Association Brain Food

Association Brain Food: 5.26.23

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

Reflection. “To navigate change, companies need fear-free cultures of diverse people and mindsets led by leaders who continuously learn, incentivize and train for change and worship no sacred cows.” ―Rishad Tobaccowala

Competing for members’ time. Good intentions are nice, but they mean nothing if they don’t turn into action. WBT Systems shares strategies for convincing people to commit time to their own professional development.

501Works acquires ReviewMyAMS. Big news! Teri Carden, founder of Non-Dues-A-Palooza, sold the AMS review site ReviewMyAMS to 501Works. “Through this acquisition, 501Works will leverage and re-energize the ReviewMyAMS experience and extend the existing platform with new tools and resources that will help associations through the challenging task of selecting, implementing, and adopting AMS solutions.”

In other news, Forj acquired community platform Mobilize after gobbling up LMS platform Web Courseworks earlier in the year.

Websites. Brightfind’s guide to association websites is loaded like a baked potato with advice on essential web elements for acquiring, engaging, retaining and converting users into loyal website visitors and members.

Education. Rex Woodbury looks at the shortcomings of the U.S. educational system—”still designed for an Industrial Revolution-era world,” not an AI-empowered one. He sees potential in educational trends such as edutainment, reskilling and upskilling; skill-based learning outside of the university system—hello, associations; and personalized learning.

ChatGPT. Jose Triana at Sidecar describes concerns with ChatGPT as well as ways associations can use this tool.

Conference/abstract management. Ex Ordo takes you through the steps of implementing conference and abstract management software for medical, technical, scientific, and academic events. They discuss configuring software for abstract submission and peer review, issuing the call for papers, designing the conference program and more.

Good listens

Sean Soth, chair of the Leadership Advisory Board for Professionals for Association Revenue (PAR), talks with Jeff Cobb, co-host of the Leading Learning podcast, about revenue issues, the need for a business development role in associations, and why people join PAR.

Dave Coriale, president of DelCor and host of the Reboot IT podcast, says a fired-up Jeff De Cagna is his favorite Jeff De Cagna. That’s what we get in Revisiting AI parts 1 and 2 (March 16 and April 4) as Jeff, executive advisor of Foresight First, talked about the very real limitations of and big picture concerns about ChatGPT.

I agree with Jeff that we’re at a crucial moment here. As representatives for the industries and professions they represent, associations (volunteer leaders, members and staff) should put the Power of A to work. Find mutual places of agreement and concern—and put a deadline on that. I can already imagine the jokes about slow deliberation. Then, be a collective voice for their millions of human employees and stakeholders.

If you’re a ChatGPT enthusiast, I get it. I’ve heard and read many stories about how it helps jumpstart tasks and comes up with creative feedback. But understand its limitations. For example, it lies (“hallucinates”). ChatGPT doesn’t “know” things, it just links likely word sequences together. Understand what you’re playing with and always provide the final human touch. Don’t let your intellectual muscles atrophy.

Quick hits on time wasters

Office brainstorms are a waste of time. Research says alone time could yield more innovation. (Callum Borchers, Wall Street Journal)

Meet context switching, the number one productivity killer in the workplace, and find out how to overcome it (Danielle Ezell, TechSmith)

Good eats

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

A simple fish recipe, like garlic parmesan crusted sheepshead, never disappoints as long as your fish is fresh. Garlic powder works just fine.

We enjoy Taco Fridays on occasion in this house—not Tuesdays so no trademark concerns there. I dredge chunks of monkfish in a mix of spices: ground ancho chile pepper, cumin, paprika, oregano, garlic powder and onion powder. Top each taco with coleslaw (made with slaw mix, sweet onion, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, rice wine vinegar and grapeseed oil), salsa verde and avocado. So good.

For a Sunday potluck dinner, I brought over a veggie and pearl couscous pesto dish. Make it with sautéed zucchini, broccoli stems and florets, carrot, onion, and red bell pepper tossed with pearl couscous, homemade basil pesto and extra parmesan cheese.

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 5/26 at 12:00 p.m.* – Exam Development Session-II

Learn how to design and administer exams that are valid and reliable, while incorporating best practices in assessment design. Hear about good test construction, types of exams, item analysis, the role of feedback in exam development, and test security. Get hands-on experience in constructing exams. More info/register.

Host: Leverage Assessments, Inc.

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

Tue 5/30 at 12 p.m. – How to Contract with and Manage State Lobbyists

Does your organization have a strong grassroots presence or is your board a team of grasstops influencers? Do you work in a state, a region or across the country? Learn the right questions to ask and the best practices to put in place to set your association up for success. Hear the most common pitfalls and how to avoid them. Find out how to identify, hire and manage the professional lobbying presence that works best for your association. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Government Relations and Advocacy Professionals Community

Speakers:

Jim Leahy, CAE, Managing Director, Regional & Federal Programs for Liberty Square Group
Lorrie Trogden, CAE, President/CEO of the Arkansas Bankers Association
David Lusk (moderator), Founder of Key Advocacy

Thu 6/1 at 7:30 a.m. – Leading with Inclusion: How to Build Impactful & Resilient Associations | Global Virtual CollabSphere

Hear the insights of leaders, trailblazers, and change-makers who champion diversity, equity, and inclusion through their daily work. Start building on our shared know-how in one of four break-out sessions focusing on: inclusive secretariats, inclusive member engagement, inclusive governance, or inclusive advocacy and outreach. More info/register.

Host: DGA Association Labs

Thu 6/1 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 6/1 at 1 p.m. – Leadership & Learning: Leadership Development at the Executive Level

While many organizations have leadership development programs for their staff or partners, few have dared to venture into the world of executive-level leadership. And even fewer have succeeded in a program that enlightens and empowers executive-level leaders. Drawing from our experience developing and implementing our new Executive Leaders Academy, we will share the lessons we’ve uncovered, insights and practical strategies for connecting with these leaders exactly where they are and uncover what to look for when creating or participating in high-level leadership. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers: Ryan MacTaggart, PhD, Associate Director, Professional Learning, and Sarah Brinker-Good, Manager, Professional Learning, EDUCAUSE

Thu 6/1 at 2 p.m. – AMS or CRM: A Candid Conversation

Hear about the different approaches between platforms, key features that all associations need in their AMS/CRM and tips for a successful selection regardless of the platform you choose. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: 501Works, LLC

Speakers:

Moira Edwards, President, Ellipsis Partners
Jennie Koss, Senior Consultant, Cooper Consulting
Wes Trochlil, Founder, EDM – Effective Database Management

Fri 6/2 at 10 a.m. – Association Chapters | Coffee with Innovators: Association Design Circle

Every month, an association leader leads a conversation on an association innovation topic. Our topic this month is association chapters. More info/register.

Host: Product Design Community

Facilitator: Mike Liddy, Global Chapter Platform Lead for the Project Management Institute, with over 300 local chapters internationally

Fri 6/2 at 1 p.m. – Dissecting the Chat GPT/Generative AI Disruption: Use Cases, Concerns, Threats & Opportunities for Event Profs

Hear about the top AI use cases for event profs; broader shifts and implications for our industry; 25 smart ways event profs can use ChatGPT & other Generative AI tools; challenges, concerns, and opportunities; and an overview of the top platforms. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: PCMA

Speakers:

Nick Borelli, Marketing Director, Zenus
Matthias Clock, Marketing Director, RX
Anh Nguyen, Founder, Spark Event Management
Jen Santos, Founder & CEO, Smart Event Academy
Howard Givner (moderator), SVP Knowledge & Innovation, PCMA | Founder, Event Leadership Institute

Fri 6/2 at 1 p.m. – Virtual Events 101 for Associations: A Guide to Choosing the Best Technology

Hear about the latest trends in virtual event technology, benefits and drawbacks of various platforms, how to choose the right tools to achieve your desired learning outcomes, how to navigate common challenges in virtual event planning, such as technical issues and learner engagement, and best practices for delivering memorable and engaging virtual experiences. 0.75 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Blue Sky eLearn

Speakers: Ronnie Dudek, Director of Streaming & Production Services; Jesse Pitzler, Senior Virtual Events Producer; and Robbie Shedd, Director of Live Events, Blue Sky eLearn

Fri 6/2 at 4 p.m. – Diversity Discussion Series: Pride Panel

Join us as we celebrate Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month with a moderated diversity panel discussion. More info/register.

Host: Fridays@4

Tue 6/6 from 10 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. – SURGE Ignite

The only virtual conference for fearless association pros, the goal of SURGE 2023 is to learn from the unfamiliar and go beyond the boundaries of what we think is possible. With lessons learned from two years of a pandemic, the Great Resignation and plenty of new technologies changing the way we work, you’ll be prepared for what comes next. Instead of listening to speakers for hours, you’ll be chatting with our keynotes in Q&As or networking with like-minded association pros—our live chat is known to be a hotbed for new ideas. 4 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: Sidecar

Tue 6/6 at 12 p.m. – DIY Engagement Modeling (Association Analytics Network)

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

Host: Association Analytics

Wed 6/7 from 10 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. – SURGE Ignite

Host: Sidecar

Wed 6/7 at 12 p.m. – AI in Action for Professional Development Products in Associations

Learn how your peers are harnessing the power of generative AI to transform their association learning products. See examples of how this technology is revolutionizing the creation and editing of audio, writing compelling marketing copy, transcribing and summarizing meetings, and providing AI-generated feedback to learners. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Professional Development Advisory Council

Wed 6/7 at 12 p.m. – The Chicken or the Egg? Which Is First: Technology or Content?

Which comes first—the chicken or egg is a metaphor for which comes first in associations–content or technology? In this session, a seasoned mar/comm pro and an IT expert debate how both components need to work together strategically to deliver the best communications to its target audiences. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Insights in Old Town

Speakers:

Adam Hostetter, CEO of FuseSearch
Sheri Singer, president of Singer Communications

Wed 6/7 at 2 p.m. – Powerful Negotiating Techniques for Engaging Your Counterpart

Association professionals negotiate on a daily basis—externally with customers, internally with colleagues, in the room, on a call and over video. But when negotiating with counterparts in real life, how do you use your preparation to the best effect? Learn how to leverage authentic curiosity to create maximum value for you and your counterpart, know where to place focus in a negotiation, specific techniques for engaging more effectively with your counterpart, and how to develop a practice plan to transform concepts into habits. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Professionals for Association Revenue

Speaker: Susan Borke, Principal, BorkeWorks

Thu 6/8 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 6/8 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Summer Symposium: Innovations | Insights | Trends (Washington DC)

Sessions include (see descriptions in online events below): The Future of Associations: 4 Ways to Adapt and Thrive; From Legacy to Modern: Updating Systems for New Technology and AI; The Ultimate Guide to Salesforce for Association Management: Implement, Enable and Engage; Yours, Mine and Ours: Exploring the Many Facets of Cybersecurity Awareness. Location: Washington DC. 4 CAE credits. More info/register. (I’m making an exception to list this $25 event because lunch and happy hour are included in the price.)

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Bill Sheehan, VP, Strategic Partnerships, Multiview
Ali Niroo, Managing Partner, Bridgepointe Technologies and George Breeden, CAE, MBA, NREMT, CIO, Investment Company Institute
Sarah Irwin, Solutions Director, Fionta
Andrew Leggett, CEH, CSSA, CISSP, Director of Cybersecurity Operations, DelCor

Thu 6/8 at 10 a.m. – The Future of Associations: 4 Ways to Adapt and Thrive

How do you grab the attention of your members in a world of decreasing attention span? Learn about the attention economy and how to benefit from integrated media plans; how media companies engage, and how it can benefit your association; and how to change your mindset to always think boldly and evolve with your industry, including members and vendors. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Bill Sheehan, VP, Strategic Partnerships, Multiview

Thu 6/8 at 11 a.m. – Developing International Markets: ASAE World Cafe Panel 1

While no association pursues international growth following the exact same pathway, there are some strategic and tactical considerations each one should consider. Members of the ASAE International Associations Advisory Council will share their experience and lessons learned in what worked and what didn’t when they developed international markets for their associations. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE International Associations Advisory Council

Speakers:

Jakub Konysz (host), Global Navigators
Kristin Hodgson (moderator), Project Management Institute
Sylvia Gonner, CAE (moderator), CultureWiz
Joanne H Joham, CMP, CMM, DES (moderator), J Joham Associates
Pietro Macchiarella, Young Presidents’ Organization
Jim Piechowski, HOCK International

Thu 6/8 at 11:15 a.m. – From Legacy to Modern: Updating Systems for New Technology and AI

By utilizing modern technology and AI, you can take your organization from Legacy to Modern with the results of cost savings, increased efficiency and enablement so that you have more time for tasks at hand. Learn how AI/Machine Learning can do more with less and help move your organization from Legacy to Modern, how to transition from legacy systems while remaining cost efficient and increasing productivity, and how to create efficiencies and demystify your options in modernizing legacy platforms. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Ali Niroo, Managing Partner, Bridgepointe Technologies
George Breeden, CAE, MBA, NREMT, CIO, Investment Company Institute

Thu 6/8 at 1 p.m. – Legal Aspects of Associations Working Internationally : ASAE World Cafe Panel 2

From intellectual property to taxation laws, associations working internationally can face much more complicated legal issues than in a purely domestic operation. Learn about strategic and tactical legal considerations associations working internationally should consider. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE International Associations Advisory Council

Speakers:

Jakub Konysz (host), Global Navigators
Matt Riley (moderator), ICS International Conference Services
Sylvia Gonner, CAE (moderator), CultureWiz
Joanne H Joham, CMP, CMM, DES (moderator), J Joham Associates
Kerry Cosby, American Association for Clinical Chemistry
Jefferson C. Glassie, FASAE, Partner, Whiteford Law

Thu 6/8 at 1 p.m. – Become Future Ready (and How Your AMS Can Help)

Learn how to harness data to deliver exceptional value to your members, how your AMS can be a driving force for simplifying complex tasks and streamlining operations, how to unlock the power of a growth mindset, and how to prepare for what’s next—whatever that may be. More info/register.

Host: Impexium

Thu 6/8 from 2 to 4 p.m. – Evolve 23

A space for B2B marketers to come together, prepare, and navigate this monumental shift and a new era with confidence. Industry titans like April Dunford, Rand Fishkin, and Melissa Rosenthal will share relevant insights and strategies on positioning, creative, and content, helping you transform your marketing approach and stay ahead of the curve. Connect with fellow marketers, exchange ideas, and learn how to embrace change and adapt to the evolving B2B landscape. More info/register.

Host: Welcome

Thu 6/8 at 2:30 p.m. – Yours, Mine and Ours: Exploring the Many Facets of Cybersecurity Awareness

Are you feeling paralyzed by all of the cybersecurity buzz in the industry? Hear the nerd word demystified and practical strategies to mitigate, transfer or accept cybersecurity risks. Learn how to evaluate your current security architecture against industry standards, possible next steps in advancing your organization’s IT security, and “IT Tradeoffs” to reduce technical management in exchange for vendor management. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Andrew Leggett, CEH, CSSA, CISSP, Director of Cybersecurity Operations, DelCor

Fri 6/9 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: Nicole Araujo, CAE, Client Engagement Director, Mighty Citizen

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, Twitter or LinkedIn by Wednesday afternoon the week before it’s scheduled.

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Association Brain Food: 5.19.23

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

Reflection. “I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.” ―William Penn

Chapter events. Here’s a conundrum: How can members ever feel like part of their chapter community if they don’t attend chapter events? Billhighway explains how to get reacquainted with post-pandemic chapter members and design a chapter event experience that’s worth their time.

Leadership training. Members aren’t willing to dedicate as many volunteer hours as they once did—that’s the word on the street. WBT Systems suggests offering something valuable in exchange for their time: free leadership training they can apply at work and at your association.

Event apps. You’d think every attendee would use your event app, but that’s not always the case. However, their event experience—and your sponsors’ satisfaction—would improve if they did. EventMobi explains how to increase event app usage, including a plan for roll-out, understanding attendee personas, value-focused messaging, and engagement. Good stuff.

Users group. Wes Trochlil of Effective Database Management points out the power of users groups—a must-read if you work regularly with an AMS. He compares them to associations: both are designed to “bring together like-minded people to address similar challenges.”

Chat GPT. Tiffany Moule at Higher Logic explains what associations should know about ChatGPT. She warns that “careful human oversight, editing, and institutional knowledge is still required,” but suggests how to use it for research and content creation.

Non-dues revenue partners. Navigate CES describes how to improve the customer journey for sponsors, exhibitors and advertisers. They share tactics for the six stages of that journey and for dealing with churn (boo!) and expansion (yay!).

Association growth mindset. Association executives want their organizations to evolve and take advantage of new opportunities, but something is holding them back. Amith Nagarajan at Sidecar makes the diagnosis: they need to build a growth mindset into their culture—and he explains how to do that.

Community censoring. Aaron Terr at Persuasion makes a free speech case for Section 230, which prevents owners of social media platforms and online communities from being sued for user-generated content. However, the SAFE TECH Act would eliminate this protection. Will this legislation have consequences for risk-averse associations and their communities? Politicians want to beat up on social media platforms because people are saps, but what are the downstream effects? And, yes, I wrote to ASAE about it last weekend, but haven’t heard back.

Good listens

Earlier this year, Amanda Kaiser was on the Radio Free 501c podcast hosted by Cecilia Sepp. She talked about elevating engagement, including what’s going on in members’ heads during the six stages of member engagement.

Quick hits

Improve responsiveness to your emails by implementing these four principles. (Gino Silva-Payne, Email Meter)

For goodness’ sakes, do not use your credit card with Venmo. (Saving Money with Andrew)

What a story. How Christopher Burney discovered mindfulness in a Nazi solitary confinement cell. (Ted Gioia)

Good eats

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

I’m cooking again! Here’s an easy one: pan-seared yellowfin tuna with avocado, soy, ginger and lime. Add a little sesame oil too.

On the side, sweet and spicy zucchini. Cross hatch squash halves, then brush them with a glaze of honey, rice vinegar, soy sauce and sambal oelek (hot chili paste). Bake until softened, brushing with glaze every now and then.

I adapted my Portuguese fish skillet recipe from UK and US recipes. I make mine with linguiça. This time, I used ribbonfish and sheepshead, a strange combo, I know, but they were in a bag together in the freezer.

On the side, sautéed Brussels sprouts greens—yes, you read that correctly. We had a sad sprout harvest because Jim thinks he planted them too close together, but we love the greens. They remind us of frost-kissed (sweeter) collards. I added red onion, red bell pepper, carrots, garlic, slivered dried figs and chicken broth to the greens.

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 5/19 at 11 a.m.* – Do This, Not That! Q2 Email Marketing Tips

Hear insights from six of the industry’s leading email marketing experts. Discover the latest email tips, trends and tactics for both business and consumer markets that will take your campaigns to the next level. More info/register.

Host: GURU Events

Speakers:

Chase Dimond – Top Ecommerce Email Marketer, EmailUp
Nancy Harhut – Chief Creative Officer, HBT Marketing
Brian Minick – Chief Operating Officer, ZeroBounce
Steffen Schebesta- CEO & VP of Corp Development, Sendinblue
Jay Schwedelson, Founder of SubjectLine.com
Pierce Ujjainwalla – Co-founder & CEO, Knak

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

Fri 5/19 at 4 p.m. – Hope, Inclusion, Support, & Strategies to Maximize Mental Health

Learn about the resources and strategies available to boost our mental wellbeing and support our colleagues, friends, and family members, and

mental health awareness month and how to participate. More info/register.

Host: Fridays@4

Speaker: Mental Wellness Coach Sarah Larrabee

Mon 5/22 at 8 a.m. – Consuming Research Responsibly (Radio Free 501c)

Radio Free 501c, the podcast of Rogue Tulips Consulting (formerly Nonprofit Conversations) features guests from across the nonprofit community and the business world to share expertise on a variety of topics related to the practice of nonprofit management. Episodes are published Monday mornings in both audio and video format on most podcast services.

Guests:

Elizabeth Engel, M.A., CAE, Chief Strategist, Spark Consulting, LLC
Polly Karpowicz, MBA, CAE, Nonprofit Consultant

Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC

Mon 5/22 at 1 p.m. – Community Connect Panel Continuation

Join us for the 30-Minute Monday series where a subject matter expert and moderator sit down for a hard-hitting, jam-packed 30-minute conversation about the topics you need to know to start your week. No slides, no long lectures, just facts, tips, and tricks to help you take your events and business to the next level. Last month we had our first Community Connect. Join us back with our panelist as we continue the conversation. 0.5 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MPI

Tue 5/23 at 11 a.m. – Membership Experience: What’s Cloud Got to Do with It?

For many years, association technology teams have been talking about move to the cloud. Learn what the cloud is, how member expectations have been transformed by the cloud, and how your association can leverage cloud technologies to deliver a superior membership experience. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Alex Mouw, Principal Strategic Advisor, Amazon Web Services

Tue 5/23 at 2 p.m. – Diverse Leadership in Associations: Strategies for Overcoming Systemic Barriers to CEO and C-Suite Roles

Learn how systemic biases, discriminating practices and antiquated policies and structures limit opportunities for BIPOC professionals to access leadership roles within associations; best practices for building more inclusive and equitable leadership pipelines, including recruitment, mentorship and professional development programs; and strategies for fostering a culture of equity, diversity, inclusion and justice within associations and promoting accountability and transparency in leadership pipelines. More info/register.

Host: Nonprofit HR

Speakers:

Antonio Cortes, PhD, Managing Director, EDIJ
Steven Krzanowski, MA, Senior Consultant, EDIJ
Danisha Martin, MBA, CSC, Team Leader & Senior Consultant, Impact Search Advisors by Nonprofit HR
Bert Ruiz, MS, Managing Director, Impact Search Advisors by Nonprofit HR

Tue 5/23 at 2 p.m. – Navigating the Complex World of Event Technology: Strategies for Choosing the Right Tech for Your Event Needs

Explore the best practices and strategies for selecting the right event tech for your specific event needs. Learn how to navigate the complex world of event tech and select the right tools for your event needs. More info/register.

Host: Smart Meetings

Speaker: Huong Nguyen, CEO and Head of Client Services at Shiloh Events

Wed 5/24 at 7 a.m. – Negotiating Contracts: Essentials for Associations

Learn about the key elements of contract negotiation, such as contract terms, indemnification, force majeure, and dispute resolution. Hear about best practices for preparing for negotiations, identifying and assessing potential risks, and establishing effective communication and negotiation strategies, insights into negotiating contracts, and practical guidance on how to protect the interests of their association and avoid common pitfalls. More info/register.

Host: Association of Association Executives

Speakers:

Nadia Rubtsova, Founder, Business & Events Academy
Paul Walsh, EMIAM (Seminar Chair), Seminar Programme Manager, Association of Association Executives

Wed 5/24 at 9:30 a.m. – Small Staff Percolator

Host: Qiqo

Wed 5/24 at 12 p.m. – Corporate Sponsorship Brainstorming Session

Ever wished you had a roundtable of association leaders and experts to brainstorm corporate sponsor support for your members’ needs? Bring a specific project you are trying to find corporate support for—or a challenge your members face—for a brainstorming discussion to generate ideas you can put to use. More info/register.

Hosts: Alexandria Association Execs with AIOT

Speaker: Corporate Partnership & Sponsorship Consultant Bruce Rosenthal

Wed 5/24 at 12 p.m. – 2023 Event Trends Study: Advancing the Next Generation of Events

Hear about the findings of the 2023 Event Trends Study, a study of 500+ professionals who plan events for corporations, government organizations, nonprofits, and associations. Learn about planners’ outlooks, goals, and concerns about the future of their organizations’ events; how they use event technology and how technology adoption impacts event strategies; technology’s impact on driving event growth; and action items for big-time event growth. More info/register.

Host: Community Brands

Speakers: Jason Daiger, Vice President of Product & Client Services, Events, and Tirrah Switzer, Senior Director of Product Marketing, Community Brands

Wed 5/24 at 1 p.m. – Let’s Talk About… Your Monthly Chance to Connect with Association Peers

During this meetup, you’ll have the chance to break into tables based on the topics that you’re interested in. This month, we’re covering: volunteer management and creating a culture of volunteerism, artificial intelligence and how we’re implementing it, and event planning and contracting. More info/register.

Host: Sidecar

Wed 5/24 at 1 p.m. – Hybrid Board Meetings Are Here to Stay

While hybrid meetings offer advantages, they also come with potential challenges. Learn from experts in governance and technology solutions about best practices for maintaining engagement and purpose in hybrid meetings, structuring them effectively, and leveraging the virtual component to increase productivity. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Speakers:

Jordan Castel, Nonprofit and Association Consultant, OnBoard Meetings
Matthew McEwan, Vice President, Minute Solutions
Eileen Murray, American Epilepsy Society
David Bergeson, PhD, CAE (noderator), Vice President, Association Management Center

Wed 5/24 at 1 p.m. – Future of Work from Anywhere

Learn how to define the role of hybrid-work in your organization and the best technology approaches to ensure security, productivity, collaboration and cost-effectiveness. Hear about the “why” behind unified communications (UC), key features and benefits as well as the top considerations when selecting a UCaaS or collaboration platform. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Dave Hopper, Solution Architect, Bridgepointe Technologies
Adam Kuhn, Director of IT for FIA (Futures Industry Association)
Ali Niroo, Managing Partner, Bridgepointe Technologies

Wed 5/24 at 1 p.m. – Prepare for the AI Revolution: Tips, Trends, and Strategies for Event Profs

Learn about the benefits and limitations of AI-powered chatbots and how you can leverage data insights to maximize their impact on your event marketing efforts. Hear about real-world examples of successful AI-driven event marketing campaigns and explore the tough questions about what artificial intelligence means for the events industry. More info/register.

Host: Bizzabo

Speakers:

Liz Caruso, CEO, techsytalk, Inc
Dahlia El Gazzar, Tech Evangelist + Idea Igniteur, Dahlia+ Agency
Oren Berkovich, Head of Experience Lab, Bizzabo

Wed 5/24 at 1 p.m. – Grow, Engage, Delight! Creating Content On LinkedIn to Grow Our Brands and Influence

Learn the formula for creating a healthy balance of content on LinkedIn, three effective content formats that will “stop the scroll” and engage with your audience, and LinkedIn algorithm hacks that will get more eyes on your content. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Meetings Today

Speaker: Leanne Calderwood, CMP, LinkedIn Expert

Wed 5/24 at 3 p.m. – 5 Changes that Will Expand Your Content’s Reach

Learn how to turn your association’s content into effective drivers of engagement. Find out how to create a Content Hub that ties together disparate content into a more cohesive presentation with more context, control, and analytics; how content visualizations can “up” your engagement game and drive discovery across all your bases of knowledge; and how to know what your “customers” want and ensuring you’re delivering the right content to the right people at the right time. More info/register.

Host: Aplusify

Speaker: Paul Burke, Senior Account Executive, Aplusify

Thu 5/25 at 11 a.m. – Taking Charge of Your Digital Transformation Strategy

Hear about the importance of leading and implementing an effective digital transformation strategy for your association. Learn how effective digital transformation is led from the top and what strategies to consider when starting your journey. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: iMIS by ASI

Thu 5/25 at 11 a.m. – A Not So Quiet Conversation About Quiet Hiring

Quiet hiring is when employers fill talent gaps by shifting employees around and hiring contractors or part-time workers. Learn how to gain in-demand talent and utilize part-time and contract workers as a critical workforce development strategy. Get specific tools and templates to help you manage the hiring process, including How to Create a Great Job Description, Situational Interview Questions, and a sample assessment/interview scorecard. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Jaime Hirschfeld, Director of Client Sales, FlexProfessionals, DC

Thu 5/25 at 12 p.m. – Looking Forward 2023 Solutions: The Association Strategies Essential to Success

Looking Forward® 2023 Solutions is yearly research that tests 120 strategies currently implemented by associations. Get a first look at research data and learn about strategies that associations believe are critical to success, principal challenges facing association strategy as the sector continues to change in relation to current events, and how to access and filter the Looking Forward Dashboard for the specific information and reports you need. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Laboratory

Speakers:

Leo Baran, Director of Membership and SEA Engagement, National Council of Structural Engineers Associations
Jeanette Gass, Senior Program Manager, Global Market Development, International City/County Management Association
Nikki Golden, CAE, strategist, Association Laboratory
Dean West, FASAE, founder and president, Association Laboratory

Thu 5/25 at 12 p.m. – Enhance the Board Member Lifecycle: Experiences Create Impact

Learn how the Board Member Lifecycle prepares new board members for successful leadership; how to create pathways for effective, continuing board leadership; how to maximize your board’s contribution to your organization; and how to leverage past presidents, chairs, and board members as a powerful resource for years to come. More info/register.

Host: Hight Performance Group

Speakers:

Michael Gellman, CPA, CGMA, co-founding principal partner for Fiscal Strategies 4 Nonprofits, LLC and co-founder for Sustainability Education 4 Nonprofits
Cathi Hight, President of Hight Performance Group

Thu 5/25 at 12 p.m. – Beat the Burnout

According to a study, event planning is the third-most stressful job in the world for 2023. Hear strategies to beat burnout and achieve a better approach to our workload. Learn tips to manage stress, prioritize self-care, and set boundaries that will help you stay energized and focused. More info/register.

Host: Black In Events Network

Speakers: The Health Institute

Thu 5/25 at 1 p.m. – Cybersecurity: A Team Sport

We all know how crucial cybersecurity is in today’s digital world, but are you fully aware of the risk and legal ramifications of a breach? Hear how to assess and mitigate cybersecurity risks in your organization. Get a better understanding of the cybersecurity risks your organization faces, the tools available to manage those risks, the knowledge necessary to make informed decisions about cybersecurity risk management, and to communicate those risks to stakeholders. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

David DeCillis, CISSP, Senior Product Specialist, ARG
David Kuchar, Managing Partner, ARG, Inc.
Trey Mauck, CEO & Founder, Integrated Insurance Solutions

Thu 5/25 from 1:30 to 3 p.m.– CEX 2.0 Virtual: Building Component Success

Explore three critical challenges for component relations professionals (CRPs): helping chapter leaders be CEOs (Chief Engagement Officers); getting chapter leaders’ attention; and data, data, data. Come for the content and go home with a community. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Hosts: Billhighway and Mariner Management

Speakers:

Peggy Hoffman, Mariner Management
Peter Houstle, Mariner Management
Sarah Robertson, Billhighway
Sheri Singer, Singer Communications

Thu 5/25 at 2 p.m. – Findings from Interviews with 100 Corporate Sponsors That Can Help Associations Improve Their Sponsorship Program Success

Learn the top trends Bruce learned from interviews with corporate sponsors, including actual quotes from sponsors. Understand how to use what we learn from corporate sponsor interviews to improve association sponsorship programs. Hear about best practices you can use to interview your sponsors, plus five key questions to ask. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Non-Dues-a-Palooza

Speaker: Bruce Rosenthal, corporate sponsorship consultant and co-founder of the Partnership Professionals Network

Thu 5/25 at 2 p.m. – Key Contact Programs

Hear advice on effectively identifying, educating, and mobilizing your grasstops advocates. More info/register.

Host: Aristotle

Fri 5/26 at 12:00 p.m. – Small Staff Percolator

Host: Qiqo

Tue 5/30 at 12 p.m. – How to Contract with and Manage State Lobbyists

Host: ASAE Government Relations and Advocacy Professionals Community

Speakers:

Jim Leahy, CAE, Managing Director, Regional & Federal Programs for Liberty Square Group
Lorrie Trogden, CAE, President/CEO of the Arkansas Bankers Association
David Lusk (moderator), Founder of Key Advocacy

Thu 6/1 at 2 p.m. – AMS or CRM: A Candid Conversation

Host: 501Works, LLC

Speakers:

Moira Edwards, President, Ellipsis Partners
Jennie Koss, Senior Consultant, Cooper Consulting
Wes Trochlil, Founder, EDM – Effective Database Management

Fri 6/2 at 1 p.m. – Dissecting the Chat GPT/Generative AI Disruption: Use Cases, Concerns, Threats & Opportunities for Event Profs

Host: PCMA

Speakers:

Nick Borelli, Marketing Director, Zenus
Jen Santos, Founder & CEO, Smart Event Academy
Howard Givner (moderator), SVP Knowledge & Innovation, PCMA | Founder, Event Leadership Institute

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, Twitter or LinkedIn by Wednesday afternoon the week before it’s scheduled.

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Association Brain Food: 5.12.23

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

Non Dues-a-Palooza (NDP). It’s not until early September, but put NDP on your radar. I’m tired of experiencing FOMO for this one, so I’ve already got my flight booked for Denver. I love the idea of a small, focused conference where you can actually get to know people, so I hope to meet many of you there.

Learning business. WBT Systems describes how for-profit learning platforms, like the MOOCs Coursera and EdX, make their money. The corporate market is a growing profit center for them—and could be for your association too. WBT shares seven MOOC business model strategies you should definitely steal.

Membership tiers. Impexium explains how your association and members could benefit from offering a tiered membership model. They describe several examples of general and specialized membership tiers and discuss factors to consider before moving forward, like your AMS and market research.

Newsletters. I bet members interact with your newsletters more regularly than any other product or service, which means your association should carefully plan and design each edition. But do you? Rasa.io shares 15 ways to improve your newsletter content and delivery.

Virtual for in-person attendees. Arianna Rehak at Matchbox Virtual Media encourages you to design engaging virtual experiences that strengthen your in-person events. She shares examples of a pre-event virtual program and one that takes place after an in-person event, both adding more value to the attendee experience.

Demystifying API. Wow. If you’re selecting any type of technology that relies on integration, you must read this non-technical guide on API for association leaders. Amith Nagarajan at Sidecar explains the basics of API—“the communication bridge between different software applications”—the problem with misleading “integrates with anything” claims and questions to ask vendors during the software evaluation process.

State of the association industry. There’s no lack of survey reports in our industry, but a few challenges stand out in the 2023 Association Survey Results Report from GrowthZone: non-renewals by members who don’t have time to participate and the lack of plans or processes for goals such as member engagement, lapsed member reengagement, young professional recruitment and retention, and membership value innovation. No plan, no progress.

Good listens

I love listening to smart people having interesting conversations. With podcasts, I’m like a ghost in the room. Think about that when you hit “record,” boo.

Jeff De Cagna joined the hosts of The Association Podcast—Ben Muscolino (AMS Geek, Breezio, Data Sangria), Gretchen Steenstra (DelCor) and Jake Toohey (Adage)—to talk about boards and flawed governance systems, the return to complacency, the low bar of relevance, and generative AI.

On episode 32 of the Association Thrive podcast, host Joanna Pineda of Matrix Group shares the mic with Dan Berger, CEO of the National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions (NAFCU). NAFCU made the decision to focus only on advocacy, compliance and education—their members’ priorities. They stopped doing everything else. As you might suspect, that didn’t go over too well with everyone on staff. He mentioned this cool member benefit: peer-to-peer learning networks for people in the same job role, for example, CEOs, CFOs, HR, marketing, etc.

Good eats

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

This past week, I was still on a “softer” foods diet thanks to periodontal surgery, so nothing outstanding to report. If you missed my PSA for irregular flossers in last week’s edition, take a moment, please, to read it.

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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 5/12 at 12:00 p.m.* – Small Staff Percolator

Host: Qiqo

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

Fri 5/12 at 12:30 p.m. – Conversations with Champions

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Guest: Elizabeth Santana, MBA, CAE, ICE-CCP, CPTD, Director, Conceptual Research & Design, Inteleos

Fri 5/12 at 4 p.m. – Elevating Engagement: Uncommon Strategies for Creating a Thriving Member Community (Book Discussion)

Members’ needs are changing—they require more than value to engage with your association; they also want memorable, positive experiences. Learn how engagement builds from our member’s points of view. No matter the size or type of your association, and no matter your current role, see how you, too, can distinguish and propel your organization. Using uncommon strategies from her book Elevating Engagement, learn how to create an energized and highly motivated membership. More info/register.

Host: Fridays@4

Speaker: Amanda Lea Kaiser

Mon 5/15 at 8 a.m. – The Endless Search for Program Funding (Radio Free 501c)

Guest: Gail Kulp, Sea Tow Foundation

Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC

Mon 5/15 at 2 p.m. – Artificial Intelligence Idea-Thon: Building the Association of the Future

Imagine the power of multiple brains collaborating and innovating with one goal in mind: solving the most pressing association challenges using Artificial Intelligence (AI). We’re bringing this vision to life with our first ever Idea-thon. Participants will brainstorm the biggest challenges that associations face today and then team up to create a pitch for an AI-fueled solution to one of those challenges. More info/register.

Host: Blue Cypress

Tue 5/16 at 11 a.m. – Membership Engagement and the Power of Transitioning Suppliers and Vendors to Thought Leaders

Your members likely view you as the authority on your industry. But for them to continue to look to you as a thought leader, you need to keep your finger on the pulse of the latest developments and trends. One way to do this is by transitioning your suppliers and vendors into thought leaders. Learn what becoming a thought leader entails for your suppliers, what the benefits are of turning them into thought leaders, and how to begin the process of transition for them. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Alfred McKelvy III, Executive Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, Multiview

Tue 5/16 at 11:30 a.m. CDT – AWTC Pop-Up Lunch: Chicago

Join AWTC for our new, nationwide monthly pop-up lunch! Each month, we’re planning a pop-up lunch in various locations around the U.S. on the same day. These intimate, informal gatherings are designed to help you build your network and connect with the AWTC community. Space is limited so RSVP soon. Lunch costs are on your own. All are welcome, including our allies. Location: Chicago IL. More info/register.

Organizer: Association Women Technology Champions

Tue 5/16 at 12 p.m. – Component Relations and Volunteer Management May Crunch and Munch

Come prepared to engage, participate and listen as we discuss current topics. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Component Relations and Volunteer Management Professionals Community

Tue 5/16 at 12 p.m. – AWTC Pop-Up Lunch: Fairfax VA

Organizer: Association Women Technology Champions

Tue 5/16 at 1 p.m. – Writing an RFP for Merchant Services

When releasing an RFP to evaluate new merchant service providers, knowing how the credit card industry works is crucial. Your fiduciary obligation and reputation are on the line. Learn about the credit card processing flow, players, terminology, and musts to consider. Become prepared to write your RFP and evaluate your perspective merchant service providers based on the criteria most important for your organization. Learn how to identify the gaps in your current payments ecosystem and what to ask to reduce these issues in your future state. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

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

Tue 5/16 at 3 p.m. – Current Trends in Policy and Politics

Hear the latest quarterly analysis of trends in policy and politics. More info/register.

Host: Quorum

Speaker: Bruce Mehlman, Founding Partner at Mehlman Consulting

Wed 5/17 at 9 a.m. CDT – How Do Credentialing Organizations Enhance Their Value to the Professions They Serve? (Chicago IL)

Learn about options for adding to your certification a workforce skills program or a more durable maintenance of certification program; best practices for implementing models that enable partnerships with higher education to start candidates on the path to your credentials and profession sooner; ways to prove the value of your program in ways business understands, increasing relevance to the profession you serve; and possibilities for creating lifelong relationships with certificants. Location: Chicago IL. More info/register.

Host: Certification Network Group

Speakers:

Katie Hall, Founder and CEO of Claira
Jasmine Rockett, Deputy Director of the Inteleos Point-of-Care Ultrasound Certification Academy
Bill West, MBA, ICE-CCP, EVP, Global Skills X-Change, and Chief Credential Services Officer, Cornerstone Strategies
David Wilcox, M.S., P.E., founder, President & CEO of Global Skills X-Change

Wed 5/17 from 9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. – Healthcare Day 2023: From Local Policy to Global Markets

A day of insights, discussions, and analysis on global issues, federal policy, advocacy, and state and local policy, global leaders, policymakers, and healthcare experts examine the latest trends and strategies for navigating the healthcare landscape in 2023 and beyond. More info/register.

Host: FiscalNote

Wed 5/17 at 11 a.m. – How to Boost Productivity by Overcoming Conflict Avoidance

Associations tend to run lean, which means we’re doing more with less, all while striving to meet the high standards of our members. Yet, we often fall short of our own expectations. It’s not due to a lack of effort or expertise—it’s because we’re avoiding our conflicts. Hear the most common ways conflict avoidance gets in the way of performance. Learn concrete tips and approaches for dealing with conflict directly and without all the drama, including some ideas on how to build conflict resolution capacity inside your culture so productivity gains stick around. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Sidecar

Speaker: Jamie Notter, growth strategist, Propel

Wed 5/17 at 11 a.m. – Creating Actual Exciting Engagement – Virtually!

Conferences and meetings are vital to our arsenal to inspire change, to advance mission, and to support the individuals and organizations we serve. While we are experiencing a boomerang to in-person events, it is likely that both funding and accessibility will drive us back to the screen. Learn what connections mean in a virtual context so as to define HOW we can create those authentically, how to support sponsors and vendors in a virtual space that results in achieving their goals and expectations, and how to find a tech partner that understands what it means to advance mission and support individuals and organizations respectively. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Lucas Cioffi, CTO and Co-Founder, QiqoChat
Peggy McElgunn, CEO and Founder, Global Professional Services PC
Sandra Nam, CEO and Co-Founder, QiqoChat

Wed 5/17 at 12 p.m. – Facets of Diversity

Discuss a variety of topics on diversity in the meeting and events industry, including: DEI fatigue; women, particularly Black and Brown women, leading the way; and diversifying your employee base. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MPI

Moderator: Dani Kloap, Manager of Curriculum, Meeting Professionals International

Wed 5/17 at 12:30 p.m. – 8 Tips for Turning Trade Show Content into Marketing Gold

In just 8 minutes, learn how to give your trade show content a new life, extend the reach and ROI of your event beyond the show dates, save valuable time and resources better spent elsewhere, and maintain momentum in-between scheduled events. More info/register.

Host: Swapcard

Speaker: Megan Saad, Senior Account Executive at Sessionboard

Wed 5/17 at 1 p.m. – The New Age of Analytics: How to Successfully Transition to GA4

Google Analytics is the Holy Grail for many organizations, giving them the data they need to make more informed and strategic business decisions. But big changes are coming in just a couple of months with the forced switch to Google Analytics 4 (GA4), which turns Google Analytics as we know it, on its head. Hear about GA4 and how to navigate the new GA4 interface, the questions you should ask to identify your organization’s key metrics and how to track them in GA4, our recommendations for the top reports associations should build in GA4 and how to do it, how to track and report on your most important member journeys in GA4, and how to identify the many other places you collect analytics. More info/register.

Host: Matrix Group

Wed 5/17 at 1 p.m. – From Boomer to Zoom-er: Leading 4 Generations in the Workplace

Hear about strategies for relationship building across generations, including communication strategies for remote/hybrid environments that bridge generational divides. Learn how to build trust across generations through clarity, communication, and belonging. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Fonteva

Speakers:

Rebecca Achurch, PgMP, PMP, CSM, CAE, Chief Executive Officer, Achurch Consulting
Erin Lemons, Vice President, Marketing, Fonteva & Protech

Wed 5/17 at 1 p.m. – How to Generate Revenue for Advocacy Efforts

Learn about strategies and best practices for generating revenue for association advocacy efforts. Hear about various revenue streams, including sponsorships, advocacy funds, and events, and tips on how to optimize each of these revenue channels. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Government Relations and Advocacy Professionals Community

Speakers:

Michelle Ly, Director of Advocacy Programs for NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association
John Nothdurft, Director of Government Affairs for ISSA

Wed 5/17 at 1 p.m. – Creativity in the Time of AI

Learn techniques to inspire your teams’ creativity. Hear about the intersection of innovation and artificial intelligence; how to leverage creativity to achieve business goals; the main ingredients for creative success; the power of inquiry, improvisation and intuition; and the role of creativity in the hybrid workplace and the future of work. More info/register.

Host: Big Think+ Book Club

Speaker: Natalie Nixon, PhD., author of The Creativity Leap: Unleash Curiosity, Improvisation, and Intuition at Work

Wed 5/17 at 2 p.m. – In or Out: Staffing and Managing a Successful Sales Team

32% of associations say their greatest obstacle to sales performance is staffing/resources. Deciding on a sales team that is in-house, outsourced or a combination is an important step toward finding success. Learn about the pros and cons of each staffing option, how to ensure teams are set up to succeed, and how to measure performance. Receive tactical checklists to support the session’s learning objectives. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Professionals for Association Revenue

Speakers:

Jodi Ashcraft, Director of Media & Event Sales, American Psychological Association
Addy Kujawa, CAE, CEO, American Alliance of Orthopedic Executives
Carrie McIntyre, Principal, Navigate

Wed 5/17 at 2 p.m. – Reboot Your In-Person Events

Learn how attendee expectations have changed and get ideas you can use to wow attendees. Hear about the five pillars of effective, measurable engagement, and ways event tech can support you in navigating social pressures on your events (sustainability, DEI, accessibility). 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MeetingsNet

Speaker: Angel Santiago, Director of Sales, Cvent

Wed 5/17 at 3 p.m. – Beyond Basic Learning Metrics: Using Analytics to Uncover Insights & Education Gaps

Pulling reports and getting basic learning metrics from your LMS can be a struggle. Besides the time it takes to pull data from different systems, the reports are often limited in the insights they can offer. Learn how to use analytics to uncover education gaps you didn’t know you had, discover which course topics do better live or online, and know if learners have a positive or negative tone in course reviews. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Analytics

Speakers: Bill Conforti, SVP of Strategy & Solutions; Rachel Mace, Sr. Developer, Data Visualizations; and Greg Pollack, Vice President of Sales, Association Analytics

Thu 5/18 at 7 a.m. – Dangers and Dealing with False Information Online

Nearly all associations manage online communities, either on common platforms (e.g., LinkedIn or Facebook) or private ones for members. Defamation or libel against an organization or member on your platforms is potentially very harmful and costly in defending litigation and compensation. Learn about the challenges of combating false information and disinformation; best practices for identifying, verifying, and responding to false information; and media literacy, fact-checking, crisis communications and online reputation management. More info/register.

Host: Association of Association Executives

Speakers:

Andy Burman, Managing Director, SEBCO Consulting
Paul Walsh EMIAM (seminar chair), Seminar Programme Manager
Association of Association Executives

Thu 5/18 from 9 a.m. to 3:10 p.m. – Community Platforms Demo Day

Community experts will showcase platforms and share their knowledge with the association market. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Thu 5/18 at 11 a.m. – 15 Ways To Take Your Email Newsletter To The Next Level

Learn how to use email newsletter marketing to engage your members about current topics and industry trends, newsletter best practices, increasing engagement, curating outside content, and automation. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

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

Thu 5/18 at 11:30 a.m. – Spring Tapas Talk: Been There Done That

Through (virtual) f2f conversations, connect with peers at other small-staff associations, and chat with supportive professionals who understand and excel at working with smaller teams. Partners will provide free resources for you to grab as well as hosting small conversations in breakout rooms. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Qiqo

Thu 5/18 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 5/18 at 1 p.m. – How to Grow Your Credentialing Business: Protect, Expand, Diversify

Growing your credentialing business means more revenue and more impact for the learners you serve and fields and industries they work in. Learn about three core strategic actions—protecting your base, expanding your base, and diversifying your offerings—that position you for growth. Hear about creating an accurate competitive awareness, aligning with workforce and employer needs, positioning for price increases, entering new markets, and developing new products and services. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Leading Learning

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

Thu 5/18 at 1 p.m. – Workshop: Build a Video Campaign to Promote Your Upcoming Event

Learn best practices for developing a member-driven content strategy, gathering the video content you need at in-person events, and using it across your communication channels to improve performance of campaigns as varied as: advocacy, membership renewal and acquisition, event promotion, and more. Walk away with an actionable, step-by-step workbook you can use to get started building your campaigns. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

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

Thu 5/18 at 1 p.m. – New Kid on the Block: The Event Technologist

Technology use at events has exploded in recent years, bringing about a new role within many event organizations–the event technologist. Whether the role is staffed internally or externally through an agency, 47% of organizations now have a clearly defined job description within their team. Hear about the roles and responsibilities of the event technologist, measurements of success around event technology, and expectations for the future of the event technologist. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Meetings Today

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

Thu 5/18 at 1 p.m. – Site Selection & Contract Negotiation in a Seller’s Market

In this unprecedented era of disruption, we will share strategies to help you cope with rising costs from inflation, supply chain issues, and hotel staffing challenges. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Prevue Meetings

Speakers:

Anne Gorman, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, streamlinevents
John Klukan, CHA, Market Director of Sales + Marketing, JW Marriott Dallas Arts District
Terry Matthews-Lombardo, CMP, TML Services Group, LLC

Thu 5/18 at 2 p.m. – Get More from Your Board’s Committees

Learn how to make committees the workhorse of the board, leverage the executive committee, and directors and staff can best support committee work. More info/register.

Host: OnBoard

Speaker: Erik Hanberg, Author of The Little Book of Boards

Thu 5/18 at 3 p.m. – Need a Winning Event Strategy? Look at the Data!

As a meeting planner, arming yourself with an understanding of what data can tell you about your event is key to maximizing ROI and effectively engaging with guests. Learn about different methods of data collection; strategies for successfully leveraging collected data; the impact of data on event marketing, attendee engagement, and long-term growth; analyzing data to drive success with future events; advanced data analysis techniques to identify areas of improvement and maximize event potential; and real-world case studies to apply the principles of data-based decision-making for effective event planning. 1 CAE/CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: EVA Event Tech Hub

Speakers:

Joe Colangelo, CEO and Co-Founder, Bear Analytics
Joe Federbush, President/Chief Strategist, EVOLIO Marketing
Vinnu Deshetty, CEO & Founder, EVA Event Tech Hub

Thu 5/18 at 4 p.m. – ASAE Idea Swap: What Were You Thinking? Ethics in Association Management

Walk through a series of scenarios to learn how to recognize an ethical issue, apply ASAE’s Ethical Decision Making Model in your organization, and work through the ethical issues in the workplace. Hear about the elements needed to ensure your association fosters ethical decision-making practices. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Reston-Loudoun Idea Swap

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

Fri 5/19 at 11 a.m. – Do This, Not That! Q2 Email Marketing Tips

Host: GURU Events

Speakers:

Chase Dimond – Top Ecommerce Email Marketer, EmailUp
Nancy Harhut – Chief Creative Officer, HBT Marketing
Brian Minick – Chief Operating Officer, ZeroBounce
Steffen Schebesta- CEO & VP of Corp Development, Sendinblue
Jay Schwedelson, Founder of SubjectLine.com
Pierce Ujjainwalla – Co-founder & CEO, Knak

Tue 5/23 at 11 a.m. – Membership Experience: What’s Cloud Got to Do with It?

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Alex Mouw, Principal Strategic Advisor, Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Wed 5/24 at 9:30 p.m. – Small Staff Percolator

Host: Qiqo

Wed 5/24 at 12 p.m. – Corporate Sponsorship Brainstorming Session

Hosts: Alexandria Association Execs with AIOT

Speaker: Corporate Partnership & Sponsorship Consultant Bruce Rosenthal

Wed 5/24 at 1 p.m. – Let’s Talk About… Your Monthly Chance to Connect with Association Peers

Host: Sidecar

Wed 5/24 at 1 p.m. – Hybrid Board Meetings Are Here to Stay

Host: ASAE

Speakers:

Jordan Castel, Nonprofit and Association Consultant, OnBoard Meetings
Matthew McEwan, Vice President, Minute Solutions
Eileen Murray, American Epilepsy Society
David Bergeson, PhD, CAE (noderator), Vice President, Association Management Center

Wed 5/24 at 1 p.m. – Future of Work from Anywhere

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Dave Hopper, Solution Architect, Bridgepointe Technologies
Adam Kuhn, Director of IT for FIA (Futures Industry Association)
Ali Niroo, Managing Partner, Bridgepointe Technologies

Thu 5/25 at 11 a.m. – A Not So Quiet Conversation About Quiet Hiring

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Jaime Hirschfeld, Director of Client Sales, FlexProfessionals, DC

Thu 5/25 at 1 p.m. – Cybersecurity: A Team Sport

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

David DeCillis, CISSP, Senior Product Specialist, ARG
David Kuchar, Managing Partner, ARG, Inc.
Trey Mauck, CEO & Founder, Integrated Insurance Solutions

Thu 5/25 at 2 p.m. – Findings from Interviews with 100 Corporate Sponsors That Can Help Associations Improve Their Sponsorship Program Success

Host: Non-Dues-a-Palooza

Speaker: Bruce Rosenthal, corporate sponsorship consultant and co-founder of the Partnership Professionals Network

Fri 5/26 at 12:00 p.m. – Small Staff Percolator

Host: Qiqo

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, Twitter or LinkedIn by Wednesday afternoon the week before it’s scheduled.

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Association Brain Food: 5.5.23

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

Meaningful meetings. Achurch Consulting says it’s time to rethink and repair your organization’s broken meeting culture by adopting meaningful and mindful meeting practices. They suggest steps for stopping the meeting madness and responsibilities of meeting conveners and participants.

Corporate learning. Coursera, EdX and LinkedIn Learning are going all in on the corporate market and increasing revenue as a result. WBT Systems explains how your association can stand out from the for-profit crowd by offering a corporate learning concierge service to industry employers—a good way to spread market awareness, strengthen relationships, and generate additional revenue.

AMS requirements. Impexium shares the most in-demand requirements on the AMS wish lists of association executives. I’m pleased to see that most of these go beyond technical functionality to more strategic considerations that position an association for the future. If you’re looking for a new AMS, put these eight requirements at the top of your list.

Virtual connections. Amanda Kaiser describes how virtual connections can ease attendees’ anxiety about going to in-person events. She suggests ways to help attendees connect with each other before and during the event—and recalls the joy of tweet-ups. Remember those? Ah, the old days.

Employee volunteering and DEI. When association professionals think about volunteering, members naturally come to mind. But what if your employer gave you time to volunteer? Submittable explains how employee volunteering can help strengthen your organization’s DEI efforts.

Workplace culture. By now, we understand the influence of culture on an organization’s success. But where and how do you even begin to improve your culture? Propel explains how a culture assessment that evaluates eight primary culture patterns reveals your organization’s change readiness and place on the cultural spectrum from traditional to contemporary to futurist.

Quick hits

My eight best techniques for evaluating character. (Ted Gioia)

Competency vs. skill: why you need to know the difference. I didn’t. (Haley Wilson, D2L)

Dogma, doubt and Jane Austen, today. “Who is telling you what to think, who is peddling certainty and outrage; and who on the contrary is encouraging thought and reflection, open debate, consideration and conscience?” (Austen Connection)

Good eats

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

My Good eats section is on hiatus because I had periodontal surgery last week, specifically pocket reduction or osseous surgery. Unless you want to hear about my fascinating soft food diet of puréed soups, mashed sweet potatoes, broccoli purée, smoothies and ice cream. My immersion blender has earned its keep.

Now, all you irregular flossers, I implore you to read my PSA. You’re indulging in a high-cost bad habit! Before it’s too late, establish a daily oral hygiene habit that includes flossing and purple Listerine, or pay the price. Surgery on my bottom molars was $3K and the dental anesthesiologist was another $2K. Going under was optional, but I couldn’t stomach the idea of being awake with only local anesthesia for two hours.

TMI, I’m sure, but I wish someone had told me all this long ago, including what I was risking by not flossing regularly. Let’s just hope surgery did the trick and I can keep my cute molars—one of them is at risk. PSA over.

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 5/5 at 10 a.m.* – Coffee with Innovators: Association Design Circle

On the first Friday of each month, an association leader leads a conversation on an association innovation topic. Our topic this month is association engagement with Amanda Lea Kaiser, author of Elevating Engagement: Uncommon Strategies for Creating a Thriving Member Community. She is an in-demand speaker for association leaders worldwide and is at the forefront of exploring how member and attendee engagement is rapidly changing. More info/register.

Host: Product Design Community

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

Fri 5/5 at 4 p.m. – Diversity Discussion Series: Celebrating Inclusion and Diversity

In honor of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we continue our Diversity Discussion Series. Join us to explore how leaders can create a more inclusive work environment and celebrate diversity. More info/register.

Host: Fridays@4

Speakers:

Maisha Hoque, Membership Specialist for the National Quality Forum
Jen Mehltretter, Education Program Manager at The Optical Society
Jolene Jang (moderator), Asian inclusivity consultant

Mon 5/8 at 8 a.m. – Successful Rebrand (Radio Free 501c)

Guest: Gwyn Donohue, CAE, Vice President Communications and Membership, Pet Advocacy Network

Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC

Mon 5/8 at 12 p.m. – Membership Mondays

A chance to collaborate with association peers on the challenges and opportunities you face in your organization. This month’s topic: the member journey. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Mon 5/8 at 1 p.m. – International Planners | 30-Minute Monday

International events are an important part of connecting us across the world. As one of the top destinations and home to a diverse and international population, the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau knows all about international audiences. Join us for a conversation on how we can have successful events for international populations. 0.5 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MPI

Wed 5/9 at 11 a.m. – Using Member Insights to Power Your Engagement

Knowledge is power especially when it comes to understanding, serving and keeping your members for years to come. Learn what common data challenges are present in the member experience and affect an association’s ability to provide an individual level of service and value, how to identify gaps in what you know about your members currently, and what insights you should be looking to capture today for better member engagement and action. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Brianne Wheeler, Director of Marketing at PropFuel

Tue 5/9 at 12 p.m. – Tech Tuesdays

A gathering of IT and IT- interested folks to discuss topics related to the IT challenges facing associations today. During the May 9th kickoff, we will go through a process to surface and prioritize topics for the first few Tech Tuesday gatherings. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Moderators:

Reggie Henry, ASAE
Dave Coriale, DelCor

Tue 5/9 at 12 p.m. – Mental Health and Meetings: A Whitepaper Discussion

By prioritizing attendees’ wellness and mental health, many meeting professionals are finding that events can be critical to a person’s overarching wellbeing. Forward-facing professionals are looking beyond a commoditized approach to wellness and gravitating to an integrative approach, where wellness and mental health are baked into every aspect of a gathering. Discover how wellness should play a critical role in the design of meaningful experiences for participants, and how events could offer a key to overarching wellbeing for individuals. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MPI

Speaker: Nancy Snowden, M.A., Manager of Educational Experiences, MPI

Tue 5/9 at 12 p.m. – LGBTQIA2+ Community Call

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 5/9 at 2 p.m. – How Your Association Can Prepare for Economic Uncertainty

In a challenging economy, it’s more important than ever for associations to think about how they can diversify their revenue streams. Hear ideas for collecting non-dues revenue (sponsorship, job boards, merch, etc.), how technology can support your non-dues efforts, and how to get a sponsorship up and running (plus tips for adjusting existing programs). More info/register.

Hosts: Higher Logic and Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE)

Speakers:

Edward Byers, CHRP, CMP, CAE, Business Development at CSAE
Emily Stamm, Senior Sales Engineer at Higher Logic
Kelly Whelan, Content Marketing Manager at Higher Logic

Tue 5/9 at 3 p.m. – Keeping the Focus on Financial Health, Sustainability, and Operating Reserves

Learn how to help senior management better understand the balance sheet and operating reserves’ impact on financial health, options and strategies for managing overhead expenses and allocation of indirect costs, the hidden benefits from expanded segregation of duties, the benefits of short and intermediate cash management strategies and monthly distribution of financial reports, how enhancing communications between the finance and development departments is critical to compliance and meeting donor expectations and promises. 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 5/9 at 3 p.m. – Our Space: Strategies for Shaping the Culture of Your Association

Creating an inclusive and well-established culture within your association can play a significant role in member engagement and retention. It promotes collaboration and teamwork. Hear about a range of strategies and practical tips to help you shape the culture of your association and foster a more engaging and collaborative environment for your members. More info/register.

Host: NXUnite

Speakers:

Michael Hoffman, Co-Founder & CEO at Gather Voices
Ashley Perkins, People & Culture Manager at Minutes Solutions
Colleen Carroll (moderator), Content Publishing Coordinator, Nexus Marketing Agency

Wed 5/10 at 9 a.m. – Associations’ Role in Climate Change: The UN Climate Conference, COP27, and Beyond

Either as part of ESG initiatives or looking at impact and legacy, associations are increasingly grappling with the role sustainability plays in supporting their work and advancing their missions. Hear from associations who were at the UN’s 2022 Climate Change Conference, COP27 to learn how they set objectives, progress made, and how associations can play a role at COP28 in Dubai, UAE. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Speakers:

Amanda Clinton, MEd, PhD, Senior Director, Office of International Affairs, American Psychological Association
Janice Lachance, JD, FASAE, Executive Vice President, Strategic and Organizational Excellence, American Geophysical Union
Derek Washam, Director, International Relations, The American Institute of Architects (AIA)
COP28 UAE Spokesperson
Jakub M. Konysz, MBA, IOM, CAE (moderator), Founder and CEO, Global Navigators

Wed 5/10 at 9:30 a.m. – Small Staff Percolator

Host: Qiqo

Wed 5/10 at 11:30 a.m. – Nonprofit Consultants Think Tank (Washington DC)

Join your nonprofit professional consultant colleagues for a deep dive discussion into building a stronger Professional Nonprofit Consultants Community segment. We will share ideas, ask questions that are vexing us, and build stronger referrals. Most importantly we will build camaraderie while expanding our knowledge base. Location: Washington DC. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Nonprofit Consultants Think Tank

Wed 5/10 at 2 p.m. – Generative AI: Understanding the Real-World Implications for Your Association

As a follow-up to his April 4 open letter to the association community on generative AI, Jeff De Cagna will help association staff develop an empathic and hype-free understanding of generative AI’s real-world implications for their organizations, stakeholders, and successors. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: Jeff De Cagna FRSA FASAE, executive advisor for Foresight First LLC,

Wed 5/10 at 2 p.m. – How to Use Influencer Marketing to Do Good

Learn how to use influencer marketing to raise awareness, inspire action, and do good. More info/register.

Host: Feathr

Speakers:

Paul Katz, CEO of Entertain Impact and author of Good Influence: How to Engage Influencers for Purpose and Profit
Noah Barnett, VP of marketing, Feathr

Wed 5/10 at 3 p.m. – Nonprofits after the Great Resignation: Overcoming the Workforce Shortage

Nonprofits are facing shortages in their workforce in all functions and levels. Some call it the Great Resignation, but it is a mistake to think about it as a short-term trend. Hear about the data behind these labor shortages and strategies to overcome them, current overall workforce trends in the US, the next few years of workforce trends and how they will impact nonprofits, and solutions for overcoming labor shortages in the nonprofit sector. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Matt Haggerty, Senior Analyst, Nonprofit & Education, RSM

Thu 5/11 at 7 a.m. – Data Protection for Associations: Key Considerations

In today’s digital age, associations handle a large amount of personal data, ranging from member information to financial records. Holding this data comes with important concerns around privacy and security. Learn about the critical issues of information rights and what to do if data is compromised, as well as best practices for data collection and use. More info/register.

Host: Association of Association Executives

Speakers:

Luke Dixon, Partner, Freeths
Paul Walsh EMIAM (moderator), Seminar Programme Manager, Association of Association Executives

Thu 5/11 at 11 a.m. – Unleashing AI for Better Marketing and Audience Engagement

Get a framework for thinking holistically about AI and practical strategies, tools and tips for leveraging AI in your organization. Learn how to start planning for AI and its biggest challenges, how to staff for AI, what prompt engineers are, what legal considerations you should keep in mind when working with AI, and how you can better position yourself and your team to adapt to and take full advantage of AI. More info/register.

Host: Renewd

Speakers:

Mitch Eisen, Founder/CIO, Contentware
Tom Pines, CEO, Contentware
Erica Salm Rench, COO, rasa.io
Kim Mateus (moderator), Interim Executive Director, Renewd

Thu 5/11 at 11 a.m. – Top Not-for-Profit Risks

An appropriate assessment of a not-for-profit’s key risks is critical for management to mitigate risks, instill confidence in their Board and ensure that compliance issues do not interfere with their mission. Learn about the top risks faced by any not-for-profit, sources to review to determine if the risk applies to your organization, strategies and tools to specifically mitigate each of these risks, and a controller’s toolkit to ensure compliance risks are addressed. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Bianca Domally, Chief Financial Officer, Associated Builders and Contractors
Kathy O’Connor, President, O’Connor Consulting Services

Thu 5/11 at 12 p.m. – 5 Ways Technology Is Positively Impacting (and Improving) Your Culture

Technology champions in the workplace lead to increased productivity, better collaboration, improved employee satisfaction, and more. Learn what it means to be a technology champion, strategies for identifying and developing technology champions within your organization, how technology champions help drive digital transformation initiatives, and the role technology plays in shaping the overall culture of the organization. More info/register.

Hosts: Impexium and .orgCommunity

Speakers:

Sara G. Greene, National Automated Clearing House Association
Mark Prevost, Impexium

Thu 5/11 at 12 p.m. – Associated Growth: Professional Development for Your Association

Strategically planning your association members’ professional development is one of the best ways to retain current members and engage new members. Learn how associations can most effectively go about professional development, build out their current member development programs, and generally promote a culture of growth. More info/register.

Host: NXUnite

Speakers:

Jennifer Alluisi, Account Executive at Custom Management Group
Laurelle Jno Baptiste, Vice President of Professional Services at Vocalmeet
Patti Schutte, CEO/Founder & Principal Coach at Be Brilliant Presentation Group
Dan Streeter, Vice President of Learning & Development at Blue Sky eLearn
Colleen Carroll (moderator), Content Publishing Coordinator, Nexus Marketing Agency

Thu 5/11 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 5/11 at 12:30 p.m. – SECURE 2.0 Act – New Retirement Plan Provisions

SECURE 2.0, major legislation impacting 403(b), 401(k), and other tax-favored plans containing over 90 provisions, was enacted on December 29, 2022. The legislation includes changes relating to catch-up contributions, required minimum distributions, required coverage of part-time employees, and many other important topics. Learn about the key provisions of interest to nonprofit organization retirement plan sponsors.

More info/register.

Host: Venable LLP

Speakers: Harry Atlas, Partner, Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation, and Lisa Tavares, Partner, Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation, Venable LLP

Thu 5/11 at 1 p.m. – The 3 Rs of Membership | Retain: Mastering Engagement Scoring & Personas

With measurement and evaluation tools now accessible to associations of all sizes, engagement scoring allows you to better use data to inform engagement strategies and drive organizational improvement. Learn how to define an engagement scoring strategy that supports your organizational goals, including: identifying and nurturing future committee volunteers and leaders, encouraging more activity in programs, and enhancing loyalty. More info/register.

Host: iMIS by ASI

Thu 5/11 at 2 p.m. – Boost Your Member Engagement with Sponsorships

Learn how to include sponsorship in your overall fundraising, include sponsors to engage and create value, leverage content from your corporate sponsors to grow your membership, meet your sponsor’s goals, and develop an effective sponsorship program. More info/register.

Host: Grype

Speaker: Bruce Rosenthal, corporate sponsorship consultant and co-convener, Partnership Professionals Network

Thu 5/11 at 6:30 p.m. – BAE DMV Monthly Dinner

More info/register.

Host: ASAE Black Association Executives

Fri 5/12 at 12:00 p.m. – Small Staff Percolator

Host: Qiqo

Fri 5/12 at 12:30 p.m. – Conversations with Champions

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Guest: Elizabeth Santana, MBA, CAE, ICE-CCP, CPTD, Director, Conceptual Research & Design, Inteleos

Fri 5/12 at 4 p.m. – Elevating Engagement: Uncommon Strategies for Creating a Thriving Member Community (Book Discussion)

Host: Fridays@4

Speaker: Amanda Lea Kaiser

Mon 5/15 at 2 p.m. – Artificial Intelligence Idea-Thon: Building the Association of the Future

Host: Blue Cypress

Tue 5/16 at 11 a.m. – Membership Engagement and the Power of Transitioning Suppliers and Vendors to Thought Leaders

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Alfred McKelvy III, Executive Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, Multiview

Tue 5/16 at 11:30 a.m. CDT – AWTC Pop-Up Lunch: Chicago

Organizer: Association Women Technology Champions

Tue 5/16 at 12 p.m. – Component Relations and Volunteer Management May Crunch and Munch

Come prepared to engage, participate and listen as we discuss current topics. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Component Relations and Volunteer Management Professionals Community

Tue 5/16 at 12 p.m. – AWTC Pop-Up Lunch: Fairfax VA

Organizer: Association Women Technology Champions

Tue 5/16 at 1 p.m. – Writing an RFP for Merchant Services

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

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

Wed 5/17 at 9 a.m. CDT – How Do Credentialing Organizations Enhance Their Value to the Professions They Serve? (Chicago IL)

Host: Certification Network Group

Speakers:

Katie Hall, Founder and CEO of Claira
Jasmine Rockett, Deputy Director of the Inteleos Point-of-Care Ultrasound Certification Academy
Bill West, MBA, ICE-CCP, EVP, Global Skills X-Change, and Chief Credential Services Officer, Cornerstone Strategies
David Wilcox, M.S., P.E., founder, President & CEO of Global Skills X-Change

Wed 5/17 at 11 a.m. – How to Boost Productivity by Overcoming Conflict Avoidance

Host: Sidecar

Speaker: Jamie Notter, growth strategist, Propel

Wed 5/17 at 11 a.m. – Creating Actual Exciting Engagement – Virtually!

Conferences and meetings are vital to our arsenal to inspire change, to advance mission, and to support the individuals and organizations we serve.

While we are experiencing a boomerang to in-person events, it is likely that both funding and accessibility will drive us back to the screen. Learn what connections mean in a virtual context so as to define HOW we can create those authentically, how to support sponsors and vendors in a virtual space that results in achieving their goals and expectations, and how to find a tech partner that understands what it means to advance mission and support individuals and organizations respectively. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Lucas Cioffi, CTO and Co-Founder, QiqoChat
Peggy McElgunn, CEO and Founder, Global Professional Services PC
Sandra Nam, CEO and Co-Founder, QiqoChat

Wed 5/17 at 1 p.m. – The New Age of Analytics: How to Successfully Transition to GA4

Host: Matrix Group

Wed 5/17 at 2 p.m. – In or Out: Staffing and Managing a Successful Sales Team

Host: Professionals for Association Revenue

Speakers:

Jodi Ashcraft, Director of Media & Event Sales, American Psychological Association
Addy Kujawa, CAE, CEO, American Alliance of Orthopedic Executives
Carrie McIntyre, Principal, Navigate

Wed 5/17 at 3 p.m. – Beyond Basic Learning Metrics: Using Analytics to Uncover Insights & Education Gaps

Host: Association Analytics

Speakers: Bill Conforti, SVP of Strategy & Solutions; Rachel Mace, Sr. Developer, Data Visualizations; and Greg Pollack, Vice President of Sales, Association Analytics

Thu 5/18 from 9 a.m. to 3:10 p.m. – Community Platforms Demo Day

Community experts will showcase platforms and share their knowledge with the association market. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Thu 5/18 at 11 a.m. – 15 Ways To Take Your Email Newsletter To The Next Level

Host: UST Education

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

Thu 5/18 at 11:30 a.m. – Spring Tapas Talk: Been There Done That

Host: Qiqo

Thu 5/18 at 1 p.m. – How to Grow Your Credentialing Business: Protect, Expand, Diversify

Host: Leading Learning

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

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, Twitter or LinkedIn by Wednesday afternoon the week before it’s scheduled.

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Association Brain Food: 4.28.23

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

Credentialing programs. Before developing a certification exam or any type of education program or pathway focused on a specific job role, you must do a job analysis. WBT Systems explains what’s involved and what associations need to know about using a job analysis to design and market programs.

Member recruitment. Membership marketing has come a long way since I first started in associations. Frankly, we’re smarter about it now. We need to be to rise above the competition for attention, time and wallets. Impexium suggests member recruitment strategies that will successfully drive your marketing efforts in this very different marketplace.

Audience avatar. Mercury Creative Group explains why you should have an individual ideal buyer in mind when crafting marketing content—actually, this is a good idea when writing any content. They guide you through the steps for creating a persona or avatar who represents someone in your ideal audience.

AI, again. Peter Diamandis—the guy being the X Prize and Singularity University—explains why AI is exploding now and why you should care. “By the end of this decade, there are going to be two kinds of companies: those that are fully utilizing AI and those that are out of business.”

The future of scientific societies. AAAS asked young scientists from around the world, “How have scientific societies affected your career, and how can societies best support scientists in the future?” Although their opinions are most relevant for scientific societies, I wonder how much they reflect the thoughts of other young scholarly types.

Online community. You can no longer give your online community a half-hearted effort. Online communities are extremely popular with younger audiences—the toughest ones to recruit and retain. If your association doesn’t offer an online community for members, Nimble AMS may change your mind. Learn how an online community can help you attract, engage and retain members, and read their useful plan for launching and managing a community.

Quick hits

You don’t need to be “the Boss” to be a leader. (Matt Mayberry, Harvard Business Review)

How to increase email open rates: 13 key success factors with examples. (Andy Crestodina, Orbit Media Studios)

Good eats

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

I could eat this sauce all day: speckled sea trout with choo chee Thai curry sauce. The recipe comes from Nancie McDermott’s Quick & Easy Thai: 70 Everyday Recipes. My adaption includes red onion, red bell, mushrooms, coconut milk, red curry paste, fish sauce, soy sauce, palm (or brown) sugar, green onions or garlic chives, and a mix of these: cilantro, Vietnamese coriander, basil and Thai basil.

On the side, roasted broccoli with red onion, soy sauce, red pepper flakes and a Kashmiri coconut hot sauce.

A cooler Sunday called for corned beef. I cook it low and slow in the oven for four hours or until it’s wicked tender. First, I rub a mix of spices all over the top: ground allspice, mustard, coriander, cloves, black pepper, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, Aleppo or red pepper flakes, and bay leaves.

On the side, roasted potatoes, red onions and carrots with bacon and garlic powder, and a sauté of cabbage with bacon, red onion, red bell, garlic, red pepper flakes and dried apricots.

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 4/28 at 11 a.m.* – Learn to Maximize Volunteer Engagement

Learn best practices for recruiting volunteers, including outreach strategies and messaging; strategies for managing volunteers, including training, supervision, and recognition; leveraging technology for volunteer management and engagement; and tips for building a culture of volunteerism in your organization. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Sidecar

Speaker: Meagan Gallagher, Director of Programs at OCA, A Special Place for Special Needs

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

Fri 4/28 at 12 p.m. – Exam Development

Learn how to design and administer exams that are valid and reliable, while incorporating best practices in assessment design. Gain an understanding of the principles of good test construction, explore the different types of exams, and get hands on experience in constructing exams. Learn the importance of item analysis, the role of feedback in exam development, and the need for test security. More info/register.

Host: Leverage Assessments, Inc.

Speaker: Maxwell E. Uduafemhe, PhD.

Fri 4/28 at 4 p.m. – Career Management Toolkit: Best Practices for Leveraging the Power of Professional Coaching

Ever wondered what it’s like to work with a professional coach? Unsure what to expect or how they can help? Want to maximize a professional coaching relationship you already have? Meet five professional coaches, experience two focused sessions, and learn how, when done right, working with a professional coach can help you navigate change, level-up your leadership, map out an action plan to achieve a goal, and much more. More info/register.

Host: Fridays@4

Speakers:

Jaya Koilpillai Bohlmann, MA, APR, MSMOB, ACC
Tina Erickson
Kathy Kiernan, MBA, PCC
Jeff Koziatek
Parker Mabry, MA, PCC, BCC

Mon 5/1 at 8 a.m. – Nonprofit Career Internships (Radio Free 501c)

Guest: Shannon McCracken, CAE

Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC

Tue 5/2 at 12 p.m. – Quick Wins (Association Analytics Network)

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

Host: Association Analytics

Tue 5/2 at 12 p.m. – Three Things Organizations Must Do to Stay Safe with ChatGPT

Who isn’t using ChatGPT, Bing AI and Bard these days? The general advice coming from all corners is to just get online and “play with it”. But are you keeping your data and information safe? Are your employees using the outputs in responsible ways? In this livestream, we’ll be talking about what you and your organization must understand to safely use these amazingly powerful tools. More info/register.

Host: Charlene Li, Chief Research Officer at PA Consulting

Tue 5/2 at 1 p.m. – Ideas and Inspiration for Healthier Meetings

Hear hands-on advice and real-life examples from expert industry panelists of how groups have integrated wellness activities and experiences into their meetings and incentive programs and what’s possible on Florida’s Paradise Coast (Naples, Marco Island, Everglades). 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Prevue Meetings

Speakers:

Jeniffer Bello, CMP, President/CEO, JB Experiences
Paul Gabriel Nunez, Director of Spa, Fitness and Wellness, JW Marriott Marco Island, Spa Advisory Council of the Americas
Rachael Riggs, CMP, DES, SEPC, Maritz Global Events, General Manager
Maura Zhang, CIS, CITP, RYT, Midwest Sales Representative for Naples, Marco Island, Everglades CVB, Synergy-Connect

Tue 5/2 at 1:30 p.m. – Event Manager’s Master Class – A Tool Kit for Events in 2023

From industry data and survey feedback, it is clear that audiences have new (and higher) expectations. As events are more judiciously considered on their return on time, value, and investment, organizers must adjust for this new normal (your 2019 tool kit won’t cut it). Hear about what’s hot and what’s not in 2023, key data and insights for strategic planning, leveraging and maximizing expectations of today’s exhibitors and sponsors and attendees and speakers, generating new opportunities for community and connections, creating memorable experiences for new and younger audiences, and, most important, generating revenue for your event. More info/register.

Host: Personify

Speakers:

Marlys Arnold, Author and Host of the Trade Show Insights Blog & Podcast
Rich Vallaster, CEM, DES, Director of Marketing and Events at A2Z Events by Personify

Tue 5/2 at 3 p.m. – Consultant Members’ Town Hall with ASAE Leadership

A virtual conversation between ASAE consultant members and ASAE leadership, the agenda topics include: Looking Back to Inform the Future—The KCC, Consultant Membership and Engagement; Destination 2026 and You—Review of Destination 2026, 2024 Priorities; and Q&A. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Facilitator: Don Dea

Wed 5/3 at 7 a.m. – Dealing with False Information Online

Learn about the challenges of combating false information and disinformation, as well as best practices for identifying, verifying, and responding to false information. Find out about media literacy, fact-checking, crisis communications and online reputation management. Hear experiences and insights into how associations can navigate the complexities of false information online and mitigate the risks to their reputation and credibility. More info/register.

Host: Association of Association Executives

Speakers:

Andy Burman, Managing Director, SEBCO Consulting
Paul Walsh EMIAM (seminar chair), Seminar Programme Manager, Association of Association Executives

Wed 5/3 at 9 a.m. – Best Practices for Managing a Sales Team and Outcomes (PAR Member Meet-Up)

Whether you lead a sales team of one or many, this PAR Member Meet-Up will help you generate ideas on best practices for sales team management. Join us as PAR members share metrics their teams are tracking, effective reporting practices and accountability tactics that lead to successful outcomes. More info/register (members only).

Host: Professionals for Association Revenue

Wed 5/3 at 11 a.m. – Successful Volunteer Leadership: The Ultimate Balancing Act

How can you encourage and develop passionate volunteers that make values-centered decisions and put the association and its members first? How can you win as an individual, professional, a volunteer member of an association, all with the same amount of time as the rest of us? Learn the critical leadership skills needed to thrive as a volunteer in all domains of life; the fundamentals behind balancing the needs of the volunteer member, local/chapter, and national organization to achieve maximum synergy and drive excellent results; how to avoid burnout as a volunteer and as a leader; and the art of achieving balance in all areas of life. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

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

Wed 5/3 at 11 a.m. – Why Event Organizers Are Deploying Pre-Scheduled Meetings in 2023

Learn why pre-scheduled meetings are taking off now, the benefits of pre-scheduled meetings, how much additional revenue organizers should expect by adding pre-scheduled meetings to their events, which events are doing pre-scheduled meetings well, and why pre-scheduled meetings don’t always mean you need a ‘hosted buyer’ event format. More info/register.

Host: Grip

Speakers:

Dahlia El Gazzar, Founder, DAHLIA+Agency
Hew Leith, VP of Marketing, Grip

Wed 5/3 at 12 p.m. – The Operational Value of Paying Attention to Culture

Learn how to diagnose unrest and disengagement within your workforce and implement strategies to retain high-caliber talent. Hear how to leverage your teams’ knowledge and personal investment to create solutions tailored to your organization’s needs, deploy effective surveys that mine critical information from your team, what tools to deploy to address various levels of burnout, and how to use this pre-Return to Work Movement moment to build a culture of attraction and employee evangelists who recruit high-caliber talent. More info/register.

Host: Association Insights in Old Town

Speaker: Lizabeth Wesely-Casella, Founder and CEO of L-12 Services

Wed 5/3 at 2 p.m. – Effective Strategies for Sustainable Events

Collaboration is the key to making progress on sustainability in the events industry. A growing number of meeting professionals are working with experts and one another to craft sustainability policies and action plans. Hear practical advice and best practices about what’s been put in place and what action we must take now to design more sustainable events and create a more sustainable industry. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Northstar Meetings Group

Speakers:

Marley Finnegan, Founder, Purpose Net Zero and Purpose Sustainability Strategy
Jaime Nack, President, Three Squares Inc.
Michael J. Shapiro (moderator), Executive Editor, Northstar Meetings Group

Thu 5/4 at 7 a.m. – How Artificial Intelligence Can Enhance Association events

Learn about the AI tools and applications that can improve event planning, participant engagement, and overall event experience, including chatbots, facial recognition, personalized recommendations, and data analytics. Hear experiences and insights into how associations can leverage AI to streamline event management, increase participant satisfaction, and generate valuable insights into attendee preferences and behavior. More info/register.

Host: Association of Association Executives

Speakers:

Marie Dubost, Facilitator, Zoom Queen, Trainer, Moderator, facilitation.dev
Paul Walsh EMIAM (seminar chair), Seminar Programme Manager, Association of Association Executives

Thu 5/4 at 11 a.m. – What Do Sponsors Really, Really Want?

Many planners don’t know how to drive the onsite engagement sponsors crave—jeopardizing the financial support, credibility, and added value they bring to events. Logos and banner ads are a great start, but a home-run sponsor engagement program will guarantee sponsors will return over and over. Learn how to create engaging digital sponsorship opportunities, increase sponsor value by keeping them top of mind in between sessions, drive attendee-sponsor engagement by manipulating show floor traffic, and help sponsors smash their lead goals by more efficiently qualifying leads onsite. More info/register.

Host: EventMobi

Speakers: Alistair Fernandes, Event Tech Manager; Thorben Grosser, VP of Product Marketing; and Christine Mack, Manager, Customer Success, EventMobi

Thu 5/4 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 5/4 at 1 p.m. – Membership Experience: What’s Cloud Got to Do with It?

For many years, association technology teams have been talking about moving to the cloud. For those outside of the tech team, you may just be beginning to ask, “What is the cloud?” and “What value does the cloud deliver for my team and our members.” Learn how member expectations have been transformed by the cloud and how your association can leverage cloud technologies to deliver a superior membership experience. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Alexandra Mouw, Principal Strategic Advisor, Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Thu 5/4 at 2 p.m. – Unleashing the Power of Data: Debunking Myths and Maximizing Impact

Learn how to make sense of managing and realistically using your data to power your organization. See how a data analytics expert works with an association executive to make it all happen. Discover how the live data you have on hand now is worth more per record today than any other time in your organization’s history, how good data management is driving member-led product improvement, get a mindset that data is truly an asset—and it’s appreciating, and how data can be your crystal ball to success. More info/register.

Host: 501Works

Speakers:

Joe Colangelo, CEO and Co-Founder of Bear Analytics
Chris Love, Vice President, Information Technology, Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed)
James Marquis, CIO, 501Works

Thu 5/4 at 2 p.m. – Tips & Tricks to Growing an Online Community with Limited Personnel

MoveOn, a nonprofit organization focused on political advocacy, has one paid resource dedicated to community management. Hear how MoveOn has created a thriving online community with limited internal personnel. Learn the best practices MoveOn leverages to manage and grow their thriving online community, with limited internal resources, and tips and tricks for how MoveOn follows a distributed leadership model to enable peer to peer learning and boost engagement. More info/register.

Host: Mobilize Networks

Speakers:

Sana Shahid, Organizing Community Manager, MoveOn
Kirsten Moss, Director of Sales, Mobilize Networks

Thu 5/4 at 3:30 p.m. – The Top Five Challenges Facing Nonprofit CEOs Today (Washington DC)

The changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the remote work explosion, employee shortages and migration, generational changes in the workplace, revamped business and revenue models, and rollercoaster financial markets have made running a nonprofit more difficult than at any time in recent memory. Hear strategies for dealing with these most difficult challenges, including flexible and remote work arrangements, board relations and member relationships, employee talent management and retention, public policy challenges, new revenue models and budgeting in times of uncertainty and uncertain financial markets. Location: Washington DC. More info/register.

Hosts: The Nonprofit Advisory Board and FAR (previously The Finance & Administration Roundtable)

Speakers:

Kate Fry, Chief Executive Officer, America’s Blood Centers
Michelle Korsmo, President & CEO, National Restaurant Association
Jeff Trandahl, Executive Director, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Jonathan Webb, Chief Executive Officer, Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses
Lakisha Woods, Chief Executive Officer, American Institute of Architects
Jeffrey S. Tenenbaum, Esq. (moderator), Managing Partner, Tenenbaum Law Group PLLC

Fri 5/5 at 10 a.m. – Coffee with Innovators: Association Design Circle

Host: Product Design Community

Mon 5/8 at 12 p.m. – Membership Mondays

A chance to collaborate with association peers on the challenges and opportunities you face in your organization. This month’s topic: the member journey. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Tue 5/9 at 12 p.m. – LGBTQIA2+ Community Call

Host: ASAE LGBTQ Association Executives and Supporters

Tue 5/9 at 3 p.m. – Keeping the Focus on Financial Health, Sustainability, and Operating Reserves

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

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

Wed 5/10 at 9 a.m. – Associations’ Role in Climate Change: The UN Climate Conference, COP27, and Beyond

Host: ASAE

Speakers:

Amanda Clinton, MEd, PhD, Senior Director, Office of International Affairs, American Psychological Association
Janice Lachance, JD, FASAE, Executive Vice President, Strategic and Organizational Excellence, American Geophysical Union
Derek Washam, Director, International Relations, The American Institute of Architects (AIA)
COP28 UAE Spokesperson
Jakub M. Konysz, MBA, IOM, CAE (moderator), Founder and CEO, Global Navigators

Wed 5/10 at 11:30 a.m. – Nonprofit Consultants Think Tank (Washington DC)

Join your nonprofit professional consultant colleagues for a deep dive discussion into building a stronger Professional Nonprofit Consultants Community segment. Location: Washington DC. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Nonprofit Consultants Think Tank

Wed 5/10 at 2 p.m. – Generative AI: Understanding the Real-World Implications for Your Association

Host: Jeff De Cagna FRSA FASAE, executive advisor for Foresight First LLC,

Thu 5/11 at 11 a.m. – Unleashing AI for Better Marketing and Audience Engagement

Host: Renewd

Speakers:

Mitch Eisen, Founder/CIO, Contentware
Tom Pines, CEO, Contentware
Erica Salm Rench, COO, rasa.io
Kim Mateus (moderator), Interim Executive Director, Renewd

Thu 5/11 at 11 a.m. – Top Not-for-Profit Risks

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Bianca Domally, Chief Financial Officer, Associated Builders and Contractors
Kathy O’Connor, President, O’Connor Consulting Services

Thu 5/11 at 12 p.m. – 5 Ways Technology Is Positively Impacting (and Improving) Your Culture

Hosts: Impexium and .orgCommunity

Speakers:

Sara G. Greene, National Automated Clearing House Association
Mark Prevost, Impexium

Thu 5/11 at 1 p.m. – The 3 Rs of Membership | Retain: Mastering Engagement Scoring & Personas

Host: iMIS by ASI

Thu 5/11 at 2 p.m. – Boost Your Member Engagement with Sponsorships

Host: Grype

Speaker: Bruce Rosenthal, corporate sponsorship consultant and co-convener, Partnership Professionals Network

Thu 5/11 at 6:30 p.m. – BAE DMV Monthly Dinner

More info/register.

Host: ASAE Black Association Executives

Fri 5/12 at 12:30 p.m. – Conversations with Champions

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Guest: Elizabeth Santana, MBA, CAE, ICE-CCP, CPTD, Director, Conceptual Research & Design, Inteleos

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, Twitter or LinkedIn by Wednesday afternoon the week before it’s scheduled.

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Association Brain Food: 4.21.23

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

Free member education. Should associations list education programs as a membership benefit if members have to pay for them like everyone else does? I don’t think so and neither does WBT Systems. They suggest options for offering members a selection of free education programs as a true membership benefit or as part of a membership tier.

Gen Z communities. Well, this is a slap in the face. Meagan Loyst, founder of Gen Z VCs—“a global collective of 22,000+ Gen Z VCs, founders, angel investors, operators and aspiring VCs,” so, yeah, cred—writes about the amazing success of paid membership communities with Gen Z audiences in nearly every industry. Sadly, associations only merit one mention—as has-beens. Don’t mean to be a Debbie Downer, but we have work to do.

Mentoring program. “While starting a mentoring program isn’t rocket science, there’s certainly an art to it.” With 20 years of experience developing mentoring programs, Art of Mentoring knows both the art and the science. They describe the seven steps of starting a successful association mentoring program from pre-evaluation and research to planning, design, recruitment, matching, training, support and evaluation.

Membership marketing. MemberSuite reminds us why data-informed content marketing is such a powerful tool for associations. They describe how webinars, blog posts, podcasts, YouTube, social media and influencer content can help you attract and retain members.

AI and associations. Tori Miller Liu, CAE, president and CEO of AIIM International, offers advice to her fellow association executives about the wild west era of AI. She suggests you become familiar with AI tools and their output and have discussions about how your organization will and won’t use AI.

After Tori’s article, read the open letter Jeff De Cagna, FASAE, executive advisor of Foresight First, wrote to the association community in which he shares six critical questions and six essential actions to take in response to the rapid adoption of generative AI. He strongly encourages association leaders to engage their boards in conversations about the impact of AI on the industries they serve and to always ask yourselves: “What will our successors say about us?”—the preoccupying question of his professional life.

Change readiness. Nine times out of ten, new systems fail because of the human factor. Starkweather Association Services’ guide to best practices for change readiness helps you “understand and control the complications that people bring to a change project.” You can’t overestimate the importance of change management knowledge and skills.

Coaching learners. Many associations and for-profit education providers offer coaching sessions as part of their online learning programs, either built into the program design or offered as a premium upgrade. WBT Systems explains why this is becoming more popular and how it’s done.

Quick hits

Beyond the rainbow—build a diverse board of independent thinkers. (Sherry Budziak, .orgSource)

Neurodiverse candidates increase productivity and growth—here’s how to support them. (Lindsey Galloway, Chief)

Use the 30-90 rule to take the perfect nap. (Jessica Stillman, Inc.)

Good eats

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

My kitchen report this week will only interest you if you’re looking for fish recipes.

Blackened almaco jack
Blackfin tuna with roasted red bell pepper sauce
Black drum and black sea bass au gratin

On the side, the usual roasted broccoli with red onion, garlic powder and Parmesan. Another night, green beans with caramelized red onions—sort of like this recipe, but I added quartered grape tomatoes, garlic, chicken broth, herbes de Provence instead of tarragon, and Parmesan cheese.

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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 4/12 at 11 a.m.* – Generative AI for Associations – How to Use ChatGPT and AI Tech Right Now

Learn about AI fundamentals—what it is, how it works, and where you can use it; generative AI and how it works; mainstream apps like ChatGPT, DALL·E 2 and others; 8+ association-specific use cases that will give you paths to implementing right now in your organization; what’s likely to happen with AI in the next 12-24 months; and what you can and should do next to experiment and take your organization forward. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Sidecar

Speakers:

Reggie Henry, Chief Information and Performance Excellence Officer, ASAE
Dray McFarlane, Co-Founder, Taiso
Amith Nagarajan, Founder and Chairman, Blue Cypress

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

Fri 4/21 at 12:30 p.m. – ASAE Young Professionals Advisory Committee Ask Me Anything (AMA)

Applications are now open to join the ASAE Young Professionals Advisory Committee (YPAC). If you have some questions or want to learn more about our work, join us for a quick discussion and ask me anything (AMA) with YPAC Chair Lori Granich, Vice Chair John Losh, and current committee members. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Young Professionals Advisory Committee

Mon 4/24 at 8 a.m. – Quarterly Wellness Session (Radio Free 501c)

Guest: Fern Carbonell

Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC

Tue 4/25 from 8:50 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Association Management System (AMS) Demo Days

Hear 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

Tue 4/25 at 11 a.m. – Why Futures-Thinking Helps Leaders Make Better Decisions Today

Learn how you and your volunteer leaders can best prepare for environmental ambiguity and unexpected developments. Hear how to proactively lead your board and staff colleagues toward a futures mindset, the power and importance of scenario planning and creating a future-focused organizational culture, overcoming resistance to change, contingency planning, and risk mitigation. 1.0 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

Tue 4/25 at 1 p.m. – Catalyst for Navigating Change

Learn how to manage change effectively and boost your chances of reaching every one of your transformational goals. Find out how to secure and maintain executive sponsorship, encourage employee involvement to empower change agents, and drive awareness and excitement with honest and timely feedback. Hear about the key components of IIN’s successful digital transformation. 0.75 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: D2L

Speakers:

Nora McCaffrey, Chief Academic Officer at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN)
Joanne Struch, Learning Strategy Consultant, D2L

Tue 4/25 at 2 p.m. – Virtual Panel Discussion: What’s (Really) on the Event Horizon? Takeaways from the 2023 Conference Industry Report

Omnipress’ 2023 Conference Industry Report, based on a survey of over 200 event and association professionals, explores what “back to normal” actually means in 2023 and whether the events of the past three years have permanently transformed event delivery and attendee expectations. Hear key findings from the report, including how the role and format of conferences is evolving in 2023 and beyond, how they’re planning more “purposeful” meetings, what they’re doing to attract new attendees—especially young professionals, and what they see as the greatest challenges for the conference industry in the next 1-3 years. More info/register.

Host: Omnipress

Speakers:

Joan Eisenstodt, Principal, Eisenstodt Associates – Meetings & Hospitality Consultant
Devon Montgomery Pasha, CMP, CED, Founder, DMP Creative
Beth Surmont, FASAE, CMP-Fellow, CAE, 360 Live Media

Wed 4/26 at 7 a.m. – Maintaining Your Staff’s Passion For Your Association

Hear from association executives who have successfully motivated and inspired their staff to stay committed to their association’s mission and vision. The session will cover topics such as employee recognition, career development, work-life balance, and fostering a positive and supportive work culture. Learn practical tips and strategies for maintaining staff passion and engagement, whilst creating an environment that promotes staffs well-being and professional growth. More info/register.

Host: Association of Association Executives

Speakers:

Huan Japes, Membership Director, English UK
Martin Reid, Director of Professionalism and Customer Experience, Education and Training Foundation
Paul Walsh EMIAM (Seminar Chair), Seminar Programme Manager, Association of Association Executives

Wed 4/26 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Association Management System (AMS) Demo Days

Host: ASAE

Wed 4/26 at 11 a.m. – Event Planning for Associations & Nonprofits

The biggest challenge small to medium sized associations and non-profits face when organizing events in-house is the limited time and resources available to them. Learn the three keystone questions for all successful events, 12 concrete and cost-effective tips on how to elevate your events, the best method to capture data and measure the results of your events to create long-term impact, and solutions available for associations and non-profits looking to create impactful large-scale events in-house. 1.0 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Sharon Ashton, Open Academy & Events Director, EURORDIS
Ksenija Polla, CMP, North America Regional Director, International Congress and Convention Association

Wed 4/26 at 11 a.m. – Journey to the Metaverse (Breakfast Club 2023)

For learning, the metaverse can allow people to practice (even tasks or roles that are rare, dangerous or expensive) in collaborative digital environments, from the comfort and safety of their own home or workplace. It can bring information to people in the flow of work, and it allows the practice of both hard skills and more human skills, such as empathy. But the metaverse is still shrouded in mystery for many, especially those who aren’t sure where to begin their journey. How are L&D leaders leveraging immersive technologies to further their learning efforts? And how do you determine when it’s the right option for learning—and when it’s not? More info/register.

Host: Chief Learning Officer

Speakers:

Christopher Lind, Vice President and Chief Learning Officer, ChenMed
Allison Sadler, Chief Learning Officer, Sales & Service, USAA
Rob Lauber (moderator), CEO Founder, XLO Global LLC

Wed 4/26 at 12 p.m. – The New Must-Have Skill: How to Think Like a Product Developer

Your event is a product, and it should be designed to meet the needs of your audience. Hear about an exciting new approach to enhancing your events. Learn core design constructs to help you think about your event in new ways and break into interactive groups for prototyping. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Xchange

Speaker: Bill Zimmer, Vice President of Strategy, 360 Live Media

Wed 4/26 at 1 p.m. – 5 NEW Ideas to Transform Your Auction. It Might Not Be What You Think (Expert Series)

Auctions are not new to the fundraising scene but hosting an auction can be overwhelming. Hear about five unique ways to ensure your auction raises more non-dues revenue, reduces the amount of staff time needed to produce a well-rounded event, and gives your attendees and sponsors the best mobile-friendly, easy-to-use auction experience. Transforming your auction might not be as hard as you think. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Non Dues-A-Palooza

Speaker: Tony Rissley, owner and CEO, Expo Auctions

Wed 4/26 at 1 p.m. – The Future Life Cycle of Event Planning | Community Connect

MPI Community Connect experiences provide the platform for global members of MPI’s affinity communities to commune, engage and learn together across borders. Join us for an interactive conversation discussing the challenges and pitfalls of planning in our current landscape. You’ll gain tips and tools to help you from the vision to the execution of your next event. 2 CMP credits. More info/register.

Host: MPI

Speaker: Lindsay Plath, CMP

Wed 4/26 at 1 p.m. – Site Selection & Inspection: Recalculating the Basics

You’ve heard the GPS “recalculating” when your car goes in a not-expected direction. That’s where we are now and will be for the foreseeable future—headed in not-previously-expected directions when we select destinations and sites for upcoming meetings. We will briefly review basics of demographics and budgets, and move into new calculations for safety, security, laws and policies, staffing, service, and charges. Learn what to provide in RFPs and responded to by CVBs and venues to provide what we need to know that can impact contract negotiations and meeting and event outcomes. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Meetings Today

Speaker: Joan Eisenstodt, Principal, Eisenstodt Associates, LLC

Wed 4/26 at 1:30 p.m. – Leveraging the Power of AI: A Guide for Association Executives

Learn how AI can enhance member engagement, streamline operations, and drive growth for your association. Walk away with a list of things you can immediately implement to boost productivity. See how AI can be viewed as a tipping point for associations to achieve even greater relevance with niche data models. Hear about the ethical implications and how they can translate into a more significant opportunity for associations. More info/register.

Host: Insight Guide

Speakers:

Conor Sibley CTO of Association Analytics (Former CTO of Higher Logic)
Andy Steggles CEO & Founder of Insight Guide (& Founder of Higher Logic)

Wed 4/26 at 2 p.m. – The Planning Power Play: Using Event Types to Drive ROI

Hear about power plays you can use to make your event program more impactful by using the right event types, deploying the right technology, wowing attendees, and proving ROI. Learn how to analyze event objectives, metrics, and KPIs; build your event program matrix; use different event types to achieve your goals; and develop your event execution toolkit. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MeetingsNet

Speakers: Allyson Keenan, Senior Manager, Event Technology and Operations, and Olivia Pelzer, Senior Client Success Manager, Cvent

Thu 4/27 at 7 a.m. – Innovations in E-Learning

Learn how associations can leverage e-learning to improve the engagement and learning outcomes of their members. The session will cover topics such as gamification, microlearning, personalized learning, and social learning, and attendees will learn about best practices and innovative approaches to e-learning design and delivery. More info/register.

Host: Association of Association Executives

Speakers:

Lara Le Noan, Project Manager Education, European Psychiatric Association
Daniel Phillips, Senior Account Executive, Savion Ray
Paul Walsh EMIAM (Seminar Chair), Seminar Programme Manager, Association of Association Executives

Thu 4/27 at 11 a.m. – Leadership and Learning Series: The Importance of Authenticity as a Leader

Learn what authenticity is and why it’s important, traits of authentic leaders, and next steps for being your authentic self and creating a culture that encourages others to be authentic. 1.0 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Julie Broadway, President & CEO, American Horse Council & American Horse Council Foundation
Sherry Essig, Executive and Life Coach, Flow Dynamix

Thu 4/27 at 11:45 a.m. – AI & Advocacy: Promise & Pitfalls

Explore the rapidly expanding world of artificial intelligence and its impact on advocacy efforts in today’s digital landscape. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Hosts: ASAE’s Government Relations and Advocacy Professionals Advisory Council and Technology Professionals Advisory Council

Speakers:

Mark Ames, Director of Government Relations, AIHA
Carlos Cardenas, Cofounder of Association Latinos and Senior Director of Information Technology, National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists
Mary Kate Cunningham, Senior Vice President of Public Policy, ASAE
Gretchen Steenstra, Director, Client Strategy, DelCor Technology Solutions
Sherry Stanley Whitworth, Managing Director, FiscalNote

Thu 4/27 at 12 p.m. – AWTC Salon: Servant Leadership

Join an interactive exploration of servant leadership. What does it mean to be a servant leader? What is the value of servant leadership? How do you become a servant leader? What resources are available to those who want to learn more? More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Moderators:

Amreetha Nagaraj, Head of Consulting, East Coast and Canda, Box
Rhoni Rakos, Director of Digital Strategy, FusionSpan
Juan Sanchez, CIO, Inteleos

Thu 4/27 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 4/27 at 12 p.m. – Real Membership Growth: Leverage Data to Predict and Prevent Churn

Although membership churn is somewhat expected, you can anticipate where it will happen and lower the churn rate. Learn which factors have the highest impact on retention, how to use data mining to create predictive modeling for member churn, and how to reduce member churn through targeted recruitment, effective onboarding, engagement tracking, and retention practices. More info/register.

Host: Hight Performance Group

Speaker: Cathi Hight, President of Hight Performance Group

Thu 4/27 at 2 p.m. – Brain Fog HQ: Memory Enhancement Techniques for Professional Development

At best, brain fog makes you slower and less efficient. At worst, your performance and cognitive functions are impaired, resulting in memory, management, and task completion problems. Learn life-changing skills that will greatly enhance your professional development and lifelong learning. Discover your mind’s untapped potential to recall information such as names, numbers, presentations, instructions, proverbs, foreign languages, software commands, technical terms, laws, statutes, training material, and even more. More info/register.

Host: Association Universe

Speaker: Chester Santos, Author, Keynote Speaker, Executive Coach, Corporate Trainer, Memory Expert, U.S. Memory Champion

Thu 4/27 at 2 p.m. – 118 Days into the 118th Congress: What’s Happened So Far & What to Expect Next

Hear about key legislative and regulatory priorities for the 118th Congress that can impact your organization in 2023, obstacles that could impede any legislative and regulatory changes in the near-term, and potential cuts to spending and what that means for your organization. More info/register.

Host: CQ

Speakers:

Peter Cohn, Deputy Editor, CQ and Roll Call
Jason Dick, Editor in Chief, CQ and Roll Call
Lindsey McPherson, Senior Reporter, CQ and Roll Call

Fri 4/28 at 11 a.m. – Learn to Maximize Volunteer Engagement

Host: Sidecar

Speaker: Meagan Gallagher, Director of Programs at OCA, A Special Place for Special Needs

Fri 4/28 at 12 p.m. – Exam Development

Host: Leverage Assessments, Inc.

Speaker: Maxwell E. Uduafemhe, PhD.

Fri 4/28 at 4 p.m. – Career Management Toolkit: Best Practices for Leveraging the Power of Professional Coaching

Host: Fridays@4

Speakers:

Jaya Koilpillai Bohlmann, MA, APR, MSMOB, ACC
Tina Erickson
Kathy Kiernan, MBA, PCC
Jeff Koziatek
Parker Mabry, MA, PCC, BCC

Tue 5/2 at 12 p.m. – Quick Wins (Association Analytics Network)

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

Host: Association Analytics

Wed 5/3 at 9 a.m. – Best Practices for Managing a Sales Team and Outcomes (PAR Member Meet-Up)

Host: Professionals for association Revenue

Wed 5/3 at 11 a.m. – Successful Volunteer Leadership: The Ultimate Balancing Act

Host: UST Education

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

Wed 5/3 at 12 p.m. – The Operational Value of Paying Attention to Culture

Host: Association Insights in Old Town

Speaker: Lizabeth Wesely-Casella, Founder and CEO of L-12 Services

Thu 5/4 at 11 a.m. – What Do Sponsors Really, Really Want?

Host: EventMobi

Speakers: Alistair Fernandes, Event Tech Manager; Thorben Grosser, VP of Product Marketing; and Christine Mack, Manager, Customer Success, EventMobi

Thu 5/4 at 11 a.m. – Streamline and Simplify: Multimedia Publishing Made Easy for Associations

Learn how to shift from an article first to a multimedia publishing organization. Hear about tools to make multimedia publishing possible and affordable, how to determine what mediums to publish your content, and when to use all mediums. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers: Jeff Baker, Association Solutions, and Dan Stevens, President, WorkerBee.TV

Thu 5/4 at 2 p.m. – Unleashing the Power of Data: Debunking Myths and Maximizing Impact

Host: 501Works

Speakers:

Joe Colangelo, CEO and Co-Founder of Bear Analytics
Chris Love, Vice President, Information Technology, Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed)
James Marquis, CIO, 501Works

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, Twitter or LinkedIn by Wednesday afternoon the week before it’s scheduled.

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Creative Commons licensed photo by Rodion Kutsaiev via Unsplash

Association Brain Food: 4.14.23

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

Extreme brainstorming. If you want to kick your association out of the box in which it finds comfort, give these extreme brainstorming questions from WBT Systems a try. They may sound crazy at first, but they’ll take you down paths where, amidst the madness, you might find some interesting nuggets to pursue.

Marketing automation. With all the hoopla surrounding ChatGPT, it’s easy to forget that many of our existing tools already automate routine (and not-so-routine) tasks. Impexium describes three benefits of marketing automation, a capability you really must have in your association’s tech stack.

Abstract/conference management. Ex Ordo takes you through the steps of implementing conference and abstract management software for medical, technical, scientific, and academic events. They discuss configuring software for abstract submission and peer review, issuing the call for papers, designing the conference program, and more.

CliftonStrengths. Achurch Consulting explains how the CliftonStrengths assessment is a game-changer for teams, especially hybrid and remote teams. They also describe how it made a difference for two associations.

Memorable membership moments. “We do not remember days, we remember moments.” Wes Trochlil at Effective Database Management explains why your association should think about the small moments experienced by members and customers.

CMS/website RFP. No need to ask in ASAE Collaborate, Brightfind shares an RFP template for CMS and website redesign projects. This template is also helpful for other technology selection projects since those vendors will need much of the same information.

Digital badges. A few recent studies revealed that employers and learners understand the benefits of digital badges. But there’s just one problem: they’re confused by digital badges too. TopClass LMS explains how your association can clear up the confusion and attract employers and learners to your digital badge programs—plus why you should do it sooner rather than later.

Young professionals. Michelle Maher at Highland reports on what they learned after talking with 30 association membership leaders. The biggest concern: a decline in the acquisition and engagement of young professionals. She describes what associations can do to provide the unique value young people seek.

Quick hits

Follow these tips to counteract ten major survey response biases and improve your survey data. (Tanner Kohler, Nielsen Norman Group)

Even in the metaverse, women remain locked out of leadership roles, although they spend more time and spearhead more initiatives there. (Mina Alaghband and Lareina Yee, McKinsey)

Make time to job hunt while working full time. (Elizabeth Grace Saunders, Harvard Business Review)

Good eats

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

My local market rarely sells leg of lamb, but they had some this past week, so we enjoyed a roasted leg of lamb rubbed with a rosemary/garlic paste. I followed advice in this recipe and this one too. On the side, potatoes, carrots and red onion roasted underneath the lamb, plus chard from the garden sautéed with red onion, red bell pepper, dried cranberries and a little chicken broth.

We also enjoyed a simple boneless pork loin roasted with garlic, fennel seeds, and white wine. On the side, a sauté of broccoli stems with carrots, onion, red bell, garlic, parsley, thyme and oregano.

Lots of good fish lately: sheepshead baked with lemon zest butter, chives, thyme and parmesan; speckled sea trout with spiced breadcrumb topping; flounder au gratin; and striped mullet NC style. Besides chard, one of our regular sides these days is asparagus sautéed with red onion or shallot, garlic, lemon juice and white wine.

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 4/14 at 9:30 a.m.* – Small Staff Percolator

Together, let’s recreate online the free-flowing feeling that we get during coffee breaks at an in-person conference. You can bring a topic to discuss or you can just come to mingle. More info/register.

Host: Qiqo

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

Fri 4/14 at 10 a.m. – Coffee with Innovators: Association Design Circle

We meet on the first Friday of each month hosted by an association leader who leads a conversation on an association innovation topic. Our topic this month is Association Storytelling. More info/register.

Host: Product Design Community

Facilitator: Tom Lietz, Emmy-nominated producer and director

Fri 4/14 at 12 p.m. – Conversations with Champions

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Guest: Rachel Mace, CAE, Senior Product Developer – Data Visualizations, Association Analytics

Fri 4/14 at 4 p.m. – ASAE Volunteer Opportunities + Volunteer Panel

Learn about tools and strategies to help you determine what a satisfying career means to you and start taking steps toward a more fulfilling career. Hear how to define what a good-fit, next career move would be for you; if improving your job situation in your current company is a good option for you; and if a major career change or an employer change is necessary for you to have a career that is more fulfilling. More info/register.

Host: Fridays@4

Moderator: Wanda Little-Coffey, MBA, CAE (facilitator), senior director of volunteer relations for ASAE

Fri 4/14 at 6:30 p.m. – DMV First Friday Dinner

Please join your BAE Collaborate Community peers for dinner. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Black Association Executives

Mon 4/17 at 8 a.m. – The Solo Staff Marketing Department (Radio Free 501c)

Guest: Jennifer Swanson, CAE

Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC

Tue 4/18 at 9 a.m. – AI & Community: Opportunity or Risk?

Hear about the impact, opportunities and risks that AI brings and how it will shape community building today and in the future. More info/register.

Host: Guild

Speakers:

Blaise Grimes-Viort, Community Operations & Social Media Consultant, Is The Answer
Richard Millington, Founder, FeverBee
Venessa Paech, Director, Australian Community Managers
Gregor Young, CEO, Guild

Tue 4/18 at 11 a.m. – Leadership & Learning Series: Culture Change Made Easy: Part 1: Innovation

Culture change is easier than you think and can result in meaningful improvement in both engagement and bottom line results. The secret lies in uncovering your hidden culture patterns and then fixing the ones that are holding you back. In Part 1 of this webinar series, we’ll dig into collaboration, something most cultures value, yet still don’t do very well. Learn concrete actions you can take to reduce or eliminate those perennial challenges related to silos and information flow and make your collaboration more effective. Hear details from a case study organization that has turned this pattern around. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Maddie Grant, CAE, Culture Designer and Digital Strategist, Propel
Jamie Notter, Co-Founder and Culture Strategist, PROPEL

Tue 4/18 at 12 p.m. – Component Relations and Volunteer Management April Crunch and Munch

Is your association’s volunteering program centralized, inclusive and vibrant? Or are individual departments using the same volunteers over and over? Somewhere in between? Join to share your experiences with volunteer recruitment successes and challenges, volunteer platforms/coordination, micro-volunteering, volunteer burn out, and all things volunteering. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Component Relations and Volunteer Management Professionals Community

Moderators: Jessica Lombardo and Rachel Grimes

Tue 4/18 at 12 p.m. – How to Build Financial Security

No matter what our goals are, the best way to reach them is usually through planning. And because most of our goals need to be funded in some way, what we’re really talking about is financial planning. After identifying goals, we’ll talk about how much to save, managing the money you spend, ways for your money to grow, protecting what’s important to you, and giving back. These five key actions can create a lifetime of financial security. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MPI

Tue 4/18 at 3 p.m. – What’s Ahead for Event Tech?

In January 2022, we shared our predictions for the top event tech trends in 2023. Now, we’re taking a look at what we got right, what we got wrong, and some unexpected developments we didn’t see coming. Hear about ‘out of the box’ revenue-generating ideas from exhibitor engagement to content activation, if event tech has the same value now as it did pre-pandemic, and how you can put AI to use at your events. More info/register.

Host: Cadmium

Speakers:

Dahlia El Gazzar, Tech Evangelist + Idea Igniteur, DAHLIA+Agency
Mark Lowry, President & CRO, Association Analytics
Heather Seasholtz, CMP-Fellow, DES, Vice President, Operations, Conference Managers
Deborah Stokes, CMP, CEM, President & Managing Partner, Conference Managers
Paul Zickert (moderator), Vice President of Partnerships, Cadmium

Wed 4/19 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. – CNX 2023: Create New Experiences

This virtual event experience unites thought leaders, influencers, and multiple stakeholders worldwide to connect, get inspired, collaborate, and learn about event innovations and what lies ahead. Hear experts in the event and sustainability industries share their experiences and insights on how event professionals can plan for better events in 2023. More info/register.

Host: 6Connex

Wed 4/19 at 11 a.m. – How to Make an Online Community Your Association’s Future: Building & Co-Creating

Most members view associations as trusted partners with the ability to drive the greater community to new heights and open doors leading to business innovation and opportunities. Learn how online communities can be truly buzzworthy without adding a lot to your already busy plate. Hear how to create a year-round cadence of online events that go beyond the standard webinar, build culture from the influencers within the community, and build the pipeline for sharing news and information. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Barbara J. Armentrout, CAE, Managing Partner, Mesa Group
Lucas Cioffi, CTO, QiqoChat
Sandra Nam, CEO, QiqoChat

Wed 4/19 at 12 p.m. – Lunch & Learn: Leadership Journey Panel for Early Career Professionals

Topics covered will include work-life balance strategies, leadership styles, professional journey, VSAE leadership path, advice on taking on more responsibilities, plus a Q&A. More info/register.

Host: Virginia Society of Association Executives

Speakers:

Maureen Dingus, CAE, Chief Operating Officer for the Virginia Society of CPA’s and Past-President of VSAE
Stewart Hinckley, President & CEO of Ruggles Service Corporation and President-Elect for VSAE
Christina Lewellen, MBA, CAE, Executive Director of Association of Technology Leaders in Independent Schools and VSAE Board Member

Wed 4/19 at 12 p.m. – Plain-Talk with a Lawyer: A Discussion of Legal Issues That are Top of Mind…or Should Be (Alexandria VA)

Have you ever been curious about conflicts of interest policies, clauses and applications; the legal considerations for non-dues revenue partnerships; ChatGPT and its implications for your association’s intellectual property; or which emerging legal issues should be on every association executive’s radar? Get answers to your association legal questions and join a small group discussion about hot button legal issues facing today’s association executives. 1 CAE credit. Location: Alexandria VA. More info/register.

Hosts: Alexandria Association Executives and Association Insights in Old Town

Speaker: Andrew D. Goldman, Esq. of Your In House Law

Wed 4/19 at 12:30 p.m. – 6 Green Practices for Trade Show Organizers

Hear how to implement cost-effective measures to create less waste and reduce your carbon footprint, and influence your audience and your colleagues by amplifying your brand image. More info/register.

Host: Swapcard

Speaker: Lina Allen, Event Marketing Manager at Act-On Software

Wed 4/19 at 1 p.m. – Crystal Ball Predictions for the Future of Associations

Hear what a panel of association executives are seeing in their professions and memberships and what this means for associations moving forward. Learn how societal and economic trends should influence but not dictate an association’s strategic planning, what technology should be harnessed more fully to better meet the needs and expectations of members, and how to reevaluate resource investment and shift tactics while maintaining focus on the mission. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Fonteva

Sid Bhatnagar, Chief Executive Officer (Interim), American Society for Quality
Reggie Henry, CAE, Chief Information and Performance Excellence Officer, American Society of Association Executives
KiKi L’Italien, CEO & Founder, Amplified Growth, LLC
Mike Moss, CAE, President, Society for College and University Planning

Wed 4/19 at 2 p.m. – The Association Business Development Landscape: Benchmark Your Association’s Business Performance

Explore data from 18-month research on association business development performance. Learn what associations are doing to generate revenue, measure it and improve workforce output. Gain insight into the current association business development landscape and benchmark your own association’s performance. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Professionals for Association Revenue

Speakers:

Carrie Hartin, President of Sales, Solutions and Services, MCI-USA
Erin Pressley, CAE, Senior Vice President for Education, Training and Events, NRECA
Sean Soth, Founder & Leadership Advisory Board Chair, Professionals for Association Revenue

Wed 4/19 at 2 p.m. – Is Content AI a Game Changer?

With OpenAI commanding headlines, now is the time to understand the realities, synergies, and opportunities found at the intersection of content and AI…or risk getting left behind. Hear what Content AI is, how to best use external and Microsoft AI apps and learn best practices to leverage AI so you can enhance your content’s value and manage it at scale. More info/register.

Host: AIIM

Speakers:

Sean Squires, Principal Product Manager, Microsoft Syntex, Microsoft
Steve Pucelik, Content AI Global Black Belt / Sr. Specialist, Microsoft
Kevin Craine, Host/MC, AIIM

Wed 4/19 at 2 p.m. – Revolutionizing Event Planning with AI

Explore the transformational impact of AI on event planning. See the making of an AI-assisted event and hear how AI can help you ideate and create engaging event experiences. Discover how AI can accelerate your event promotion strategy by turning briefs into comprehensive campaigns and repurposing talks into new content. Learn how to streamline event planning and deliver unforgettable experiences with AI-powered chatbots and tools. More info/register.

Host: Bizzabo

Speakers:

Meghan Keaney Anderson, VP of Marketing, Jasper
Oren Berkovich, Head of Experience Lab, Bizzabo
Lillian Chiou, Head of Events, Jasper

Wed 4/19 at 2 p.m. – How to Grow Your Events Career by Giving

TEDx speaker James Beck gave away all his possessions and spent a year traveling the country and proving that the best way to live is by giving. His advice for meeting professionals looking to take care of their attendees? “Serve with reckless abandon.” Learn how a pay-it-forward campaign can start a positive domino effect; how to instill Transformative Culture in your company to build happiness, collaboration, creativity, and success; and how to clear your mind to focus on the opportunities all around you. More info/register.

Host: Smart Meetings

Speaker: James Beck

Wed 4/19 at 2 p.m. – Research-Driven Advocacy with Congress: Insights from the Congressional Management Foundation

The advent of remote work and interactions with constituents has simultaneously created new constraints and opportunities for advocates to engage with lawmakers. This presentation by the Congressional Management Foundation is based on surveys of congressional staff in 2020 and 2021, plus interviews with Congress. Hear about the advantages and challenges of conducting in-person and remote meetings with Members of Congress and staff; building new relationships with new Members of Congress, including CMF survey data from freshman offices; and six characteristics of advanced advocacy. More info/register.

Host: Quorum

Speaker: Bradford Fitch, President & CEO, Congressional Management Foundation

Thu 4/20 at 8 a.m. – Reducing Your Association’s Financial Risk

Learn how to identify and analyze financial risks, develop effective policies and procedures, and leverage risk mitigation tools such as insurance. Hear practical tips and strategies for reducing financial risk and protecting your association’s financial resources. More info/register.

Host: Association of Association Executives

Speakers:

Yssoufou Cisse, Secretary General, UATP, International Association of Public Transport
Kevin Mead, President, Vermont Captive Insurance Association
Deborah Thomas, Global Executive Director, Soroptimist International
Paul Walsh EMIAM (seminar chair), Seminar Programme Manager, Association of Association Executives

Thu 4/20 at 10 a.m. – Setting Strategies and Building Capacity for Social Impact Through Association Meetings

As associations grapple with their Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives, the association and meetings community are continuing their efforts to ensure social impact through association meetings. Learn what social impact and legacy mean within the meetings and association spaces, how we can get started, and the business case for including social impact in our work. Hear case studies from association peers creating social impact and providing value both for their associations and the broader community. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Speakers:

Ben Hainsworth, Managing Director, EASL | The Home of Hepatology
Genevieve Leclerc, Co-Founder and CEO, #Meet4impact
Pragathi Tummala, Executive Director, The International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse & Neglect
Ksenija Polla, CMP (moderator), Head of Education and Legacy Programmes, ICCA – International Congress and Convention Association

Thu 4/20 at 11:30 a.m. – Spring Tapas Talk in the Association Marketplace for Small Staff Association Executives

The spotlight is on Small Staff Association Executives—your needs and how to connect with providers who understand working with small teams. Through (virtual) f2f conversations, connect with peers at other small-staff associations, and chat with supportive professionals who understand and excel at working with smaller teams. Partners will provide free resources for you to grab as well as hosting small conversations in breakout rooms. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Qiqo Chat

Thu 4/20 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 4/20 at 1 p.m. – How to Help Your SMEs Improve Educational Effectiveness

Increasing the effectiveness of presentations delivered as part of your conferences, webinars, workshops, and other educational experiences is one of the top ways your learning business can improve its impact. Hear about key learning science concepts that SMEs should know and “Presenting for Impact,” a free presentation skills online course you can leverage to better prepare your SMEs. More info/register.

Host: Leading Learning

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

Thu 4/20 at 1 p.m. – CME Can Do It! Design, Deliver & Measure for Change in Disparities of Care

Hear and share insights on potential strategies for CME providers to rethink the design and delivery of educational activities to address and measure change in disparities in care. More info/register (no fee for MAACME members).

Host: Mid-Atlantic Alliance for Continuing Medical Education (MAACME)

Speaker: Dion Richetti, VP of Accreditation and Recognition, ACCME

Thu 4/20 at 1 p.m. – Creating Webinar Experiences That Increase ROI as Part of a Content Strategy

Ensuring webinar content delivers the results you want is a difficult task. Challenges include creating meaningful messages and experiences that matter to your audience, integrating them into your marketing strategy, and getting measurable results. Learn how to build a winning content marketing strategy and create impactful webinar experiences that increase ROI. More info/register.

Host: American Marketing Association

Speakers:

Neeha Curtis. JVP of Global Corporate Communications, Jugo
Jon Rooney, Vice President, Product Marketing, Unity
Nikki Stenson, Chief Marketing Officer, Jugo
Jeff Stiles, Principal at Stiles as a Service
Chauncey Zalkin, Brand, Marketing, and Story Consultant, SL Content Studio

Thu 4/20 at 1 p.m. – Leadership & Learning: Leading with Trust

Explore the need to examine and prioritize trust to build successful relationships and thrive as leaders. Through idea sharing and dialogue, this webinar will focus on how to build trust and how to destroy it, with examples of obvious and not-so-obvious pitfalls many leaders make. Leave the webinar with action steps to build trust—or stop destroying it—in the next week, month, and year. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

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

Thu 4/20 at 2 p.m. – Estimate, Mitigate, Report, Offset: A Four-Step Process for Meeting Sustainability

Discover how planners can more effectively support zero- or low-carbon initiatives. Learn how to assess the baseline emissions of an event. Hear about meeting-emissions mitigation measures, the emissions reporting process, and options for offsetting emissions that cannot be avoided. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MeetingsNet

Speaker: Natalie Lowe, CMM, co-founder of The Sustainable Events Forum

Thu 4/20 at 4 p.m. – Launching a New Membership Category Quickly (Without Cutting Corners)

Hear how a small-staff trade association discovered an underserved market “right under our noses” and went from concept to a new category. Go through each step of the process: discovery, research, budget, approval, development, launch, and evaluation. Learn how to identify opportunities for membership growth within your association and present a compelling case for meaningful change. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Reston-Loudoun Idea Swap

Speaker: Matt Rankin, MPA, CAE, Director of Membership Development for the Intellectual Property Owners Association

Fri 4/21 at 8 a.m. – How Associations Can Stay Relevant For Younger Audiences

Learn about effective strategies and best practices for engaging and retaining younger members within your association. Hear insights into social media and online engagement, mentorship and leadership development programs, and creating value and relevance for younger members. More info/register.

Host: Association of Association Executives

Speakers:

Greta Kersyte, General Secretary, International Association of Dental Students
Denis Lacombe, Chief Executive Officer, European Organisation for Treatment and Research of Cancer
Paul Walsh EMIAM (seminar chair), Seminar Programme Manager, Association of Association Executives

Tue 4/25 from 8:50 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Association Management System (AMS) Demo Days

Host: ASAE

Tue 4/25 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

Tue 4/25 at 1 p.m. – Catalyst for Navigating Change

Host: D2L

Speakers:

Nora McCaffrey, Chief Academic Officer at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN)
Joanne Struch, Learning Strategy Consultant, D2L

Tue 4/25 at 2 p.m. – Virtual Panel Discussion: What’s (Really) on the Event Horizon? Takeaways from the 2023 Conference Industry Report

Host: Omnipress

Speakers:

Joan Eisenstodt, Principal, Eisenstodt Associates – Meetings & Hospitality Consultant
Devon Montgomery Pasha, CMP, CED, Founder, DMP Creative
Beth Surmont, FASAE, CMP-Fellow, CAE, 360 Live Media

Wed 4/26 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Association Management System (AMS) Demo Days

Host: ASAE

Wed 4/26 at 11 a.m. – Event Planning for Associations & Nonprofits

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Sharon Ashton, Open Academy & Events Director, EURORDIS
Ksenija Polla, CMP, North America Regional Director, International Congress and Convention Association

Wed 4/26 at 1 p.m. – 5 NEW Ideas to Transform Your Auction. It Might Not Be What You Think (Non Dues-A-Palooza April Expert Series)

Host: Non Dues-A-Palooza

Speaker: Tony Rissley, owner and CEO, Expo Auctions

Thu 4/27 at 11 a.m. – Leadership and Learning Series: The Importance of Authenticity as a Leader

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Julie Broadway, President & CEO, American Horse Council & American Horse Council Foundation
Sherry Essig, Executive and Life Coach, Flow Dynamix

Thu 4/27 at 12 p.m. – AWTC Salon: Servant Leadership

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Moderators:

Amreetha Nagaraj, Head of Consulting, East Coast and Canda, Box
Rhoni Rakos, Director of Digital Strategy, FusionSpan
Juan Sanchez, CIO, Inteleos

Fri 4/28 at 11 a.m. – Learn to Maximize Volunteer Engagement

Host: Sidecar

Speaker: Meagan Gallagher, Director of Programs at OCA, A Special Place for Special Needs

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 , Twitter or LinkedIn by Wednesday afternoon the week before it’s scheduled.

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Association Brain Food: 3.24.23

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

I’m going away for eight days on a hiking vacation in southern Utah, so I’m not publishing Association Brain Food the next two Fridays, March 31 and April 7. You’ll see the next edition on Friday, April 14.

Women in the workplace. WBT Systems describes how associations can support women professionals by providing professional development, leadership training and networking opportunities, and educating employers about eliminating workplace challenges.

Member onboarding. Thank goodness, many associations are rethinking new member onboarding. If your association hasn’t yet tackled this project or you’re open to further tweaking, Impexium describes the elements of an exceptional member onboarding experience.

Sponsorship strategy. In this comprehensive guide to tiered and à la carte sponsorship models for in-person, virtual and hybrid events, EventMobi suggests how to price, sell and deliver sponsorships, measure ROI, and craft a post-event report for corporate partners.

Data-informed event planning. MemberSuite cautions associations against using pre-pandemic data to plan events. Instead, recent AMS data reflects more accurately how your members and prospect attendees are living now. They explain how to use AMS data for planning and marketing events.

Association staff retention. In a tough hiring market, you need to hold on to the talent you have. You can reduce staff turnover by providing a more enjoyable, rewarding and humane work experience. GrowthZone shares a whole bunch of good ideas for onboarding, flexible work schedules, employee perks, recognition, and communication.

Event scheduling. Event dates matter, says Adrienne Bryant, CAE. “We do not blink an eye when it comes to not scheduling events over Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas, so why is it okay to treat Yom Kippur, Chanukah, Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr or any other religious observance differently?” Scheduling events over someone else’s holiday excludes those who might want to attend—and when it becomes a topic of conversation in your community, it doesn’t reflect well on your organization.

Non-dues revenue. A survey conducted by the Professionals for Association Revenue (PAR) revealed that 86% of associations said their business development strategy is underperforming or non-existent. Yikes. PAR explains why a business development strategy is vital to association revenue health.

Quick hits

Can AI write thought leadership content for you? Nope. (Lee Price, Viewfinder Partners)

Fresh networking ideas for in-person events. (Claire Hoffman, BizBash)

Survey findings: More attendees register on site now than in the past, and early bird discounts attract event loyalists, not new attendees. (Danica Tormohlen, Trade Show News Network)

More from my memento mori reading list… The Deathbed Regret List. (Sahil Bloom)

The anti-racist philosophy of Viktor Frankl, who wrote Man’s Search for Meaning, an account of his time imprisoned in Nazi concentration camps. (Dennis Kukuk, Foundation Against Intolerance & Racism)

Good eats

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

We enjoyed both grilled striped bass (with butter and lemon thyme) and grilled rib eyes while my nephew was in town. On the side, Brussels sprouts roasted with bacon, red onion and garlic powder.

On Sunday, I made southwest buttermilk baked chicken thighs. I only used four bone-in thighs but kept the sauce ingredients the same. On the side, cabbage sautéed with bacon, onion, carrot, red bell, garlic, and chicken broth and a roasted sweet potato.

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 3/24 at 4 p.m.* – Nonprofit Management Series: Governance – Getting Started

Governance is a loaded word in the nonprofit space. It encompasses everything from leadership and policies to responsibilities and decision making. Join us for the first session of our Nonprofit Management Series, as we break down the basics for a better understanding of nonprofit administration. More info/register.

Host: Fridays@4

Speaker: Rochelle Jerry, Vice President of Development and Customer Relations, The Indiana Black Expo

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

Fri 3/24 at 5 p.m. CDT – AWTC Chicago Happy Hour (Chicago IL)

Join us for our first AWTC happy hour in Chicago. AWTC is excited to expand our network to Chicago and is hosting a happy hour immediately following Association Forum’s Women’s Executive Forum™ event “Empowered Women. Fearless Leaders,” a full-day event designed to connect innovators, disrupters, and doers to explore new ideas, perspectives, and solutions to elevate leadership skills. Location: Chicago IL. More info/register.

Host: Association Technology Women Champions

Mon 3/27 at 8 a.m. – Mission Critical! Creating Impact (Radio Free 501c)

Guest: Carol Hamilton, principal, Grace Social Sector Consulting

Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC

Tue 3/28 at 11 a.m. – High Altitude Leadership: What the World’s Most Forbidding Peaks Teach Us About Success

Learn key leadership principle learned from expeditions in the Himalayas and Andes; how to bring these lessons to the world of business, with examples from experiences in coaching entrepreneurs and business management teams; and the science behind these winning strategies. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Don Schmincke, Author and Speaker, Saga Leadership

Tue 3/28 at 1 p.m. – Demystifying Software Integrations: What’s All the Fuss and What Do You Need to Know?

Learn about the importance of integrations and their role in your software ecosystem, key things to consider when selecting software to make sure you’ll be able to integrate, and how to incorporate integrations into your ecosystem and what’s required of you once they’re up and running. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Jeff Horne, Co-Founder, CEO, Wicket

Tue 3/28 at 4 p.m. – Association Women Technology Champions Awards Ceremony

Shining a Light: Celebrating Brilliance and Achievements will recognize the recipients of the AWTC Technology Champion Award, AWTC Technology Impact Award, and the AWTC Technology Leadership Award. Join us to learn about and recognize our winners, get connected and chat with other AWTC community members, and gather inspiration for your own career. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Wed 3/29 at 8 a.m. – Leadership Skills for Today’s Associations

Hear about the leadership skills needed for today’s association executives such as communication, decision-making, strategic thinking, team building, and change management. Learn about the challenges and opportunities facing association executives today and come away with actionable strategies for enhancing your leadership skills to better serve your organizations and members. More info/register.

Host: Association of Association Executives

Speakers:

Paul Burgess, Chief Executive Officer, British Association of Cosmetic Nurses
Kevin Mead, President, Vermont Captive Insurance Association
Paul Walsh EMIAM (seminar chair), Seminar Programme Manager, Association of Association Executives

Wed 3/29 at 9:30 a.m. – Using a Competency Model to Ensure Minimal Competency when Recertifying Certification Holders

Learn when and why to implement a competency framework, drawing from a recent successful implementation for the Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification Board (MSNCB), complete with results to validate success. Hear about benefits and challenges compared with other models, best practices for working with SMEs and monitoring success, and how to pitch the idea to the organization. More info/register.

Host: Certification Network Group

Speakers:

Terri Hinkley, EdD, MBA, BScN, RN, CAE, CEO, Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses and the Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification Board
Manny Straehle, GISF, Founder and President, Assessment, Education, and Research Experts
Bill West, senior market leader and 25+ year veteran of the assessment industry

Wed 3/29 at 1 p.m. – Safeguarding Cash Assets for Nonprofits

With inflation and short-term interest rates on the rise, there is no better time to begin thinking about how to make best use of your cash assets. Hear about best practices for nonprofits to segment their reserves. From identifying how much to hold in reserve, to key policy decisions, and investment implementation options, learn everything needed to put your cash assets to work. More info/register.

Host: Raffa Investment Advisers

Speakers: Dennis Gogarty, Mark Murphy, Ryan Frydenlund from Raffa Investment Advisers

Wed 3/29 at 1 p.m. – 16 Skills of Servant Leadership

Learn the difference between leadership and management, the central core of Servant Leadership and how it differs from other leadership styles and methods, and how the identified 16 skills support the central ethos of Servant Leadership 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Austin Campbell, Manufacturing Analyst, The Liggett Group

Wed 3/29 at 2 p.m. – March Expert Series: 8 Ways to Generate More Revenue from your Learning Management System

Competition for learner dollars has never been stiffer and top-notch content alone is not always enough to break through the crowded marketplace. Hear about strategies to squeeze more revenue out of your LMS such as utilizing your data to personalize content promotion, delivering content via multiple mediums to meet varied learner preferences, repurposing content to get the most out of your programming, offering creative promotions to members and non-members, and highlighting sponsors within your learning courses. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Non-Dues-A-Palooza

Speaker: Jessica Metzler, Senior Director of Operations for Freestone Learning Management System

Thu 3/30 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. – Global Meetings Industry Day

The largest and most important event of the year for meeting professionals from around the world, enjoy a 12-hour broadcast featuring industry leaders sharing insights and experiences on the impact of meetings on the global economy. More info/register.

Host: MPI

Thu 3/30 at 8 a.m. – Navigating Menopause in the Workplace

Get a better understanding of the challenges faced by women going through menopause in the workplace and the support available to them. Hear an overview of the British Association of Dental Nurses’ Menopause Advice Sheet and Policy and how you could implement a similar program at your association. More info/register.

Host: Association of Association Executives

Speakers:

Sarah Osborn, Director of Business Development and Deputy CEO, Independent Society of Musicians
Pam Swain, Chief Executive Officer, British Association of Dental Nurses
Paul Walsh EMIAM (seminar chair), Seminar Program Manager, Association of Association Executives

Thu 3/30 at 11 a.m. – AI & Associations: A Guide to a Smarter Strategic Plan

In this practical guide for C-suite leaders who want to adopt AI in their associations, learn what AI really is and why it matters, and get some simple advice to help you identify use cases for AI your Association can use to get started today. Hear about the benefits of AI for associations, what AI means in practice, types of AI applications that can be used in associations, and how to identify where you can deliver value from AI in your association. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Sidecar

Speaker: Rick Bawcum, Founder, and CEO of Cimatri

Thu 3/30 at 12 p.m. – Cultivate a New Sponsorship Mindset — Align Value to Mission

Find out how the pandemic shifted the sponsorship paradigm, what sponsors really want, how you can move from transactional to transformational sponsorships, how to develop sponsorships that align with shared values and strategic initiatives, and how to nurture long-term, mutually beneficial relationships. More info/register.

Host: Cathi Hight, President of Hight Performance Group

Thu 3/30 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 3/30 at 1 p.m. – Sponsorship Ideas to Catapult Engagement and Revenue

For associations, managing and elevating engagement while at the same time increasing revenue can be challenging. This is where sponsorships can make a real difference and help to propel events forward with fresh ideas and greater efficiency. Explore practical, achievable ways to modify your mindset about sponsorships that will reignite interest in your association year-round, including events large and small, and boost engagement levels among attendees while delivering solid value that increases sustainable revenue. 1 CAE/CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: EVA – Event Tech Hub

Speakers:

Barbara J. Armentrout, CAE, managing partner, Mesa Group
Bruce Rosenthal, corporate partnership and sponsorship consultant, Bruce Rosenthal Associates
Vinnu Deshetty, founder and CEO, EVA – Event Tech Hub

Thu 3/30 at 2 p.m. – ASAE ForesightWorks: Planning for the Future

Learn about futures thinking, or foresight, as a possible approach to understanding what’s most likely to significantly impact your association, your member community, and society at large. Hear from other association executives how they’ve used foresight and the resources outlined in ASAE ForesightWorks to take the guesswork out of environmental scanning and engage in meaningful conversations to address potential change. Learn what it takes to leverage this research for strategic planning and develop an evidence-based, future-focused culture. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Thu 3/30 at 2 p.m. – How to Create (and Repurpose) Content More Efficiently

Learn how to foster a culture of content within your organization—and efficiently create content that works for itself time and time again—even if you’re strapped for time, money, or resources. Find out how to make a clear, compelling case for investing in more content creation; form your very own content squad; develop a system to reuse and repurpose content efficiently; and create valuable content for your audiences. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Mighty Citizen

Speakers: Jarrett Way, Content and Digital Marketing Manager, and Mindy Avitia, Senior Events and Marketing Manager, Mighty Citizen

Thu 3/30 at 2 p.m. – New Kid on the Block: The Event Technologist

Technology use at events has exploded in recent years, bringing about a new role within many event organizations—the event technologist. Whether staffed internally or through an agency, 47% of organizations now have this job description within their team. Learn about the evolution of this role, roles and responsibilities of the event technologist, measurements of success around event technology, and the expectations for the future of the event technologist. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MeetingsNet

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

Fri 3/31 at 4 p.m. – Considering CAE: ASAE Resources + Panel Discussion

Join ASAE’s Manager, Credentialing on the Certified Association Executive program, Elizabeth Twitchell, CAE as she shares information and resources to support your CAE journey. A moderated panel discussion will follow, featuring association professionals who have earned their Certified Association Executive (CAE) accreditation. Panelists will share their experiences, challenges and takeaways. More info/register.

Host: Fridays@4

Panelists:

Nikole Roulhac, CAE, Membership & Marketing Program Specialist, American Nurses Association
Nathan Wambold, CAE, CMP. DES, Director of Membership, Meetings & Conferences, American Anthropological Association
Shameka Jennings, MTA, CMP, DES, CAE (moderator), Principal and Chief Events Officer, EventsNoire

Mon 4/3 at 8 a.m. – Data Governance (Radio Free 501c)

Guests: Daniel Elacqua and Gwen Garrison

Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC

Tue 4/4 at 11 a.m. – What “the Best Version of Baseball” Means for Associations

Hear what went into the research behind Major League Baseball’s new rules for the 2023 season and how these changes are preserving the integrity of the game and making MLB more fan-friendly at the same time. What does this have to do with associations? The simple answer is everything. Learn how to listen to your members, sponsors, and partners to create products, programs, and services that resonate with newer audiences and younger demographics; test possibilities and make small, incremental changes to grow your association and its reach; and thoughtfully change the rules of the game to better align your association with its mission and vision. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

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

Tue 4/4 at 12 p.m. – Community Data Analytics (Association Analytics Network)

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

Host: Association Analytics

Tue 4/4 at 1 p.m. – Calculating the Cost of Dirty Data

While data cleanup is a time-consuming and tedious task, its prioritization is a necessity when collecting large amounts of data and investing substantial funding into your technology stacks. Learn what data hygiene is and why it’s important, the costs of dirty data to you and your organization, and how to calculate your organization’s direct financial costs. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Brittany Carter, President, Association Trends
Sidney Galati, Account Executive, Bumblebee

Wed 4/5 at 8 a.m. – Creating a Communications Strategy From Scratch

Hear a step-by-step guide to creating a communications strategy that can be customized to your association’s specific needs and goals. Get a clear understanding on how to create an effective communications strategy that will help your association have better communications with its members and stakeholders. More info/register.

Host: Association of Association Executives

Speakers:

Kevan Jones, Executive Director, Southern African Communications Industries Association
Chris Trimmer, Managing Director, Association Evolution
Paul Walsh EMIAM (seminar chair), Seminar Program Manager, Association of Association Executives

Wed 4/5 at 9 a.m. – How Associations Champion Non-Dues Revenue Success (PAR Member Meet-Up)

There is more to non-dues revenue success than finding the right program or product for your association. Organizational support, marketing, implementation and tracked data points are key to turning a non-dues revenue idea into a successful part of your association’s portfolio. Find out how association peers and colleagues are championing non-dues revenue success with their association leadership, staff, industry and members. 1 CAE credit. More info/register (members only).

Host: Professionals for Association Revenue

Wed 4/5 at 12 p.m. – Mindsets & Frameworks for Non-dues Revenue Success in 2023

Learn about mindset shifts and frameworks that will help you meet today’s non-dues revenue generation challenges. Find out how to make a successful mindset shift and hear about frameworks that can provide a firm foundation for your non-dues revenue generation efforts. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Insights In Old Town

Speakers:

Jennifer Baker, program management expert formerly with ASAE Business Services, Inc.
Carrie McIntyre, founder, Navigate
Bruce Rosenthal, strategic advisor and consultant for association corporate partnership programs
Dianne Vance, Director, Sales and Business Development, AOTA
Bill Sheehan (moderator), Vice President Strategic Partnerships, Multiview

Wed 4/5 at 1 p.m. – PCI Compliance

Gain an overview of the PCI Compliance Requirements. Learn nine practical tips to achieve a more secure payment environment. Understand the annual Self-Assessment-Questionnaire (SAQ) requirements. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Julie Duncan, Association Practice Leader, US Transactions Corporation
Jenni Glaze, COO, US Transactions Corporation
Brian Scott, President, CIO, ClearTone Consulting LLC

Wed 4/5 at 2 p.m. – Regulatory & Compliance Forecast: Predictions & Strategies for Government Affairs Professionals

Learn what changes may be ahead for the regulatory environment and how to prepare, the industries and issues to watch for regulatory movement, practical tips to reduce your risk of non-compliance and position your organization for success, and how to stay ahead of the regulations and legislation that matter to your organization. More info/register.

Host: FiscalNote

Speakers:

Dimitrios Karakitsos, Partner, Holland & Knight
Susan Leppke, Senior Director of Public Policy & Strategic Partnerships, AABB
John Loyer, Head of North American Government and Public Affairs, Somfy
Chelsea Raab (Moderator), Vice President of Strategic Accounts, FiscalNote

Thu 4/6 at 8 a.m. – Boosting Networking Opportunities at Events

Hear insights and creative ideas from association executives who have successfully enhanced networking experiences at their events. Learn about interactive activities, technology utilization for networking and leveraging common interests to connect attendees, and informal networking opportunities. More info/register.

Host: Association of Association Executives

Speakers:

Jeffers Miruka, Director of Communications, International Association of Agricultural Economists
Paul Walsh EMIAM (seminar chair), Seminar Program Manager, Association of Association Executives

Thu 4/6 at 12 p.m. – The Black in Events Network House Social

An open-house concept where you are invited to mingle with the community, learn about Black in Events Network and hang out at our house. More info/register.

Host: Black In Events Network

Thu 4/6 at 1 p.m. – four-week course – Association Creative Marketing Masterclass

Meeting on four consecutive Thursdays, the Association Creative Marketing Masterclass helps you develop practical creative and copywriting skills, professional critique techniques, and balanced brand stewardship. Instructors share learnings from their career and evaluate real-life association marketing collateral, providing their recommendations, ideas, and concerns. Class topics: Reviewing Creative, Banner Ad Creative, Landing Page Creative, and Email Creative. 4 CAE credits for entire course. More info/register.

Host: Association Academy

Speakers:

Chris Gloede, Lead Instructor, Association Academy
Todd Unger, Chief Experience Officer, SVP Marketing & Member Experience, American Medical Association
David Alexander, General Manager and Chief Communications Officer, Rotary International
Julia Fitzgerald, Chief Marketing Officer, American Lung Association

Thu 4/6 at 2 p.m. – Spring Cleaning Your Website

It’s easy to get caught up in creating content and forgetting to update and maintain the website itself. Hear how to optimize your website’s content, navigation, speed, design, and security. Learn what brings joy to the users’ experiences and what doesn’t, new ”tools” to help you clean your site, how to obtain buy in from other departments to make needed website changes, and how to plan and manage revisions. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: 501 Works

Speakers:

Catherine Lada, President, Lada Consulting
Jim Faris, Creative Director, 501 Works
James Marquis, CIO, 501 Works

Fri 4/7 at 4 p.m. – Career Coach Series: Are You Ready for a More Satisfying Career?

Learn tools and strategies to help determine what a satisfying career means to you and start taking steps toward a more fulfilling career. Find out how to define what a good-fit, next career move would be for you, if improving your job situation in your current company is a good option for you, and if a major career change or an employer change is necessary for you to have a career that is more fulfilling. More info/register.

Host: Fridays@4

Speaker: Phaedra Brotherton, former 15+ year association professional and certified career transition coach

Fri 4/7 at 6:30 p.m. – DMV First Friday Dinner

Please join your BAE Collaborate Community Peers at the April First Friday dinner. More info/register.

Organizer: ASAE Black Association Executives

Mon 4/10 at 12 p.m. – Membership Mondays

We meet on the second Monday of every month to discuss membership topics based on the group’s current needs. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Tue 4/11 at 1 p.m. – TBA

No description yet. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Alexandra Mouw, Principal Strategic Advisor, Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Wed 4/12 at 12 p.m. – Meaningful Marketing: How Associations Can Spread the Word

With a comprehensive marketing strategy, you can effectively spread the word about your association’s message, values, and services to help grow your member base and draw in potential members. Learn about effective marketing strategies in the association space and how you can optimize your campaigns for maximum impact. More info/register.

Host: NXUnite by Nexus Marketing

Speakers:

Anthony Campbell, Growth Manager, VocalMeet
Ninia Linero, Account Executive, QuorumJim Wacksman, Producer & CEO, Association Studios
Rusty Williams, Co-founder, AnswerStage

Wed 4/12 at 12:30 p.m. – Revitalizing Dry Content: A Lesson in Engagement

Learn how to make content relevant to your learners, make connections so they see how the material applies to them, and develop strategies for getting learners to care about your course. More info/register.

Host: Association Universe

Speaker: Tim Buteyn, President of ThinkingKap Learning Solutions

Wed 4/12 at 1 p.m. – 15 Ways to Take Your Newsletter to the Next Level

Host: UST Education

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

Wed 4/12 at 1 p.m. – How to Conquer Changes in the Digital Marketing Space

With the constant changes happening in the digital marketing space, the effects on analytics, ROI, and campaign effectiveness in your association are questioned. But it’s not the end-all-to-be-all! Hear tips and tricks to help you conquer the hurdles that have come your way. All you need is the data, the mindset, and the energy. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Hosts: Altai Systems and Multiview

Wed 4/12 at 1 p.m. – 5 Common Data Migration Challenges with AMS Integrations

Learn how to mitigate data migration challenges during integrations with an AMS. Find out how to ask the right questions to ensure successful data migrations; get your team, AMS partner, other software providers, and consultants on the same page; and establish effective and timely communications between all parties to get ahead of and reduce errors. More info/register.

Host: Aplusify

Speakers: Paul Burke, Senior Account Executive, and Neeraj Garg, Chief Operating Officer, Aplusify

Thu 4/13 at 11 a.m. – Is My Organization Ready for Corporate Sponsorship? The Answer is YES!

Now is the perfect time for your organization to engage with corporations for sponsorship and support. Learn about the corporate sponsorship landscape, what kinds of initiatives corporations are interested in supporting, the most effective avenues for researching and learning about a corporation’s funding and sponsorship interests, and how to best start engaging with high-level corporate decisions makers. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Lori Zoss Kraska, MBA, CFRE, Founder and Chief Principal, Growth Owl, LLC

Thu 4/13 at 1 p.m. – Get Sponsored: How to Make 6-Figures in Digital Sponsorship for Your Association

Digital sponsorship can not only be profitable but can also help drive your digital engagement and member education. Learn how to price your content marketing offerings for success, structure digital sponsorship that works for sponsors AND members, and create the behavior in your sponsors that helps improve your digital content calendar. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers: Dan Stevens, President, and Jeff Baker, Association Solutions, WorkerBee.TV

Fri 4/14 at 10 a.m. – Coffee with Innovators: Association Design Circle

Host: Product Design Community

Facilitator: Tom Lietz, Emmy-nominated producer and director

Fri 4/14 at 12 p.m. – Conversations with Champions

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Guest: TBA

Fri 4/14 at 4 p.m. – ASAE Volunteer Opportunities + Volunteer Panel

Host: Fridays@4

Speakers:

Wanda Little-Coffey, MBA, CAE (facilitator), senior director of volunteer relations for ASAE

Tue 4/18 at 11 a.m. – Leadership & Learning Series: Culture Change Made Easy: Part 1: Innovation

No description yet. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Maddie Grant, CAE, Culture Designer and Digital Strategist, Propel
Jamie Notter, Co-Founder and Culture Strategist, PROPEL

Tue 4/18 at 12 p.m. – Component Relations and Volunteer Management April Crunch and Munch

Come prepared to engage, participate and listen as we discuss current topics. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Component Relations and Volunteer Management Professionals Community

Wed 4/19 at 11 a.m. – Why Online Community Is Your Association’s Future: Changing How We Work & Connect

No description yet. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

Barbara J. Armentrout, CAE, Managing Partner, Mesa Group
Lucas Cioffi, CTO, QiqoChat
Sandra Nam, CEO, QiqoChat

Wed 4/19 at 2 p.m. – The Association Business Development Landscape: Benchmark Your Association’s Business Performance

Host: Professionals for Association Revenue

Speakers:

Carrie Hartin, President of Sales, Solutions and Services, MCI-USA
Erin Pressley, CAE, Senior Vice President for Education, Training and Events, NRECA
Sean Soth, Founder & Leadership Advisory Board Chair, Professionals for Association Revenue

Thu 4/20 at 10 a.m. – Setting Strategies and Building Capacity for Social Impact Through Association Meetings

Host: ASAE

Speakers:

Ben Hainsworth, Managing Director, EASL | The Home of Hepatology
Genevieve Leclerc, Co-Founder and CEO, #Meet4impact
Pragathi Tummala, Executive Director, The International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse & Neglect
Ksenija Polla, CMP (moderator), Head of Education and Legacy Programmes, ICCA – International Congress and Convention Association

Thu 4/20 at 11:30 a.m. – Spring Tapas Talk in the Association Marketplace for Small Staff Association Executives

The spotlight is on Small Staff Association Executives—your needs and how to connect with providers who understand working with small teams. Through (virtual) f2f conversations, you will connect with peers at other small-staff associations, and chat with supportive professionals who understand and excel at working with smaller teams. Those partners will provide free resources for you to grab as well as hosting small conversations in breakout rooms. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Qiqo Chat

Thu 4/20 at 1 p.m. – Leadership & Learning: Leading with Trust

No description yet.

1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

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

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 or Twitter by Wednesday afternoon the week before it’s scheduled.

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