Association Brain Food

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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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Mon 5/8 at 8 a.m. – Successful Rebrand (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.

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

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Wed 5/10 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

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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

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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,

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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

More info/register.

Host: ASAE Black Association Executives

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Fri 5/12 at 12:00 p.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

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Fri 5/12 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: Elizabeth Santana, MBA, CAE, ICE-CCP, CPTD, Director, Conceptual Research & Design, Inteleos

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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

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: Fairfax VA. More info/register.

Organizer: Association Women Technology Champions

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

Creative Commons licensed photo by Patrice Bouchard via Unsplash

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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.

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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.

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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

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Mon 4/24 at 8 a.m. – Quarterly Wellness Session (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.

Guest: Fern Carbonell

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Wed 4/26 from 9 a.m. to 4 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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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)

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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Fri 4/14 at 12 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: Rachel Mace, CAE, Senior Product Developer – Data Visualizations, Association Analytics

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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

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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

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Mon 4/17 at 8 a.m. – The Solo Staff Marketing Department (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.

Guest: Jennifer Swanson, CAE

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Wed 4/26 from 9 a.m. to 4 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

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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

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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)

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

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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

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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

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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

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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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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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Mon 3/27 at 8 a.m. – Mission Critical! Creating Impact (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.

Guest: Carol Hamilton, principal, Grace Social Sector Consulting

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Mon 4/3 at 8 a.m. – Data Governance (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: Daniel Elacqua and Gwen Garrison

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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)

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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

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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

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Wed 4/12 at 1 p.m. – 15 Ways to Take Your 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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Fri 4/14 at 12 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: TBA

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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

Speakers:

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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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Creative Commons licensed photo by Dulcey Lima via Unsplash

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

Online learning. With for-profit and higher ed competition growing, your association’s online courses must stand out in the crowd. But excellent content isn’t enough to gain market share. Content is a commodity, says WBT Systems. Learn what elements of engaging and effective online learning you must build into your live and on-demand programs.

Chapter habits. A quote from James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, got Billhighway thinking about chapter practices: “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” They point out seven of those systems—or bad habits—and suggest good habits that chapters should practice instead.

Workplace culture. By now, we understand the influence of culture on an organization’s success. But where and how do you start improving culture? Propel explains how their culture assessment evaluates eight primary culture patterns, your change readiness and where you land on the spectrum from traditional to contemporary to futurist.

Association revenue. Professionals for Association Revenue released their Association Business Development Landscape Survey report. They surveyed 100 associations about revenue growth strategies, business development practices and skills, risks and obstacles to growth, reporting and metrics, and performance of membership, events and non-dues revenue programs.

Gen Z in the workplace. I know we have to be careful about generational stereotypes but Sara Friedman at HubSpot shares the results of a survey of Gen Z professionals that describes what they’re looking for from an employer and what they want to accomplish in their careers. Valuable information for associations!

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

Quick hits

Seven ways to create serendipity and connections for virtual attendees. (Devin Cleary, MeetingsNet)

How to eliminate content bottlenecks and keep your content marketing engine running. (Jimmy Daly, Superpath)

Personas, even well-researched ones, are worthless for marketing. (Matt Lerner)

Trends to watch in March 2023. (Mike Loukides, O’Reilly Radar)

Good eats

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

I made a delicious feast on Sunday: menu #1 from Whatever Happened to Sunday Dinner by Lisa Caponigri. But I’m following my Italian cookery intuition instead of sticking rigidly to her recipes and menus. We started with crostini topped with a spread made from cannellini beans, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, basil pesto, salt and pepper. I mixed the pesto into the bean mixture instead of dabbing it onto each crostini. I will definitely make that again.

The main event was chicken (instead of veal) piccata with steamed asparagus (another menu deviation because, oh my, I knew asparagus in that sauce would be so good and it was) and bucatini amatriciana. As usual, the pasta was the highlight for me. I cheated by using bacon instead of pancetta or guanciale for the pasta sauce. The other ingredients are onion, garlic, marinara, red pepper flakes and parmesan-romano (instead the pecorino-romano she suggests which is more than twice the price at my store). I could eat several times a week every week but I’d have to live in sweatpants the rest of my life.

Earlier for dinner: baked bluefish with potatoes, Genoese style, another excellent Italian recipe, this one adapted from Marcela Hazan—can’t go wrong there. On the side, roasted broccoli with red onion, garlic powder and red pepper flakes.

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If you have a free webinar or event coming up, please send me the link by Wednesday afternoon the week before it’s scheduled. I’m happy to feature it as long as it’s not too product-centric.

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Fri 3/17 at 4 p.m.* – Career Coach Series: Mindful Leadership

Many organizations are in a state of disruption, transformation, and uncertainty. Join us as we explore how an approach of mindful leadership can assist with wellness, focus, clarity of vision, conflict resolution, and goal setting and achievement. You will leave with a plan for mindful leadership practice that will benefit you and your organization. More info/register.

Host: Fridays@4

Speaker: Dr. Lua Hancock

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

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Mon 3/20 at 8 a.m. – What Are Nonprofit CEOs Thinking About? (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.

Guest: Joanne Pineda, founder and chief troublemaker, Matrix Group

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

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Mon 3/20 at 1 p.m. – WOW Above the Line (30-Minute Monday)

Longtime event and entertainment expert, Rob Barber, will be dissecting his super popular presentation on, “HOW You WOW”, which took listeners on a journey of engaging, assessing, and executing significant WOW factors to events of any size. Session #2 in March will focus conversation on the WOW above the line, or in other words, highlighting techniques that that impact the audience. 0.5 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MPI

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Tue 3/21 at 12 p.m. – Component Relations and Volunteer Management March Crunch and Munch

Come prepared to discuss volunteer assessments: Why do we need them? What kinds are there? Who should be taking them? Don’t let the word “assessments” scare you off with SAT flashbacks, we’ll have some ideas about what you can use and how to get started with utilizing them to improve your volunteer experience and program..1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Component Relations and Volunteer Management Council

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Tue 3/21 at 2 p.m. – Attracting and Retaining the Next Generation of Members & Staff

Hear how associations can support the next generation of members and staff. Learn about considerations for your technological infrastructure, ideas for cultivating a flexible work and learning environment, and strategies for supporting members’ and staff’s professional growth. More info/register.

Host: Higher Logic

Speakers:

• Luis Hassan Gallardo, Research Analyst at Urban Institute – Health Policy Center & UCLA Law Fellow
• Marie-Pierre (MP) Huot, Senior Director, Talent Acquisition, HR at Smithbucklin
• Isalia Ramirez, Awards Management Associate at Lever for Change, an affiliate of MacArthur Foundation
• Cate Sauer (moderator), Customer Success Manager at Higher Logic

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Tue 3/21 at 2 p.m. – Humanity of Member Engagement: The Path to Meaningful Connections

Learn how to apply effective leadership to increase member engagement, what you need to know to increase the effectiveness of your membership model, how to boost revenue, and how to enhance engagement and attract new members. More info/register.

Host: Grype

Speaker: Elisa Pratt, CEO and Chief Strategist of Brewer Pratt Solutions

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Tue 3/21 at 2 p.m. – Neurodivergent Inclusion (#RealTalk Dialogue Series)

We opened the conversation last month about supporting our neuro-spicy colleagues in the work place. Join our EDI Committee and panel discuss how to keep inclusion in mind for your events and meetings moving forward. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MPI

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Wed 3/22 at 8 am. – Online Education Portals

Learn about the benefits and challenges associated with the use of online learning platforms, selecting the right platform, developing engaging online courses, measuring success, and enhancing member participation. More info/register.

Host: Association of Association Executives

Speakers:

• Alastair McCapra, CEO, Chartered Institute of Public Relations
• Paul Walsh EMIAM (seminar chair), Seminar Programme Manager, Association of Association Executives

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Wed 3/22 at 11 a.m. – Code of Ethics: An Association’s North Star

A well-defined and articulated Code of Ethics can serve as both a governance tool and a strategic management tool. Learn how a Code of Ethics can enhance your organization and help you to become a more effective leader. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Linn Wheeling, MBA, CAE, Director Community Engagement

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Wed 3/22 at 12 p.m. – Navigating Divisive Issues in a Splintered Society

Does your association leadership struggle with how to respond publicly to potentially polarizing political and social issues? In today’s environment, hot-button issues threaten to anger, divide or frustrate portions of your members, regardless of whether those issues are relevant to your industry. Join us to discuss when to act and how to navigate your response. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association xChange

Speakers:

• Sean Luechtefeld, Vice President, Communications, ANCOR
• Michelle Mannebach, CAE, Director, Advocacy Communications, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
• Chuck Bowen, CAE (moderator), Vice President, Communications & Member Relations, Outdoor Power Equipment Institute

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Wed 3/22 at 12 p.m. – Digital Strategy for Associations | Association Executives Network (Alexandria VA)

Duane Capuano of Success Roads Consulting  will be on hand to help us make sense of the digital tools that are making headlines every day. Bring your questions and challenges! We’ll have lunch and network, then Duane will lead us in a dynamic, facilitated discussion. Location: Alexandria VA. More info/register.

Host: Association Executives Network

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Wed 3/22 at 1 p.m. – Sneak Peek into Recent Association Web Projects

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

Host: Matrix Group

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Wed 3/22 at 1 p.m. – 9 Biggest Challenges with AMS Implementations and How to Avoid Them

Hear insights that can serve as a living checklist for you and your team to review at the beginning of or throughout an implementation process. Learn how to identify challenges early in the process to better navigate transitions, communicate effectively with all team members and partners, and address concerns in a timely and constructive manner. More info/register.

Host: Aplusify

Speakers: Paul Burke, Senior Account Executive, and Neeraj Garg, Chief Operating Officer, Aplusify

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Wed 3/22 at 1 p.m. – Producing Eye-Catching, Effective Event Marketing

It may seem like the only way to drive registrations is with relentless ad spending. Hear about innovative and budget-friendly ways to cut through the noise in order to successfully market your event as an experiential gathering that can’t be missed. Learn to effectively manage the gap between marketing the event vision and the current economic reality. Get actionable ideas for how to reach and engage your target audiences without a huge marketing budget. Discover new ways to turn key stakeholders into amplifiers and success drivers. More info/register.

Host: Bizzabo

Speakers:

• Aleksandra Panykhina, Experience Marketing Lead, Pixelz
• Rachel Stephan, Snöballer-in-chief, Snöball
• Oren Berkovich, Head of Experience Lab, Bizzabo

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Wed 3/22 at 1 p.m. – CSR: Best Practices for Giving Back

When it comes to teambuilding, gone are the days of goofy activities that don’t deliver on both kinds of R.O.I. (Return On Inspiration and Return On Investment). People want interactive, service-oriented, collaborative and values-based experiences that hit them in the head and heart while translating to real business and bottom-line objectives. Hear tips and tricks for teambuilding and general meeting design. Learn how to determine the real goals of the meeting faster, design a flow that will engage each participant and magnify the value of all sessions, and incorporate teambuilding without it feeling like a break from the business of business. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Meetings Today

Speaker: Lain Hensley, founder, Odyssey Teams Inc.

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Wed 3/22 at 2 p.m. – Top Legal Challenges for Meeting Professionals in 2023

Hear about labor and employment issues from staffing concerns to potential rule changes from the NLRB; data privacy and compliance issues and new laws on the books; what to include—and not include—in venue contracts; and negotiating for a win-win and preparing for the worst. More info/register.

Host: Smart Meetings

Speaker: Ty M. Sheaks, Restaurant & Hospitality Section, McCathern, Shokouhi, Evans, and Grinke

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Wed 3/22 at 2 p.m. – Moving the Needle on DEI: Strategies for Enhancing Event Inclusion

Creating an inclusive gathering starts with ensuring that everyone has a seat at the table, which means moving from an afterthought approach to DEI to a 360-degree, always-on process, where diversity and inclusion are woven into the event plans from day one. Hear tips for bridging the gap between DEI goals and action, including how to add DEI into vendor contracts, the value of diversity certifications in creating a culture of inclusion, and key KPIs for measuring DEI progress. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: NorthStar Meetings Group

Speakers:

• Samantha Evans, Certification Manager, International Association of Accessibility Professionals
• Danny Guerrero, CEO and Founder, The Culturist Group
• Jolene Jang, DEI Trainer and Asian Inclusivity Consultant
• Zoe Moore, Strategic EDI Consultant, Grow With Zomo
• Elise Schoening (moderator), Senior Associate Editor, Northstar Meetings Group

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Wed 3/22 at 2 p.m. – Maximizing Results with Minimal Resources: Strategies for Small Advocacy Teams

The size of your budget or team doesn’t have to equal the size of your impact. Even the smallest advocacy teams can monitor issues, manage stakeholders, and rally supporters on par with the biggest players, as long as you have the right strategy and tools. Learn tips to streamline your processes and maximize impact, best practices and strategies to make the most out of your team’s resources, ideas for “stealing” from other departments’ budgets and increasing collaboration, strategies for expanding your team without hiring, and how to advance your organization’s advocacy goals, no matter your budget. More info/register.

Host: VoterVoice

Speakers:

• Rachel Coffman, President, Coffman Collaborative
• William DeVoe, Director Of Communications and Advocacy, Cerebral Palsy Associations of New York State
• Joshua Habursky, Deputy Executive Director, Premium Cigar Association
• Sherry Whitworth (moderator), Managing Director of Public Affairs and Advocacy, FiscalNote

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Wed 3/22 at 3 p.m. – Attracting Younger Members & Building the Next Generation of Association Leaders

Find out what organizations are doing to support the journeys of their younger members and build the next generation of association leaders. Learn the value of establishing a cohort for young leaders, the importance of designing education and mentorships for aspiring leaders, and the power of selecting younger members for volunteer and leadership roles. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Fonteva & Protech

Speakers:

• Teri Carden, Founder, ReviewMyAMS.com & 100Reviews
• Megan Drumm, CAE, Marketing Director, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
• Elizabeth Moris, Director of Brand Engagement, Council on Undergraduate Research
• Tom Wojno, Senior Vice President – Innovation & Member Advancement, International Dairy Foods Association

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Thu 3/23 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. – LMS Demo Day

Watch presentations from a limited number of industry partners that offer learning management system (LMS) platforms. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

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Thu 3/23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Spring Symposium (Washington DC)

Three dynamic sessions focused on management, accounting and finance: #1 – Economic Outlook: Recession 2023? Two Perspectives to Help You With Budget and Scenario Planning for Your Association/Nonprofit; #2 – Building an Effective Audit Committee; and #3 – CFO Panel Discussion: Future Proofing the Office of the Association/NonProfit CFO. 1 CAE credit. Location: Washington DC 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:

• Travis A. Allen, Senior Investment Strategist, National Managing Director at Alliance Bernstein, and Santiago Alfredo Guzman, Head of Middle Market FI Sales at Santander Bank, N.A.
• Rob Eby, CPA, CGMA, Partner National Nonprofit Segment Leader, Aprio LLP
• Ilana Esterrich, CFO, Planned Parenthood, Brian Green, CFO, CHPA, and Mary Mohney, CFO, AGU

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Thu 3/23 at 10 a.m. – Economic Outlook: Recession 2023? Two Perspectives to Help You with Budget and Scenario Planning for Your Association/Nonprofit

Learn what key factors will impact the economic outlook for 2023. Gain insight into two perspectives on the economy and how that might impact your organization and the industry you serve. Hear factors to consider as you develop your next budget and financial scenario plans. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

• Travis A. Allen, Senior Investment Strategist, National Managing Director at Alliance Bernstein
• Santiago Alfredo Guzman, Head of Middle Market FI Sales at Santander Bank, N.A.

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Thu 3/23 at 11:15 a.m. – Building an Effective Audit Committee

Learn how to build and use the audit committee to protect and strengthen exempt organizations. Find out who should be on the committee, how to develop an audit committee charter, how to identify methods to assess risks, and how to engage the audit committee. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Rob Eby, CPA, CGMA, Partner National Nonprofit Segment Leader, Aprio LLP

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Thu 3/23 at 12 p.m. – Do More with Your Event Data

Learn what can be done with data to improve your events. Hear how event organizers use data to their advantage and the results they’ve seen when they make data-led decisions. Learn how to drive more revenue and improve participant satisfaction with your own event info. More info/register.

Host: Grip

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Thu 3/23 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

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Thu 3/23 at 1 p.m. – The Secret to Successful Member Retention: Year-Round Engagement

How can associations implement a member engagement strategy that works when everyone isn’t starting at the same level of involvement? Learn about the framework for an ideal member journey, creative and engaging ways to engage members, and the characteristics of successful member engagement strategies. Get eight practical member engagement tips to create, verify, and measure your organization’s member engagement strategy. More info/register.

Host: Impexium

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Thu 3/23 at 1 p.m. – CFO Panel Discussion: Future Proofing the Office of the Association/Nonprofit CFO

Learn about the evolving role of the CFO in transforming the organizations that they help to lead, how CFO’s are focusing on automation and innovation, and how CFOs are functioning as the Chief Transformation and Chief Risk Officer of the organization. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

• Ilana Esterrich, CFO, Planned Parenthood
• Brian Green, CFO, CHPA
• Mary Mohney, CFO, AGU

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Thu 3/23 at 1 p.m. – Increase Registrations & Engagement by Leveraging Your Speakers and Exhibitors as Advocates

One often overlooked opportunity lies in leveraging your speakers and exhibitors to help make your event a success. Using these resources is a great way to build anticipation leading up to the event while also boosting participant engagement once they arrive–creating a win-win situation for both you and them! Hear our best tips that you can use to effectively leverage your speakers and exhibitors before, during, and after your events. 1 CAE/CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: EVA – Event Tech Hub

Speakers:

• Emily Golding, Group Director, Marketing Strategist, mdg
• Rusty Williams, Co-founder, AnswerStage
• Vinnu Deshetty, Founder and CEO, EVA – Event Tech Hub

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Thu 3/23 at 2 p.m. – Choosing the Board’s Duty of Foresight

In this turbulent decade and beyond, the board’s ability to anticipate, prepare for, and shape the future is arguably more important than its fiduciary duties. By choosing the duty of foresight, boards can build their capacity to make future-focused decisions that leave their organizations better than how they found them. Learn how boards can choose the duty of foresight and integrate next practices to help them shape a different and better future. More info/register.

Host: OnBoard

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

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Thu 3/23 from 2 to 5:30 p.m. – Metrics that Matter: Unveiling the Power of Community Data (online, Washington DC and Denver CO)

Learn about best practices for data visualization and how to turn data into insights that matter. Hear from industry experts and community leaders who have used data to drive results, and have the opportunity to network with peers who are also passionate about using metrics to achieve their goals. Locations: online, Washington DC and Denver CO. More info/register.

Host: CMX

Speakers:

• Pat Cooney, Community Engineer, ProntoForms
• Samantha “Venia” Logan, Community Architect & Founder | Social Sciences, SociallyConstructed.Online
• Amanda Makulec, Executive Director, Data Visualization Society
• Greg Pollack, Association Analytics
• Mauricio Salazar, Co-Founder, Pandoty

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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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Creative Commons licensed photo by Leighton Smith via Unsplash

Amazon affiliate links allow me to earn a tiny commission on any sales that result from clicking. Thank you!

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

ChatGPT. WBT Systems explains how you can use ChatGPT to manage and market your association’s education programs. As I wrote in the post, I enjoy researching, thinking and writing so I’m not tempted to use ChatGPT for those purposes—besides, it wouldn’t be ethical. But busy association professionals can definitely save time using ChatGPT as a starting point on many tasks.

Strategic resilience. Dean West at Association Laboratory wonders if he’s lazy, stupid or resilient (I’m not saying) and shares lessons about resilience that can guide your association’s strategy decisions.

Association podcasts. Launching a podcast isn’t as daunting as it used to be, thanks to resources and people who can help you get started, like Association Briefings. They explain how podcasts can benefit associations and their audiences, provide tips for starting an association podcast, and describe the planning process and issues to consider before you decide to move forward.

Skills-based volunteering. Associations might want to consider a different approach to volunteering. Research says employees prefer corporate volunteering programs that allow them to bring job-related expertise to volunteer activities. Submittable describes the benefits of skills-based volunteering for employees, companies, and nonprofits and how organizations can get started.

Content marketing. B2B marketers overwhelmingly believe content marketing produces the leads with the highest ROI, says Marketing Charts. But remember, you can’t just throw blog posts out into the wilderness and expect people to find them. You need a content marketing ecosystem to support them.

Membership engagement. Your AMS should be a utility player on your membership team. Nimble AMS describes how it can help your association recruit, engage and retain members by helping you better understand members, anticipate their needs, and deliver personalized communication and content.

Small staff challenge. Ryan Law at Animalz shares advice from three marketers about how to succeed as a content team of one.

Journalism’s decline. Ross Barkan writes about the media’s conflict of interest problem. It’s impossible for many of them to take an objective perspective when they’re more interested in moving up the social ladder and cozying up to politicians and CEOs. Instead of serving the public’s interest, they serve their egos. Shameful and disappointing.

Good eats

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

I turned leftover broccoli salad with cheddar and bacon vinaigrette into a baked pasta with mushroom, onion, garlic, ham, broccoli salad, tomatoes, bechamel and parmesan. Wowee, that was tasty.

In the mood for shrimp-stuffed flounder, I looked at a bunch of recipes online to get some stuffing ideas. I ended up using onion, red bell pepper, celery, garlic, shrimp, eggs, parsley, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, butter and Old Bay. Another success. On the side, zucchini pesto with mushrooms, onion, orange bell pepper, tomatoes and basil pesto.

Every time I make this Thai style catfish recipe, I want to make it again the next night. So quick, easy and delicious. On the side, baby bok choy sautéed with onion, red bell pepper, garlic, oyster sauce, soy sauce and sambal oelek.

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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.

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Fri 3/10 at 12 p.m. EST* – 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: Rebecca Achurch, PGMP, PMP, CSM, CAE, founder, Achurch Consulting

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

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Fri 3/10 at 4 p.m. EST – Diversity Discussion Series: #IAmRemarkable

Google’s worldwide #IamRemarkable initiative strives to empower women and underrepresented groups to celebrate their achievements in the workplace and beyond. At the heart of this initiative is an interactive facilitated workshop during which you will learn the importance of self-promotion in your personal and professional life, walk away equipped with tools to comfortably share your accomplishments, challenge the social perception around self-promotion, and reflect on how we can all be better allies and advocates for underrepresented groups so that together we can build a more inclusive world. More info/register.

Host: Fridays@4

Speakers: LaToya Tapscott, Senior Manager of Practice Networks, and Laura Cox, Manager of Online Program Development, Association of Corporate Counsel

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Mon 3/13 at 8 a.m. – 21st Century Membership (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.

Guest: Joy Duling

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

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Mon 3/13 at 11 a.m. – Membership Mondays

We meet on the second Monday of every month to discuss membership topics based on the group’s current needs. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Membership Professionals Community

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Tue 3/14 at 11 a.m. – Culture by Design: How to build a High Performing Culture (Leadership & Learning Series)

Learn how to create and drive the culture you want to have by understanding the difference between a good culture and a high-performance culture, why values are less important than behaviors, why vision and mission statements are often a mistake, critical mistakes most leaders make in defining their culture and how to avoid them, and the role of ritual in sustaining a focus on culture over the long run. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Bill Kaiser, Senior Vice President, CultureWise

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Tue 3/14 at 12 p.m. – LGBTQIA2+ Community Call

We will continue our conversation about ways to promote inclusiveness. Log on in March as we discuss, among other things: How can work done by the DEI committee be augmented/supported by this community? And how does this work get integrated into what ASAE does? Where are things at with the results of ASAE’s last DEI strategic plan (2019-2021) and with a new one? More info/register.

Host: ASAE LGBTQ Association Executives and Supporters

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Tue 3/14 at 3 p.m. – Welcome Aboard! Onboarding New Association Members

A great onboarding journey highlights the opportunities, services, and general value new members can benefit from in your association. It is a wonderful chance to get them acquainted and inspire involvement. A strong onboarding experience can directly lead to increased membership renewal. Join our thought leaders as they discuss the must-haves of an effective onboarding program that will polish out your operations. More info/register.

Host: NXUnite by Nexus Marketing

Speakers:

• Ethan Gray, CAE, Director of Association Management Services, Talley Management
• Tony Hoff, Marketing Director, Survey & Ballot Systems
• Leona Scott, President and Founder, JEP Marketing Communications
• Morgan Wood, Head of Community, Hivebrite

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Wed 3/15 at 7 a.m. – How Associations Can Contribute to a Lower Carbon Economy

Explore the latest trends and best practices for reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainable practices. Learn how associations can lead by example, encouraging members to adopt sustainable practices and promoting awareness of the importance of sustainability. Discover how to measure the impact of your association’s sustainability initiatives and use feedback to drive improvement. More info/register (subscribe first).

Host: Association of Association Executives

Speakers:

• Jon Bruno, Executive Director, The International Ecotourism Society
• Matthew Matimbwi, Executive Secretary, Tanzania Renewable Energy Association
• William Thomson, Consultant, Gallus Events
• Paul Walsh EMIAM (moderator), Seminar Programme Manager, Association of Association Executives

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Wed 3/15 at 11 a.m. – How to Personalize and Automate your Member Experience

Despite technology that helps associations take some of the labor out of communicating with members, true custom member experiences still tend to require manual effort. Learn how the member experience has changed over time, historically via phone, letter and fax, then to email, and into the current era of automation; how to automate elements of your members’ experience that are needlessly still manual, from building/updating profiles to gaining a deeper understanding of individual needs; and how to align member experience with member expectations. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Dave Will, Co-Founder and CEO, PropFuel

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Wed 3/15 at 12 p.m. – 6 Habits to Build in Your Components (& for CRPs)

Discuss essential habits for building effective components and for CRPs (Chapter Relations Professionals). We will draw from habits that have helped chapters get out of a crisis to provide valuable insights into the key strategic and tactical issues that can impact your association. Learn practical tips to help your components succeed. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Hosts: Billhighway and Mariner Management

Speaker: Peggy Hoffman, president and executive director, Mariner Management

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Wed 3/15 at 1 p.m. – Expanding Your Influence Without Growing Your Public Affairs Team

We’ve compiled the data from surveying 200+ public affairs pros and the results are in. Hear strategies for addressing challenges you might face in your public affairs program and how to get more bang for your lobbying buck. More info/register.

Host: Quorum

Speakers:

• Brian Rubenstein, President, Rubenstein Impact Group
• Cicely Simpson, Founder & CEO, Summit Public Affairs

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Wed 3/15 at 2 p.m. – How Associations Can Build Lasting Client and Member Relationships

Hear about the academic research about why keeping in touch with current and past clients and members is important and its multiple benefits, how to apply this research to your own relationship-building strategy, how to develop an intentional mindset and overcome self-imposed barriers to keeping in touch, and actionable keep-in-touch strategies that you can implement immediately following the workshop. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Professionals for Association Revenue

Speaker: Jason Levin, Author, Speaker, Trainer & Career and Business Development Coach, Ready, Set, Launch, LLC

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Wed 3/15 at 3 p.m. – Analytics in Action: The Top Ten List: Data Challenges

After working with hundreds of associations, we can confidently say most of them have similar challenges when it comes to data. These range from difficulty accessing data to conflicting numbers sitting in different source systems. We’ve compiled these common challenges into a David Letterman-style Top Ten list and share concrete ways you can overcome each challenge so you can continue to advance your analytics journey. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Analytics

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

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Thu 3/16 at 7 a.m. – Creating a Personalized Membership Experience

More info/register (subscribe first).

Host: Association of Association Executives

Speakers:

• Ronald Kawule Jooga, Head – Membership Development, Uganda Small Scale Inudstries Association
• Patricia Njeri, Membership Manager, Global Off-Grid Lighting Association
• Chelsea Shelley, Head of Membership, Engagement and Services, British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy
• Paul Walsh EMIAM (moderator), Seminar Programme Manager, Association of Association Executives

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Thu 3/16 at 11 a.m. – Platform vs Purpose Driven Software: An Association Perspective

Software for associations and nonprofits can be a complex and confusing topic. The choices seem limitless. Over the last 10 years the industry has seem the rise of platform-based systems. Is that a positive or negative? What does that mean for traditional purpose drive software? Learn about the difference between platform and purpose driven software, the pros and cons of each type of software, and the right questions to ask about what best for their organization. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Craig Dellorso, Director, Association Management and Nonprofit Solutions, RSM US LLP

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Thu 3/16 at 11:30 a.m. – Association Marketplace: Spotlight on AMCs

If you are interested in learning more about AMCs, join this fun and interactive knowledge sharing session, featuring ten of the industry’s leading association management companies. Ask the experts and gain insight and ideas without lifting a finger or issuing an RFP. Each panelist and/or content leader will share their knowledge and recent experiences in cycles of short, 12-15-minute sessions with plenty of time for face-to-face conversation. More info/register.

Host: Qiqo Chat

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Thu 3/16 at 12 p.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, Tasio
• Amith Nagarajan, Founder and Chairman, Blue Cypress

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Thu 3/16 at 12 p.m. – Guiding You in the Right Direction: How to Engage with a Professional Coach

The association industry is fortunate to have several individuals providing coaching services to professionals at every stage of their careers. An experienced coach’s guidance may help identify areas of potential growth and goals to achieve, and always a confidential sounding board. Where do you start? How do you find the right coach? Can a coach be affordable? Learn how coaching can benefit an individual, and establishing a connection with a coach can be one of the most rewarding professional relationships. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Speaker: Cynthia Mills, FASAE, CAE CMC, CPC, CCRC, Founder, President & CEO of The Leaders’ Haven

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Thu 3/16 at 12 p.m. – March DES Expert Panel Q&A

Hear from our DES Experts Dahlia El Gazzar, Will Curran, and Sourabh Kothari and ask the questions you want answered, whether related directly to the course content, or a challenge you may be facing in your own work in the virtual/hybrid events world. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: PCMA

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Thu 3/16 at 12 p.m. – The Community Check-In

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

Host: Black In Events Network

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Thu 3/16 at 12:30 p.m. – Nonprofit Organization Data Privacy and Security

With new privacy laws in multiple states—including most notably Colorado—and greater focus on privacy at the federal level, nonprofits need to develop policies and procedures to meet these emerging privacy obligations. Data security also remains a top compliance priority, and nonprofits must continue to ensure that their members’ and donors’ information is safeguarded. Learn about new data protection developments and best practices for addressing data breaches when they do occur. More info/register.

Host: Venable LLP

Speakers:

• Nana-Kwabena Abrefah, Associate, Privacy and Data Security Group, Venable LLP
• John Banghart, Senior Director for Cybersecurity Services, Technology and Innovation Group, Venable LLP
• Kelly DeMarchis Bastide, Partner & Co-Chair, Privacy and Data Security Group, Venable LLP
• George Constantine (moderator(, Partner & Co-Chair, Nonprofit Organizations, Venable LLP

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Thu 3/16 at 2 p.m. – From Proposals to Policies: A Guide to the 2024 Federal Budget & Appropriations

As federal agencies, Congress, and the White House’s Office of Management and Budget work on an appropriations framework for the upcoming 2024 fiscal year, government affairs professionals must act quickly to stay ahead of the curve and make sure their issues are represented fairly. Hear about the ticking clock of the federal budget process and how to keep pace, how the debate over the debt limit will affect spending debates, timeline for the coming months—and all the ways those timelines can go awry, insiders’ perspectives on key disagreements and potential concessions, and implications of proposed revenue generators and cuts. More info/register.

Host: CQ

Speakers:

• Paul M. Krawzak, senior writer on the budget, appropriations and tax team at CQ and Roll Call
• Aidan Quigley, CQ and Roll Call’s budget and appropriations reporter
• Laura Weiss, CQ and Roll Call’s tax and economic policy reporter
• David Lerman (moderator), senior writer at CQ and Roll Call

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Thu 3/16 at 4 p.m. – Your Members Are Mobile… Are You?

Learn how associations can use a mobile app and leverage their existing technologies to create a mobile strategy that will provide member retention, new memberships and added member benefit. Find out how to create an action plan for going mobile, identify existing technologies the association has to enhance its mobile strategy, and select a mobile technology partner. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Reston-Loudoun Idea Swap

Speaker: Mark Wallach, MBA, Director, Mobile Business Development, Results Direct

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Thu 3/16 at 6:30 p.m. – Black Association Executives Monthly Meeting

Occurs on the third Thursday of each month. The agenda will be posted the week of. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Black Association Executives

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Fri 3/17 at 4 p.m. – Career Coach Series: Mindful Leadership

Many organizations are in a state of disruption, transformation, and uncertainty. Join us as we explore how an approach of mindful leadership can assist with wellness, focus, clarity of vision, conflict resolution, and goal setting and achievement. You will leave with a plan for mindful leadership practice that will benefit you and your organization. More info/register.

Host: Fridays@4

Speaker: Dr. Lua Hancock

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Tue 3/21 at 12 p.m. – CRVM March 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 Council

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Wed 3/22 at 11 a.m. – Code of Ethics: An Association’s North Star

A well-defined and articulated Code of Ethics can serve as both a governance tool and a strategic management tool. Learn how a Code of Ethics can enhance your organization and help you to become a more effective leader. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Linn Wheeling, MBA, CAE, Director Community Engagement

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Wed 3/22 at 1 p.m. – Sneak Peek into Recent Association Web Projects

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

Host: Matrix Group

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Thu 3/23 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. – LMS Demo Day

Watch presentations from a limited number of industry partners that offer learning management system (LMS) platforms. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

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Thu 3/23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Spring Symposium (Washington DC)

Three dynamic sessions focused on management, accounting and finance: #1 – Economic Outlook: Recession 2023? Two Perspectives to Help You With Budget and Scenario Planning for Your Association/Nonprofit; #2 – Building an Effective Audit Committee; and #3 – CFO Panel Discussion: Future Proofing the Office of the Association/NonProfit CFO. 1 CAE credit. Location: Washington DC 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:

• Travis A. Allen, Senior Investment Strategist, National Managing Director at Alliance Bernstein, and Santiago Alfredo Guzman, Head of Middle Market FI Sales at Santander Bank, N.A.
• Rob Eby, CPA, CGMA, Partner National Nonprofit Segment Leader, Aprio LLP
• Ilana Esterrich, CFO, Planned Parenthood, Brian Green, CFO, CHPA, and Mary Mohney, CFO, AGU

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Thu 3/23 at 10 a.m. – Economic Outlook: Recession 2023? Two Perspectives to Help You with Budget and Scenario Planning for Your Association/Nonprofit

Learn what key factors will impact the economic outlook for 2023. Gain insight into two perspectives on the economy and how that might impact your organization and the industry you serve. Hear factors to consider as you develop your next budget and financial scenario plans. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

• Travis A. Allen, Senior Investment Strategist, National Managing Director at Alliance Bernstein
• Santiago Alfredo Guzman, Head of Middle Market FI Sales at Santander Bank, N.A.

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Thu 3/23 at 11:15 a.m. – Building an Effective Audit Committee

Learn how to build and use the audit committee to protect and strengthen exempt organizations. Find out who should be on the committee, how to develop an audit committee charter, how to identify methods to assess risks, and how to engage the audit committee. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Rob Eby, CPA, CGMA, Partner National Nonprofit Segment Leader, Aprio LLP

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Thu 3/23 at 1 p.m. – The Secret to Successful Member Retention: Year-Round Engagement

More info/register.

Host: Impexium

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Thu 3/23 at 1 p.m. – CFO Panel Discussion: Future Proofing the Office of the Association/Nonprofit CFO

Learn about the evolving role of the CFO in transforming the organizations that they help to lead, how CFO’s are focusing on automation and innovation, and how CFOs are functioning as the Chief Transformation and Chief Risk Officer of the organization. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speakers:

• Ilana Esterrich, CFO, Planned Parenthood
• Brian Green, CFO, CHPA
• Mary Mohney, CFO, AGU

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Thu 3/23 at 1 p.m. – Increase Registrations & Engagement by Leveraging Your Speakers and Exhibitors as Advocates

One often overlooked opportunity lies in leveraging your speakers and exhibitors to help make your event a success. Using these resources is a great way to build anticipation leading up to the event while also boosting participant engagement once they arrive–creating a win-win situation for both you and them! Hear our best tips that you can use to effectively leverage your speakers and exhibitors before, during, and after your events. 1 CAE/CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: EVA – Event Tech Hub

Speakers:

• Emily Golding, Group Director, Marketing Strategist, mdg
• Rusty Williams, Co-founder, AnswerStage
• Vinnu Deshetty, Founder and CEO, EVA – Event Tech Hub

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Thu 3/23 at 2 p.m. – Choosing the Board’s Duty of Foresight

In this turbulent decade and beyond, the board’s ability to anticipate, prepare for, and shape the future is arguably more important than its fiduciary duties. By choosing the duty of foresight, boards can build their capacity to make future-focused decisions that leave their organizations better than how they found them. Learn how boards can choose the duty of foresight and integrate next practices to help them shape a different and better future. More info/register.

Host: OnBoard

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

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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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Creative Commons licensed photo of road in Canyon de Chelly by Angie Corbett-Kuiper via Unsplash

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

Self-assessment tools/programs. Self-assessments reveal where you need to improve your skills and what you need to learn. WBT Systems shares several association examples of self-assessment tools and programs for choosing a career path or course of study, preparing for a certification exam, or improving business practices and policies.

Subscriptions. If you offer learning or membership subscriptions, clear your Harvard Business Review cookies and read this article by Nir Eyal. You’ll need to channel your inner psychologist to address the fascinating issues he raises about choice, novelty and user investment in subscriptions. His insight should help you improve the subscriber experience at your organization.

Event gamification. In their new guide, EventMobi explains the psychology behind gamification. They describe strategies for applying game mechanics to influence attendee behavior, including the incentives and technology that will help you achieve event goals.

Sponsorships. How can associations provide corporate partners with valuable access to their member communities? That’s the question the Professionals for Association Revenue asked several association executives and consultants. I love the idea from Jay Ablondi of the Massachusetts Medical Society about sponsors being resident experts for boards and committees—a natural role for experienced industry partners.

Self-mastery. Casey Rosengren’s post about doing hard things is a long one but worth every moment of reading—and could have momentous effects. He describes Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), how it changed his life, and how you can apply its principles. “ACT looks at how our thoughts influence our behavior and offers tools for debugging when our minds get us stuck.” We often confuse our thoughts with reality. They can take us away from the here and now if we let them, allowing us to get caught in negative spin cycles about the past or the future. Isn’t being human endlessly interesting?

AMS (r)evolution. Empowered Margins sat down with 70 AMS developers to get their perspectives on all things AMS, such as integration, APIs, security, ecommerce, data visualization, and more. They explain how these AMS functions affect the member experience, how the AMS market is changing, and what you should look for in a new AMS.

Quick hits

Real accountability at work requires better metrics across the organization. (Jamie Notter, Propel)

Five ways thought leadership content drives higher search rankings. I especially love the first two pieces of advice. As for #3, it works too, but please don’t ask me to write your book, ha ha. (Andy Crestodina, Orbit Media Studio)

Don’t you loathe the idea of banned books? Humans of all political persuasions can be such jerks and have been forever. Read the late Pat Conroy’s letter to the editor on teachers, censorship and banned books. (Pat Conroy, Poetic Outlaws)

Good eats

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

After one night of delicious eggplant parmesan—see last week’s post for the recipe—I broke down and made spaghetti with tomatoes, garlic, fresh oregano and Italian parsley, dried basil, red pepper flakes and parmesan cheese to enjoy with the leftovers. Any excuse for pasta.

We enjoyed one of our favorite fish species another night: baked sheepshead fillets with lemon-herb butter made with lemon zest, chives, oregano and parsley. On the side, an old Pierre Franey recipe for broccoli purée made with butter, garlic, Parmesan cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper, and roasted sweet potato wedges sprinkled with smoked paprika, chipotle powder, garlic powder and cinnamon.

For a family birthday party, I made broccoli salad with cheddar and bacon vinaigrette. I used a mix of sharp cheddar and asiago cheese, dried cranberries instead of grapes, and all parts of the green onions.

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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.

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Fri 3/3 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 finance innovation. More info/register.

Host: Product Design Community

Facilitator: Annie Doresca, Chief Financial Officer at Jewelers of America

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

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Fri 3/3 at 1 p.m. – iPaaS Show-and-Tell: Real Life Examples from the Trenches

Get a look under the hood of the iPaaS-based integrations at four associations. See how things look and work in Zapier, Tray.io, ShuffleExchange, and MS Power Automate. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Technology Professionals Community

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Fri 3/3 at 4 p.m. – Diversity Discussion Series: Women in Leadership (Panel Discussion)

Join us for our continued panel discussion series, Diversity Discussions in honor of Women’s History Month. The moderator will lead panelists through a conversation on association leadership experiences, themes include values, relationships, and boundaries. More info/register.

Host: Fridays@4

Speakers:

• Ally Brown, MS, Director of Training, Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine
• Celia Chomón Zamora, Director of Professional Learning and Certification, ACTFL
• Jakeeva Lee, member and community engagement outreach, Chicago Association of Realtors
• Angela Nelson (moderator), diversity, equity, and inclusion, Travel Portland

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Fri 3/3 at 6:30 p.m. – DMV First Friday Black Association Executives Dinner

More info/register.

Organizer: ASAE Black Association Executives

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Mon 3/6 at 8 a.m. – Creating Community via Content (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.

Guest: KiKi L’Italien, senior consultant, Tecker International

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

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Mon 3/6 at 1 p.m. – Inflection Points with the New MPI Academy Director

Join us as we welcome Tim Luepke, the new Director of the Academy, as he shares about him, his experience, his vision and his goals for the Academy in 2023. 0.5 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MPI

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Tue 3/7 at 11 a.m. – Cybersecurity Assessment for an Association/Nonprofit: A Checklist for Success

After the pandemic, small and medium sized organizations, including nonprofits and associations, are facing increasing cyber threats as they are more connected today—with remote staff, members, customers and vendors. Easy availability of low-cost cyber weapons has led to a surge in phishing attempts, malware, and ransomware attacks on inadequately secured networks. Learn about the types of security assessments available in the marketplace, what an assessment framework is and which one your organization should be using, why types of information should be delivered through an assessment, and what your organization should do with the assessment output. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Brian Scott, President, CIO, ClearTone Consulting LLC

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Tue 3/7 at 12 p.m. – The For-Profit Competitors Are Here

More and more, for-profit private networks and communities are competing with associations for membership, engagement opportunities, and revenue. Hear about the rise of for-profit competitors and their impact on how associations can drive greater member value and impact going forward. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Executive Management Professionals Advisory Council

Speakers:

• Miranda Barrett, CAE, PMP, Owner, Capacity to Scale
• Jennifer Lewi, MBA, CAE, ACC, Vice President, Career Development and Conferences, School Nutrition Association
• Martin Sirk, Owner, Sirk Serendipity / International Advisor, Global Association Hubs Partnership
• Dean West, FASAE, President, Association Laboratory
• Tommy Goodwin (moderator), FASAE, CAE, PMP, Vice President, Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance

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Tue 3/7 at 12 p.m. – Event 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

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Tue 3/7 at 12 p.m. – Meetings Outlook

Deep dive into MPI’s most recent Meetings Outlook research, published quarterly in The Meeting Professional magazine. Review the forecast for events in the coming year, including a budget, attendance, and business conditions, trends that matter, and how these trends affect you and the future of your meetings. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MPI

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Tue 3/7 at 1 p.m. – Bark Up the Right Tree: Align Your Event Marketing Strategy to the Right Promotional Channels

Unique new ways to promote your events are constantly popping up; from TikTok and LinkedIn Conversation Ads, to influencer marketing and podcasts, the options can be endless. Learn how to know which channels are right for your event and organization and how you can use new channels to tell your brand story and promote your events. More info/register.

Host: American Marketing Association

Speakers: Emily Dick, Director, Demand Generation, and Tiffany Sanford, Assistant Team Lead, Demand Generation, Cvent

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Tue 3/7 at 2 p.m. – Uncommon Approaches to Engage and Retain Your Members and Grow Your Community: A Conversation with Amanda Lea Kaiser

Members’ ever-increasing lack of time is why it is more challenging to encourage them to engage (attend, contribute, and volunteer) than it was even five years ago. We need a new roadmap to engage members now and in the future. Amanda Lea Kaiser’s book, “Elevating Engagement: Uncommon Strategies for Creating a Thriving Member Community,” reveals hundreds of ways to help members engage with others in their community and with your association at each stage of their member journey. More info/register.

Host: Tasio

Speaker: Amanda Kaiser, founder, Kaiser Insights

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Wed 3/8 at 7 a.m. – Taking Advantage of Tech to Boost Association Revenue

Hear about the latest tech trends and best practices for maximizing revenue potential. Learn how to leverage data analytics, marketing automation, and other cutting-edge tools to increase engagement, retain members, and drive revenue growth. More info/register.

Host: Association of Association Executives

Speakers:

• John Martinez, Chief Executive Officer & Founder, Shocklogic
• Paul Walsh EMIAM (facilitator), Seminar Programme Manager, Association of Association Executives

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Wed 3/8 at 9 a.m. – First Calls and Focused Follow-Ups: How Associations Stay Connected to Customers

Staying top of mind with customers is an important part of relationship building. Whether it’s members or partners, associations must strike the right balance of keeping in touch and staying connected with those they serve. Share tips and tactics for staying connected to customers in meaningful ways. 1 CAE credit. More info/register (members only).

Host: Professionals for Association Revenue

Speaker: Sean Soth, Founder & Leadership Advisory Board Chair, Professionals for Association Revenue

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Wed 3/8 at 1 p.m. – The ABCs of APIs: Integrations for Those NOT in the Know

Integrations and APIs  are common buzzwords, but what exactly do they mean and why are they important? Learn the basics of making your systems talk to each other, how to express your integration needs to your tech teams and make better system selection choices based on the integration options. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Olivia Wilkins, Business Analyst/Project Manager, PerByte

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Wed 3/8 at 1 p.m. – The Association Hiring Landscape

Join a discussion with recruiters and career experts on the state of the association hiring market. Learn how to position yourself as a strong candidate, and how to attract the best applicants in today’s market. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Speaker: Shelly Howard-Horwitz

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Wed 3/8 at 1 p.m. – Membership Growth Strategies that Work: Using Marketing Technology (MarTech) to Add New Members

Hear insights on technology, tools, and approaches to identify and nurture new members for your association. Learn how to develop lead magnets that will attract prospective members, use tools and strategies to identify patterns and better determine your audience, and leverage technology to generate more leads in your profession or industry. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Fonteva & Protech

Speakers:

• Aimee Pagano, Director of Programming, HighRoad Solutions
• Erin Lemons, Senior Director of Marketing, Fonteva & Protech

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Wed 3/8 at 1 p.m. – Delivering Cost-Efficient, Attention-Driving Event Content: Part 2 of Maximizing Event Influence at Minimum Cost webinar series

Booking famous speakers is a popular way to drive registrations and attract sponsors, but that strategy comes at a cost—literally. Hear about alternative ways to grab prospective attendee attention without relying solely on big names. More info/register.

Host: Bizzabo

Speakers:

• Oren Berkovich, Head of Experience Lab, Bizzabo
• Allison Crooker, Director, Experiential Marketing, VMWare
• Adele Durham, Senior Director, Global Events, VeeAM

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Wed 3/8 at 2 p.m. – Expert Strategies to Help Meet Your Goals

marketing trends and actionable takeaways to take your marketing plan to the next level. We will share why marketing plans are important, the essential components to consider, and why aligning the plan to meet your association goals is essential. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Adviser/Naylor Association Solutions

Speakers:

• Melinda Adamec, Senior Vice President, Gabriel Marketing Group
• Kaydee Brown, Senior Corporate Marketing Manager, Naylor Association Solutions

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Thu 3/9 at 7 a.m. – Boosting the Educational Value of Congresses

Explore the latest trends and best practices for boosting educational value, from designing innovative sessions to leveraging technology to foster engagement. Learn how to create interactive and engaging sessions that encourage attendee participation and promote active learning. Additionally, you’ll discover how to measure the success of your educational programming and use feedback to improve future congresses. More info/register.

Host: Association of Association Executives

Speakers:

• Jeremias Rodriguez, Director, Congress & Meetings, World Federation of Hemophilia
• Paul Walsh EMIAM (facilitator), Seminar Programme Manager, Association of Association Executives

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Thu 3/9 at 11 a.m. – Deep Dive: 2023 Membership Performance Benchmark Report

Take a deep dive through the recently released 8th annual 2023 Membership Performance Benchmark Report. Association executives from around the world share their top priorities for 2023 and offer tips for overcoming the biggest challenges. This year’s report also shares insights on how different generations, Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, and Millennials, view issues differently and how this impacts their decision making. More info/register.

Host: iMIS by ASI

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Thu 3/9 at 11 a.m. – Marketing Artificial Intelligence in Action

Learn about low lift, low cost AI tools, specific to the marketing, membership, and communications functions, you can begin experimenting with right away at your organization. Hear about SEO/search optimization tools that use NLP for semantic-powered inline optimization as well as search volume recommendations; email tools that leverage AI for content recommendation and send-time optimization; content generation and inline editing tools; image and other content generation tools; and AI-powered audio editing tools. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

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

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Thu 3/9 at 12 p.m. – By Association: Branding and Marketing Strategies for Your Association

Strategically planning your association’s branding and marketing is a huge step toward moving your mission forward. When done correctly, it allows for associations to remain relevant in their communities, more opportunities to connect with potential supporters, and an increased likelihood of attracting new members organically. Learn how associations can find success in branding and marketing. More info/register.

Host: NXUnite by Nexus Marketing

Speakers:

• Murad Bushnaq, Founder and CEO of Morweb
• Ashish Malik, CEO, 108 ideaspace
• Jim Wacksman, Producer & CEO at Association Studios
• Rusty Williams, Co-Founder, AnswerStage

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Thu 3/9 at 12 p.m. – The Community Check-In

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

Host: Black In Events Network

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Thu 3/9 at 1 p.m. – What’s Trending in 2023?

Hear the latest event design, F&B and entertainment trends for 2023. Learn the concept of “events as theater” and “event touchpoints,” how the five senses influence the attendee experience, how to tap into local resources for F&B and entertainment, and how to identify entertainers and speakers that appeal to every demographic. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Prevue Meetings

Speakers:

• Kate Brack, VP of Design & Strategy, Haute
• Dianne Devitt, CEO, Dianne Devitt LLC
• Tahira Endean, CITP, CMP, DES, CED, Head of Programme, IMEX

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Fri 3/10 at 12 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: Rebecca Achurch, PGMP, PMP, CSM, CAE, founder, Achurch Consulting

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Mon 3/13 at 11 a.m. – Membership Mondays Celebration (hybrid event)

We meet on the second Monday of every month to discuss membership topics based on the group’s current needs. Location: online and Washington DC. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Membership Professionals Community

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Tue 3/14 at 11 a.m. – Culture by Design: How to build a High Performing Culture (Leadership & Learning Series)

Learn how to create and drive the culture you want to have by understanding the difference between a good culture and a high-performance culture, why values are less important than behaviors, why vision and mission statements are often a mistake, critical mistakes most leaders make in defining their culture and how to avoid them, and the role of ritual in sustaining a focus on culture over the long run. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Bill Kaiser, Senior Vice President, CultureWise

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Tue 3/14 at 12 p.m. – LGBTQIA2+ Community Call

We will continue our conversation about ways to promote inclusiveness. Log on in March as we discuss, among other things: How can work done by the DEI committee be augmented/supported by this community? And how does this work get integrated into what ASAE does? Where are things at with the results of ASAE’s last DEI strategic plan (2019-2021) and with a new one? More info/register.

Host: ASAE LGBTQ Association Executives and Supporters

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Wed 3/15 at 11 a.m. – How to Personalize and Automate your Member Experience

Despite technology that helps associations take some of the labor out of communicating with members, true custom member experiences still tend to require manual effort. Learn how the member experience has changed over time, historically via phone, letter and fax, then to email, and into the current era of automation; how to automate elements of your members’ experience that are needlessly still manual, from building/updating profiles to gaining a deeper understanding of individual needs; and how to align member experience with member expectations. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: UST Education

Speaker: Dave Will, Co-Founder and CEO, PropFuel

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Wed 3/15 at 12 p.m. – 6 Habits to Build in Your Components (& for CRPs)

Discuss essential habits for building effective components and for CRPs (Chapter Relations Professionals). We will draw from habits that have helped chapters get out of a crisis to provide valuable insights into the key strategic and tactical issues that can impact your association. Learn practical tips to help your components succeed. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Hosts: Billhighway and Mariner Management

Speaker: Peggy Hoffman, president and executive director, Mariner Management

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Wed 3/15 at 2 p.m. – How Associations Can Build Lasting Client and Member Relationships

Hear about the academic research about why keeping in touch with current and past clients and members is important and its multiple benefits, how to apply this research to your own relationship-building strategy, how to develop an intentional mindset and overcome self-imposed barriers to keeping in touch, and actionable keep-in-touch strategies that you can implement immediately following the workshop. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Professionals for Association Revenue

Speaker: Jason Levin, Author, Speaker, Trainer & Career and Business Development Coach, Ready, Set, Launch, LLC

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Wed 3/15 at 3 p.m. – Analytics in Action: The Top Ten List: Data Challenges

After working with hundreds of associations, we can confidently say most of them have similar challenges when it comes to data. These range from difficulty accessing data to conflicting numbers sitting in different source systems. We’ve compiled these common challenges into a David Letterman-style Top Ten list and share concrete ways you can overcome each challenge so you can continue to advance your analytics journey. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Analytics

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

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Thu 3/16 at 11:30 a.m. – Association Marketplace: Spotlight on AMCs

If you are interested in learning more about AMCs, join this fun and interactive knowledge sharing session, featuring ten of the industry’s leading association management companies. Ask the experts and gain insight and ideas without lifting a finger or issuing an RFP. Each panelist and/or content leader will share their knowledge and recent experiences in cycles of short, 12-15-minute sessions with plenty of time for face-to-face conversation. More info/register.

Host: Qiqo Chat

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Thu 3/16 at 12 p.m. – Guiding You in the Right Direction: How to Engage with a Professional Coach

The association industry is fortunate to have several individuals providing coaching services to professionals at every stage of their careers. An experienced coach’s guidance may help identify areas of potential growth and goals to achieve, and always a confidential sounding board. Where do you start? How do you find the right coach? Can a coach be affordable? Learn how coaching can benefit an individual, and establishing a connection with a coach can be one of the most rewarding professional relationships. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Speaker: Cynthia Mills, FASAE, CAE CMC, CPC, CCRC, Founder, President & CEO of The Leaders’ Haven

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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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