Association Brain Food

Association Brain Food: 11.24.23

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

Upcoming association events. Although these events are not free, they’re organized by people I respect and admire—and will be attended by people you’ll love getting to know, like me at People Powering Tech.

RevUp Summit on Wed Dec 6 and Thu Dec 7 in Annapolis MD, hosted by Professionals for Association Revenue
AWTC Advance on Wed Dec 6 in Arlington VA, hosted by Association Women Technology Champions
People Powering Tech on Thu Dec 14 online, hosted by Qiqo Inc. and BJA Solutions for Associations (aka Barbara Armentrout)

Awareness week. TopClass LMS explains how an awareness week gives your members a chance to feel good about themselves, the work they do, and their professional community, and attracts the attention of people who might want to learn more or join your industry.

Event recording release. Good timing by EventMobi because I’ve seen requests on ASAE Collaborate recently for a template like this. Their template documents a person’s consent to be photographed, filmed, or recorded in an online, in-person, or hybrid event or activity, and to have their footage shared.

Threats ahead. Jeff De Cagna of Foresight First warns us that this post he wrote for Naylor is “bleak by design.” In it, he describes the social, technological, economic, environmental, and political factors shaping a threatening decade ahead for the association community. He says you can’t hope your way out of “these perilous and unforgiving situations.” Instead, you must “acknowledge the very obvious dangers we now face” and take “bold action to at least minimize their detrimental impact.”

Next gen marketing. Brian Miller at Multiview explains how to capture the attention of the next generation. His advice is solid, but I’ll add one more tactic: improve your website SEO so people can learn about and find you.

Credit card processor. GrowthZone’s guide to selecting a credit card processor is perfect for those of you who need to understand the players and their roles, terminology, fees, rates, hard and soft costs, and security issues. They also suggest topics to ask about during discussions with vendors.

AI. Did you ever get around to reading President Biden’s Executive Order on AI? If not, here’s the TL;DR association version from Johanna Gundlach at Sidecar.

Off-topic

Practical philosophy. Until around 2010, philosophers couldn’t speak to one another, let alone communicate with the public, says Crispin Sartwell at Los Angeles Review of Books. That’s when some philosophy professors started addressing contemporary issues and writing for general audiences. A return to philosophy of all stripes is what I’ve needed to help me escape from and frame the daily onslaught of troubling domestic and global events.

Purposeful philosophy. A few weeks ago, an episode on the BBC In Our Time podcast about the late British moral philosopher Elizabeth Anscombe sent me on this philosophy bender. I’ve since become a major fan girl of the episode’s guest, the vivacious Rachael Wiseman who teaches philosophy as a discipline that can help us know how to live.

Charity watch. Make sure your favorite nonprofits, employer’s corporate foundation, or other orgs you support aren’t on Focus on Western Islamism’s list of US-based 501(c) charities/foundations that subsidize Hamas.

You never grow old at the table

I only make chicken with mustard sauce—a recipe from David Lebovitz via David Leite—when Jim is away because he’s not a fan of mustard—and I LOVE IT. I’ve been known to grab a spoon of Dijon straight from the jar. The sight turns my husband’s stomach. This excellent dish is best served over mashed potatoes alongside roasted broccoli with carrots, red onion, and garlic powder.

Another favorite while he’s off hunting: gorgonzola, mushroom, and spinach pasta. Poor fella, he’s not a fan of blue cheese either. This exquisite dish includes bacon, onion, red bell pepper, lots of cremini and shiitake mushrooms, garlic, spinach, pasta, heavy cream, lots of Gorgonzola, thyme, salt, and pepper.

I tried a new version of beef stroganoff for Jim’s homecoming (with venison backstrap, tenderloins, and hams in the cooler, yeah!) because it promised one-pot cooking. After sautéing the other ingredients, you add egg noodles to the mix along with beef broth and continue the cooking, instead of cooking the noodles in another pot. As the website says, it’s damn delicious! I made a few alterations: regular instead of sweet onion, sherry instead of white wine, and smoked instead of regular paprika.

On the side, a Brussels sprouts sauté (sliced lengthwise into quarters) with bacon, orange bell pepper, red onion, and garlic.

Another night, per Jim’s request, southern pan-fried flounder. On the side, an asparagus sauté with red bell, onion, carrot, tomatoes, and lemon zest.

Subscribe to Blog via Email

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 too product-centric.

Mon 11/27 at 8 a.m.* – Rebranding the Solopreneur Consultancy (Radio Free 501c, the podcast of Rogue Tulips Consulting)

Every week Rogue Tulips brings the nonprofit community intriguing guests discussing vital topics affecting nonprofit organizations around the world—and we have fun doing it! Episodes are published Monday mornings in both audio and video format, available on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, Apple Podcast, and Google Podcast (to name a few!).

Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting

Guests: Barbara Armentrout, CAE, founder and key principal, BJA Solutions for Associations

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

Tue 11/28 at 4 p.m. – What Were You Thinking? Ethics in Association Management

How do you recognize when a decision is ethics-based? What do you do once you realize that’s the decision you are making? How do you talk with those around you about it? In this session, we’ll use a series of scenarios to talk about how to recognize an ethical issue, understand how to apply ASAE’s Ethical Decision Making Model in your organization, and work through the ethical issues in the workplace. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Reston-Loudoun Idea Swap

Speaker: Rhea M. Steele, CAE, ODCP, Chief of Staff, School Nutrition Association

Wed 11/29 at 9 a.m. – PAR Member Meet-Up: Help Me Solve

PAR members share the most challenging situation they are managing at the moment. Need help with your 2024 plans? Have a proposal due, but no new ideas? Is your Board ready for innovation? Solve together with other association teams. PAR Member Meet-Ups are 30-minute sessions for industry professionals to collaborate on the ideas, skills and solutions our association teams need to move forward. What to bring: current work challenges and ideas to share with our PAR community. More info/register.

Host: Professionals for Association Revenue

Wed 11/29 at 12 p.m. – Event Apps 101: Your Playbook for Creating Engaging Event Experiences

Find out how to use an event app to streamline attendee communication and engagement for your annual conference, seminars, webinars, galas, and more. Learn how an event app benefits you and your attendees, key features to look for (and how to use them effectively), what types of events you should use an event app for, actionable ways to prove success and measure ROI, and how to get started with an event app of your own. More info/register.

Host: EventMobi

Speakers:

Alistair Fernandes, Event Tech Manager, EventMobi
Thorben Grosser, VP of Product Marketing, EventMobi
Rheanna Spence, Sales & Marketing Manager, The Meetings Space
Bob Vaez, CEO & Founder, EventMobi

Wed 11/29 at 12 p.m. – The State of Travel: Leisure, Group, and Everything In Between

Let’s look back on 2023 and assess the health of the hotel industry after the typically group-travel dependent fall season. Where are hotels still seeing growth and continued success, and where is demand starting to taper off? As we prepare for 2024, we’ll explore the important macro- and market-level trends that will define the industry for next year and beyond. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MPI

Speaker: Hannah Smith, Senior Consultant in the Consulting Division of STR

Wed 11/29 at 2 p.m. – How to Use Digital Ad Campaigns to Fuel Year-End Growth

Hear about real examples of display and social advertising strategies that have helped organizations raise awareness, nurture their audience, and build thriving communities. Learn why awareness and nurturing campaigns are critical at year-end and how to simplify and automate your digital advertising strategy. More info/register.

Host: Feathr

Wed 11/29 at 2 p.m. – Smart Strategies for Growing Attendance

With a rising number of registrations coming in closer to the event, it’s difficult to predict attendance figures. Hear about battle-tested approaches to connect better with your audience and attract more meeting participants. Learn how to amplify event marketing by way of committed participants, strategically use content to grow the audience, and base marketing and projections on data rather than best guesses. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Northstar Meetings Group

Speakers:

Earla Jones, MS, CMP, Director, Conference Services & Operations, American Library Association
Rachel Stephan, CEO, Snöball
Michael J. Shapiro (moderator), Executive Editor, Northstar Meetings Group

Thu 11/30 at 11 a.m. – Why Futures-Thinking Helps Leaders Make Better Decisions Today

How can you and your volunteer leaders best prepare for ongoing environmental ambiguity and unexpected developments? By constantly scanning for weak signals and adopting a future-oriented mindset. Hear from four experienced association executives who have benefited from embracing and integrating futures-thinking throughout their associations. Learn how to proactively lead your board and staff colleagues toward a futures mindset, create a future-focused organizational culture, and overcome resistance to change. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Lindsay Currie, CAE, Executive Officer, Council on Undergraduate Research
Melody Jordan-Carr, Vice President, Membership Operations, American Trucking Associations
Kristine Metter, CAE, President at Crystal Lake Partners LLC
Donté P. Shannon, FASAE, CAE, Non-profit Exec., Strategist, Public Speaker, Author, PMA Nonprofit Leadership and Vista Cova

Thu 11/30 at 11 a.m. – Navigating a World in Conflict: Key Global Policy Issues for 2024

Given the constant flux of legislative, regulatory, market, and geopolitical dynamics, coupled with political turbulence and pressing challenges, the array of potential negative impacts an organization must monitor seems boundless. Learn about the global issues and themes to monitor over the next six months, staying ahead of global issues and using them to your organization’s advantage, and leveraging technology to monitor risks and opportunities. More info/register.

Host: FiscalNote

Speakers:

Martina Bozadzhieva, Chief Research Officer, FrontierView
Nick Redman, Director of Analysis, Oxford Analytica, and Editor in Chief, Oxford Analytica Daily Brief
Lucas Machado, Global Policy Analyst, FiscalNote Professional Services
Daniel Pietikainen, Global Policy Advisor, FiscalNote Global Professional Services
Hagen Schlotzhauer (moderator), Team Lead, FiscalNote Professional Services

Thu 11/30 at 12 p.m. – The Community Check-In

A weekly community chat on Slack for black professionals working in the events industry. More info/register.

Host: Black In Events Network

Thu 11/30 at 1 p.m. – From One Path to Another: Tips for Successfully Navigating Career Pivots

Hear insights and experiences in navigating career transitions, and practical tips for making a successful career pivot. Learn how to identify transferable skills, use your personal brand to stand out in a competitive job market, and center wellness and self-care during your journey. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Speakers:

Dany Bourjolly-Smith, SHRM-SCP, Principal Consultant, DB Smith Consulting, LLC
Scott Conley, Vice President, Naylor Association Solutions
Jennifer Lewi, MBA, CAE, ACC, Vice President, Career Development and Conferences, School Nutrition Association
Donté Shannon, FASAE, CAE, Executive Director, Industrial Designers Society of America
Camille Sanders, CAE, PCM, DCMA (moderator), Senior Director, Career and Workforce Solutions, ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership

Thu 11/30 at 2 p.m. – Emerging Association Meeting Strategies

Learn how meeting professionals are bringing their memberships together in new and more meaningful ways, why starting with purpose is the fastest route to success, what the next generation of attendees want from a convention, why your voice is important, and how to build your power through continuing education. 1 CAE/CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Smart Meetings

Speaker: Michelle Mason, FASAE, CAE, President and CEO of ASAE

Mon 12/4 at 1 p.m. – How to Engage, Communicate, and Get More Out of Your Nonprofit Board Members

Learn how to help new board members get off to a faster start and quickly understand how to be more effective during their first year of board service, how to take a proactive approach to help board members find a pathway for continuing their board leadership roles and find leadership styles that meet their skills and time constraints, and how to optimize and consider using and finding interactive opportunities for retiring board members, especially past presidents (chairs) in a manner that brings enjoyment to the individual while helping the organization and not getting in the way of the seated board of directors. 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 12/5 at 11 a.m. – Common Audit Findings, the Internal Control Issues Behind Them, and How to Respond

Nobody can guarantee a “clean audit,” but we’ll work together in this session to build a framework for continuous improvement and oversight that will strengthen your organization’s internal controls. Learn about audit findings such as absent documentation, errors in the financial closing process, and common accounting errors within nonprofits. Explore internal control issues that lie beneath the surface and give rise to audit findings. Plot a course for responding to and reducing recurrences of findings during your audit. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Will Donahue, Audit Director, Nonprofit Aprio

Tue 12/5 at 12 p.m. – Year in Review (Data Analytics Network)

Join association professionals for peer-led discussions on topics related to data and analytics. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Data Analytics Network

Tue 12/5 at 1 p.m. – Sneak Peek into Recent Association Web Projects

Have you ever wished you could be a fly on the wall in another organization’s office as they’re developing their digital strategy or making big decisions about which web technologies and platforms to use? Go on a whirlwind tour of some of our recent projects. Dig deep into the big-picture strategy behind each project; implementation strategy, including the technology selected—or not selected; pain points and lessons learned along the way; and unique ways our clients are adapting their digital strategies to create more thoughtful and intentional member journeys. More info/register.

Host: Matrix Group

Speaker: Joanna Pineda, CEO and Chief Troublemaker, Matrix Group International, Inc.

Tue 12/5 at 1 p.m. – Understanding Unrelated Business Income

Get a survey-level view of the tax on unrelated business income (UBI), and how it relates to tax exempt organizations. Explore the legislative, judicial, and regulatory history of UBI to develop a better understanding of how UBI fits into the tax-exempt sector, and strategies to reduce the tax impact to your organization. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers: Andrew Hassler, Senior Tax Associate, and J. Calvin Marks, CPA, Tax Manager, Johnson Lambert LLP

Tue 12/5 at 3 p.m. – Q4 Consultant Community Call

We’re excited to open lines of communication for ASAE staff to update the consultant community and create a space for our consultant members to network with one another. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Wed 12/6 at 11 a.m. – Common Errors in Nonprofit Revenue Recognition and How to Avoid Them

Learn about the most common issues with nonprofit revenue recognition, including accounting, presentation, and disclosure issues and errors that are commonly missed by nonprofits. Hear about processes and controls that could be implemented to prevent these errors from happening. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers: Melissa Dunn, CPA, Assurance Partner, and Mark Robins, CPA, Partner, Aprio LLP

Wed 12/6 at 5 p.m. – AWTC End-of-Year Happy Hour (Arlington VA)

Come network with the AWTC community of women and allies. Location: Arlington VA. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Thu 12/7 at 11 a.m. – How Toxic Tech Is Really Affecting Your Association

Learn how detrimental toxic technologies are affecting your association and what to do to rise above the chaos. Examine root causes and risks including: your association’s culture and technical mindset, digital maturity level, business strategy alignment (or misalignment) and more. Hear from a panel of association executives and technology experts who have tackled their toxic tech cultures head-on and how they’ve shifted to a continuous performance improvement mindset. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: iMIS by ASI

Thu 12/7 at 12 p.m. – AWTC Pop-Up Lunch (Atlanta GA)

These intimate, informal gatherings are designed to help you build your network and connect with the AWTC community. Location: Atlanta GA. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Thu 12/7 at 2 p.m. – Looking Towards 2024… Predictions, Pitfalls and Possibilities

As we close out 2023, we’re sitting down with some special IT peeps to talk about some of the challenges we’ve faced and how you can take charge of your technology in 2024. Find out how to assess technology requirements to meet the needs of your organization based on available skills, resources, and budget. Learn how the economy, cyber security issues, AI and even world events could impact technology in 2024. Ask questions and get straight-forward answers and insights into where technology is headed in 2024. More info/register.

Host: 501Works

Speakers:

Chris Love, Vice President, Information Technology, Advanced Medical Technology Association
James Marquis, CIO, 501Works

Fri 12/8 at 12:30 p.m. – Conversations with Champions

Each conversation features an AWTC leader or AWTC Award winner, followed by breakout rooms with topics selected by our featured guest. This month’s topics are: member engagement, and holiday cocktails and mocktails. These intimate, virtual conversations are a chance to form meaningful connections with other women and allies in the association technology community. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Guest: Nicole Bowen, Supervisor at RSM

Association Brain Food Weekly is published Friday mornings. If your organization offers free professional development for the association community, please send me the link via email by Wednesday afternoon the week before it’s scheduled.

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Association Brain Food: 11.17.23

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

Professional development trends survey. Data about organizations serving adult lifelong learners is hard to find. Please take six minutes (or less) to complete this survey from Leading Learning/Tagoras. The resulting data will help associations understand the professional development landscape, plan learning strategy, and budget for learning programs.

AMS/CRM selection survey. 501Works invites association execs, consultants, and industry partners to participate in a survey about AMS/CRM selection. Your contributions will help identify common pitfalls, communication gaps, and processes that challenge the association community.

Association webinars. TopClass LMS shares lots of tips on increasing the value (and price) of your webinars. The post covers webinar program design, attendee experience, and pre- and post-program activities.

Mentoring programs. The Art of Mentoring’s guide on mentoring in professional associations describes the benefits of mentoring programs, potential pitfalls, and design issues. They touch on topics such as the association’s political structure, employers’ competitive sensitivities, funding, code of conduct, CE credits, matching, and success metrics.

Chapters. Finding members who want to take on the burden of managing a chapter is becoming more difficult. Cecilia Sepp was a chapter relations professional before becoming an association CEO and then founder of Rogue Tulips Consulting. She explains why she’s long advocated for associations moving away from the traditional chapter model.

Content strategy. Tim Stoddart at Copyblogger shares five strategies for creating cornerstone (or pillar) content that readers and Google will love.

Membership. Your AMS should be the utility player on your membership team. Nimble AMS explains how an AMS can help your association recruit, engage, and retain members by helping you better understand members, anticipate their needs, provide a better digital experience, and deliver personalized emails and content.

Free speech. The Hamas/Israel war has brought out the censors on all sides. Jacob Mchangama at Persuasion says free speech defenders must be consistent. “Freedom of expression serves its most important function at times of deep polarization, where the sense of righteous indignation tempts us to silence the viewpoints we hate with scant regard for the collateral damage to democracy, freedom, and tolerance that constitute the necessary precondition for social peace in diverse societies.” Censorship drives dangerous speech underground where it can’t be exposed to discussion or judgment. He asks, “Are we really safer when we know less about what motivates our neighbors?”

Hillary on Hamas. Listen to her experienced take on the ceasefire issue. She knows her stuff when it comes to that part of the world.

You never grow old at the table

I succumbed to the seducements of two packages of gnocchi languishing on my shelves. And, oh boy, did I ever tumble into the deep end with baked gnocchi with tomato vodka sauce and spicy Italian sausage. The sausage was my idea, as was onion instead of shallot, a 14 oz. can each of diced tomatoes and crushed tomatoes, pre-cooking the gnocchi, and not adding pasta (or starchy) water. Wow. I’m about to dig into the leftovers for lunch. Yes, you should be envious, but I bet your waistline isn’t as challenged.

For our side, roasted broccoli, carrot, and red onion with garlic powder and salt.

On a healthier evening, I made Greek-style striped mullet. I found this recipe when I was trying to use up a bottle of Ouzo and it’s become a favorite. We’re finally out of Ouzo, so I use dry vermouth instead.

Another night, another favorite: creamy flounder piccata. On the side, a sauté of asparagus with orange and red bell pepper, onion, garlic, and lemon zest.

Subscribe to Blog via Email

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 too product-centric.

Fri 11/17 at 10 a.m.* – Association Pricing (Association Design Circle)

This month’s facilitator will be Dr. Michael Tatonetti, CPP, CAE, founder of Pricing for Association, an organization that specializes in designing pricing models for associations. More info/register.

Host: Product Community

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

Fri 11/17 at 12 p.m. – Creating and Utilizing Effective Policies

Need to strengthen your association’s governance? Learn how to choose, write, and implement the best policies for your association. More info/register.

Host: Zzeem

Fri 11/17 at 12:30 p.m. – Ask Me Anything: Integration Platforms as a Service (iPaaS)

Warehouses, data lakes, and middleware OH MY! What is an iPaaS? Does my organization need one? Bring all your integration questions and join the AMA. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Speaker: Gayathri Kher, CEO and Co-founder, fusionSpan

Fri 11/17 at 1 p.m. – Learning in the Age of AI: Unlocking the Power of Generative Content Creation

Learn how people are using AI to generate content. Explore generative AI tools. Delve into the benefits of utilizing AI for course creation. Compare external vs. native platform AI tools. Find out what to look for in terms of AI in your learning management system. 0.75 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Blue Sky eLearn

Speakers:

Rick Bawcum, CEO and Founder, Cimatri
Jeremiah Kendall, Chief Technology Officer, Blue Sky eLearn

Fri 11/17 at 2 p.m. – Virtual Networking Event for the ASAE Consultant Community

Meet and greet your fellow Consultant Community members and share ideas for improving business and building relationships. More info/register.

Organizer: Cecilia Sepp, founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting

Fri 11/17 at 4 p.m. – The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable (Book Discussion)

We’ll be discussing the book, The Five Dysfunction of a Team: A Leadership Fable, by Patrick Lencioni and exploring why teams fail to thrive and, conversely, what they need to do to move forward and succeed. Dysfunctions such as absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results are brought to life through Lencioni’s storytelling, a fable about a floundering tech start up and the new, unlikely CEO, Kathryn, trying to build an effective team. More info/register.

Host: Fridays@4

Facilitator: David Falchek, CAE, IOM, CMP, executive director of Serving Seniors Inc.

Mon 11/20 at 5:30 p.m. – The Future Is Now: AI and Automation in Association Software

Explore how artificial intelligence and automation are changing the way association professionals work, strengthening engagement, and enhancing member experience. Learn how to think of and work with generative AI tools like ChatGPT, and how big data and predictive analytics move needles. More info/register.

Host: Higher Logic

Speaker: Rob Wenger, co-founder and CEO, Higher Logic

Tue 11/21 at 12 p.m. – Volunteer vs. Organization ROI (ASAE CRVM Crunch and Munch)

What does “the bottom line” look like for your volunteers? You already know how your association needs and thinks about their contributions, but how do they measure the ROI of their contributions? Hear insights from many interviews with volunteer leaders and volunteer surveys conducted among 150,000 members for the ASAE Research Foundation. Discuss the types of volunteers and how they measure the value of their experience, and what it should mean to your own volunteer system. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Component Relations and Volunteer Management Council

Facilitators:

Jessica Irizarry, Director of Chapter Strategy at ASID
Kevin Whorton, President of Whorton Research

Thu 11/21 at 12 p.m. – Top 10 Membership Strategies for 2024

Learn ten new strategies for recruiting sustainable new members, strengthening engagement, and increasing retention. More info/register.

Host: GrowthZone

Speaker: membership expert Shari Pash

Tue 11/28 at 4 p.m. – What Were You Thinking? Ethics in Association Management

Host: ASAE Reston-Loudoun Idea Swap

Speaker: Rhea M. Steele, CAE, ODCP, Chief of Staff, School Nutrition Association

Wed 11/29 at 9 a.m. – PAR Member Meet-Up: Help Me Solve

Host: Professionals for Association Revenue

Thu 11/30 at 11 a.m. – Why Futures-Thinking Helps Leaders Make Better Decisions Today

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Lindsay Currie, CAE, Executive Officer, Council on Undergraduate Research
Melody Jordan-Carr, Vice President, Membership Operations, American Trucking Associations
Kristine Metter, CAE, President at Crystal Lake Partners LLC
Donté P. Shannon, FASAE, CAE, Non-profit Exec., Strategist, Public Speaker, Author, PMA Nonprofit Leadership and Vista Cova

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Association Brain Food: 11.10.23

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

Got a writing project? After completing a few writing jobs, I have room for more client work in my schedule. I usually work with association industry partners on blog posts, case studies, and other content marketing pieces, but am open to learning about other interesting projects outside that scope. Please email me if you have a piece you’d like to discuss. Thanks!

New association event. If you’re feeling nostalgic about ASAE TEC, a new online event, People Powering Tech on December 14 from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., might serve as a replacement. It’s not free, but I’m looking forward to attending, so I’m sharing it with you. The conveners—501Works, Achurch Consulting, Barbara J. Armentrout CAE, DelCor Technology Solutions, HighRoad Solutions, PerByte, and Qiqo—have put together a “powerhouse panel” and “expert-led sessions.”

Intentional learning. Inspired by Jeff De Cagna FASAE of Foresight First, TopClass LMS writes about an essential for association staff, executives, and volunteer leaders in these turbulent times: intentional learning—both doing it and selling it.

AMS myths. Selecting and implementing an AMS is not for the faint of heart. It’s a time-consuming project of continual change. If you’re hearing push-back from colleagues or higher-ups about getting a new AMS, Impexium offers responses for the most common objections. These arguments will help people understand that not making the change is the most frightening option of all.

New job advice. Wes Kao shares solid advice for onboarding yourself when you join a new team. Although she intended the post for people joining startups, her guidance would help anyone who’s starting a new job.

Community. People join associations to connect with others and find their tribe. But, judging by ASAE Collaborate questions on the topic, creating a vibrant community is a challenge for most associations. Check out what James Young at Product Community has to say about building and using a community engagement funnel.

Member app. Unlike social media, a mobile app serves as a centralized communication channel for your members. Bulletin describes how a member app enhances and fosters member engagement.

UBIT. If you manage non-dues revenue programs, you’ve got to understand Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT)—or your association will eventually pay the price (taxes plus penalties and interest). Jeff Tenenbaum provides the basics at the American Bar Association’s Business Law Today. Hat tip to Bruce Rosenthal for sharing this on ASAE Collaborate.

Off-topic but worth your time

I recently followed dozens of artist bots on Twitter as a relief from news and opinion tweets. I appreciate keeping informed about current events, but I need beauty in my stream too. A new discovery: the forest landscapes of 19^th century Russian painter Ivan Shishkin.

It’s that time again. Joseph Choi at The Hill shares what you need to know about this year’s Affordable Care Act enrollment. Good news for me, my premium went down two dollars to only $811/month next year. I know, ridiculously unaffordable, but necessary.

Why Ted Gioia ran away from philosophy because of Sam Bankman-Fried—a fascinating, alarming, and personal look at the evils of Effective Altruism and those who espouse it.

Along with being a wise and trusted voice in journalism, Walter Cronkite was a cat guy. You have to click, so damn cute.

You never grow old at the table

Skip down to the list of free educational events if you prefer takeout.

While defrosting the chest freezer, I discovered four bags of cranberries. I suppose growing up in bog country has something to do with this hoarding habit. I put one cup of them to work in chicken cranberry parmesan. Sounds weird maybe, but it’s really good.

On the side, crispy buttery garlic roasted mushrooms and broccoli and potato mash—add warmed-up half and half, butter, salt, and pepper.

Subscribe to Blog via Email

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 too product-centric.

Fri 11/10 at 12:30 p.m.* – Conversations with Champions

Each conversation features an AWTC leader or AWTC Award winner, followed by breakout rooms with changing topics (selected by our featured guest). These intimate, virtual conversations are a chance to form meaningful connections with other women and allies in the association technology community. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Guest: Katherine Schowengerdt, Director of Operations at American College of Sports Medicine

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

Fri 11/10 at 4 p.m. – Career Toolkit: Enhancing the Art of Powerful Storytelling in Interviews

Gain insight into how to share metrics-driven stories in a way that helps your interviewers feel more connected, intrigued, and inspired to hire you. Learn how to take your SOARS and STARS stories to the next level through the art of storytelling. More info/register.

Host: Fridays@4

Speaker: Daphne Valcin, certified coach, speaker, and trainer

Mon 11/13 at 8 a.m. – Lessons from Builidng a Platform (Radio Free 501c, the podcast of Rogue Tulips Consulting)

Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting

Guests: Lucas Cioffi and Sandra Nam, founders, QiqoChat

Mon 11/13 at 12 p.m. – ASAE Membership Mondays

This month we’ll have an open-forum discussion with the group divided into break out rooms to discuss: Membership Retention / Renewal / Win-Back; Member Recruitment / Acquisition; Membership Success Metrics; and Membership Models / Pricing. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Membership Professionals Community

Tue 11/14 at 11 a.m. – Developing a Business Mindset for Nonprofits

To increase your organization’s impact and further your mission, it might be time to adopt outside-the-box thinking and develop new strategies to catapult you forward. Learn about key synergies between the for-profit and nonprofit worlds and why they matter, the keys to entrepreneurial success and how you can adopt some of those same mindset to enhance how you run your organization, how to develop ‘intrapreneurialism’ and foster creative thinking within your organization to help find the next big thing for your success, and how to manage your financials to support growth and sustained success. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Brian Haney, Founder and CEO, The Haney Company

Tue 11/14 at 12 p.m. – LGBTQIA2+ Community Call

Please join us for this opportunity for association professionals (of all career levels!) to come together to share lunch time and discuss topics that are relevant and timely. Come prepared to join this judgment-free group with questions and issues that are top of mind for you in the LGBTQIA2+ association community. More info/register.

Host: ASAE LGBTQ Association Executives and Supporters

Tue 11/14 at 12 p.m. – 2024 & More: Your Focus on the Future of Events

As we step into a new era of event planning, it becomes crucial to adapt and evolve with the ever-changing needs and expectations of participants while taking advantage of new tools that promise to make event strategy, design and delivery more efficient and effective. Join a discussion of the following elements that are proving most important for meetings stakeholders: technological innovation, sustainability and social responsibility, collaboration and co-creation, emotional and well-being considerations. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MPI

Speakers:

Alexi Khajavi, Group President Hospitality, Travel & Wellness, Questex
Jessie States

Wed 11/15 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. – VisionCSI Virtual Summit: Cybersecurity, Data Analytics/AI, and Mission-Driven Partnerships

Learn from the Fisher House Foundation’s success story, showcasing how technology can amplify impact and drive mission-critical success. Discover the transformative power of analytics with insights from the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology and Association Analytics. Understand how data can reveal authentic member voices and drive impactful decisions. Dive into the intricacies of Zero Trust with experts from designDATA and Arctic IT. Equip your organization with the knowledge and tools to navigate the evolving cybersecurity landscape. More info/register.

Host: designDATA

Wed 11/15 at 10 a.m. – Let’s Continue the DE&I Conversation

The conversation around DE&I is an important one for the credentialing industry and our panel of certification professionals wants to help you continue that conversation. Our panel draws on their experience with certification organizations as psychometricians, vendors, and the chair of the I.C.E.’s DE&I committee. Join us for networking breakout groups before the panel provides short presentations on DE&I after which we will launch into a discussion session. More info/register.

Host: Certification Network Group

Speakers:

Saundra Foderick, MA, CESP, Test Design Manager, Caveon and HPE
Mark Franco, JD
Mihaiela R. Gugiu, PhD, Chief Assessment Officer, National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians
Christine Niero, senior executive, Professional Testing, Inc.
Frank Williams, PhD, Lead Senior Psychometrician, PSI

Wed 11/15 at 11 a.m. – The Pitfalls of Cybersecuity for Nonprofits

Hear about the common cybersecurity threats nonprofits experience everyday while working online. Learn how to identify threats, prevent them, and recover from a malicious attack. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers: Stacey Campbell, Director of Business Development, and Chris Rounds, Senior Solutions Architect, Express Info

Wed 11/15 at 12 p.m. – Visualizing the Digital Member Journey

While membership and marketing teams focus on optimizing campaign assets like email copy, landing pages, and adverting banners, sometimes it’s hard to visualize where your member is in the marketing funnel. Hear how to understand where your members are in their engagement lifecycle with you and the actual paths they’re taking across multiple channels before converting. More info/register.

Host: High Road Solution

Speakers: Aimee Pagano, Director of Programming, and Garra Swayne, Strategic Account Manager, HighRoad Solutions

Wed 11/15 at 12 p.m. – Nonprofit Matchmaking: Building Relationships with Corporate Partners

Discover the secret to unlocking your nonprofit’s full potential through powerful corporate partnerships. Learn about Tips fo effective partner selection, establishing trust and credibility in corporate-nonprofit partnerships, innovative strategies for collaboration, and common challenges and how to avoid them. More info/register.

Host: NXUnite

Speakers:

Brooke Battle, Founder and CEO at Swell Fundraising
Andy Howell, CEO at Uncommon Giving
Lori Zoss Kraska, Founder and CEO at Growth Owl
Mackenzie Burckbuchler, Partnership Success Specialist at Double the Donation

Wed 11/15 at 12 p.m. – Association Trends Talk: Energize to Mobilize: A Guide to Reviving Nonprofit Boards

Many nonprofit boards find themselves struggling with apathy, low participation, and a general lack of energy. Explore innovative strategies to revitalize a nonprofit board, rekindle enthusiasm, and re-engage members in the organization’s cause. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Ewald Consulting

Speakers:

Laura Orr, CEO, Forward Governance Consulting
Eric Ewald, CXO, Ewald Consulting

Wed 11/15 at 1 p.m. – Member Engagement is an Art and a Science. Do Both!

Put on your scientist hat to explore experiments to you can do to determine what engagement strategies work. Then use your right brain to create and test new ways of communicating that improve your membership, renewal and general member engagement results. Learn how to get personalized feedback to determine the best engagement strategies for your organization, use both analytics and creativity to boost member engagement, leverage insights from experiments to design effective communication pieces, and save time and resources by avoiding ineffective methods or engaging members in the wrong ways. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Brianne Wheeler, Director of Marketing at PropFuel

Wed 11/15 at 1 p.m. – Am I Making the Right Decision? The Role of Ethics in Volunteer Engagement

Learn the difference between personal, organizational and professional ethics; the core values and principles identified by the Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration; and strategies for increasing awareness of ethics within an organization and helping both volunteers and staff become more effective at handling ethical dilemmas. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration

Wed 11/15 at 1 p.m. – Inclusive by Design: Partnering with Destination Organizations to Create Business Events Where All Belong

Learn how to find destinations that are prioritizing inclusion and create events where all belong. Explore strategies from destination selection to attendance driving and get takeaways that will support you in enhancing your business events strategy to create more impactful, diverse and successful events. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Meetings Today

Speakers:

Emily Scheiderer, Senior Director of Education, Sales and Services, Destinations International
Mya Surrency, Co-Founder, Digital Edge
Brad Weaber, Principal, Brad Weaber Consulting Group, LLC

Wed 11/15 at 2 p.m. – Non-Dues Performance Leadership: Explore the Gaps and Opportunities to Success

Learn about key performance indicators of high-value non-dues programs, research results from the 2023 PAR Non-Dues Performance Survey, and how associations are successfully running, managing and staffing non-dues programs that their markets rely on. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Professionals for Association Revenue

Speakers:

John Bacon, Vice President, Enterprise Sales, ASAE
Teri Carden, Founder, Non-Dues-A-Palooza
Jim Elliott, President, James G. Elliott Co., Inc.
Sean Soth, Founder & Leadership Advisory Board Chair, Professionals for Association Revenue

Wed 11/15 at 2 p.m. – Cracking the Code: Corporate Sponsorship Demystified for Associations

Many corporations have sponsorship and partnership dollars specifically dedicated to supporting the industries, initiatives, and causes that your organization is founded on. Learn how to connect and form transformational partnerships with businesses that align with your organizational mission. Find out what corporate sponsorship decision makers look for from associations, creative ways organizations are structuring sponsorships, the importance of mindset in pursuing corporate sponsorship, and how to best engage and communicate with each decision maker type. More info/register.

Host: Matrix Group

Speakers:

Lori Zoss Kraska, MBA, CFRE, Founder of Growth Owl LLC
Joanna Pineda, CEO and Chief Troublemaker of Matrix Group International

Wed 11/15 at 2 p.m. – The Road to 2024: Optimizing Your Budget for Maximum ROI

As 2023 comes to a close and we plan for 2024, concerns around inflation, budget constraints, and under-staffed event teams are top of mind. Learn how to centralize visibility of all meetings and events to cut duplicative programs, strategically source venues and vendors to reduce expenses, and use the digital medium, such as webinars and virtual events, to maximize ROI. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MeetingsNet

Speaker: Sheila Crespy, Senior Solutions Consultant, Cvent

Wed 11/15 at 3 p.m. – Marketing AI in Action

Are you thinking about implementing AI but have no idea where to start? Are you a marketer who is ready to digitally transform your organization’s strategy? Learn about easy-to-use AI tools you can begin experimenting with right away at your organization, which are specific to the marketing, membership, and communications functions, such as: SEO/search optimization tools, email tools, content generation and inline editing tools, image and other content generation tools, and AI-powered audio editing tools. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Erica Salm Rench, MBA, COO, Rasa.io

Thu 11/16 at 11 a.m. – How to Merge Your Sources and Clean Your Data to Effectively Impact Your Members

Learn the difference between good and bad data and the impact both can have on an organization, how to employ automated processes to clean up your data and better connect with your members, and how to enrich and verify you data as part of an overall data governance strategy. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Sidecar

Speakers:

Cameron Aubuchon, Co-Founder, PropFuel
Hilton Gray, Co-Founder, MemberJunction

Thu 11/16 at 11 a.m. – Cybersecurity and Digital Defense

Are you ready to take your cybersecurity defenses to the next level? Stay ahead of the game with actionable insights from leading industry experts, empowering you to safeguard your digital assets and protect your organization from ever-evolving cyber threats. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers: Jim Begley, Chief Technology Officer; David DeCillis, CISSP, Senior Product Specialist; and Michael Shonholz, Chief Revenue Officer, ARG, Inc.

Thu 11/16 at 12 p.m. – The Community Check-In

A weekly community chat on Slack for black professionals working in the events industry. More info/register.

Host: Black In Events Network

Thu 11/16 at 1 p.m. – Sponsorship and Member Engagement Mastery: What’s Shaping The Future

Sponsorship and member engagement trends are evolving every year and it is vital to keep up with the pace. Learn how to recognize the importance of actively engaging new members, identify the reasons why new members don’t engage after signing up, optimize association and sponsors insights to boost engagement, and merge sponsor expertise with association initiatives for high impact. More info/register.

Host: Grype

Speakers:

Amanda Kaiser, Engagement Strategist at Kaiser Insights LLC and the author of “Elevating Engagement: Uncommon Strategies for Creating a Thriving Member Community”
Bruce Rosenthal, Founder & Convener at Partnership Professionals Network
Farhad Khan, CEO & Membership Strategist at Grype Digital

Thu 11/16 at 1 p.m. – Conquering the Online Mountain

Associations everywhere are doubling down on online learning because you can attract, engage and retain members with learning that helps them grow in their careers. But creating and delivering effective, easy-to-use learning experiences can seem daunting as a mountain. Learn how you can become a membership magnet, redefine engagement and boost retention with online learning. More info/register.

Host: D2L

Speaker: Ruthlyn Graham, Learning Experience Consultant, D2L

Thu 11/16 at 2 p.m. – The Future Is Now: AI and Automation in Association Software

Host: Higher Logic

Speaker: Rob Wenger, co-founder and CEO, Higher Logic

Thu 11/16 at 2 p.m. – How to Create and Maintain a Technology Roadmap

Do you have a technology roadmap? Most likely, your organization has a strategic plan. How does your technology align with that plan? Learn how to get started and how to manage your roadmap. Whether you have a plan already or need to start one, our team will walk you through our approach to creating and following a technology plan. More info/register.

Host: Association Technologies

Thu 11/16 at 2 p.m. – Panel Discussion: Designing In-Person Education Events That Are Neuro-Inclusive

Learn about the importance of planning neuro-inclusive in-person training events. More info/register.

Host: Omnipress

Speakers:

Samantha Evans, CAE, ICE-CCP, MBA, Certification Manager, International Association of Disability Professionals
Megan Hufton, Certified Autism Specialist, Development Coordinator, Autism Society of South Central Wisconsin
Daniel Wendler, PsyD, Speaker, Author, Clinical Psychologist
Tracy Grzybowski, Director of Marketing, Omnipress

Fri 11/17 at 10 a.m. – Association Pricing (Association Design Circle)

Host: Product Community

Fri 11/17 at 12 p.m. – Creating and Utilizing Effective Policies

Need to strengthen your association’s governance? Learn how to choose, write, and implement the best policies for your association. More info/register.

Host: Zzeem

Fri 11/17 at 12:30 p.m. – Ask Me Anything: Integration Platforms as a Service (iPaaS)

Warehouses, data lakes, and middleware OH MY! What is an iPaaS? Does my organization need one? Bring all your integration questions and join the AMA. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Speaker: Gayathri Kher, CEO and Co-founder, fusionSpan

Fri 11/17 at 1 p.m. – Learning in the Age of AI: Unlocking the Power of Generative Content Creation

Host: Blue Sky eLearn

Speakers:

Rick Bawcum, CEO and Founder, Cimatri
Jeremiah Kendall, Chief Technology Officer, Blue Sky eLearn

Fri 11/17 at 2 p.m. – Virtual Networking Event for the ASAE Consultant Community

Meet and greet your fellow Consultant Community members and share ideas for improving business and building relationships. More info/register.

Organizer: Cecilia Sepp, founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting

Fri 11/17 at 4 p.m. – The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable (Book Discussion)

Host: Fridays@4

Facilitator: David Falchek, CAE, IOM, CMP, executive director of Serving Seniors Inc.

Mon 11/20 at 5:30 p.m. – The Future Is Now: AI and Automation in Association Software

Host: Higher Logic

Speaker: Rob Wenger, co-founder and CEO, Higher Logic

Tue 11/21 at 12 p.m. – Volunteer vs. Organization ROI (ASAE CRVM Crunch and Munch)

Host: ASAE Component Relations and Volunteer Management Council

Facilitators:

Jessica Irizarry, Director of Chapter Strategy at ASID
Kevin Whorton, President of Whorton Research

Association Brain Food Weekly is published Friday mornings. If your organization offers free professional development for the association community, please send me the link via email by Wednesday afternoon the week before it’s scheduled.

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Association Brain Food: 11.3.23

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

Looking for additional work. I’ve had a few writing projects finish recently and have room for more client work in my schedule. I usually work with association industry partners on blog posts, case studies, and other content marketing pieces, but am open to learning about other interesting projects outside that scope. Please email me if you have something to discuss. Thanks!

Pierre PARtnership Award deadline today. The Professionals for Association Revenue’s Pierre PARtnership Award celebrates the impact of business on association missions. Nominate your new product, member program, partnership success, or organizational change that propels your association toward its mission. Nominees will be part of a panel at the RevUP Summit in December in Annapolis MD. Nominate your association’s business success story here—the deadline is today.

Engagement marketing. Since the pandemic, people are making more time for their personal interests and less for their work interests. TopClass LMS describes how to convince your audience to invest in their personal growth and improve their lives by participating in association programs.

Chapter communications. Billhighway explains how to help chapter leaders become better communicators so they can more effectively run and promote their chapters. They describe how to first improve your communications (and relationships) with chapters so volunteer leaders are more receptive and aware of your messages and resources.

Board buy-in on tech. GrowthZone shares strategies for selling your board (or boss) on the need for a new AMS. Use these tactics when making a case for any new technology investment.

Association podcast. At Associations Now, Hannah Carvalho describes how a chapter of the American College of Physicians helped student members launch and run a podcast. Their advice for working with students would also work for podcasts involving regular members.

Office urgency. Association workplaces often suffer from the “everything is a priority” syndrome, especially when boards or members make requests. Dina Denham Smith at Harvard Business Review shares five tactics to combat a culture of false urgency at work.

Scientific society events. ExOrdo shares key findings from their interviews with 27 scholarly societies about event goals, programs, and challenges. They discuss the growth of international online audiences, challenges with online networking and engagement, online content libraries, and more.

Off-topic but worth your time

Ross Barkan asks if anyone cares about free speech, one of our country’s greatest achievements. He describes how both the left and right dismiss free speech when it’s convenient for them.

“He’s absolutely scathing towards Western media and academia, Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, the Netanyahu government. He excoriates all of them in equal measure.” True words from a Twitter review of historian Simon Sebag Montefiore’s article in The Atlantic, The Decolonization Narrative Is Dangerous and False: It Does Not Accurately Describe Either the Foundation of Israel or the Tragedy of the Palestinians. Don’t subscribe? Try this tool.

Jean M. Twenge says teens are in the midst of a mental health crisis because of phones and social media. The research proves it and alternative causes don’t pass muster.

Judi Dench was on The Graham Norton Show last week to promote her new book about her life and work with Shakespeare. After she makes the point that we quote Shakespeare daily without knowing it, this happened. What a treasure she is.

You never grow old at the table

Skip down to the list of free educational events if you prefer takeout.

I’ve always been an Emeril Lagasse fan (despite the Bam!) since his recipes are fantastic and he’s from my neck of the woods. I always have a batch of homemade Emeril Essence, his Creole seasoning, on hand. Last week, for Creole speckled sea trout, I sprinkled the fillets with Essence and then dredged them in brown rice flour—a new discovery. Put brown rice in a spare coffee grinder and process it until it resembles flour. After pan-frying the fillets, remove them from the pan and make a sauce with butter, green onions, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Excellent.

On the side, we had an asparagus sauté—yeah, I know asparagus isn’t in season, but they were on sale. I’m not always as food-virtuous as I’d like to be. In the sauté mix: carrot, red bell pepper, and red onion.

Another night, I made catfish with Portuguese chouriço, white beans, and spinach. I think of it as a Portuguese fish skillet—channeling Emeril. My dish is based on an old Eating Well recipe, but I add red bell, poblano, jalapeño, garlic, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, and spinach, and do it all on the stove.

One night, when we go home late and I didn’t have time to cook, I pulled leftover pressure cooker spicy Korean pork shoulder from the freezer. I like it in tortillas with slaw.

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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 too product-centric.

Fri 11/3 at 4 p.m. EDT* – Recognizing Burnout Before It’s Too Late

Hear from association professionals who will share their experiences with burnout and its effects on their professional and personal wellbeing. Participate in a moderator-led breakout session with a small group of fellow attendees for an in-depth discussion on how burnout is affecting you, your team, and your workplace. Leave with steps you can take today to address burnout before it’s too late. More info/register.

Host: Fridays@4

Speaker: Alexandra Bradley, director of marketing and communications, American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery

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

Mon 11/6 at 8 a.m. – Content Creation and Repurposing (Radio Free 501c, the podcast of Rogue Tulips Consulting)

Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting

Guest: Cynthia Lockrey, Lockrey Communications

Tue 11/7 at 12 p.m. – Data Analytics & Generative AI (Data Analytics Network)

Discuss generative AI, how you should use it in your day-to-day work, what programs/products/services you should be considering for your organization, and how your members should be using it. Hear real-world stories and share your user stories. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Data Analytics Network

Guest: Conor Sibley, Chief Technology Officer at Association Analytics

Wed 11/8 at 11 a.m. – Creating Personalized Member Experiences with Your Data

What if you could elevate the experience of your own members and delight them with unforgettable moments? Using data-driven insights and AI can help you be invaluable to your members. Learn how break down the data silos and work towards a single source of truth, build trust and confidence in the integrity of your data, and make informed decisions using data driven and AI insights. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: iMIS by ASI

Wed 11/8 at 11:30 a.m. – Tapas Talks (Cyber & Security) in the Small Staff Association Marketplace

Always conversational and lively, a mixture of planned content and virtual f2f discussions with subject matter experts, plus the serendipity of talking through challenges with your peers. November’s theme is all things Cyber & Security. More info/register.

Host: QiqoChat

Guest: Brian Scott of ClearTone Consulting and 501CISO

Wed 11/8 at 12 p.m. – Everything You Need to Know About ChatGPT: The Hottest (and Scariest) Technology of 2023

Just a few months ago, the world as we know it changed forever. ChatGPT can write whole essays from a simple text prompt, formulate 100 social media post ideas from a single sentence, create computer code with just a description and compose poetry and songs in any artist’s style in milliseconds. With this type of AI tool, there are ethical issues, legal issues, bias issues, quality issues, creativity issues, copyright issues, issue issues…and issues we haven’t even considered. Get an in-depth look at ChatGPT and similar tools to discover how it works, what it can do, how it can help you do your job better, who it hurts, and, most importantly, how far it can go. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Hosts: Billhighway and Mariner Management

Speaker: Beth Zienesis, Your Nerdy Best Friend

Wed 11/8 at 12 p.m. – PAR Member Meet-Up: There’s No Playbook for That

Hear association teams share the craziest member, attendee or client experiences. Challenges help us grow—tune in and learn how association teams have solved their craziest moments and lived to tell the tale. PAR Member Meet-Ups are 30-minute sessions for industry professionals to collaborate on the ideas, skills and solutions our association teams need to move forward. More info/register.

Host: Professionals for Association Revenue

Wed 11/8 at 12 p.m. – Cybersecurity and AI: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

A recent ASAE survey revealed that while less than 25% of associations currently are using AI, most were in the planning stages and likely to implement plans, assessments, work groups, and seek advice about AI in the next year. One way associations could leverage AI is for cybersecurity. And the cyber threat to associations is real. It isn’t a question of if your association’s data will be compromised, it’s when. Hear how AI can be used to help associations prevent cyber threats. Learn about recent cybersecurity innovations associations might leverage to improve their cybersecurity. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Xchange

Speaker: S. Keith Moulsdale, Partner and Co-Chair of the Cyber Security, Information Management & Privacy practice at Whiteford Taylor & Preston

Wed 11/8 at 12:30 p.m. – Nonprofits and Artificial Intelligence: Important Legal Considerations Amid Ongoing Developments

Before leaping into the brave new world of generative AI, careful consideration should be given to the potential legal, contractual, and regulatory complications that business uses of AI can present. Can professionals ensure accuracy when using AI tools? What should a nonprofit do (or not do) to maintain control over its valuable data and content? How should staff and volunteers be instructed to manage privacy risks? Hear our panelists address these concerns and other best practices for nonprofits to thoughtfully embrace this evolving technology. More info/register.

Host: Venable LLP

Speakers: A.J. Zottola, Partner, Intellectual Property Transactions, and Channing Gatewood, Associate, Intellectual Property Transactions, Venable LLP

Wed 11/8 at 12:30 p.m. – Let’s Talk Fair Pay

There is a significant range of pay, depending on factors such as region, industry, job role, and experience. Let’s work together to gain a better understanding of the compensation landscape, the factors that influence pay, and the strategies for negotiation, so associations can work to attract and retain an engaged workforce. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Finance and Business Operations Professionals Advisory Council

Wed 11/8 at 1 p.m. – Event Revenue Mastery: Unlocking Your Full Potential in 2024

Learn how to craft seamless, memorable events that leave a lasting impact on attendees; the secrets behind effective event promotion, from pre-launch buzz to post-event engagement; the latest event technologies that can elevate both your event planning and marketing efforts; how to captivate and retain your audience’s attention throughout the event lifecycle; and how to gauge the success of your events and marketing campaigns, allowing for continuous growth. More info/register.

Host: Community Brands

Speakers: Michelle Schweitz, Senior Director of Marketing, and Jen Martin, Product Marketing Manager, Event Technology Solutions, Community Brands

Wed 11/8 at 1 p.m. – How to Build a Rockstar Webinar Program: Strategies for Success

Learn how to create a comprehensive strategy that will drive engagement, generate leads, and increase conversion rates. Our team of experts will guide you through the key steps in designing a webinar program that works for your business, including crafting an effective promotional plan, developing engaging content, and leveraging advanced tools and features. More info/register.

Host: American Marketing Association

Speaker: Emily Dick, Demand Generation Director, Cvent

Wed 11/8 at 2 p.m. – Election 2024: What You Need to Know, One Year Out

With 34 seats in the Senate, all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, and the White House on the ballot, the 2024 U.S. elections have the potential to reshape legislative priorities, redefine regulatory frameworks, and redraw government relationships. Hear about the complex world of elections and the repercussions for various industries, the impact of the prolonged fight over the speakership, lessons learned from 2023’s off-year election, and predictions of what’s to come in 2024. More info/register.

Host: CQ

Speakers:

Nathan Gonzales, editor and publisher, Inside Elections
Daniela Altimari, reporter, campaigns and elections, Roll Call
Mary Ellen Mcintire, reporter, House and Senate campaigns, CQ and Roll Call
Jason Dick (moderator), editor-in-chief, CQ and Roll Call

Thu 11/9 at 9:30 a.m. – Small Staff Percolator

A new interactive online coffee break format designed for you to discover more peers in our dispersed community, bring up a topic that’s brewing in the daily grind, and have a casual chat with others who know your lingo. More info/register.

Host: Qiqo

Thu 11/9 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Fall Symposium (Washington DC)

An opportunity to engage with thought leaders and subject-matter experts who will guide us through the intricate and fascinating world of personal and professional development. Sessions:

Rise Up Together: Navigating the Journey of Member Loyalty in Communities with Bill Mcglade, President, Community Leaders Institute & epIQ Creative Group
A Magic Wand For Member Retention with Greg Pollack, SVP of Sales, Association Analytics
Member Engagement is an Art and a Science. Do Both! with Brianne Wheeler, Director of Marketing at PropFuel
Test Drive Your Shiny New Membership Model with Aimee Pagano, Senior Digital Marketing Advisor at HighRoad Solution

Location: Washington DC. 4 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Thu 11/9 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Fall Symposium (Virtual)

An opportunity to engage with thought leaders and subject-matter experts who will guide us through the intricate and fascinating world of personal and professional development. Sessions:

Rise Up Together: Navigating the Journey of Member Loyalty in Communities with Bill Mcglade, President, Community Leaders Institute & epIQ Creative Group
A Magic Wand For Member Retention with Greg Pollack, SVP of Sales, Association Analytics
Member Engagement is an Art and a Science. Do Both! with Brianne Wheeler, Director of Marketing at PropFuel
Test Drive Your Shiny New Membership Model with Aimee Pagano, Senior Digital Marketing Advisor at HighRoad Solution

4 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Thu 11/9 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. – MemberSips Workshop – Change Management: Unlocking Post Go-Live Success (McLean VA)

Explore strategies and best practices to ensure your organization’s transformation initiatives thrive long after the go-live date. Learn how to maintain the initial excitement and commitment to change; communication techniques to keep stakeholders engaged, informed, and aligned throughout the post go-live phase; the common sources of resistance to change and strategies to address them effectively; define, track, and evaluate the impact of post go-live changes using key performance indicators, and foster a change-centric culture where adaptability and continuous improvement are the norm. Location: McLean VA. More info/register.

Host: Impexium

Speaker: Rebecca Achurch, CEO of Achurch Consulting

Thu 11/9 at 12 p.m. – Top 10 Membership Strategies for 2024

Learn ten new strategies for recruiting sustainable new members, strengthening engagement, and increasing retention. More info/register.

Host: GrowthZone

Speaker: Shari Pash

Thu 11/9 at 12 p.m. – The Community Check-In

A weekly community chat on Slack for black professionals working in the events industry. More info/register.

Host: Black In Events Network

Thu 11/9 at 2 p.m. – Building a 365-Day Marketing Machine to Maximize Post-Event Impact

Hear key strategies for riding the wave of a successful event to maximize post-event impact and drive continuous success throughout the year. Learn how to ensure a clean, post-event marketing hand-off, repurpose event content to extend your reach, build engaged communities, continuously nurture event-generated leads, and sustain momentum long after your event is over. More info/register.

Host: Bizzabo

Speakers:

Gianna Gaudini, Head of Events at Airtable
Anthony Kennada, Cofounder & CEO, AudiencePlus
Monique Ruff-Bell, Director of Events at TED
Oren Berkovich, Head of Experience Lab, Bizzabo

Fri 11/10 at 12:30 p.m. – – Conversations with Champions

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Guest: Katherine Schowengerdt, Director of Operations at American College of Sports Medicine

Fri 11/10 at 4 p.m. – Career Toolkit: Enhancing the Art of Powerful Storytelling in Interviews

Host: Fridays@4

Speaker: Daphne Valcin, certified coach, speaker, and trainer

Mon 11/13 at 12 p.m. – ASAE Membership Mondays

Host: ASAE Membership Professionals Community

Tue 11/14 at 11 a.m. – Developing a Business Mindset for Nonprofits

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Brian Haney, Founder and CEO, The Haney Company

Wed 11/15 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. – VisionCSI Virtual Summit: Cybersecurity, Data Analytics/AI, and Mission-Driven Partnerships

Host: designDATA

Wed 11/15 at 11 a.m. – The Pitfalls of Cybersecuity for Nonprofits

Host: UST Education

Speakers: Stacey Campbell, Director of Business Development, and Chris Rounds, Senior Solutions Architect, Express Info

Wed 11/15 at 12 p.m. – Visualizing the Digital Member Journey

Host: High Road Solution

Speakers: Aimee Pagano, Director of Programming, and Garra Swayne, Strategic Account Manager, HighRoad Solutions

Wed 11/15 at 12 p.m. – Nonprofit Matchmaking: Building Relationships with Corporate Partners

Host: NXUnite

Speakers:

Brooke Battle, Founder and CEO at Swell Fundraising
Andy Howell, CEO at Uncommon Giving
Lori Zoss Kraska, Founder and CEO at Growth Owl
Mackenzie Burckbuchler, Partnership Success Specialist at Double the Donation

Wed 11/15 at 2 p.m. – Non-Dues Performance Leadership: Explore the Gaps and Opportunities to Success

Host: Professionals for Association Revenue

Speakers:

John Bacon, Vice President, Enterprise Sales, ASAE
Teri Carden, Founder, Non-Dues-A-Palooza
Jim Elliott, President, James G. Elliott Co., Inc.
Sean Soth, Founder & Leadership Advisory Board Chair, Professionals for Association Revenue

Wed 11/15 at 2 p.m. – Cracking the Code: Corporate Sponsorship Demystified for Associations

Host: Matrix Group

Speakers:

Lori Zoss Kraska, MBA, CFRE, Founder of Growth Owl LLC
Joanna Pineda, CEO and Chief Troublemaker of Matrix Group International

Wed 11/15 at 3 p.m. – Marketing AI in Action

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Erica Salm Rench, MBA, COO, Rasa.io

Thu 11/16 at 11 a.m. – How to Merge Your Sources and Clean Your Data to Effectively Impact Your Members

Host: Sidecar

Speakers:

Cameron Aubuchon, Co-Founder, PropFuel
Hilton Gray, Co-Founder, MemberJunction

Thu 11/16 at 11 a.m. – Cybersecurity and Digital Defense

Host: UST Education

Speakers: Jim Begley, Chief Technology Officer; David DeCillis, CISSP, Senior Product Specialist; and Michael Shonholz, Chief Revenue Officer, ARG, Inc.

Thu 11/16 at 1 p.m. – Sponsorship and Member Engagement Mastery: What’s Shaping The Future

Host: Grype

Speakers:

Amanda Kaiser, Engagement Strategist at Kaiser Insights LLC and the author of “Elevating Engagement: Uncommon Strategies for Creating a Thriving Member Community”
Bruce Rosenthal, Founder & Convener at Partnership Professionals Network
Farhad Khan, CEO & Membership Strategist at Grype Digital

Thu 11/16 at 2 p.m. – The Future Is Now: AI and Automation in Association Software

Host: Higher Logic

Speaker: Rob Wenger, co-founder and CEO, Higher Logic

Fri 11/17 at 12:30 p.m. – Ask Me Anything: Integration Platforms as a Service (iPaaS)

Warehouses, data lakes, and middleware OH MY! What is an iPaaS? Does my organization need one? Bring all your integration questions and join the AMA. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Speaker: Gayathri Kher, CEO and Co-founder, fusionSpan

Fri 11/17 at 2 p.m. – Virtual Networking Event for the ASAE Consultant Community

Meet and greet your fellow Consultant Community members and share ideas for improving business and building relationships. More info/register.

Organizer: Cecilia Sepp, founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting

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Association Brain Food: 10.27.23

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

Membership benchmarks. iMIS invites you to participate in their 9th Annual Membership Benchmark Survey. In seven minutes, you can help our community learn about association industry trends in membership engagement and retention levels, digital transformation, the adoption of AI, generational priorities, and more.

Career website. The competition for talent is as tough as ever. Many associations are putting great emphasis on career websites, so they can help industry employers with workforce development. TopClass LMS highlights distinctive site features from several excellent examples.

Orthodox beliefs. Jeff De Cagna delivers a thought-provoking and necessary wake-up call about our assumptions about associations. He identifies six “orthodox beliefs” that associations must confront before the Threatening Thirties. I imagine upon reading them that many of you will nod your head and think “guilty.” But that’s not enough. How do you overturn these beliefs at your association?

Mentoring. The Art of Mentoring describes the benefits of offering a mentoring program to your members. They also provide a checklist for implementing an effective mentorship program or enhancing an existing one.

Governance. If associations are to adapt to our new environment, they must rethink governance, says Michael Butera. He explains what associations have to do to enhance their capability and realize their potential—a short, powerful list.

Local community building. Ewald Consulting describes how the Association of Workplace Investigators uses Local Circles to build connections and foster community among members and non-members. Perhaps a concept like this could serve as a low-admin alternative to chapters?

Marketing to younger generations. Trying to figure out how to market more effectively to Gen Z and millennials? Mercury Creative Group explains how to build an association brand that attracts and retains younger members.

Strategic partnerships. Sherry Budziak at .orgSource describes how two associations’ partnerships with civic and governmental organizations acted as safety nets in times of crisis. She also shares the story of another association that partnered with an outside expert to fill in a service (and revenue) gap.

Value proposition. What is your association’s secret sauce? James Young at Product Community says you need “a world-class value proposition” for your association and for each product or experience. He suggests using empathy maps and value proposition canvases to home in on the unique value you offer.

Also worth your time

If you allow hate to seep into your words, thoughts, or heart, please watch this video from Arnold Schwarzenegger, my fantasy president.

Unlock the power of timeboxing for project management and professional development. (Marc Zao-Sanders, Harvard Business Review)

It’s easy to screw up on breaking news. But you have to admit when you do. (Nate Silver talking about the troubling journalistic standards lately at the NY Times, Washington Post, BBC, AP, and other legacy media outlets)

You never grow old at the table

Skip down to the list of free educational events if you prefer takeout.

We spent last weekend at my niece’s, who lives just down the road from the Intracoastal Waterway, across from uninhabited Masonboro Island in North Carolina. Crabbing, clamming, and feasting were on the agenda. Saturday night, I made our traditional dinner of shrimp scampi with linguine: onion, garlic, tomatoes, white wine, lemon juice, NC shrimp, butter, pasta water, and linguine.

Back at home, with some of our harvest, Jim made steamed crabs and clams for dinner. The next night, I made spaghetti with white clam sauce: chouriço sausage, onion, red jalapeno, garlic, red pepper flakes, white wine, lemon juice, clams, butter, pasta water, parsley, and whole wheat spaghetti. On the side, roasted broccoli with lemon zest, garlic powder, and parmesan.

Another night, I pan-seared NC yellowfin tuna steaks with lemon zest and juice, and black pepper. On the side, roasted broccoli (again!) with red onion, red jalapeño, and garlic powder.

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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 too product-centric.

Fri 10/27 at 9:30 a.m.* – World Café: International Meetings & Events

Explore three aspects of international meetings: developing (regionally) relevant content, possible business models, and navigating the tension between local/global/US-centric cultural expectations. More info/register.

Hosts: ASAE International Associations Professionals Community and Michiel Gen, Partner, Exempla Management & Consulting

Speakers:

Sylvia Gonner, CAE, President & Owner, CultureWiz
Matt Riley, CAE, Director of Associations, International Conference Service
Dianna Steinbach, COO, National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors

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

Fri 10/27 at 11 a.m. – Monthly Virtual Consultants Town Hall for Networking/Connecting

This monthly networking meeting is for connecting and sharing among consultants. The agenda will be created by the community through suggesting topics and/or volunteering to share content via a presentation. More info/register.

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

Fri 10/27 at 12:30 p.m. – Ask Me Anything: Marketing Automation

Learn about marketing automation. How can technology and automation make our marketing efforts less painful? What can automation be used for? Bring all your marketing automation questions and join the AMA. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Speaker: Genevieve Borello, CAE, MPA, oversees the American Bar Association’s Tax Section’s membership, marketing, and diversity initiatives

Fri 10/27 at 1 p.m. – eLearning Marketing Makeover: Refresh Your Approach to Reach More Learners

Learn how to develop targeted content that speaks to your different member personas, market eLearning to both members AND non-members, seamlessly connect your website and LMS for maximum impact, and leverage your LMS to market your programs. 0.75 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Blue Sky eLearn

Speakers: Cassie Garcia, Director of Marketing, and Dr. Kristen Wall, MA, EdD, Director of Learning and Development, Blue Sky eLearn

Fri 10/27 at 4 p.m. – Nonprofit Management Series: Lesson from Organizational Strategies for Personal Growth

Nonprofits and trade groups develop strategies to manage transition, solicit feedback from their community or members, and reassess priorities in response to outside trends. Join this dialogue to discover ways to incorporate lessons from organization-wide changes to personal professional growth. More info/register.

Host: Fridays@4

Speakers:

Ted Miller, Founder, Ted Miller Strategies
Shandell Richards, Chief Program Officer, Horton’s Kids

Mon 10/30 at 8 a.m. – Unleashing the Power of BI (Radio Free 501c, the podcast of Rogue Tulips Consulting)

Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting

Guests: Daniel Elacqua and Gwen Garrison, authors of the book, Unleashing the Power of BI

Tue 10/31 at 11 a.m. – Don’t Let Dirty Data Spook You Away From Analytics

We’ve worked with hundreds of associations just like yours, who once believed they weren’t ready to delve into analytics due to dirty data. However, once they took the plunge, they realized analytics wasn’t the scary monster they imagined. Learn why a lot of the data you’ve been hoarding isn’t that important, you’ll never have immaculate data, and you don’t need pristine data to leverage analytics. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Analytics

Speakers: Bill Conforti, SVP of Strategy & Solutions, and Greg Pollack, SVP of Sales Enablement, Association Analytics

Tue 10/31 at 11 a.m. – Leadership & Learning: Leadership and the Weight We Carry: Navigating the Murky Waters of Leading and Being Human

Explore the limitations of the common advice to “leave it at the door” for effective leadership; the impact of authenticity when it goes too far, casting a shadow on the entire team; the potential of trust and curiosity as the cornerstone of healthy, authentic leadership; and the interplay of personal challenges and leadership in diverse contexts. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Ryan MacTaggart, PhD, Associate Director, Professional Learning, EDUCAUSE

Tue 10/31 at 11 a.m. – Mastering Year-End Reporting: 5 Tricks and Treats for Advocacy Teams

It’s important to show your leadership team, board, and members or clients what you’ve accomplished in the past year, but it’s even more important to connect past success to future plans, especially with a tumultuous election year ahead. Learn how to craft a successful year-end report in half the time and a winning strategy for next year. Hear about the metrics and data you need to showcase the value of your work in 2023, tips to build a strong strategy heading into a presidential election year, and real-life stories and examples from advocacy professionals to copy for your own reporting and strategy. More info/register.

Host: VoterVoice

Speakers:

Jamie Cobby, Senior Regional Grassroots Manager, National Federation of Independent Business
Jessica Cooper, National Director of Grassroots Strategies, National Federation of Independent Business
Sherry Whitworth (moderator), Managing Director of Public Affairs and Advocacy, FiscalNote

Tue 10/31 at 12 p.m. – Tech Tuesdays: Protecting Your Organization’s Data from Malicious Attacks

How are we protecting our organizations from all the threats our digital environments are subject to? Let’s get together and talk about how we’re securing our networks and desktops, how we’re promoting cybersecurity as a “culture” within our organizations, and where we are lacking. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Technology Council

Speakers:

Reggie Henry, ASAE
Dave Coriale and Andrew Legett, DelCor

Tue 10/31 at 12 p.m. – ASAE CRVM Reading Club: Atomic Habits

Join the ASAE CRVM Reading Club to discuss Atomic Habits by James Clear. We’ll talk about habit stacking, incremental changes and how to improve yourself 1% every day. We’d love to hear your opinion of these techniques and what works for you. Read the book (the author’s summary or an online review) and join us with a cup of coffee and your input on habits. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Component Relations and Volunteer Management (CRVM) Advisory Council

Tue 10/31 at 1 p.m. – Leadership & Learning Series: The Generational Shift: Moving Forward Together

Learn about the generational shift and what makes it unique at this point in history. Gain insights into perspectives across the generations including leadership, recognition, and motivation. Hear about practical applications to improve organizational effectiveness with care, curiosity, and collaboration. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Katherine Jeffery, PhD, Generational Strategist, CEO, KJ Consulting, LLC

Tue 10/31 at 1 p.m. – Cybersecurity Best Practices: A Treat for Your Entire Association

According to the Community Brands Association Trends Study, just 28% of members rank their organization as an excellent technology user when protecting member data and offering secure transactions. Learn cybersecurity best practices to protect your member data and empower staff, valuable data security insights from leading association professionals, and what to look for in an association tech stack to prioritize cybersecurity. More info/register.

Host: Community Brands

Speakers: Michelle Schweitz, Sr Director of Marketing, and Doug Stopper, Vice President of Cybersecurity, Risk, & Compliance,  Community Brands

Tue 10/31 at 2 p.m. – Demystifying the Speaker and Entertainment Industries

Hiring the right speaker or entertainer isn’t just finding the right content—the contract terms must align with your budget as well as attendee and stakeholder expectations. Hear about current business trends and advice on planning and booking unforgettable experiences with top talent, whether you’re booking direct or partnering with a bureau/agency. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MeetingsNet

Speakers:

Nichole Beasley, President and Founder, West End Entertainment
Diane Goodman, CMP, President and Founder, Goodman Speaker Management and Founder, Goodman Speakers Bureau

Wed 11/1 at 11 a.m. – PCI Compliance

Learn best practices for associations in implementing PCI Compliance. Get a basic overview of PCI Compliance and what it’s designed to achieve. Hear nine practical tips you can implement immediately to ensure a more secure payment environment. Find out what you should know about the Self-Assessment-Questionnaire (SAQ). 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers: Julie Duncan, Association Practice Leader, and Jenni Glaze, COO, US Transactions Corporation

Wed 11/1 at 12 p.m. – Don’t Be a Data Hoarder: 5 Steps to Recovery

Data hoarding wastes staff time, creates a bad member experience, and costs your association revenue. Learn how to weed your data garden, improve staff efficiency, common use cases supported by data integrations, how to identify the use cases you will need, and basic steps you can take to validate those use cases against a system API when selecting a new system. More info/register.

Host: Association Insights in Old Town (AIOT)

Speaker: Justin Burniske, Principal Consultant and Co-Owner, Meta-Dao

Wed 11/1 at 12 p.m. MDT – AWTC Pop-Up Lunch: digitalNow (Aurora CO)

Are you attending digitalNow? If so, meet up with your AWTC peeps beforehand. These intimate, informal gatherings are designed to help you build your network and connect with the AWTC community. Location: Aurora CO. More info/register.

Organizer: Association Women Technology Champions

Wed 11/1 at 1 p.m. – An Association Professional’s Guide to AI

Hear real-world examples that illustrate how both large and small associations can adopt AI-driven strategies successfully. Learn how AI can amplify the role of an association professional, decision-making and operations can be refined and streamlined through the use of AI, and specific AI applications can be integrated into an association’s practices. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Fonteva

Speaker: Joe Burak, Founder and Chief Strategist, TRANSiT Strategy & Analytics

Wed 11/1 at 2 p.m. – Setting a Strategy for Recruiting Talent

Learn about best practices for effectively hiring candidates for both permanent and project work in the meetings and events industry, including defining the role and devising a game plan for recruiting. Hear how to establish a game plan and timeline, define the role and skills needed, and engage consistently to avoid “ghosting.” 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Northstar Meetings Group

Speakers:

Dawn Penfold, President, Meetingjobs.com
Todd Taranto, President, Cadre
Sarah J.F. Braley (moderator), Managing Editor, Northstar Meetings Group

Thu 11/2 at 2 p.m. – Know Before You Go: Wisdom to Set Your Organization Up for Success on Software Projects

Ready to find the perfect software solution for your association in 2024? Don’t know where to start? Our expert panel is here to offer practical advice, easy-to-follow guidance, and valuable resources to help you start your journey towards success. Whether you need an AMS, LMS, CRM, or Community system, we’ll cover the key steps for maximizing your chances of success. More info/register.

Host: 501 Works

Speakers:

Laura Armstrong, Senior Consultant, Cimatri
Vanessa Dennison, CAE, CBAP, Dennison & Associates, Principal
Craig Peake, Vice President, AMS Geek

Thu 11/2 at 2 p.m. – The Exhibitor’s Wishlist: Planning for 2024’s Exhibitor Trends

Find out what exhibiting and sponsoring companies, large and small, truly want from trade shows and event organizers like yourself. Learn about their top priorities and biggest concerns, how budgets and other marketing priorities are guiding their decisions for events next year, and what will make your event, exhibiting and sponsoring packages, stand out from the rest. More info/register.

Host: Personify A2Z Events

Thu 11/2 at 3 p.m. – From Prospects to Promoters: Key Strategies to Recruit and Retain Members

Get actionable insights into best practices for member recruitment and powerful communication tactics to retain members. Hear about the value of using multiple communication tools to reach members, innovative ways to engage members and non-members, and the importance of frequency and timing of communication across your association. More info/register.

Host: Grype

Speaker: Scott Oser, president, Scott Oser Associates

Thu 11/2 at 7 p.m. – House Social

Join us for our quarterly Open House. Meet the community, hear what is happening and how you can be involved. More info/register.

Host: Black in Events

Fri 11/3 at 4 p.m. – Recognizing Burnout Before It’s Too Late

Host: Fridays@4

Speakers:

Alexandra Bradley, director of marketing and communications, American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery

Tue 11/7 at 12 p.m. – Using Generative AI (Data Analytics Network)

Join association professionals for peer-led discussions on topics related to data and analytics. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Data Analytics Network

Wed 11/8 at 11 a.m. – Creating Personalized Member Experiences with Your Data

Host: iMIS by ASI

Wed 11/8 at 11:30 a.m. – Tapas Talks (Cyber & Security) in the Small Staff Association Marketplace

Host: QiqoChat

Wed 11/8 at 12 p.m. – Everything You Need to Know About ChatGPT: The Hottest (and Scariest) Technology of 2023

Hosts: Billhighway, Impexium, and Mariner Management

Speaker: Beth Zienesis, Your Nerdy Best Friend

Wed 11/8 at 12 p.m. – PAR Member Meet-Up: There’s No Playbook for That

Host: Professionals for Association Revenue

Wed 11/8 at 12 p.m. – Cybersecurity and AI: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

Host: Association Xchange

Speaker: S. Keith Moulsdale, Partner and Co-Chair of the Cyber Security, Information Management & Privacy practice at Whiteford Taylor & Preston

Thu 11/9 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Fall Symposium (Washington DC)

An opportunity to engage with thought leaders and subject-matter experts who will guide us through the intricate and fascinating world of personal and professional development. Sessions:

Rise Up Together: Navigating the Journey of Member Loyalty in Communities with Bill Mcglade, President, Community Leaders Institute & epIQ Creative Group
A Magic Wand For Member Retention with Greg Pollack, SVP of Sales, Association Analytics
Member Engagement is an Art and a Science. Do Both! with Brianne Wheeler, Director of Marketing at PropFuel
Test Drive Your Shiny New Membership Model with Aimee Pagano, Senior Digital Marketing Advisor at HighRoad Solution

Location: Washington DC. 4 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Thu 11/9 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Fall Symposium (Virtual)

An opportunity to engage with thought leaders and subject-matter experts who will guide us through the intricate and fascinating world of personal and professional development. Sessions:

Rise Up Together: Navigating the Journey of Member Loyalty in Communities with Bill Mcglade, President, Community Leaders Institute & epIQ Creative Group
A Magic Wand For Member Retention with Greg Pollack, SVP of Sales, Association Analytics
Member Engagement is an Art and a Science. Do Both! with Brianne Wheeler, Director of Marketing at PropFuel
Test Drive Your Shiny New Membership Model with Aimee Pagano, Senior Digital Marketing Advisor at HighRoad Solution

4 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Thu 11/9 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. – MemberSips Workshop – Change Management: Unlocking Post Go-Live Success (McLean VA)

Host: Impexium

Speaker: Rebecca Achurch, CEO of Achurch Consulting

Fri 11/10 at 12:30 p.m. – – Conversations with Champions

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Guest: Katherine Schowengerdt, Director of Operations at American College of Sports Medicine

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Association Brain Food: 10.20.23

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

Marketing. Emotional marketing appeals to your audience’s ego and desire to feel and look connected and smarter. TopClass LMS explains how to use emotional marketing triggers to persuade people to register for an educational program or conference.

Sponsor perspectives. Bruce Rosenthal and Lori Zoss Kraska share five valuable hard truths about sponsorships from Bruce’s interviews with 100 corporate sponsors. Their advice seems so obvious, yet apparently most associations need to hear it. You’re leaving money on the table!

Member app. Unlike social media, a mobile app provides a cohesive and centralized communication channel to your members. Bulletin describes several ways a member app can enhance and foster member engagement.

Market perception. Keep the Seal of Approval concept in mind when examining your association’s offerings and unique value propositions, says Dr. Michael Tatonetti in a post by Carolyn Shomali at Professionals for Association Revenue. Everything you put out there in the world carries an implicit or explicit Seal of Approval. What do your members and target audiences think of yours?

Analytics. Dave Bornmann at Association Analytics shares five convincing points to use when making a case for a bigger data analytics budget. He pairs each one with relatable examples to drive the point home.

Online community. Why do members join associations? To connect with and learn from other members, which is why online communities are a must. And they’re extremely popular with younger audiences too. Nimble AMS explains how an online community can help you attract, engage, and retain members. They also provide a useful plan for launching and managing a community.

Live website chat. Sheri Budziak at orgSource writes about the benefits of offering a live chat (with a human) tool on your website. Even better, pair it with a chatbot and you end up with a “new power couple.”

AI adoption. MCI released a benchmark survey report on AI adoption in associations.

Also worth your time

10 tips for success for incoming association CEOs. (Katherine Wayne, AMC Association Management Center)

Dealing with data: how to create reports that work for everyone. (Intellidata)

Dr. Vinay Prasad speculates about the reasons his keynote at the American College of Clinical Pharmacy’s annual meeting was canceled. He wonders what it says that small groups of people online can cancel talks. Hopefully, your association would never cave into bullying like this. (The Free Press)

Social media platforms hate the written word. My beloved Twitter keeps getting less and less user-friendly because of Musk’s impulsive lack of foresight. (Ross Barkan)

Wow. In 2016, China reported 17.86 million births. This week, it reported 9.56 million births for 2022. That’s down by nearly half in just six years. I wonder how the regime will adapt (cause trouble) in the coming years. (Patrick T. Brown)

You never grow old at the table

Skip down to the list of free educational events if you prefer takeout.

Fish and more fish. First, Mummy Lorraine sheepshead with a topping of crushed Ritz crackers, lemon zest, garlic powder, and melted butter.

Then, fish tacos made with black sea bass and amberjack—a contrast of textures. My spice rub included ancho chile powder, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

Into the tortillas went the fish, avocado, pico de gallo, and southwestern slaw made with green cabbage, carrot, red bell pepper, sweet onion, cilantro, lime juice, rice wine vinegar, light olive oil, hot sauce, cumin, salt, and pepper.

Subscribe to Blog via Email

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 too product-centric.

Fri 10/20 at 4 p.m.* – Career Coach Series: Five Big Career Mindset Mistakes

Mission driven, committed to helping the association leaders become better at what they do and at the same time helping the profession to grow and evolve so that it is always relevant to those served by that profession. Isn’t that what association management is all about? More info/register.

Host: Fridays@4

Speaker: Pegotty Cooper

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

Sat 10/21 at 3 p.m. – GenAI: The Three Questions You Can’t Afford to Ignore

Navigate the ethical labyrinth of GenAI with nuanced perspectives and actionable advice. Gain a comprehensive understanding of how to synergize human and AI capabilities to propel organizational growth. Equip yourself with innovative approaches to adapt community engagement strategies in an AI-augmented landscape. More info/register.

Host: KiKi L’Italien, senior consultant, Tecker International, and host, Association Chat

Mon 10/23 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. – The Engaging Conference 4.0

What if instead of attendees dropping off, they stayed all the way to the end? Instead of passive participation, people are actively engaged? Instead of people quietly leaving, they ask how can I sign up for next year? Learn how to solve virtual and hybrid’s #1 problem, create highly engaging virtual and hybrid meetings, and meet and exceed your conference goals. More info/register.

Host: John Chen, author of Engaging Virtual Meetings

Speakers: John Chen, Douglas Ferguson, Robbie Samuels, and Phil Mershon

Mon 10/23 at 8 a.m. – Recognizing Performance (Radio Free 501c, the podcast of Rogue Tulips Consulting)

Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting

Guest: Rick Burt, CAE, Vice President, Membership and Volunteer Engagement at Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses

Mon 10/23 at 1 p.m. – Audiovisual Next Practices & Trends

Let’s step into the future of event experiences with a discussion of cutting-edge trends and next-level solutions in audiovisual design. Explore how immersive technologies, interactive displays and innovative soundscapes are redefining engagement and transforming the event landscape. 0.5 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MPI

Tue 10/24 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. – The Engaging Conference 4.0

Host: John Chen, author of Engaging Virtual Meetings

Speakers: John Chen, Amanda Lee Kaiser, and Shiraz Baboo

Tue 10/24 at 10 a.m. – GenAI: The Three Questions You Can’t Afford to Ignore

Host: KiKi L’Italien, senior consultant, Tecker International, and host, Association Chat

Tue 10/24 at 11 a.m. – Protect and Enhance Your Association’s Image Through Reputation Management

Online reviews, social media mentions, word of mouth, and search engine results can significantly impact member perception and vendor purchase decisions. Learn why being reactive instead of proactive can actually be detrimental to your organization; how to implement ethical and impactful practices, improving visibility, credibility, and trustworthiness; and how to navigate complex digital landscapes, anticipate reputation challenges, and provide effective solutions which will earn your organization a reputable name in the industry. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Bill Sheehan, VP, Strategic Partnerships, Multiview

Tue 10/24 at 11 a.m. – Revolutionize Your Writing: Harnessing the Power of Generative AI Tools for Research and Writing

Learn how to leverage the power of generative AI tools to streamline your research and writing process; how to use these tools effectively to generate ideas, conduct research, and even draft documents; and how to refine and polish your work to ensure it meets your standards. Get equipped with the knowledge and skills to revolutionize your writing and increase your productivity. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Jon Rivers, COO, Marketeery

Tue 10/24 at 12 p.m. – New Kid on the Block: The Event Technologist

Whether the role is staffed internally within an organization or externally through an agency, 47% of organizations now have a clearly defined job description for an event technologist within. Hear about recent research on the role of the event technologist, responsibilities of the event technologist, measurements of success around event technology, and expectations for the future of the event technologist. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MPI

Speakers: Julie Haddix, Senior Director, Solutions Marketing, and Taylor Bohn, Event Technology Lead, Meetings & Events, Cvent

Tue 10/24 at 2 p.m. – Association Members of Tomorrow: Creative Strategies to Connect with Gen Z

Learn how one association created and leverages a Young Professionals committee to proactively explore strategies that help them attract and retain the next generation of members. Gain a deeper understanding of Gen Z—their unique traits, values, and expectations. Learn innovative engagement strategies for this digitally native generation. Find out how to create a Gen Z-friendly association. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Higher Logic

Speakers:

Jennifer Richards, Associate Vice President, Membership at American Association of Airport Executives
Jeremy Valcich, C.M., ACE, IACE, Director, Regulatory Affairs at American Association of Airport Executives
Kelly Whelan (moderator), Content Marketing Manager at Higher Logic

Tue 10/24 at 4 p.m. – GenAI: The Three Questions You Can’t Afford to Ignore

Host: KiKi L’Italien, senior consultant, Tecker International, and host, Association Chat

Wed 10/25 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. – The Engaging Conference 4.0

Host: John Chen, author of Engaging Virtual Meetings

Speakers: Laura Leist, Bobbie Carlton, UnPanel, John Chen

Wed 10/25 from 8:50 a.m. to 4:10 p.m. – ASAE AMS Demo Day

The two-day event will feature presentations from a limited number of industry partners that offer AMS platforms. AMS experts will be showcasing platforms and sharing their knowledge with the association market. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Wed 10/25 at 9 a.m. – PAR Member Meet-Up: Future-Thinking Revenue Streams

Based on the 2023 PAR Association Business Development Landscape Report, membership and conference attendance are still the highest priority programs for revenue generation. However, Non-Dues programs have the highest potential for overall revenue production. Join PAR members as we explore what future business will look like for associations working to blend their approach to the bottom line. 0.5 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Professionals for Association Revenue

Wed 10/25 at 11 a.m. – Elevating Association Digital Experiences: Solutions for Challenges Ahead

Learn how optimized digital experiences can transform associations. Gain practical insights into reshaping member interactions, understanding audience needs, ensuring accessibility, conducting usability assessments, and utilizing web analytics to set your association apart. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or new to digital experiences, equip yourself with actionable takeaways to craft immersive, member-centric digital journeys. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Kailee Quinn, Senior UX/UI Consultant, Fionta

Wed 10/25 at 12 p.m. – The Collaborative Advantage: Transforming Your Business Operations

Gain a deep understanding of the power of collaboration in driving innovation, efficiency, and growth. Explore cutting-edge tools and strategies that will enable you to streamline processes, enhance communication, and foster a culture of collaboration within your organization. More info/register.

Host: Lizabeth Wesely-Casella

Wed 10/25 at 12 p.m. CDT – AWTC Pop-Up Lunch (Austin TX)

These intimate, informal gatherings are designed to help you build your network and connect with the AWTC community in and around your area. Location: Austin TX. More info/register.

Organizer: Association Women Technology Champions

Wed 10/25 at 12 p.m. MDT – AWTC Pop-Up Lunch (Denver/Greenwood Village CO)

These intimate, informal gatherings are designed to help you build your network and connect with the AWTC community in and around your area. Location: Greenwood Village (Denver area) CO. More info/register.

Organizer: Association Women Technology Champions

Wed 10/25 at 1 p.m. – Risk Management Mastery for Nonprofits

Risk Management is a business strategy that enables the organization to identify, assess, and prepare for possible disaster—both physical and figurative—that may interfere with the organization’s operation and objectives. Learn how to properly assess your organization’s risks—both the obvious and hidden ones; develop a risk management strategy for the organization to cover the three main risk domains—security, digital, and personnel; empower your team to reduce risk; and transfer risk to insurance partners more effectively. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Brian Haney, Founder and CEO, The Haney Company

Wed 10/25 at 1 p.m. – Event Food & Beverage: Advancing Access, Equity and Sustainability

Explore the power of food and beverage in promoting access and equity and in turn support environmental, social and corporate governance goals. Discover strategies to create inclusive culinary experiences that cater to diverse needs, navigate dietary restrictions effortlessly and provide equal access to quality food experiences. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Meetings Today

Speaker: Tracy Stuckrath, CMM, CSE, founder of thrive! meetings & events and host of the Eating at a Meeting podcast

Wed 10/25 at 1 p.m. – How Companies Can Maximize the Potential of Generative AI

Generative AI has displayed breathtaking powers to create new content, such as music, speech, text, images, and video—and is being used to write software, give feedback on startup ideas, transcribe interactions, and perform tasks like writing a letter. But generative AI also produces distorted or entirely fabricated output and can be oblivious to privacy and copyright concerns. Learn what generative AI is, whether generative AI’s importance is being overblown, if its risks are worth the potential rewards, how companies can figure out where to apply generative AI, and the first steps for beginning to use generative AI. More info/register.

Host: Harvard Business Review

Speaker: Erik Brynjolfsson, professor and senior fellow at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI and director of Stanford’s Digital Economy Lab

Wed 10/25 at 2 p.m. – Solving the Non-Dues Revenue Puzzle: Strategies for Sustainable Growth

Hear about important data and findings from the 2023 Association Benchmarking Report. We will share actionable  recommendations and strategies to empower associations with innovative methods for boosting their financial stability, while diving into the intricate landscape of non-dues revenue generation. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Advisor/Naylor

Speakers: Jack Fordi, Chief Revenue Officer, and Sarah Sain, CAE, Vice President of Content Services, Naylor

Wed 10/25 at 2 p.m. – Zombie-Proofing Your Events: Tips for Engaging Attendees

Learn about common symptoms of audience disengagement and their root causes, strategies to prevent a zombie epidemic at your event, and cutting-edge event tech ideas you can use to enable event engagement. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MeetingsNet

Speakers: Carisa Bartelt, Team Lead, Product Marketing, and Laran Huba, Assistant Team Lead, Demand Generation Marketing, Cvent

Wed 10/25 at 2 p.m. – Navigating State Sessions: Key Issues & Best Practices for 2024

Keeping track of policy and developing legislation at the state level, as well as forming relationships with new and existing stakeholders, is no easy task. Hear about the biggest themes and issues state legislatures will tackle in the upcoming year, which states and topics your organization should keep an eye on, best practices to prepare for next year and make the most of state sessions, and tips for building strong relationships with legislators. More info/register.

Host: FiscalNote

Speakers:

Trent Dilks, Legislative Director, Disabled American Veterans, Dept. of Minnesota
Brian Feldman, Maryland State Senator
Chuck Martin, Georgia State Representative
Xiomara Santos, Director of Government Relations, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities
Annika von Grey (moderator), Senior Consultant, FiscalNote

Thu 10/26 at 9 a.m. – Learning by Association

Hear how the UK’s top professional associations are unlocking revenue and diversifying their member value proposition through learning. Learn why a solid strategy is needed to power a long-term transformation of learning. Find out how to repackage your educational offering to drive higher financial returns, make an impact—raising overall standards in the profession, monetize your associations learning programs with integrated eCommerce, and transform and future-proof your association and the skills and competencies of your members. More info/register.

Host: D2L

Speakers:

Jason Baker, founder, snowfish learning
Ayça Donaghy, CEO, Lighting Industry Association

Thu 10/26 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. – ASAE AMS Demo Day

Host: ASAE

Thu 10/26 at 11 a.m. – The True Implications of AI for the Association Industry: Part 4 – Responsible AI and Associations’ Role in Defining the Ethics of AI

The Responsible AI Manifesto states, “We have to be willing to have the hard conversations now so that we do not ruin what can be one of the most transformative technological shifts in human history. As AI capabilities race forward, leaders must clearly define their principles, policies and procedures.” How can associations—standards-bearers by design—lead the charge? How should we start thinking about the ethics of AI, starting at home in our own organizations? 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Elizabeth Engel, M.A., CAE, Chief Strategist, Spark Consulting, LLC
Maddie Grant, CAE, Culture Designer and Digital Strategist, Propel
Paul Roetzer, Founder & CEO, Marketing AI Institute
Jennifer Yarrish, Director, Enterprise Strategy, AARP

Thu 10/26 at 11 a.m. – ICF Live with Dean West, Association Management Expert

Hear about the possibilities and challenges facing associations today. More info/register.

Host: International Coaching Federation

Speakers:

Dean West, President, Association Laboratory
Magdalena Nowicka Mook, CEO, International Coaching Federation

Thu 10/26 at 12 p.m. – I Want a Divorce: How to Develop Lifetime Members

Hear about the uncanny correlation of divorce and member churn patterns. Explore how to extend the Honeymoon, avoid the 7-Year Itch, and prevent the 12-Year Ache. Learn strategies to strengthen relationships and keep members saying, “I do” year after year after year. More info/register.

Host: Cathi Hight, President of Hight Performance Group

Thu 10/26 at 12 p.m. – AI and Associations: Ethics Statements, Industry Impacts and Planning for the Future

Get a deeper understanding of AI within the association sector, including ethical considerations, industry impacts, and a course for the future. Learn how to navigate the ethical challenges to AI’s expansion and strike a balance between AI’s promise and the ethical considerations. Hear about AI-driven organizational changes, including privacy and data security in AI implementations, and future strategies—ways to remains agile, ethical, and profitable in the future AI-driven world. More info/register.

Host: GlueUp

Speakers:

James Brusseau, Philosophy Professor at Pace University
Cindy Morris, Chief Advancement Officer at American Society on Aging
John Shufeldt, CEO of Tribalhealth
Chao Wu, Maryland House of Delegates at The Maryland General Assembly

Thu 10/26 at 12 p.m. – The Community Check-In

A weekly community chat on Slack for black professionals working in the events industry. More info/register.

Host: Black In Events Network

Thu 10/26 at 1 p.m. – Expert Series: Is Your Association’s Corporate Sponsorship Strategy Haunted?

Hear about the ghosts, ghouls, and goblins that may be haunting your association’s corporate sponsorship efforts; and proven ghostbusting techniques to help clear the cobwebs from your existing strategy and empower you with the potions and spells needed to successfully connect with corporations. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Non-Dues-A-Palooza

Speakers:

Corporate Sponsorship Sorceress Lori Zoss Kraska, MBA, CFRE
Corporate Partnership Sorcerer Bruce Rosenthal

Thu 10/26 at 1 p.m. – 10 Trends for Event Marketing: The Future is Here.

10 Marketing experts share their #1 trend for the  future of event marketing. 1 hour, 10 insights. More info/register.

Host: Boldpush

Thu 10/26 at 1 p.m. – How to Defend and Grow your Marketing Budget in Four Easy Steps

When times are tough, finance departments are all too eager to swing the axe on marketing investment. Learn about the metrics that matter when it comes to talking to finance and the c-suite, the most common traps marketers can fall into when trying to communicate investment strategy, and how to win confidence in marketing results so that you can defend and even grow your budget. More info/register.

Host: American Marketing Association

Speakers: Will Marks, Marketing Science Director, and Tracy Wong, Marketing Science Partner, Mutinex

Thu 10/26 at 2 p.m. – How To Build Your 2024 Communications Plan

In this step-by-step session, discover everything that needs to go into your 2024 communications plan. Walk away with: set goals that bring value, the know-how to define activities and tactics for your goals, the ability to manage your plan throughout the year (no matter what it brings!), a real example of a successfully executed plan, and an annual communications plan and marketing and communications budget template. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Mighty Citizen

Speakers: Brianna Martin, Director of Brand Marketing, and Nicole Araujo, CAE, Client Engagement Director, Mighty Citizen

Thu 10/26 at 3 p.m. – 2023 Membership Marketing Benchmark Report

The Membership Marketing Benchmark Report provides the tools needed to evaluate membership marketing strategies and tactics. MGI’s 2023 survey collected data from over 800 unique associations at the beginning of the year to provide insights into the most effective methods and tactics. Get a deep dive into the report along with proven strategies to grow your membership. More info/register.

Host: Grype

Speaker: Tony Rossell, Senior VP, Marketing General Inc. (MGI)

Fri 10/27 at 9:30 a.m. – World Café: International Meetings & Events

Hosts: ASAE International Associations Professionals Community and Michiel Gen, Partner, Exempla Management & Consulting

Speakers:

Sylvia Gonner, CAE, President & Owner, CultureWiz
Matt Riley, CAE, Director of Associations, International Conference Service
Dianna Steinbach, COO, National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors

Fri 10/27 at 11 a.m. – Monthly Virtual Consultants Town Hall for Networking/Connecting

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

Fri 10/27 at 12:30 p.m. – Ask Me Anything: Marketing Automation

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Speaker: Genevieve Borello, CAE, MPA, oversees the American Bar Association’s Tax Section’s membership, marketing, and diversity initiatives

Fri 10/27 at 1 p.m. – eLearning Marketing Makeover: Refresh Your Approach to Reach More Learners

Host: Blue Sky eLearn

Speakers: Cassie Garcia, Director of Marketing, and Dr. Kristen Wall, MA, EdD, Director of Learning and Development, Blue Sky eLearn

Fri 10/27 at 4 p.m. – Nonprofit Management Series: Lesson from Organizational Strategies for Personal Growth

Host: Fridays@4

Speakers:

Ted Miller, Founder, Ted Miller Strategies
Shandell Richards, Chief Program Officer, Horton’s Kids

Tue 10/31 at 11 a.m. – Don’t Let Dirty Data Spook You Away From Analytics

Host: Association Analytics

Speakers: Bill Conforti, SVP of Strategy & Solutions, and Greg Pollack, SVP of Sales Enablement, Association Analytics

Tue 10/31 at 11 a.m. – Leadership & Learning: Leadership and the Weight We Carry: Navigating the Murky Waters of Leading and Being Human

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Ryan MacTaggart, PhD, Associate Director, Professional Learning, EDUCAUSE

Tue 10/31 at 1 p.m. – Leadership & Learning Series: he Generational Shift: Moving Forward Together

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Katherine Jeffery, PhD, Generational Strategist, CEO, KJ Consulting, LLC

Wed 11/1 at 11 a.m. – PCI Compliance

Host: UST Education

Speakers: Julie Duncan, Association Practice Leader, and Jenni Glaze, COO, US Transactions Corporation

Wed 11/1 at 12 p.m. MDT – AWTC Pop-Up Lunch: digitalNow (Aurora CO)

Organizer: Association Women Technology Champions

Thu 11/2 at 2 p.m. – Know Before You Go – Wisdom to Set Your Organization Up for Success on Software Projects

Host: 501 Works

Speakers:

Laura Armstrong, Senior Consultant, Cimatri
Vanessa Dennison, CAE, CBAP, Dennison & Associates, Principal

Thu 11/2 at 3 p.m. – From Prospects to Promoters: Key Strategies to Recruit and Retain Members

Host: Grype

Speaker: Scott Oser, president, Scott Oser Associates

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Association Brain Food: 10.13.23

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

Sponsored education. Associations usually rely on corporate marketing budgets for sponsorship revenue. Inspired by a Non-Dues-a-Palooza workshop presented by Lori Zoss Kraska of Growth Owl, TopClass LMS explains how to partner with a company’s CSR team on sponsored education programs that align with both your missions.

AI in the workplace. Far from making us obsolete, Maddie Grant at Propel believes AI can help highlight our uniquely human qualities and amplify our capabilities in the workplace. She describes seven ways “the most human workplaces” will thrive in the age of AI.

Association habits. In their work with teams across associations, Impexium has noted some differences between thriving and surviving organizations. They describe five habits of thriving, growth-oriented associations—habits that offer a more effective approach to the challenges associations are facing now.

Brand acquisition. Good brands hardly ever survive a merger unscathed. Usually, they end up as shells of their former selves. At The Paris Review, former W hotel bartender Stephen Haines explains what happened after the brand’s acquisition by Marriott. Promises turned out to be empty words.

Word choices. Words do matter. David Zweig at Silent Lunch bemoans the selective word choice of the legacy media, particularly their abhorrent decision to not use the word ‘terrorists’ when describing Hamas. Words also have financial implications: independent media outlets are attracting subscribers like me—and legacy media are losing them—because of this ongoing nonsense.

Websites. Brightfind’s guide to association websites is loaded with useful advice on the 12 essential web elements for acquiring, engaging, retaining, and converting users into loyal website visitors, customers, and members.

Also worth your time

Hamas’s war on Israel: everything you need to know. Well, not quite. The history goes further back than the article describes. It’s been a cluster for more than a century, but this is a good place to start. (Alana Newhouse and Jeremy Stern, The Free Press—one of the independent media sites I alluded to above)

U.S. scrutiny of Chinese fishing grows. As it should. Plenty of U.S. fishers would appreciate Americans buying U.S. seafood, not Asian slave-labor seafood. Sadly, it’s too late for those who went out of business because Americans want cheap, low-quality shrimp. (Morgan Chalfant, Semafor—another independent media outlet)

Practical and beautiful tips on how to light the dark months—and give you some relief from the depressing stories in this week’s reading list. (Katherine May)

You never grow old at the table

Skip down to the list of free educational events if you prefer takeout.

Brighten up a chilly day with green seasoning baked vermilion snapper—or the fish fillets of your choice, American, of course. Sorry, soapbox topic.

It’s been a while since collards have graced our table, but cooler weather means more greens at the farmers market. I always julienne and sauté my greens. This time, before adding collards, my pan included bacon, red onion, carrot, red bell pepper, jalapeño, and garlic.

I snag thin pork chops when they’re on sale and freeze them, so I’m ready to make pork Milanese when in the mood. Leftovers are good for sandwiches.

You know what goes great with greens? Roasted sweet potatoes—a North Carolina match made in heaven.

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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 too product-centric.

Fri 10/13 at 12:30 p.m.* – Conversations with Champions

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Guest: Amilie Parent, President at Showcare

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

Fri 10/13 at 4 p.m. – Career Planning (Panel Discussion)

Whether you’re considering transition, pursuing new opportunities within your current role or organization, or looking to the future, career planning should be top of mind. Fridays@4 is hosting a moderated panel discussion on career planning. Come ready to learn, share, and discuss strategy, resources, and challenges. More info/register.

Host: Fridays@4

Speakers:

Shan Haugabrook, Director of Membership, Atlanta Apartment Association
Rob Henry, Vice President of Development, Culture and Talent, Council of Advancement and Support of Education
Donté P. Shannon, FASAE, CAE
Shanae McFadden, CMP, DES (moderator), Consumer Healthcare Products Association

Mon 10/16 at 8 a.m. – Awards Season: Elevating the Field (Radio Free 501c, the podcast of Rogue Tulips Consulting)

Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting

Guest: Jill Treby, CAE, Chief Of Staff, American Association of Geographers

Mon 10/16 at 12 p.m. – ASAE Membership Monday

This month’s topic: Beating the Lapse: How to Win Back Your Membership. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Mon 10/16 at 2:30 p.m. – Your Association’s Guide to Workforce Development

With 4 million more jobs than there are people to fill them, your members and sectors are in the middle of a labor crisis. You need a workforce development strategy that attracts young people searching and career switchers, provides value to existing members, and accomplishes it all without blowing your budget. Hear about a three-pronged approach that two associations are using to reach millions of fresh eyes. More info/register.

Host: WorkerBee.TV

Speakers:

Tom Morrison, CEO, Metal Treating Institute
Dan Stevens and Dan Turnbull, WorkerBee.TV

Tue 10/17 at 11 a.m. – Successfully Deploy AI in Your Digital Workplace With Strategy and Governance

Learn about the characteristics of a digital workplace and its emerging importance for work, AI tools that are available or coming soon for use in your digital workplace, possible risks of uncontrolled usage of AI tools in your digital workplace, and how to develop a governance framework for designing an effective digital workplace. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Tom Jelen, MBA, Senior Strategic Consultant, Technology Consulting, DelCor Technology Solutions

Tue 10/17 at 12 p.m. – CRVM Crunch and Munch

Crunch and Munch is your chance to come together once a month with peers for a casual conversation on hot topics relevant to the component relations and volunteer management community. Come prepared to share your successes, challenges and ideas. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Component Relations and Volunteer Management Council

Tue 10/17 at 1 p.m. – Code of Ethics: An Association’s North Star

A well-defined and articulated Code of Ethics can serve as both a governance tool and a strategic management tool. Learn key ethical principles and guidance on the expected standards of behavior, the basics of an Ethical Decision Making framework and ethical considerations, and real world applications through case study discussions. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Linn Wheeling, MBA, CAE, Director, Community Engagement, American Association of Naturopathic Physicians

Wed 10/18 at 12 p.m. – Beyond Borders: Uniting Chapter Communications

Learn how to foster clear communication and collaboration among your chapters. We’ll guide you through an exploration of best practices and innovative techniques to uncover challenges hindering effective chapter communication, cultivate a culture of open communication, discover methods to resolve communication breakdowns, and measure your effectiveness and identify areas for improvement. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Hosts: Billhighway and Mariner Management

Speakers:

Sheri Singer, Singer Communications
Peggy Hoffman, Mariner Management

Wed 10/18 at 12 p.m. – Is Your Martech Stack Helping You Deliver On Your Goals?

It’s one thing to say that you can meet your goals using technology. It’s another to determine if you have a marketing technology stack designed to support and grow as the strategic needs of your organization progress. Learn about the types of technology needed for associations looking to retain, engage or grow membership and revenue programming. More info/register.

Host: HighRoad Solution

Speakers: Morgan Mulgrew, Strategic Account Manager, and Kat Ybarra, Senior Digital Advisor, HighRoad Solutions

Wed 10/18 from 12 to 5 p.m. – AI Summit: How Marketers can Harness the Power of AI

Hear insights and tactical tips from some of the top marketing leaders, AI strategists, researchers, and AI podcasters. Speakers will dive into how marketers can use AI to improve workflows, creativity, events, and campaigns. Learn how to use AI efficiently, creatively, and ethically; tactical approaches for weaving AI into your daily work; ways to spark creativity using generative AI; and ideas for using AI to turn your events into a multi-channel content strategy. More info/register.

Host: Goldcast

Wed 10/18 at 1 p.m. – Marketing AI in Action

Are you thinking about implementing AI but have no idea where to start? Are you a marketer who is ready to digitally transform your organization’s strategy? Learn about easy-to-use AI tools you can begin experimenting with right away, which are specific to the marketing, membership, and communications functions: SEO/search optimization tools that use NLP for semantic-powered inline optimization as well as search volume recommendations, email tools that leverage AI for content recommendation and send time optimization, content generation and inline editing tools, image and other content generation tools, and AI-powered audio editing tools. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Erica Salm Rench, MBA, COO, Rasa.io

Wed 10/18 at 1 p.m. – Association Lessons from Stand-Up Comedy, Opera, Gaming, and World Travel

Learn how taking risks may mean failure at times, but these efforts also result in new insights and wins; how team members have different strengths and backgrounds, but all are necessary to achieve organizational goals; and how adaptability, initiative, and problem-solving are skills that can be fostered and encouraged. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Fonteva

Speakers:

Alexandra Mouw, CAE, Principal Strategic Advisor, Amazon Web Services
Ben H. Rome, Program Director, Communications, American Industrial Hygiene Association
Elizabeth Schlicht, CAE, Executive Director, Association Acumen
Thom Singer, CSP, Chief Executive Officer, Austin Technology Council

Wed 10/18 at 2 p.m. – Create Revenue Producing Learning Opportunities Beyond Virtual Webinars

Whether you call it a webinar, a virtual workshop or something else entirely, your association is almost certainly producing online learning opportunities for your audience. Webinars are an important learning tool for associations, but it is becoming increasingly clear that they can’t be the only online learning opportunity we provide. Learn how associations can begin to think beyond the traditional webinars to provide new value for members and create revenue. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Professionals for Association Revenue

Speakers: Jeff Cobb and Celisa Steele, co-founders, Tagoras

Wed 10/18 at 2 p.m. – How Associations Can Increase Revenue Through Strategic Partnerships

Many associations limit the value of their partnerships to annual meetings or member conferences. Hear how you can use partnerships in three strategic ways beyond events to grow revenues, while better serving your members. Learn how to design strategic partnerships to be value-added for members, joyful “yes” for partners, and revenue levers for your association; leverage strategic partnerships to grow revenue; and source best-fit strategic partnerships. More info/register.

Host: Feathr

Wed 10/18 at 2 p.m. – Start Planning Your GOTV Campaign Now

Learn what’s at stake in the presidential election, Congress, gubernatorial races, statewide elections, and state legislatures. Hear about best practices and creative ideas to build your voter database, master your messaging, choose targeted campaign channels, build voting plans, and maximize your impact on Election Day. Walk away with a usable timeline to help you plan your GOTV campaign—from what you should do one year before Election Day all the way up to the big day. More info/register.

Host: Quorum

Thu 10/19 at 11 a.m. – The True Implications of AI for the Association Industry: Part 3 – Personalization, Privacy and AI

Personalization, targeted content, and questions of privacy have been points of discussions for years. Why then are the very people who touted the value of personalizing online experiences decrying the wickedness of generative AI? Google, Facebook, and even LinkedIn ply us with ads and content based on algorithms we will never see. In fact, harnessing those algorithms to our benefit is the holy grail of marketers. Hear about the high-level differences that make the considerations for generative AI and narrative chat a new, and often concerning new tool in the hands of both good and bad actors. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Rick Bawcum, CAE, CISSP, CEO and Founder, Cimatri
Becky Breeden, CEO, BrightFind
Josh Jones, Director of IT, American Institute for Ultrasound Medicine
Bailey Kasten, CAE, ICE-CPP, Executive Director, Virginia Recreation and Park Society

Thu 10/19 at 11:30 a.m. – Tapas Talk: Nondues Revenue

The program begins with Laura Caputo of AMC Source, Barbara Armentrout of BJA Solutions for Associations, and Carrie McIntyre of Navigate Customer Experience & Sales Consulting discussing two key roles in designing nondues revenue: how to build relationships with internal staff and external stakeholders that are essential to a successful partner program and designing a sales strategy and a better customer experience to improve your association’s sales results. Then, choose a breakout session: Lewis Flax of Flax Associates on Reaching the Right Corporate Executives, Scott Oser of Scott Oser Associates on Sales from the Trenches, or Rich Lawson of SALA on Healthcare Program for Small Staff Associations. More info/register.

Host: QiqoChat

Thu 10/19 at 11:30 a.m. – Web Engagement: Expectations vs Reality, and Tips for Closing the Gap

Learn about the evolution of online engagement and how it fits into the ever-changing landscape of association technology; tips to narrow the gap between expectations and reality of web engagement; the varied expectations of stakeholders such as members, the board, and staff; effective ways to engage your audience while also adapting to shorter attention spans; and strategies for creating purposeful showcases, topic-based navigation, enhancing search functionality, and infusing personalization into your website. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Altai Systems

Speaker: Moira Edwards, MS, CAE, President, Ellipsis Partners LLC

Thu 10/19 at 12 p.m. – Fireside Chat: Create Belonging by Banishing Imposter Syndrome

Learn how impostor syndrome and “Not Good Enough” syndrome impede innovation, and the relationship between success in associations and DEIB through the lens of fighting these syndromes. Find out how to remove these menaces from your brain, help your team mates fight them, and create a new culture of belonging and inclusivity, where everyone can bring their full voice, brain, and self to solve the toughest problems. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Speaker: Alaina G. Levine, president of Quantum Success Solutions

Thu 10/19 at 12 p.m. – Member Renewal Campaigns

Are you getting ready for your member renewal season? Find out how to increase your retention rate, speed up cash flow, and upsell your membership. More info/register.

Host: Zzeem

Thu 10/19 at 12 p.m. – The Community Check-In

A weekly community chat on Slack for black professionals working in the events industry. More info/register.

Host: Black In Events Network

Thu 10/19 at 1 p.m. – How Safe is Your Organization Against Today’s Evolving Cyber Threats?

1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Mark Pribish, VP & Practice Leader, Aura

Thu 10/19 at 4 p.m. – Hard Asks Made Easy: How Executives Can Get What they Need

From raising money to positioning your organization for future success, it is all about making the Right Ask. Learn about the process of making the Right Ask, what kind of asker you are, the devils that keep you from asking, and the five laws on asking that will guide you through planning important asks. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Reston-Loudoun Idea Swap

Speaker: Laura Fredericks, Founder, “Expert on the Ask”

Fri 10/20 at 4 p.m. – Career Coach Series: Five Big Career Mindset Mistakes

Host: Fridays@4

Speaker: Pegotty Cooper

Sat 10/21 at 3 p.m. – GenAI: The Three Questions You Can’t Afford to Ignore

Host: KiKi L’Italien, senior consultant, Tecker International, and host, Association Chat

Mon 10/23 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. – The Engaging Conference 4.0

Host: John Chen, author of Engaging Virtual Meetings

Speakers: John Chen, Douglas Ferguson, Robbie Samuels, and Phil Mershon

Tue 10/24 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. – The Engaging Conference 4.0

Host: John Chen, author of Engaging Virtual Meetings

Speakers: John Chen, Amanda Lee Kaiser, and Shiraz Baboo

Tue 10/24 at 10 a.m. – GenAI: The Three Questions You Can’t Afford to Ignore

Host: KiKi L’Italien, senior consultant, Tecker International, and host, Association Chat

Tue 10/24 at 11 a.m. – Protect and Enhance Your Association’s Image Through Reputation Management

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Bill Sheehan, VP, Strategic Partnerships, Multiview

Tue 10/24 at 11 a.m. – Revolutionize Your Writing: Harnessing the Power of Generative AI Tools for Research and Writing

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Jon Rivers, COO, Marketeery

Tue 10/24 at 4 p.m. – GenAI: The Three Questions You Can’t Afford to Ignore

Host: KiKi L’Italien, senior consultant, Tecker International, and host, Association Chat

Wed 10/25 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. – The Engaging Conference 4.0

Host: John Chen, author of Engaging Virtual Meetings

Speakers: Laura Leist, Bobbie Carlton, UnPanel, John Chen

Wed 10/25 from 8:50 a.m. to 4:10 p.m. – ASAE AMS Demo Day

Host: ASAE

Wed 10/25 at 9 a.m. – PAR Member Meet-Up: Future-Thinking Revenue Streams

Host: Professionals for Association Revenue

Wed 10/25 at 11 a.m. – Elevating Association Digital Experiences: Solutions for Challenges Ahead

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Kailee Quinn, Senior UX/UI Consultant, Fionta

Wed 10/25 at 12 p.m. CDT – AWTC Pop-Up Lunch (Austin TX)

These intimate, informal gatherings are designed to help you build your network and connect with the AWTC community in and around your area. Location: Austin TX. More info/register.

Organizer: Association Women Technology Champions

Wed 10/25 at 12 p.m. MDT – AWTC Pop-Up Lunch (Greenwood CO)

These intimate, informal gatherings are designed to help you build your network and connect with the AWTC community in and around your area. Location: Greenwood (Denver area) CO. More info/register.

Organizer: Association Women Technology Champions

Wed 10/25 at 1 p.m. – Risk Management Mastery for Nonprofits

1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Brian Haney, Founder and CEO, The Haney Company

Thu 10/26 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. – ASAE AMS Demo Day

Host: ASAE

Thu 10/26 at 11 a.m. – The True Implications of AI for the Association Industry: Part 4 – Responsible AI And Associations’ Role In Defining The Ethics Of AI

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Elizabeth Engel, M.A., CAE, Chief Strategist, Spark Consulting, LLC
Maddie Grant, CAE, Culture Designer and Digital Strategist, Propel
Paul Roetzer, Founder & CEO, Marketing AI Institute
Jennifer Yarrish, Director, Enterprise Strategy, AARP

Thu 10/26 at 1 p.m. – Expert Series: Is Your Association’s Corporate Sponsorship Strategy Haunted?

Host: Non-Dues-A-Palooza

Speakers:

Corporate Sponsorship Sorceress Lori Zoss Kraska, MBA, CFRE
Corporate Partnership Sorcerer Bruce Rosenthal

Thu 10/26 at 2 p.m. – How To Build Your 2024 Communications Plan

Host: Mighty Citizen

Speakers: Brianna Martin, Director of Brand Marketing, and Nicole Araujo, CAE, Client Engagement Director, Mighty Citizen

Fri 10/27 at 11 a.m. – Monthly Virtual Consultants Town Hall for Networking/Connecting

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

Fri 10/27 at 12:30 p.m. – Ask Me Anything: Marketing Automation

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Speaker: Genevieve Borello, CAE, MPA, oversees the American Bar Association’s Tax Section’s membership, marketing, and diversity initiatives

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Association Brain Food: 10.6.23

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

Industry careers website. Once again, I’m asking for good examples of association (or association foundation) websites that feature an industry careers section. This page from SEMI about the semiconductor industry is an example of what I mean. Please send me links if you have one or know of a good one. Thank you!

Association education in 2024. Tagoras is conducting a brief survey to find out where learning and education businesses (i.e., associations) plan to focus their efforts in 2024.

Conference design. In part two of their Open Space series, TopClass LMS explains how to overcome common objections to using this engaging event format. In case you missed it, they described Open Space and its advantages, and shared a few association examples in part one.

Conference/abstract management. Ex Ordo describes how to implement conference and abstract management software for medical, technical, scientific, and academic association events. Their guide covers configuring software for abstract submission and peer review, issuing the call for papers, designing the conference program, and more.

Next gen membership #1. Based on conversations with young members, former members, and never-members from multiple industries, Michelle Maher of Highland describes why young professionals are engaging digital channels instead of associations and the unique value they seek from associations.

Next gen membership #2. Another take on the young professional recruitment challenge comes from James Young of Product Community. Although associations can offer opportunities for shared purpose and connections, they need to better understand this market segment and design a fresh value proposition for young professionals who want to engage in new ways.

Association deathwatch. Sarah Scire at Nieman Lab tells the sad backstory of the Society of Professional Journalists. Competing against niche professional organizations, membership and conference revenue has “slowed to a trickle.” The organization’s outgoing treasurer describes the financial situation as “dire.” The writing has been on the wall for a long time—follow the link in the story to the 2014 memo written by a former ED.

Association staff retention. GrowthZone explains how to improve morale and reduce employee turnover by providing a more enjoyable, rewarding, and humane work experience. They share a bunch of good ideas for onboarding, flexible work schedules, employee perks, recognition, and communication.

Content marketing. Content Marketing Institute shares highlights from their conference, Content Marketing World, including a quote from their chief strategy advisor Robert Rose: “Content marketing is what marketing is becoming. It is no longer a weird experiment in some back room with a tiger team.”

Also worth your time

Gen Z and the gender divide: With feeds full of the most unhinged takes, men and women are further apart in values and worldview than ever before—and the divide feels uncrossable. An eye-opening and depressing post from a young woman about the despicable impact of social influencers on perceptions and dating. Life was so much easier for my generation. (Freya India, Lean Out with Tara Henley)

Take a position, not a side: towards a healthier civic discourse. (William Deresiewicz, Persuasion)

You never grow old at the table

Skip down to the list of free educational events if you prefer takeout.

I rediscovered a recipe from Marcella Hazan’s More Classic Italian Cooking, published in 1978: baked bluefish with potatoes, Genoese style. The sticky brown potato slices are soooo good. On the side, zucchini and yellow squash pesto with red bell pepper, carrot, broccoli stem, onion, and tomatoes.

I was stuck for a fish idea but remembered I had a container of leftover chorizo/smoked Gouda filling from making only a half batch of stuffed jalapeños. I added minced red jalapeño to the remaining filling, spread the mix over fillets of flounder and striped mullet, and baked them a little longer than usual. Oh yes, that worked! It’s good in burritos too. On the side, roasted broccoli with red onion, garlic powder, and hot pepper flakes.

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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 too product-centric.

Fri 10/6 at 10 a.m.* – Artificial Intelligence | Coffee with Innovators: Association Design Circle

Every month, an association leader leads a conversation on an association innovation topic. Tom will lead us in conversation on artificial intelligence: How might AI disrupt associations? What opportunities and challenges do we foresee? What are the latest tools and how might they help us navigate change? More info/register.

Host: Product Design Community

Facilitator: Tom Lietz, veteran storyteller, community innovator, and thought leader at the intersection of storytelling and systems thinking

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

Fri 10/6 at 12:30 p.m. – Ask Me Anything: Personalization

Learn how to use personalization to improve member communications, engagement, and transactions. Let’s talk candidly about what’s standing in your way and how to overcome those obstacles. Bring all your personalization questions. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Speaker: Alex Mouw, CAE of Amazon Web Services

Fri 10/6 at 4 p.m. – Association Management: Innovation Discussion (Membership Panel)

Join us for this week’s panel discussion on how innovation, creative problem solving, and data can support association health and membership growth. More info/register.

Host: Fridays@4

Speakers:

Kia Davis
Vy Le, CAE, Linguistic Society of America
Kerri L. McGovern, MPP, CAE
Natasha Bethea Goodwin MS, CAE (moderator), Senior Director of Marketing and Membership, Information Technology Industry Council

Mon 10/9 at 8 a.m. – Claim Your Expertise: the 4 Es (Radio Free 501c, the podcast of Rogue Tulips Consulting)

Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips Consulting

Guest: Mike Bober, CEO, Pet Advocacy Network

Mon 10/9 at 1 p.m. – 30-Minute Monday: IMEX America 2023

Whether or not you plan to attend our industry’s top trade show, let’s deep dive into the show of shows, what makes it successful, how the experience has changed and the lessons learned by organizers who will share this year’s can’t miss experiences. 0.5 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MPI

Tue 10/10 at 12 p.m. – Chapter Roundtable (Reston VA)

Designed exclusively for professionals from component-based organizations in your area, our roundtables are not lectures but jam sessions where you can share, learn from your peers, and gain valuable feedback on your ongoing projects and goals. Discover the power of collaborative networking, knowledge sharing, and inspiring discussions in a casual, low-key setting. This interactive experience will give you actionable ideas, fresh insights, and inspiration to apply immediately. Location: Reston VA. More info/register.

Host: Billhighway

Tue 10/10 at 12 p.m. – LGBTQIA2+ Community Call

Please join this opportunity for association professionals (of all career levels!) to come together to share lunch time and discuss topics that are relevant and timely. Come prepared to join this judgment-free group with questions and issues that are top of mind for you in the LGBTQIA2+ association community. More info/register.

Host: ASAE LGBTQ Association Executives and Supporters

Tue 10/10 at 1 p.m. – Association Latinos Latina Equal Pay Day (Part 2)

At the end of 2022, Latina women earned 54 cents on the dollar compared to white men’s earnings, meaning Latinas must work an additional 11 months to earn what a white man earns in a year. Learn how to negotiate your salary and benefits. Get tools on how to prepare and execute a salary negotiation. Hear about the panelists’ experience in navigating salary and benefit negotiations in the association space. More info/register.

Host: Association Latinos

Tue 10/10 at 2 p.m. – Expert Series: Be the Association Hero: Increasing 2024 Non-Dues Revenue

Hear about key strategies that will help you drive more non-dues revenue and build a true career growth destination for your members in 2024 and beyond. Learn how to drive incremental non-dues revenue without lifting a finger, create a competitive advantage over competitors to maximize your revenue, offer great member value, and stay connected with members. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Non-Dues-A-Palooza

Speaker: Mike Kumpf, Director of Enterprise Sales for YM Careers

Wed 10/11 at 9 a.m. – PAR Member Meet-Up: How to Approach Revenue Forecasts for 2024

Hear how associations plan and deliver revenue forecasts from the basic to the advanced. Join other PAR members as we share forecasting metrics and tips on how to include internal colleagues and departments in the process. 0.5 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Professionals for Association Revenue

Wed 10/11 at 11 a.m. – Transforming Associations: The Future of Productivity with AI

Discover practical applications of AI tools like ChatGPT in enhancing team productivity and operational efficiency within associations. Learn proven strategies to implement AI within your association, potentially boosting overall productivity by up to 40%. Get insights into the future of association workspaces, understanding how AI can transform your operations, streamline processes, and pave the way for innovation. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Bill McGlade, President, Community Leaders Institute & epIQ Creative Group

Wed 10/11 at 12 p.m. – Chapter Roundtable (Washington DC)

Host: Billhighway

Wed 10/11 at 1 p.m. – Transform Your Tired Conference; Create Something Amazing

Little has changed in the last 50 years when it comes to in-person event formats. You know the usual drill: keynote, sessions in large rooms, and an exhibit hall. But what attendees want has dramatically changed. Learn how to make your meetings better, no matter the scale, to provide more value and drive more connection and engagement. More info/register.

Host: Matrix Group

Speakers:

Teri Carden, CEO & Founder of 100Reviews & Non Dues-a-Palooza
Lee Gimpel, Founder and CEO of Better Meetings
Joanna Pineda, CEO & Chief Troublemaker of Matrix Group

Wed 10/11 at 1 p.m. – Lightweight Framework for Your Association’s Data Strategy

Lack of a documented data strategy is a leading reason data initiatives struggle or even fail. This is primarily because it seems difficult, expensive, and overwhelming to create. That’s why we’ve built a lightweight process for mapping out and documenting a data strategy you can use in your association. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Bill Conforti, SVP of Strategy and Solutions, Association Analytics

Wed 10/11 at 2 p.m. – The Role of Ethics in Volunteer Engagement

Learn the difference between personal, organizational and professional ethics; the core values and principles identified by the Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration; a process for ethical decision-making that can be applied in any situation—and then practice this using real-life scenarios related to volunteers. Hear about several specific strategies for increasing awareness of ethics within an organization and helping both volunteers and staff become more effective at handling ethical dilemmas. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration

Wed 10/11 at 2 p.m. – The Balancing Act: How to Maximize ROI and Stay Within Budget

In-person events are back, however, there are now added pressures related to inflation, budget constraints, and over-worked teams. Hear how to reduce costs across your events program. Learn how to centralize visibility of all meetings and events to cut duplicative programs, strategically source venues and vendors to reduce expenses, and use digital channels like webinars, and virtual events to maximize ROI. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MeetingsNet

Speaker: Julie Haddix, Senior Director, Solutions Marketing, Cvent

Thu 10/12 at 9:30 a.m. – Small Staff Percolator

An interactive online coffee break format designed for you to discover more peers in our dispersed community, bring up a topic that’s brewing in the daily grind, and have a casual chat with others who know your lingo. More info/register.

Host: Qiqo

Thu 10/12 at 11 a.m. – Good to GREAT: Association Websites That Work

What’s the difference between a “good” website and a “GREAT” one? A GREAT website engages members with dynamic and personalized experiences that connect them with content and opportunities that meet their needs at all levels of their professional journey. Hear about award-winning success stories, strategies that increase member engagement, innovative solutions—such as AI—that deliver value, and opportunities to pivot quickly without a full redesign. More info/register.

Host: Results Direct | RD Mobile

Speakers: Laura Graham, Sr Solutions Consultant, and Steve Russell, Web Project Lead, Results Direct | RD Mobile

Thu 10/12 at 12 p.m. – Chapter Roundtable (Alexandria VA)

Host: Billhighway

Thu 10/12 at 12 p.m. – Mastering Revenue Growth: A Strategic Framework for Your Certification Training Program

The shifting landscape of professional learning has made lifelong education a necessity for associations and their members. Hear about the revenue-driving opportunities available in the modern digital learning landscape, a strategic framework for associations to identify and effectively leverage these opportunities, how to evaluate and strategize your journey within the framework, how to progress from initial identification to successful implementation, and case studies of two organizations that successfully transformed their certification training programs into major revenue drivers. 0.5 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: .orgCommunity

Speaker: Ashish Rangnekar, CEO, BenchPrep

Thu 10/12 at 12 p.m. – Boosting Member Retention with Vibrant Communities

Learn about the connection between vibrant communities and member retention, the three biggest member experience risks you need to mitigate now, how to define and measure vibrancy in your community, and strategies to increase engagement, vibrancy and retention. More info/register.

Host: Forj

Thu 10/12 at 12 p.m. – The Community Check-In

A weekly community chat on Slack for black professionals working in the events industry. More info/register.

Host: Black In Events Network

Thu 10/12 at 1 p.m. – The True Implications of AI for the Association Industry: Part 2 – Considerations for Adding AI to Your Tech Stack

AI functionality has been part of our tech stack for a while, but we’re about to see an avalanche of new tools, plugins and features from the big platforms we use every day (looking at you, Microsoft and Google). How do we manage this onslaught of shiny tools? How do we get proactive about researching and adding other new tools to evolve our tech strategy and tech stack? How do we keep on top of security risks? Bring your questions, ideas, and resources/links, and take away actionable resources from panelists and participants. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Rick Bawcum, CAE, CISSP, CEO and Founder, Cimatri
Hilton Gray, Co-Founder, MemberJunction
Tori Miller Liu, MBA, FASAE, CAE, CEO, The Association for Intelligent Information Management
Rhoni Rakos, Director of Digital Strategy, fusionSpan

Fri 10/13 at 12:30 p.m. – Conversations with Champions

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Guest: Amilie Parent, President at Showcare

Fri 10/13 at 4 p.m. – Career Planning (Panel Discussion)

Host: Fridays@4

Speakers:

Shan Haugabrook, Director of Membership, Atlanta Apartment Association
Rob Henry, Vice President of Development, Culture and Talent, Council of Advancement and Support of Education
Donté P. Shannon, FASAE, CAE
Shanae McFadden, CMP, DES (moderator), Consumer Healthcare Products Association

Tue 10/17 at 11 a.m. – Successfully Deploy AI in Your Digital Workplace With Strategy and Governance

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Troy Ewert, IT Solutions Manager, Minnesota Automotive Dealers Association
Tom Jelen, MBA, Senior Strategic Consultant, Technology Consulting, DelCor Technology Solutions

Wed 10/18 at 12 p.m. – Beyond Borders: Uniting Chapter Communications

Hosts: Billhighway and Mariner Management

Speakers:

Sheri Singer, Singer Communications
Peggy Hoffman, Mariner Management

Wed 10/18 at 12 p.m. – Is Your Martech Stack Helping You Deliver On Your Goals?

Host: HighRoad Solution

Speakers: Morgan Mulgrew, Strategic Account Manager, and Kat Ybarra, Senior Digital Advisor, HighRoad Solutions

Wed 10/18 from 12 to 5 p.m. – AI Summit: How Marketers can Harness the Power of AI

Host: Goldcast

Wed 10/18 at 2 p.m. – Create Revenue Producing Learning Opportunities Beyond Virtual Webinars

Host: Professionals for Association Revenue

Speakers: Jeff Cobb and Celisa Steele, co-founders, Tagoras

Thu 10/19 at 11 a.m. – The True Implications of AI for the Association Industry: Part 3 – Personalization, Privacy and AI

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Rick Bawcum, CAE, CISSP, CEO and Founder, Cimatri
Becky Breeden, CEO, BrightFind
Josh Jones, Director of IT, American Institute for Ultrasound Medicine
Bailey Kasten, CAE, ICE-CPP, Executive Director, Virginia Recreation and Park Society

Thu 10/19 at 11:30 a.m. – Tapas Talk: Nondues Revenue

The program begins with short presentations by Barbara Armentrout, Founder & Key Principal of BJA Solutions for Associations and Carrie McIntyre Principal of Navigate, Customer Experience & Sales Consulting. Then, meet subject matter experts who will briefly describe their breakout room topics. Get a good understanding of several market-tested methods and best practices that you can put to work right away. More info/register.

Host: QiqoChat

Speakers:

Lewis Flax of Flax Associates
Rich Lawson of SALA
Scott Oser of Scott Oser Associates

Association Brain Food Weekly is published Friday mornings. If your organization offers free professional development for the association community, please send me the link via email by Wednesday afternoon the week before it’s scheduled.

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You never grow old at the table

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You never grow old at the table

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Also worth your time

You never grow old at the table

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Also worth your time

You never grow old at the table

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Also worth your time

You never grow old at the table

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