction Is Your Biggest Competitor

Deferred decisions, legacy systems, and incremental change quietly undermine financial performance, strain staff capacity, and limit your organization’s strategic impact. Explore the true cost of doing nothing including financially, operationally, and strategically. Drawing on insights from hundreds of digital transformation initiatives across the association sector, learn why inaction is often the most expensive option and how leaders can break the cycle of delay with clarity, confidence, and measurable ROI. More info/register.

Host: Causeis

Speakers: Michelle Lelempsis, CEO and Founder, and Brandi Barber, VP of Strategic Client Success, Causeis

Thu 2/12 at 12 p.m. – The Hidden Cost of Keeping Learning and Community Separate

Find out why learning and community belong together. Learn how to pinpoint the gaps between member expectations and your experience and identify the metrics that you should be tracking. Get practical strategies to implement right away along with a learning and community strategy framework. More info/register.

Host: Forj

Speakers:

Brian Oblinger, strategy consultant and founder of Community Strategy Academy
Jena Cummiskey, Vice President of Product Management, Forj

Thu 2/12 at 1 p.m. – Navigating the Multi-Generational Workforce

Explore how today’s multigenerational workforce—shaped by rapid innovation, expanding information, and shifting expectations—creates both challenges and opportunities. Learn practical strategies to leverage the strengths of each generation through bi-directional mentorship, improved knowledge transfer, and simple cultural and operational shifts. Get actionable tools to enhance collaboration, reduce friction, and unlock unrealized value within any team. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Xavier Gassier, Director of Operations at the National Electrical Contractors Association
Ray Hefner, Owner at The Hefner Group LLC

Thu 2/12 at 1 p.m. – From Clicks to Citations: Win AI Search Without Losing Humans

Learn how to move beyond legacy SEO thinking, optimize for AI discovery and design content experiences that convert the traffic that remains. Because AI is already telling your brand’s story for you. The question is: how well? More info/register.

Host: Content Marketing Institute

Speakers: Tim Burke, Senior Revenue Operations Manager, and Lauren Yanez, Marketing Manager, Brightspot

Tue 2/17 at 11 a.m. – How to Build a Podcast to Foster Trust and Engagement Within a Professional Community – Part 3: Growing Your Audience and Engagement

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Kate Coffey-Bacon, SVP of Marketing and Strategy, US Transactions Corporation/UST Education
Brad Prendergast, MVP, Vice President of Product Development at Tigunia
Kristoffer Ruyeras, Vice President at Tigunia

Tue 2/17 at 1 p.m. – Developing Member & Volunteer Roadmaps for Your Association

Host: UST Education

Speakers: Jordan Burghardt, Director of Member Engagement, and Gina Florzak, Director of Marketing Communications, American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Wed 2/18 at 11 a.m. – Deep Dive: 2026 Membership Performance Benchmark Report

Host: iMIS by ASI

Thu 2/19 at 12 p.m. – Looking Forward 2026 Impact: First Look at Trends and Analysis

Host: Association Laboratory

Speakers:

Dean West, founder and President, Association Laboratory
Nikki Golden, CAE, Managing Director, Association Laboratory
Tiffany Swanigan, CAE, Vice President of Operations, Society of Women Engineers
Heidi Weber, MBA, CAE, Executive Director, Ohio Osteopathic Association

Thu 2/19 at 12:30 p.m. – Designing for Durable Learning: Applying Learning Science to Drive Sustained Member Engagement

Host: .orgCommunity

Speakers: Evan Burton,Head of Growth, and Claudine Townley, Director, Customer Success, BenchPrep

Thu 2/19 at 1 p.m. – When Partnerships Create Real Value: Lessons from Two Associations

Hear from two association learning businesses using partnerships and collaboration to extend reach, diversify revenue, and increase impact.

Host: Leading Learning

Speakers:

David Upbin, Mortgage Bankers Association
Veronica Diaz, EDUCAUSE
Jeff Cobb and Celisa Steele, co-founders, Tagoras and Leading Learning

Thu 2/19 at 1 p.m. – Finding Sponsors for Transformation, Not Activities

Host: Lori Zoss Kraska, Founder/CEO of Growth Owl LLC

Guest: Rex Enriquez, Founder of Mission Focused Coaching

Thu 2/19 at 1:30 p.m. – Elevate Your Events with AI-Powered Tools for Association Meetings Professionals

Hosts: Insight Guide and BJA Solutions for Associations

Speakers:

Donna Page, Sr. Director, Exposition Marketing, AVIXA
Heather Rubenaker, DES, Sr. Manager of Member Programs and Events, OHI
Barbara Armentrout, CAE (moderator), BJA Solutions for Associations
Teri Carden (hostess), COO, Insight Guide

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 C the Creator 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: 1.30.26

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

GUESS WHAT? Today is the 10^th anniversary of Association Brain Food. I published the first edition on February 1, 2016. The idea for Brain Food came after talking to a few young professionals who didn’t have the budget to attend conferences but needed credits to apply for their CAE. When I mentioned all the free webinars that qualify for CAE credit, they asked how they could find them. And so it began.

After ten years of finding good reads and free learning events for you, I’m asking the association community for support if you can swing it. I started a Buy Me a Craft Beer page where you can make a one-time donation or become a monthly supporter.

And now, here’s what I found for you this week.

Good reads for the association community

AMS implementation. re:Members identifies who needs to be on your AMS implementation team and explains what each role does. This warning resonated with me: subject matter experts who skip discovery meetings create problems down the road when information gaps surface. The post also covers managing the mental load of implementation alongside your regular work.

Designing the future. On ASAE, Lowell Aplebaum of Vista Cova profiles two industry summits where associations brought members, competitors, partners, regulators, and innovators into the same room to shape what comes next for their industry. He breaks down what made both work: deliberate design choices, good preparation materials, diverse participants, skilled facilitation, and clear next steps. Who would you invite to your table?

Taking the CAE exam this year? The revised CAE Practice Exam from Rogue Tulips Consulting is here! 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.

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 touches, and channels, plus a month-by-month renewal schedule.

Member cliques. Amanda Kaiser suggests you see your events as a new attendee would. Longtime members catching up with friends look like an impenetrable group to first timers. She shares ideas for making newbies feel more welcome.

Gen Z at work. On the World Economic Forum site, EY’s Janet Truncale looks at why Gen Z gets so much attention at work. Nearly a third of EY’s workforce is Gen Z now, and they’re changing expectations for everyone. They’re also more likely to leave. She explains what leaders can do to keep younger workers engaged while taking advantage of older generations’ experience.

Event marketing. GrowthZone’s event marketing guide walks through the before, during, and after phases of promoting association events. It breaks down promotional tactics across websites, email, social media platforms, and traditional media, plus using your speakers and sponsors to spread the word. The checklist format makes it easy to spot gaps in your promotional plan.

Credentialing platforms. On Credentialing Insights, Prolydian’s Michael Mayer explains the importance of defining what you need before choosing a credentialing platform. He writes about the difference between business requirements (what must happen) and functional requirements (how it happens), timeline delays, and strained vendor relationships.

Real self-care. No Sidebar describes seven signs that you’re adding unnecessary complexity to your life. For each sign, they provide a practical fix to help you stay grounded when life becomes too much.

Snacks

Wow. Holiday shoppers arriving on e-commerce sites from AI converted to buyers 9x more than those arriving from social media. | Salesforce

The soft-sell surge on the trade show floor: how relaxed spaces are replacing the hard pitch in the exhibit hall. | Garo Hasholian of ASV Experiential, Trade Show News Network

New phishing campaign spreads via LinkedIn comments about account restrictions that are supposedly sent by LinkedIn. | KnowBe4

You never grow old at the table

I prepped for the expected ice storm last weekend by defrosting leftovers that would be easy to heat up on the Coleman stove and by making this cozy dish: cranberry chicken parmesan. Turns out, we didn’t get the amount of ice originally expected, so our power stayed on. I also made a few sheet pans of roasted broccoli with red onion and garlic powder.

When we go to our local brewery for happy hour, I like to get dinner done before we leave. Last Friday in the late afternoon, I roasted Brussels sprouts with red onion, bacon, garlic powder, and smoked paprika, and made the marinade/sauce for chipotle salmon ahead of time too. It’s an easy dish to put together after a few craft beers.

My other ice storm meal was leftover turkey meatballs with gravy from the freezer. When I originally made the meatballs, I added celery, garlic, rosemary, sage, and thyme for flavor. On the side, mashed potatoes (of course) and cranberry sauce.

Mon 2/2 at 8 a.m.* – Leading Through Crisis: Building Accountability and Resilience in Nonprofit Management (Radio Free 501c, the podcast of Rogue Tulips Consulting)

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

Guest: Yuriy Borechko, Hope for Ukraine

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

Tue 2/3 at 11 a.m. – How to Build a Podcast to Foster Trust and Engagement Within a Professional Community – Part 1: The Foundation of a Great Podcast

Learn how to lay a strong foundation for starting a podcast—from identifying your audience and defining your niche to choosing the right tools and setting up your content structure. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Kate Coffey-Bacon, SVP of Marketing and Strategy, US Transactions Corporation/UST Education
Ben Muscolino, CEO of Breezio and AssociationWire including AMS Geek & Data Sangria, Co-Founder/Executive Chairman of Vortacity Cyber
Jake Toohey, Director, Association Practice at Adage Technologies

Tue 2/3 at 12 p.m. – Analytics Planning (Data Analytics Network)

Join a discussion on analytics planning and data governance as part of broader technology planning and how those decisions impact your ability to actually use data—that could mean AI, BI, or just getting clean, reliable answers from queries and reports. Hear about what we’re seeing across associations right now (trends, challenges, patterns), how strategy and tactics meet when it comes to analytics planning, and practical lessons from hands-on data and governance work. More info/register.

Host: Data Analytics Network

Speakers:

Dave Coriale, CAE, President, Delcor
Tobin Conley, CAE, CIP, Vice President, Client Education, Delcor
Evan Reid, MPP (moderator), Senior Director of Analytics, ASHA

Tue 2/3 at 12:30 p.m. – Listen, Learn, Lead: The 2026 State of Events Benchmarks Unpacked

A live executive discussion unpacking the 2026 event industry benchmarks: hear how expectations from attendees and leadership are evolving, how leading teams are adapting their event strategies, and where event leaders should focus to drive measurable impact in 2026. Speakers will share candid reactions, practical guidance, and lessons learned from their own organizations and communities. More info/register.

Host: Bizzabo

Tue 2/3 at 1 p.m. – Turning Chaos Into Opportunity: Staffing Strategies for Associations in a Shifting Labor Market

Discover how to streamline resume review, leverage technology effectively, and bring in flexible talent exactly when and where you need it. Walk away with practical strategies to keep your organization nimble, make smarter hiring decisions, and thrive in today’s evolving workforce. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Jaime Hirschfeld, Director of Client Sales and Services at FlexProfessionals LLC

Wed 2/4 at 11 a.m. – Association Lessons from… 50 Seasons of Survivor!

Explore what lessons this quarter-century television phenomenon can hold for your association and its leadership, member engagement, and a connected community. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Jay S. Daughtry, M.Ed., Chief Communications Officer/Owner, CQbd

Wed 2/4 at 12 p.m. – Stop asking members what they want. Start understanding what they need.

Discover a better way to uncover what members actually need. Learn how to uncover important member insights that surveys can’t reveal—seeing your members’ pain points with fresh eyes; get staff and the board aligned on prioritizing innovation and growth efforts that truly matter to members; segment members based on what drives them to join, renew, and buy; transform your understanding of member behavior with the “Jobs to Be Done” framework and create new opportunities for growth. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: AIOT

Speakers:

Mike Feinson, President of Engaged Strategies and Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University
David Schulman, Associations Rewired and Beacon Tech Research

Wed 2/4 at 1 p.m. – Content Marketing in the Age of AI Search: How to Earn Visibility in LLMs

AI-powered search is driving a significant shift in how audiences discover brands, placing content marketing at the center of this transformation. Hear how large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot surface and recommend content, and what this shift means for modern content strategy. Learn actionable, content-led tactics to enhance AI visibility, including earning off-site mentions, creating citation-friendly formats, addressing entity gaps, and aligning content with AI retrieval methods—all while staying grounded in SEO fundamentals. More info/register.

Host: Content Marketing Institute

Speakers:

Ryan Law, Director of Content Marketing, Ahrefs
Amanda Subler, Host, CMI Live, Content Marketing Institute

Wed 2/4 at 2 p.m. – Riding the Digital Wave: Why Associations Must Put Digital at the Center of Their Sponsor Strategy

Hear how modern, digitally led communication ecosystems operate in practice. Explore how print can support a digital-first strategy, how multi-channel programs extend sponsor engagement year-round and improve sponsor ROI, and how digital marketplaces, content marketing, lead generation, and data create measurable value for sponsors and corporate partners. Learn how even a small shift toward digital offerings can unlock new revenue, strengthen ongoing sponsor engagement, and why making digital the forefront of your strategy is no longer optional. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Speakers: Ben Hopper, Association Success Manager, and Tamara Perry-Lunardo, Vice President of Content Services, Naylor Association Solutions

Wed 2/4 at 2 p.m. – Protecting Gated Content, SEO Strategy, and Responsible AI Use for Associations

As AI tools expand access to information and reshape how content is discovered, associations are navigating new challenges around content protection, SEO performance, and responsible use of chatbots and automated tools. Get a practical overview of how associations can safeguard their gated content, maintain search visibility, and set clear expectations for users when deploying AI tools. Learn current best practices, common pitfalls, and real examples from the association community. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Thu 2/5 at 11 a.m. – Be AI-Gile: Reimagining Association Education for the Future of Work

Learn how to use the Be AI-gile framework—Observe the Chaos, Start Light / Move Fast, Act with Intention, Reflect & Reframe—to re-think what association education can (and should) be in the next decade. Hear how to use emerging tools and partnerships to create learning that sticks, supports the future of work, and positions your association as a true talent-development engine. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Josh Yavelberg, founder/chief solutions architect, Flying Cloud Solutions

Thu 2/5 at 11 a.m. – Suit Yourself – Build a Work Wardrobe that Works for You

Learn how to curate a visual identity that honors who you are and is an asset to your career. Learn tips to bring more ease and joy to dressing each day. Rooted in research from the field of psychology about how our clothes impact both our performance and how others perceive us, we will also deconstruct dressing toward “executive presence.” More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Speaker: Ali Miller, ECO, Founder and CEO of The Ethical Aesthete

Thu 2/5 at 11:30 a.m. – Membership, Retention, and “Raving Fans”

Community doesn’t fail because of a lack of platforms. It fails when people don’t feel seen, valued, or connected. Learn why tools don’t create loyalty—relationships do; what organizations overlook when they focus on metrics instead of meaning; how mission, culture, and connection reinforce each other; and what leaders should pay attention to as AI and automation reshape engagement. More info/register.

Host: Tasha Van Vlack, Founder & Community Strategist, Community Hives

Guest: Carlos Restrepo, MS, CAE, Vice President of Sales North America, Aevus

Thu 2/5 at 2 p.m. – How Agentic AI Can Impact Your Event Success

If you’ve been wondering whether AI is all hype or actually delivering results, this session will give you the real story. Find out what’s actually working in the field right now, from targeting prospect lists with smart data enrichment to building AI-powered personas that actually drive results. See how agentic systems are automating complex workflows, get a first look at new capabilities, and leave with actionable ideas you can use right away. More info/register.

Host: 501Works

Speakers:

Chris Bonifati CEM, trade show organizer for APPA/Global Pet Expo
Joe Colangelo, CEO and Co-Founder of Bear Analytics
James Marquis, CIO of 501Works

Thu 2/5 at 3 p.m. – Return on Emotion (ROE): The Secret to Building Communities That Stick

When members feel connected, included, and energized, they don’t just show up—they stay, they contribute, and they bring others with them. Learn why “Return on Emotion” drives more loyalty than ROI ever could; the 3 types of engagement every association must balance; the 5 S’s of community building (and how to apply them today); Liz’s 5 favorite ways to transform events into true connection hubs; and how to turn “fun” into a serious strategy for growth and retention. More info/register.

Host: Farhad Khan, CEO, Member Lounge

Speaker: Liz Lathan, CMP, Co-Founder and Head of Content & Community, Club Ichi

Tue 2/10 at 12 p.m. – Owning Your Power: Career Strategies for Women in Tech to Achieve Your Dreams and Define Your Destiny

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Speaker: Shereen Mahoney, Technology Consulting Partner in Wipfli’s financial and operational systems practice

Tue 2/10 at 1 p.m. – Ethical AI in Action: Harnessing Artificial Intelligence Responsibly

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Arden Winner, Accent Practice Lead at Fionta

Wed 2/11 at 11 a.m. – How to Build a Strong Business Case for LMS Replacement: Stay or Go? (Office Hours for LMS Buyers)

Host: John Leh, CEO and Lead Analyst, Talented Learning

Wed 2/11 at 1 p.m. – How to Build a Podcast to Foster Trust and Engagement Within a Professional Community – Part 2: Crafting Content that Builds Trust

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Kate Coffey-Bacon, SVP of Marketing and Strategy, US Transactions Corporation/UST Education
Sam Bush, President, AMBUSH

Wed 2/11 at 1 p.m. – From Training to Certification: Designing Seamless Pathways for Lifelong Learning

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Tracy King, CAE, CEO at InspirEd
Adrienne Sutton, IOM, COO at Limitless Association Solution Resource
Alina Cooper, CAE, Director of Business Development & Marketing at Prolydian

Wed 2/11 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. – Invest Wisely: Getting the Best from a New AMS

Host: League of Association Technologists

Wed 2/11 at 3 p.m. – Critical Thinking in a BANI World

Host: Jeff De Cagna, executive advisor, Foresight First LLC

Thu 2/12 at 1 p.m. – Navigating the Multi-Generational Workforce

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Xavier Gassier, Director of Operations at the National Electrical Contractors Association
Ray Hefner, Owner at The Hefner Group LLC

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

Amazon, AssociationBrainFood.com, 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: 1.23.26

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

“The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.” —Marcus Aurelius

Thinking ahead… Forecasters say our region will get hit with a long-lasting ice storm this weekend. Since we live amidst trees, our power and internet could go out for several days. If the worst-case scenario happens, I probably won’t have Association Brain Food ready for Friday publication. Let’s hope the forecast changes!

Good reads for the association community

Association awards. Are your association’s award categories keeping up with what’s actually happening in your industry? OpenWater explains how to use submission data, demographics, and feedback you’re already collecting to determine which categories need a refresh, which ones to combine, and when it’s time to retire one that’s outlived its usefulness.

Association consultants. Five experienced association consultants—Barbara Armentrout, Michael Butera, Lee Duffy, Scott Oser, and Rick Whelan—share their advice for working with association clients. If you work with associations—whether you’re a consultant or industry partner—you’ll find something useful here. In the next episode, they’re going to talk about money.

CAE prep course/study group. Preparing for the May CAE Exam? If you want to pass, listen to this CAE: don’t do it alone and definitely don’t rely on cramming the week before. Rogue Tulips’ 12-week CAE Prep Course + Study Group starts February 11 or 12. You’ll get a study group, course materials, individual guidance, and small-group discussions that complement your self-directed learning. Take $25 off by registering with promo code RTBRAINFOOD.

AMS selection. Dennison & Associates covers the six essential sections of an effective RFP and the pitfalls that make qualified vendors bail before submitting proposals. They walk through proposal evaluation, assessing implementation fit, calculating multi-year costs, and figuring out whether vendors actually understand your challenges.

AI’s impact on dues revenue. Sidecar’s Mallory Mejias shares the story of two UK lawyers who opened a firm with no billable hours. Everything runs on AI and value-based pricing. If your members are professional service firms and dues are based on headcount, you’ve got a problem. AI lets firms do more work with fewer people, which means your membership revenue drops while the value you deliver stays the same. Consider value-based membership models and AI training for your members.

Attendee churn. Freeman’s new research shows event retention hovering around 30-35%—no surprise when attendees say their core objectives aren’t being met. They’ve stopped showing up based on faith that networking will be worthwhile, learning will stick, and their time will be respected. David Adler at GatheringPoint.News digs into the research and the reasons behind this change.

Non-dues revenue. Members value career resources more than their associations do and that gap leaves revenue on the table. YM Careers explains how to make money from career services such as job boards, career fairs, digital vendor guides, and recruitment guides. Each section includes tips for implementing these services and bundling them for better returns.

AI in associations. Betty’s Thomas Altman says AI in associations is standing at the edge of a chasm. If you’ve felt skeptical while watching the AI hype cycle, you’ll appreciate his argument. He explains why the “show me it works” crowd is now in charge, what that means for associations that can’t afford to gamble with member trust, and what it actually takes to make AI useful instead of just impressive.

AI slop. Charlie Guo explains how to spot AI-generated content. He walks through the telltale patterns: excessive em dashes (mind you, he said “excessive,” many of us writers have always used em dashes and always will), lists loaded with emojis, and empty metaphors and parallelisms (“it’s not about x, it’s about y”). AI detectors are useless, so pattern recognition is your best defense against AI slop. If you use AI or hire a cheap writer, you get what you pay for: industry-ignorant slop. Yeah, I’m judgy.

Sponsorships. Colleen McKenna at Intero Advisory says associations have sponsorship sales backward: they pitch what they want to sell instead of researching what companies actually need. Echoing Bruce Rosenthal’s approach, she shows how to use LinkedIn as a research tool before crafting proposals. They both suggest moving past logo placements toward partnerships where sponsors solve member problems, members get real expertise, and your association profits from making these connections.

AI and the future of work. Krish Subramanian at AI Sutra says AI won’t kill jobs, it will kill the job as a bundled arrangement. Companies won’t need full-time marketing managers when AI can handle most tasks. Instead, they’ll need someone ten hours a week for judgment calls. He predicts this unbundling creates underemployment and fractured roles, not unemployment lines. He’s optimistic about where we land, but worried about how fast we’re getting there.

Snacks

A method for AI search competitive audits that will show you how your brand measures up in AI responses | Andy Crestodina, Orbit Media Studios

Why Václav Havel matters. I had only a passing familiarity with Havel, the Czech playwright, dissident, and later president, so I’m glad I read this. | Shelly Foreshaw Brookes, The Critic

If you need CAE credits, check out Ed Rigsbee’s 37 workshops—nine of them are one-hour Ethics workshops. To qualify for the credits, you have to pass a test.

You never grow old at the table

These baked cod cakes are so darn good. We enjoyed the leftovers over the weekend so I’m sharing the recipe link again in case you missed it last week. Don’t have an NYT subscription? Use archive.is to pull up the recipe.

A gift from the freezer: spicy Korean-style pulled pork. I served it with pickled cucumbers and shredded cabbage in wheat tortillas. On the side, a sauté of produce drawer odds and ends: broccoli stems, carrots, jalapeño, and onion with southeast Asian pesto. I pulled the pesto from the freezer too. It’s a mix of Thai basil, mint, cilantro (now that’s a great trio), garlic, ginger, roasted peanuts, sesame oil, brown (or palm) sugar, rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, red pepper flakes, and soy sauce.

On Sunday, we had a leg of lamb roasted over potatoes, carrots, and onion. I slathered it with an herb paste (rosemary, oregano, garlic, orange/lemon zest/juice, olive oil) before roasting—a recipe from Nigella Lawson’s At My Table. On the side, kale sautéed with bacon, onion, red bell pepper, garlic, chicken broth, and dried cranberries.

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Mon 1/26 at 8 a.m.* – FOCUS Your Strategic Thinking (Radio Free 501c, the podcast of Rogue Tulips Consulting)

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

Guest: Michael Butera

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

Tue 1/27 at 8 a.m. – Practicing Presence in Polarized Times (Nonprofit Mission: Impact)

Nonprofit Mission: Impact is the podcast for association and nonprofit leaders who want to build a better world without becoming a martyr to the cause. In this episode: Polarization is showing up everywhere these days—this conversation unpacks how association leaders can pause, listen, and practice accountability to build understanding rather than deepen divides. More info.

Host: Carol Hamilton, Principal, Grace Social Sector Consulting

Guest: Danielle Marshall, Founder, Culture Principles

Tue 1/27 at 10:30 a.m. – Meditation Skills for Busy Lives

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

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

Tue 1/27 at 11 a.m. – Changing Perceptions About Audit Committees – How to Better Position to be Value-Added

Most nonprofit audit committees center their attention on the back end of the annual financial statement audit process when they receive draft auditor reports. While this is an important function, audit committees can be more impactful if they shift more of their focus to the front-end of the annual audit process and expand their internal control and business practices oversight roles. Learn about the core purpose, structure, and operating cycle for an audit committee; what has shaped general perceptions related to audit committees; underlying causes leading to wide-ranging misconceptions related to audit committees; and tactics to make audit committees more value-added by expanding their scope of duties and filling additional fiduciary roles. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

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

Tue 1/27 at 1 p.m. – The Best of the Best: Brand Strategies in Action

Even the best associations sometimes struggle to communicate their true value. Using real-world examples from association “Join” pages, explore how StoryBrand, Jobs to Be Done, and other strategy models can transform messaging from informative to irresistible. See how small, intentional shifts—clarifying your narrative, tapping into behavioral insights, and leveraging AI tools—can dramatically change how members connect, engage, and decide to act. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Jemilah Senter, Founder, Chief Strategist + Fractional CMO at Senterpoint Strategies

Tue 1/27 at 1 p.m. – Rethinking Retention: Generation-Specific Strategies to Address Lapser Risk and Boost Engagement

Hear the findings from Momentive’s latest associations trends study, revealing critical insights about lapser risk across generations. Learn about the major differences in what drives renewal across Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers; why Gen Z members are the riskiest members— your “shoppers” with the highest renewal intent but the lowest loyalty scores; how to identify red flags for lapser risk among your most vulnerable member segments; and generation-specific value offerings that transform satisfied members into loyal, long-term advocates. More info/register.

Host: Momentive Software

Speakers: Pam Loeb, Principal, and Liana Gainsboro, Senior Research Analyst, Edge Research

Tue 1/27 at 1 p.m. – Leadership Continuity in Associations

Explore practical strategies for leadership continuity that go beyond naming a successor. Learn how to map vulnerabilities, transfer institutional knowledge, and develop team-based approaches that sustain long-term success. Drawing on best practices in governance and succession planning, this webinar equips association leaders with the tools to ensure continuity, stability, and resilience through leadership change. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Raffa Investment Advisers

Speaker: Alison Teitelbaum, MS, MPH, CAE, Founder and Principal Consultant, AST Strategies

Tue 1/27 at 4 p.m. – Future Forward: Growing Non-dues Revenue in 2026

Hear a panel of association experts discuss ideas and strategies to grow your non-dues revenue in 2026. More info/register.

Host: Intuto

Speakers:

Sean Soth, Founder, Professionals for Association Revenue
Maria Jaba, Hospital Relations Manager, Society of Critical Care Medicine
Brittany Shoul, Senior Vice President, Revenue Strategy & Operations, MCI USA
Ryan MacTaggart, Ph.D. Associate Director, Professional Learning, EDUCAUSE
Jay S. Daughtry, M.Ed. (moderator), Director of Client Partnerships, North America, Intuto

Wed 1/28 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. – EventTech Platforms Demo Day

See presentations from industry partners that offer event tech platforms. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Participants: Personify A2Z Events, Swapcard, Momentive Event Management, EVA Event Tech Hub, Cadmium, eShow, Personify Registration Tech, eventPower, Event.Quest by Insight Guide, Popshap

Wed 1/28 at 11 a.m. – Strategic Foresight Without the Fatigue: Leading the Future While Surviving the Present (In Partnership with the Association Transformation Podcast)

Learn how to develop a realistic foresight practice that fits real-world capacity and the work you’re already doing; apply language to defend operational excellence while advancing strategic priorities and managing board expectations; distinguish between foresight that genuinely serves your organization and performative future-gazing that drains time, energy, and resources; and weave foresight into board agendas, team conversations, and decision-making processes without creating parallel workstreams or exhausting your leadership team. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Elisa Pratt, Chief Executive and Founder, Brewer Pratt Solutions LLC
Andrew Chamberlain, Executive Director, UK’s Institute of Association Leadership

Wed 1/28 at 11:30 a.m. – 10 Things to Automate in 2026

Hear about ten everyday tasks you can automate in 2026 to save time and reduce friction, all designed to fit naturally into your existing workflows, not add more work. Learn about actionable automation ideas you can apply immediately, ways to eliminate repetitive tasks and common bottlenecks, working with your technology partner to spot high-impact automation opportunities, and practical tips for making changes that actually stick. More info/register.

Host: iMIS by ASI

Wed 1/28 at 12 p.m. – Pinpoint and Conquer the Barriers to Association Growth

Are you ready to stop focusing on external chaos and finally diagnose the internal barriers holding your association back? Explore the four deep, structural barriers that consistently block associations from achieving sustainable growth and momentum, even amidst external disruption. Get a clear action plan to overcome these barriers and put a halt to the high cost of inaction. Learn about Halmyre’s new, free diagnostic tool, which helps you quickly identify the biggest growth threat to your association. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Halmyre

Speaker: Christine Saunders, President & Founder, Halmyre

Wed 1/28 at 12 p.m. – The Top 2 Conflict Tools You Need in Today’s Environment

Learn about the Ladder of Inference and the Behavior/Impact Feedback method—critical tools in situations where you need to slow the conversation down. More info/register.

Host: Jamie Notter

Wed 1/28 at 12 p.m. – From Dues Decline to Demand: Rebuilding Member Value in a Noisy World

Learn why members aren’t renewing or joining, how their expectations have shifted, and—most importantly—how to rebuild and communicate value so membership feels essential, not optional. More info/register.

Host: Joe John, CEO, John Consulting

Wed 1/28 at 1 p.m. – What to Do When Things Go Sideways (and Everyone’s Still Looking at You)

Hear about a simple way to recognize the difference between problem-solving and identity disruption. Learn language to name uncertainty without losing credibility or confidence. Get practical tools for rebuilding self-trust when clarity is incomplete. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Fonteva

Speaker: KiKi L’Italien, Founder and CEO, Amplified Growth

Wed 1/28 at 1 p.m. – Redefining Member Value Through Personalized Experiences

Explore how AI-powered personalization is redefining what members consider valuable in their membership—and how your association can deliver it without straining limited resources. Learn why personalization has become the new baseline for member expectations, see real-world examples of associations achieving success through AI-driven initiatives, and discover a practical roadmap for implementing personalized experiences that drive measurable improvements in engagement, retention, and non-dues revenue. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Molly Quast, Director of Growth and Strategy at rasa.io

Wed 1/28 at 1 p.m. – Leveraging LinkedIn: Essential Digital-First Strategies for Meeting Planners

Learn how to use LinkedIn as a strategic lever to elevate your events, your speakers, and your own professional brand. Hear about shifts in audience behavior, why engagement now matters more than announcements, and how planners can turn everyday content into a magnet for attendees, partners and decision-makers. Take away a simple, repeatable framework for amplifying your events and strengthening your influence across your industry. More info/register.

Host: Meetings Today

Speaker: Richard Bliss, CEO, BlissPoint Consulting

Wed 1/28 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. – The TL;DR Content Marketing Strategy Workshop

Learn how to define what modern content marketing looks like—and set goals that align with business growth; design an operational model that balances creativity with accountability; treat your content as a product with purpose and repeatable storytelling value; and build a measurement framework that proves progress and drives smarter decisions. More info/register.

Host: Content Marketing Institute

Speaker: Robert Rose, Chief Strategy Advisor, Content Marketing Institute

Wed 1/28 at 2 p.m. – Stretching the Dollar – Doing More With What You’ve Got

Explore creative strategies and practical solutions for getting the most from your meetings dollars without compromising on the experience. Learn how to prioritize spending for maximum impact. Discover innovative ways to save without sacrificing quality. Gain practical tips on negotiating favorable terms and securing discounts with vendors and venues. More info/register.

Host: Northstar Meetings Group

Speakers:

Amy Black, CMP, Director of Experience Design & Strategic Sourcing, Creative Group
Bre Maxim, CMP, Account Director, Bishop-McCann
Lisa Grimaldi (moderator), Editor, Incentives and Destinations, Northstar Meetings Group

Thu 1/29 from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. – LMS Demo Day (Learning Business Summit)

See 45-minute demonstrations of learning management systems for associations. More info/register.

Host: Leading Learning

Participants: D2L Brightspace, MapleLMS, TopClass LMS by ASI, Elevate by Cadmium, Journey by Forj, BenchPrep, Oasis LMS, EthosCE by Cadmium

Thu 1/29 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. – AI Game Show for Event Marketers

Hear industry experts share real-world AI strategies you can actually use—while keeping the fun, competition, and surprises turned all the way up. From personalizing attendee journeys and automating ticketing to designing creative assets and unlocking powerful insights from data, this session is packed with practical, no-fluff tactics to help you plan smarter, market faster, and deliver more impactful events. More info/register.

Host: Zuddl

Thu 1/29 at 11 a.m. – The Chief Event Officer’s Playbook: How to Create Transformational Events

Learn how to design purpose-led events that align with customer, business or association goals. Get practical frameworks for eventplanning, stakeholder engagement and measurement of success. Hear real-world examples and case studies. Hear how to ensure your event delivers value not just to attendees — but to sponsors, exhibitors and your broader business/community. More info/register.

Host: Grip

Speakers:

Sasha Frieze, Author of The Chief Event Officer and Event Strategist
Zach Butler, EMEA General Manager, HumanX
Abi Cannons, Senior Strategic Account Manager, Grip

Thu 1/29 at 12 p.m. – Future-Proofing Your Mission: How Nonprofits Can Lead with AI

Gain a foundational understanding of essential AI concepts, explore a simple framework to evaluate their organization’s readiness for AI adoption, and learn how to build a realistic, mission-aligned roadmap for integrating AI tools. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: FAR, the Nonprofit Business Leaders’ Network

Speaker: Zeev Wexler, AI Thought Leader, Business Strategist, and CEO of Wexler Marketing and Viacry

Thu 1/29 at 1 p.m. – Jeopardy!™-Style Association Ethics Showdown: Test Your Knowledge and Win!

Using fun and engaging Jeopardy!™-style quiz format, you will dive into real-world and created scenarios and assess your ethical reasoning in categories like “(Bored) of Ethics,” “The Ethical CEO,” “Ethical IP,” and “Is (IT) Ethical?” Compete against your peers to determine whether certain behaviors are ethical or not—and, more importantly, why. Explore the rationale behind ethical decision-making, while having a chance to win some (fake) cash. 1 CAE Ethics credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Adrienne Bryant, Program Director at Customer Experience Professionals Association

Thu 1/29 at 1 p.m. – Pathways to Success: Turn Your LMS into a Guided Learning Experience

Gain a greater understanding of the value of learning paths in driving learner engagement and retention. Learn about the key components of an effective learning path within an LMS, a design for a basic learning path aligned with organizational objectives, strategies for reporting and measuring the success of learning paths, and best practices to enhance member experience through structured learning journeys. More info/register.

Host: Momentive Software

Thu 1/29 at 1 p.m. – The Future of Finance for Associations | Solving the Commerce-to-Accounting Gap

Explore what it takes to streamline financial data from multiple sources, why traditional AMS tools often fall short, and how new solutions can bridge the accounting gap. Get practical insights into creating a modern, integrated ecosystem that keeps your finance and membership data in sync, without the headaches. More info/register.

Hosts:

Jeff Horne, Co-Founder & CEO at Wicket
Andrew Schwartz Crane CMA, CEO of SoundPost

Thu 1/29 at 2 p.m. – Just in Time: A Look Ahead at 2026 Macro Trends with McKinsey

In a moment of uncertainty, taking a pause to consider the macro and structural forces shaping the environment in which associations operate is vital. The McKinsey Global Institute’s Kevin Russell will walk through the key trends McKinsey is watching for 2026. From tariffs and AI’s impact on the economy to geopolitical shifts and demographic change, this session will explore the forces reshaping the world so association leaders can more confidently chart their path forward. 1 CAE credit. More info/register (free for ASAE members only).

Host: ASAE

Tue 2/3 at 11 a.m. – How to Build a Podcast to Foster Trust and Engagement Within a Professional Community – Part 1: The Foundation of a Great Podcast

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Kate Coffey-Bacon, SVP of Marketing and Strategy, US Transactions Corporation/UST Education
Ben Muscolino, CEO of Breezio and AssociationWire including AMS Geek & Data Sangria, Co-Founder/Executive Chairman of Vortacity Cyber
Jake Toohey, Director, Association Practice at Adage Technologies

Tue 2/3 at 1 p.m. – Turning Chaos Into Opportunity: Staffing Strategies for Associations in a Shifting Labor Market

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Jaime Hirschfeld, Director of Client Sales and Services at FlexProfessionals LLC

Wed 2/4 at 11 a.m. – Association Lessons from… 50 Seasons of Survivor!

Explore what lessons this quarter-century television phenomenon can hold for your association and its leadership, member engagement, and a connected community. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Jay S. Daughtry, M.Ed., Chief Communications Officer/Owner at CQbd

Thu 2/5 at 11 a.m. – Be AI-Gile: Reimagining Association Education for the Future of Work

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Josh Yavelberg, founder/chief solutions architect, Flying Cloud Solutions

Thu 2/5 at 11 a.m. – Suit Yourself – Build a Work Wardrobe that Works for You

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Speaker: Ali Miller, ECO, Founder and CEO of The Ethical Aesthete

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

Good reads for the association community

You never grow old at the table

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

Good reads for the association community

Snacks

You never grow old at the table

Share this:

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

Good reads for the association community

Snacks

You never grow old at the table

Share this:

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

Good reads for the association community

Snacks

You never grow old at the table

Share this:

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

Good reads for the association community

Snacks

You never grow old at the table

Share this:

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

Good reads for the association community

Snacks

You never grow old at the table

Share this:

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

Good reads for the association community

Snacks

You never grow old at the table

Share this:

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

Good reads for the association community

Snacks

You never grow old at the table

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