Association Brain Food

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

Training programs. The training of frontline (public-facing) employees has traditionally been the purview of a company’s HR department or, as with alcohol service training, for example, outsourced to a for-profit specializing in that niche. WBT Systems has found, however, several examples of associations that offer frontline training programs for individuals and companies, and they think your association should get in on the game.

Order and change. Charlene Li believes you need order to create change—not what you picture when thinking about innovative organizations. She says, “Disruptive organizations create just enough order to allow change to happen smoothly. They do so by investing intentionally in a strong foundation—structure, policies, and rituals—that can weather change without crumbling or cracking.” Makes more sense now.

Member engagement. Anne McCarthy at Sidecar recaps a panel discussion at SURGE Forward about the new approaches to member engagement taken by associations during the pandemic. One invited early-career professionals to the table and actually acted upon their suggestion to use Slack as a networking platform. Other advice: do fewer things better and never go back to what it was—only move forward.

Digital networking. At the Velvet Chainsaw Consulting blog, Sarah Michel thinks they’ve cracked the code on digital networking. She describes the different tactics developed and practiced by Amanda Kaiser and Arianna Rehak during the 2021 Virtual Networking Incubator.

Office myth. Another example of wishful thinking disguised as conventional wisdom: Claire Cain Miller at the New York Times says there’s no evidence that chance meetings at the office boost innovation. File this one away in your “make a case for remote work” file.

Good eats

Skip down to the list of free webinars if you prefer takeout. If you’re a home cook, check out the irregularly published In The Kitchen posts on my Grabbing the Gusto blog.

• You can always count on a Molly Stevens recipe, so I’ve turned to her braised monkfish with cherry tomatoes and basil a few times. On this occasion, I made it with only one pound of almaco jack, subbed bacon for pancetta and added chopped red onion. Scrumptious. On the side, roasted baby potatoes with rosemary and garlic, and roasted broccoli with garlic, parmesan and lemon zest.

• I didn’t feel like going to the store one day. I had three varieties of summer squash from the CSA in the frig, and raided the cupboard, freezer and herb garden to make spaghetti with canned clams, Portuguese chourico, squash, onion, garlic, fresh corn, parsley, basil, oregano and hot red pepper flakes. Even though I’m Massachusetts born and raised, I’m not a snob about canned clams—they have their place. Would fresh clams be better? Of course, but canned do just fine in a pinch.

• A few years ago, on a visit to my aunt in Rhode Island, I was inspired by the bean salad she made, so I developed my own recipe with additional inspiration from Our State It’s been a Fourth of July tradition ever since—a tradition made even more meaningful because the Fourth is my aunt’s birthday. The only thing missing from my recipe is waxed beans because I’ve never seen them at the store or farmers market.

---

---

Here are the educational events scheduled for next week. If you have a free webinar or event coming up, please send me the link before Wednesday afternoon the week before it’s scheduled. I’ll be happy to feature it as long as it’s not too product centric.

---

Fri 7/9 at 12 p.m.* – Strategy First, Software Next

Are your technology capabilities aligned with your mission? To explore this question, we are kicking off a three-part series—the first will be “Strategy First, Software Next.” We will explore the importance of creating a technology strategy for your association that aligns with your organization’s mission and long-term goals. More info/register.

Host: AI Now for Associations

*All times are Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.

---

Fri 7/9 at 12 p.m. – EventTech Chat

A weekly conversation about meeting and event technology, including software, hardware, and audiovisual for in-person and online events. More info/register.

Host: Brandt Krueger, founder Event Technology Consulting

---

Fri 7/9 at 1 p.m. – Improve Your Email Engagement with a Conversational Email Strategy

Find out how conversational email helps improve reply rates, scale outreach, and unlock email’s hidden potential. Learn how to send emails that people actually want to open, leverage proven strategies and tactics for writing conversational emails, and measure and optimize your conversational email results. More info/register.

Host: American Marketing Association

Presenter: Drift’s Sr. Director of Demand Generation Charm Bianchini

---

Fri 7/9 at 4 p.m. – Play to Win: Developing Your Political Intelligence

It’s no longer enough for leaders to have just IQ and EQ. These days, successful leaders must also have political intelligence (PQ). Find out what would change if you managed workplace politics with a new PQ mindset, and how to approach workplace challenges with a “how do I want to play this?” approach. Learn about the six behaviors that chip away at organizations and how to address them, and the play-to-win strategy to strengthen your PQ muscle. More info/register. (Must join Fridays@4 for free first.)

Host: Fridays@4

Presenter: Kathleen Zwarick Shanley, PhD, CAE, ACC, ELI-MP

---

Mon 7/12 at 1 p.m. – Regular Wellness series with Fern Carbonell (Chatting with Agnes & Cecilia)

This series of 15- to 20-minute videos cover hot topics and issues related to 501c organization management. New episodes are posted by 1 p.m. every Monday. Check out Cecilia’s Nonprofit Executive Spotlight series too.

Guest: Fern Carbonell

Hosts:

• Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC
• Agnes Amos-Coleman, MBA, CMP, education, conference, event, certification consultant, Amos-Coleman

---

Mon 7/12 at 2 p.m. – Appropriations 2021: Where Do We Go From Here

As the world heals from a global pandemic, the twelve House committees, and their subcommittees, are about to start racing toward an October deadline to decide spending levels across the government. So much focus lately has been on infrastructure, health care and defense, but where will the money ultimately go? Hear CQ Roll Call journalists discuss potential appropriations decisions and what they could mean for your organization. More info/register.

Host: FiscalNote

---

Tue 7/13 at 1 p.m. – Member Engagement in 2021: How Associations are Navigating Engagement in the Post-Pandemic Environment

The pandemic has reshaped every aspect of our lives: how we do business, how we communicate, and how, when and where we interact with each other as human beings. With that big of a cultural shift, associations have no choice but to adapt their engagement strategies to stay relevant in 2021. The panel will discuss societal observations, new engagement tools and tactics, updated association business models, and how data can help us make sense of this all. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: MemberSuite

Presenters:

• Ryan Costello, Chief Strategy Officer, MemberSuite
• Julie Sciullo, CEO, Association Analytics
• Greg Melia, CAE, CEO, Customer Experience Professionals Association

---

Tue 7/13 at 1 p.m. – How to Breakthrough to New Audiences Using Virtual Events

Are you looking for ways to increase your interactions and engagement through online events? Hear helpful tips and tricks on how you can reach new audiences through virtual events. More info/register.

Host: Remo

Presenter: Kevin Green, CEO of iBreakthrough

---

Tue 7/13 at 2 p.m. – 3 Features to Look for in an Online Community Platform as an Association

Learn how advertising, networking opportunities, and a user-friendly experience work together to benefit community platforms, how to use features of your platform to increase engagement and sense of community, and how to raise non-dues revenue through a great member experience. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.

Presenter: Benjamin Muscolino, President & CEO, Breezio

---

Wed 7/14 at 12 p.m. – Emails That Don’t Creep But Get You…Like Really Really Get You

Members and prospects are more likely to engage with your content and programming if you demonstrate that you know and understand their needs. It’s the underlying principle of Inbound Marketing. How do you personalize a digital experience across multiple channels that doesn’t come off as creepy or stalkerish? It starts with data, but association marketers need to be selective with the data they choose and map it to programming and content. Better yet, they need a continuous feedback loop to keep the content personalized and relevant based on what their audiences consume. Learn how you can create a hyper-personalized email experience without needing a staff of 10 to pull it off. More info/register.

Host: HighRoad Solutions

Presenters: Maneesha Manges, Director of Services, Kim Cregan, Strategic Account Manager, and Chris Park, Development Manager, HighRoad Solutions

---

Wed 7/14 at 12 p.m. – The Science of Meetings & Events Series: Nature of Space – An Ecosystem for Event Success

Using the recently released “Nature of Space” whitepaper by IMEX, we will use a neuroscience lens to explore the lessons from nature to help build an event that helps our attendees have a healthier, happier, and more meaningful event experience. Discover how adapting nature’s best lessons can help create a successful event. Explore ways to leverage lighting and environmental features to inspire innovation. Learn how patterns and shapes found in nature can accelerate and strengthen connections and community. 1 CMP credit. More info/register (possible fee for MPI non-members).

Host: MPI

Presenter: Janet Sperstad, Facility Director, Meeting and Event Management, Madison College

---

Wed 7/14 at 12:30 p.m. – Supercharge Your Hybrid Event with an Event Community

As organizations begin to stage hybrid and return to in-person events, one thing is clear, the desire to connect is stronger than ever. Learn how to build event communities to increase satisfaction and retention, create additional revenue opportunities and drive higher attendance to your hybrid events. 1 CAE/CEM credit. More info/register.

Host: Personify

Presenter: Rich Vallaster, Director of Marketing and the Tradeshow Wonk at Personify

---

Wed 7/14 at 1 p.m. – Pragmatic Usability Testing Workshop: How to Easily Improve Your Digital Properties

Walk a mile in your member’s shoes. Gain insights and tear down the biggest barriers with digital properties such as your website, member communities, credentialing paths, member surveys, platforms, or any other online member interaction point. Learn how the basics of implementing usability testing can improve your member’s experiences and interactions with your association. More info/register.

Hosts: Altai Systems and Ellipsis Partners

Presenter: Moira Edwards, founder, Ellipsis Partners

---

Wed 7/14 at 1 p.m. – The New Live Engagement Program: Virtual is Here to Stay

Although most of us missed our in-person meetings, we discovered some advantages of virtual events like extended reach and accessibility. This has unlocked new opportunities for organizations to build valuable relationships with their customers, prospects, and other constituents through live events- both virtual and in-person. Hear tips and best practices on how to improve your virtual event channel so you can deliver great virtual events that your attendees will love. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Meetings Today

Presenter: Julie Haddix, Senior Director, Industry Solutions for Cvent

---

Wed 7/14 at 2 p.m. – The Race for Relevance in Post-Pandemic Times

Years before COVID-19, time pressures, higher member expectations, increased member diversity, differing generational values and accelerated advances in technology challenged the relevance of traditional association structures and practices. The pandemic acted as a powerful accelerant to these changes, forcing association leaders to think differently and reinforcing the need for real change. Hear association execs share their experiences creating more intentional approaches to governance, rethinking the scope of their programs and services, and intensifying their adoption of “digital first” thinking. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host/presenter: Mary Byers, CAE, CSP, former association executive, consultant, professional speaker, and association advisor

Presenters:

• Harrison Coerver, president of Harrison Coerver & Associates
• Mark Dorsey, CAE, FASAE, CEO of the Construction Specifications Institute
• Karen Silberman, CAE, Executive Vice President of the American Chiropractic Association
• Len Toenjes, CAE, President of AGC of Missouri

---

Wed 7/14 at 2 p.m. – What’s New in Association Meetings? Everything.

As Covid restrictions ease and large, maskless meetings become feasible, what’s next for association meetings? To move forward effectively, we need to rethink nearly everything about the structure of membership organizations and how they serve their constituents. In this Q&A-style session, hear about planning, partnerships, programs, and how to pay for it all. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Northstar Meetings Group

Presenters:

• Gregg Talley, FASAE, CAE, president and CEO of Talley Management Group
• Loren Edelstein, Vice President, Content Director, Northstar Meetings Group

---

Wed 7/14 at 3 p.m. – Beyond the New Normal, Part 2: Implementing Work Anywhere Future for Associations

In the second installment of Beyond the New Normal, we’ll be checking in to see how associations are implementing changes to create the Work Anywhere Era for their organizations. After a panel discussion, we’ll go into breakout rooms for a deeper exploration into implementing different facets of the Work Anywhere Era (e.g., technology, human resources, physical space, leadership, engagement, etc.). 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Presenters:

• Rebecca Achurch, PgMP, PMP, CSM, CAE, Chief Executive Officer, Achurch Consulting
• Genevieve Borello, CAE, Senior Manager, Member Engagement, ACTFL
• Emily Kirkpatrick, MBA, Executive Director, National Council of Teachers of English
• KiKi L’Italien, Chief Executive Officer, Association Chat
• Tori Miller Liu, MBA, CAE, Information Systems Director, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
• Janet McNichol, SPHR, CAE, Human Resources Director at American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
• Barbara J. Armentrout, CAE (Moderator), Client Engagement Manager, Aplusify

---

Wed 7/14 at 3 p.m. – How to Use Data to Create Relevant Content

Learn how to discover your top trending topics by analyzing member engagement data, as well as expressed and implicit interests; targeted interests and needs for different member segments based on demographics and engagement behaviors; potential volunteers by drilling down into your most active members; and speakers for events and webinars by identifying community influencers and thought leaders. More info/register.

Host: Association Analytics

Presenters: Bill Conforti, SVP of Strategy & Solutions, and Greg Pollack, Vice President of Sales, Association Analytics

---

Wed 7/14 at 3 p.m. – Dirty Data: Understanding the Hidden Costs for Associations—and How to Prepare for a Clean-up Effort

In this session we will explore data hygiene: why it is important for operational and staffing efficiency, how to organize your team and create a data cleanup plan, and discuss some modern approaches to addressing data cleanup using automation. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.

Presenters:

• Brittany Carter, President, Association TRENDS
• Lisa Stahl, Data Project Manager, Columbia Books & Information Services

---

Wed 7/14 at 3 p.m. – Your New Venue Sourcing Strategy: The New Legal Landscape for Event Contracts

In part two of our two-part webinar series, we will look at new considerations for contracts and legal issues planners need to be aware of while negotiating to protect their organizations. What should you be asking for in terms of cancellation, attrition, and other ways to share the risk with venues? Do force majeure clauses apply to COVID-related cancellations? More info/register.

Host: Event Leadership Institute

Presenters:

• Joshua L. Grimes, Esq., Grimes Law Offices
• Joan Eisenstodt, Eisenstodt Associates
• Tammy Kockaya, CMP, CMM

---

Wed 7/14 at 3 p.m. – Events. Reimagined.

Let’s reimagine events together and learn how to solve some of the most pressing problems that event professionals face. Get help solving three challenges for planners: profit, engagement, and tech knowledge. More info/register.

Host: Hubilo

---

Wed 7/14 at 3 p.m. – Your Guide to a Seamless Online Event

This workshop is designed to give an overview of how to host a great online event. We will be covering tips on how to use and implement your platform into your organization as well as how to engage attendees. Attendees will gain an understanding of what support they will need internally or externally to run a seamless online event. More info/register.

Host: Nonprofit Learning Lab

---

Thu 7/15 at 11 a.m. – How To Do Hybrid: Practical Tips for Delivering Successful Events

Join us for insights on designing hybrid events and leveraging technology to deliver personalized experiences that resonate with your attendees and sponsors – whether they’re online or on-site. Learn how to successfully transition from online to hybrid events, deliver superior experiences for attendees and sponsors, choose the right technology to deliver your events (regardless of budget), and ensure ROI for your organization. More info/register.

Host: Results Direct

Presenters:

• Katie Atkinson, President & CEO, Results Direct | RD Mobile
• Jeanette Brown, Sr. Director, Strategic Marketing & Communications, America’s Blood Centers
• Michelle Dickinson, Marketing & Communications Coordinator, Virginia Assisted Living Association
• Brian James, Assistant VP, Conference Operations, National Association of Manufacturers

---

Thu 7/15 at 11 a.m. – How to (Really) Engage Members for Short-Term Success & Long-Term Survival

Learn how to attract more members, keep members longer – and at lower cost, increase member satisfaction, improve member meetings and conferences to drive retention, add or change programs to address real member needs, decrease acquisition and maintenance costs to retain members, and build self-sustaining membership communities. More info/register.

Host: Lee Gimpel, Better Meetings

Presenters:

• Lee Gimpel, Better Meetings
• Nick Beadleston, founding partner, Good Impacts

---

Thu 7/15 at 11 a.m. – Talent Generation: Getting Members Ready for the Future of Work

Future workforce is a hot-button issue in many industries. The lack of incoming talent, coupled with a wave of approaching retirements, and gaps between education preparedness and industry needs, have long been predicted as urgent workforce needs. Hear from the associations prioritizing workforce development, job creation, and partnerships with youth and education to better prepare their industries for the future of work. More info/register.

Host: Sarah Sladek and Company, Save The Associations

---

Thu 7/15 at 11 a.m. – How to Choose the Right Technology for Your Hybrid Event

When it comes to planning your next (or first) hybrid event, it all starts with choosing the right technology partner. How will you seamlessly blend the in-person and digital channels? Learn how to choose the right technology and production services in light of emerging best practices. Hear about the latest cutting-edge event technology that allows you to redesign the shared experience and deliver creative, consistent, and measurable experiences for attendees. More info/register.

Host: Virtual Events Institute

Presenters: Ben Chodor and Dan Lotzof of Intrado Digital Media LIVE

---

Thu 7/15 at 12 p.m. – Are Grasstops Networks an Advantageous & Crucial Advocacy Strategy?

As the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, it’s tempting for associations to resume depending solely on staff-driven methods in pursuing their legislative priorities. Learn how grasstops have proven beneficial in different association settings and hear ideas for identifying and cultivating your own network of key contacts. More info/register.

Host: ASAE’s Government Relations and Advocacy Professionals Advisory Council

Presenters:

• Maria D. Matthews, CAE, Director, Policy & Advocacy, New Classrooms
• Kimberly A. Jones, Esq., CAE, Executive Vice President, Council for Opportunity in Education
• Oyango A. Snell, Esq., CAE, ‎Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, ‎Western States Petroleum Association
• David M. Lusk, Founder & CEO, Key Advocacy

---

Thu 7/15 at 1 p.m. – Ultimate Member Engagement: The Power of Data-Driven Decision Making

Learn how to leverage visualizations and analytics to better understand the data, mine the right data to improve your member’s experience, and determine a successful ROI on your collection and analysis of member data. More info/register.

Host: Impexium

---

Thu 7/15 at 1 p.m. – AMS Selection in a Post-Pandemic Era

Learn how to approach AMS selection in a post-pandemic world, from consideration to launch and beyond, based on member research and the many lessons learned this past year. 0.5 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Nimble AMS

Presenter: Tirrah Switzer, Association Advocate, Nimble AMS

---

Thu 7/15 at 1 p.m. – Leading the Hybrid Workplace: Real-World Challenges

Leading and developing a hybrid workplace―one that is constantly changing―requires new strategies to succeed. How will you bridge the cultural schism, create equity, and sustain the gains of a distributed workforce? A remote work expert, HR executive, and strategic consultant will share transition insights to leading a hybrid workplace and the culture shift that is required for success. Hear actionable tactics and strategies for managing the workforce of today featuring a real-world case study. More info/register.

Host: Allen Interactions

Presenters:

• Christina Coidakis-Barss, HR, learning and organizational change expert
• Deborah Smith Cook, strategist and team performance coach 
• Deborah Southerington, Vice President of HR at The MetroHealth System

---

Thu 7/15 at 2 p.m. – Thriving During a Pandemic, Thanks to Tech

How did the National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES) manage to not just survive, but thrive, during the COVID-19 pandemic? How were they able to deepen their members’ involvement with the organization during this difficult time? Learn what the NAES staff did to serve members, how they struggled, how technology was critical to their success, and how they tied all of their offerings together through their membership database. More info/register.

Hosts: 100 Reviews and Matrix Group

Presenters:

• Jonathan Cooper, Communications Manager at NAES
• Joanna Pineda, CEO and Chief Troublemaker of Matrix Group
• Teri Carden, founder of 100 Reviews and ReviewMyAMS

---

Thu 7/15 at 2 p.m. – The CIO Hour: PCI in July

Processing credit cards means you need to manage PCI compliance. Learn about the latest in PCI requirements and how a modern payment processor can help with this critical function. We’ll also discuss how Finance and IT departments can work together to lower costs and increase security in the online purchase process. More info/register. 

Host:  501Works

Presenters: 

• Christian Fadel, CFO, Affinipay
• James Marquis, Chief Information Officer, 501Works

---

Thu 7/15 at 2 p.m. – Innovation in a Hurry

Learn how and where to start with Agile principles and Lean Innovation Principles (combining the Design Thinking and Lean Startup frameworks). More info/register.

Host: Fonteva

Presenter: Guillermo Ortiz de Zárate, Chief Innovation & Information Officer at NCARB, and President at Lineup

---

Thu 7/15 at 2 p.m. – Event Talk Live: The Future of Hybrid Events

We’ll present the results of our survey, The Future of Hybrid, and ask event experts their thoughts on what hybrid events will look like moving forward. More info/register.

Host: Accelevents

Presenters:

• Melinda Burdette, MPI
• Kate Patay, Patay Consulting

---

Thu 7/15 at 8 p.m. – Talent Generation: Getting Members Ready for the Future of Work

Future workforce is a hot-button issue in many industries. The lack of incoming talent, coupled with a wave of approaching retirements, and gaps between education preparedness and industry needs, have long been predicted as urgent workforce needs. Hear from the associations prioritizing workforce development, job creation, and partnerships with youth and education to better prepare their industries for the future of work. More info/register.

Host: Sarah Sladek and Company, Save The Associations

---

Fri 7/16 at 12 p.m. – Your Ultimate Guide to Hybrid Experiences, Abridged

A few months ago, MPI in partnership with Radisson Hotels engaged Brandt Krueger to rewrite the hybrid playbook we launched a decade ago with new knowledge, best practices, and methods for hosting events that connected two or more audience groups. We’ll showcase highlights from the playbook as well as a curated Q&A with Krueger that will enable you to find success in the hybrid events world. 1 CMP credit. More info/register (possible fee for MPI non-members).

Host: MPI

Presenters:

• Jessie States, CMP, CMM, MPI Academy Director, MPI
• Brandt Krueger, Technical Producer, Event Technology Consulting

---

Fri 7/16 at 1 p.m. – The No BS Guide to Digital Transformation

The research is clear: the key to lasting, responsive digital transformation is intentional and focused culture change. Still, associations struggle to get beyond “digitizing” and truly “go digital.” Hear some of the findings from the new, deeply researched whitepaper, The No BS Guide to Digital Transformation: How Intentional Culture Change Can Propel Associations Forward. Find out how the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) embarked on their digital transformation project on behalf of their members and their industry. More info/register.

Host: Propel

Presenters:

• Elizabeth Weaver Engel, M.A., CAE, founder, Spark Consulting
• Hugh Seaton, Head of Construction Technology Practice, Cimatri
• Maddie Grant, founder, Propel

---

Fri 7/16 at 1 p.m. – Associations and The Business of Belonging

Join an insightful discussion on how you can unlock the true value of community-driven business. Learn how to make community your competitive advantage, measure the quantifiable value of community, and develop a framework for building out your community strategy. More info/register.

Host: Community by Association

Presenters:

• David Spinks, Co-Founder, CMX
• Tirza Austin, Manager, Online Community, American Society of Civil Engineers

---

Fri 7/16 at 4 p.m. – Getting the Most From Your ASAE Annual Meeting Experience

The prospect of effectively networking at a conference as big and chockful of options as the ASAE Annual Meeting can be overwhelming. Hear practical tips and tactics for planning an effective networking strategy and using the ASAE Annual Meeting to advance your career. More info/register (must join first for free before registering).

Host: Fridays@4

Presenters:

• Jennifer Baker, MSW, CAE, senior director, ASAE Business Services, Inc.
• Cortney Whitlow, manager, meeting registration and industry partner engagement, ASAE

---

Tue 7/20 at 2 p.m. – The Joy of Hybrid: Secrets to Making a Hybrid Remote Office Work

While “hybrid” might sound like the perfect compromise between work from office (WFO) and work from home (WFH) models, a successful transition requires intentionality and an emphasis on equity in the work environment. Without an intentional approach to workplace transition, leaders risk instituting arbitrary reasons for either WFO or WFH policies. Employees will quickly see through their veneer and cry foul. To help leaders create hybrid-remote policies and procedures that are equitable, legal, and embrace an inclusive culture, we will share actionable tips and “secrets” to optimize your burgeoning hybrid workplace. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Achurch Consulting

Presenter: Rae Ann Johnson, Esq., legal advisor, Achurch Consulting

---

Wed 7/21 at 12 p.m. – Chapter Benchmarking Pep Rally

We’re having a pep rally because this year’s Chapter Benchmarking Study is going to look a little different and it’s a BIG deal. We’re striving to continue the conversation around how we can help make chapters a bigger, more strategic focus within the association industry and expand on what we’re hoping to gain as a component relations community. Since this study is different than previous years, we wanted to provide more context, get your thoughts on how we can better help you and your chapters, and also share how you can help us accomplish this community goal. We hope you can join us for this engaging discussion. More info/register.

Hosts: Billhighway and Mariner Management

---

Wed 7/21 at 2 p.m. – Professional Development Townhall: Do This, Not That: What’s Working NOW for Email Marketing

Forget what you think you know about email marketing and gain an understanding of the behavioral changes that are now affecting how email users notice, process and respond to your marketing messages. In this session, we’ll take a look at what’s directly impacting the way targeted audiences notice and process the email communications you’re sending. Drawing on data from successful email campaigns executed over the last 30 days, you’ll gain insight into specific B2B and B2C tactics that are working now. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Professional Development Professionals Community

Presenter: Jay Schwedelson

---

Thu 7/22 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Mobile App Demo Day

Join us for presentations from a limited number of industry partners that offer mobile apps. Mobile experts will be showcasing apps and sharing their knowledge with the association market. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

---

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 before Wednesday morning.

---

---

Creative Commons photo by Olivier Darbonville via Unsplash

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

Peer advisory groups. When I worked at NAHB, I always thought the Builder 20 clubs were such a great idea. WBT Systems does too. This week, they discuss peer advisory groups for association members who want to learn from and with each other. They explain how these groups work and why your association may want to consider offering them.

Volunteer fatigue. I’ve been hearing lots of stories about volunteer fatigue lately—a dangerous trend for associations and chapters. MemberSuite shares nine strategies for preventing volunteer burnout so you can keep your leaders in office and your pipeline full.

Supplier members. The Vendor Value Manifesto is a must-read for association and event professionals who have anything to do with sponsorship, exhibitions and education. It comes from a group of legal vendors who met late last year “to explore the current state of legal industry conferences and discuss ways they might partner with conference organizers to build a better experience for all.” I imagine the suppliers in your industry would say the same things, but why don’t you ask them?

Hybrid events. Don Neal of 360 Live Media shares good advice at PCMA Convene about digital and in-person events. He also says there is no such thing as a hybrid event; there are digital events and in-person events. I can’t imagine any benefit to simultaneous digital and in-person events. Focus your attention on one audience at a time. Do you really think attendees on site care much about virtual attendees or vice versa? I doubt it.

Data cleanup. Wes Trochlil suggests how to tackle a big data cleanup project—one bite at a time. I needed to hear this advice again, but not for cleaning data. Thankfully, those days are behind me, although still very much in my memory.

The meaning of work. Stowe Boyd’s post is titled: The Ideal Worker Is All Work, All The Time: Is ‘Love Your Work’ Just Propaganda? Oh boy. His post will have you reflecting upon your attitude toward work and your expectations for how your employees should work. Happy Friday!

Good eats

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

• I could eat this one all week: Pressure Cooker Spicy Korean Pork Shoulder aka Korean pulled pork or Korean barbecue. You can make this in a crockpot or low and slow in the oven. Damn, it’s good. Crazy good. It’s a NY Times recipe so if you can’t get at it, email me and I’ll send you my Word doc version—warning, I double the sauce.

• I felt like shrimp-stuffed flounder but I was too lazy to peel and devein shrimp and had white grunt in the frig, not flounder. Instead, I mixed spinach (thawed and squeezed package of frozen), softened cream cheese, parmesan, fresh oregano and basil, garlic powder, panko breadcrumbs and melted butter, spread it out over a bunch of white grunt fillets and baked until the topping was slightly browned. Not as fancy as my shrimp-stuffed dreams but really good.

• Another night, a simpler dish: baked black sea bass fillets topped with chervil, Japanese 7-spice and melted butter.

---

---

Here are the educational events scheduled for next week. If you have a free webinar or event coming up, please send me the link before Wednesday morning the week before it’s scheduled. I’ll be happy to feature it as long as it’s not too product centric.

---

Fri 7/2 at 12 p.m.* – EventTech Chat

A weekly conversation about meeting and event technology, including software, hardware, and audiovisual for in-person and online events. More info/register.

Host: Brandt Krueger, founder Event Technology Consulting

*All times are Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.

---

Mon 7/5 at 1 p.m. – Mergers & Acquisitions (Chatting with Agnes & Cecilia)

This series of 15- to 20-minute videos cover hot topics and issues related to 501c organization management. New episodes are posted by 1 p.m. every Monday. Check out Cecilia’s Nonprofit Executive Spotlight series too.

Guest: Michael Butera, President and CEO, Association ActiVision

Hosts:

• Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC
• Agnes Amos-Coleman, MBA, CMP, education, conference, event, certification consultant, Amos-Coleman

---

Tue 7/6 at 12 p.m. – Data Analytics Network “Office Hours”

For the first time ever, our Data Analytics Network planning team will be hosting an “office hours” style webinar covering topics of interest from our series registrants. Choose your own adventure: Visualizing Data with Christin Berry, Culture & Adoption with Jamie Paulsen, or Date Hygiene/Management with Jennifer Richards. Each session leader will explore the topic with attendees, moderate discussions and answer any questions you have. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Analytics

Presenters:

• Christin Berry, VP of Business Analytics & Data Services, ASAE
• Jamie Paulsen, Director of Business Analytics, CASE
• Jennifer Richards, Director of Membership, AAAE

---

Wed 7/7 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Evolve Homecoming: The Big Industry Comeback

Learn the practical logistics of going hybrid and building communities. Hear expert insight on hybrid event design. Discover everything you need to know about going back to in-person safely. Network and learn from a global community of 13,000+ eventprofs. More info/register.

Host: Swapcard

---

Wed 7/7 at 12 p.m. – Succeed in Challenging Times by Being Negotiation Ready

Learn the first three steps in a practical, easy-to-implement approach for negotiating with clients, contractors, staff, vendors, and even friends or family, and find out how to adopt a positive negotiation mindset. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Insights In Old Town

Presenter: Susan Borke

---

Wed 7/7 at 12 p.m. – Re-Engage Virtual: Planning the Event of Tomorrow

Sessions: How to Create an Effective Social Media Strategy for Your Event; How to Use Virtual Events to Promote Your In-Person Event; Reinventing Live, The Always-On Future of Events; The Future of the Event Industry – What Is Hybrid!? How to Use Creative Solutions to Engage Attendees; How to Become a Better Speaker/Moderator. More info/register.

Host: Airmeet

---

Wed 7/7 at 8 p.m. – Planners on Purpose July Book Club: Engaging Virtual Meetings by John Chen

Your virtual meetings need to be dynamic, engaging, and just packed full of amazingness. Want to know what you need to do to engage in virtual meetings? Join Naomi Tucker and author John Chen for a discussion about his latest book, Engaging Virtual Meetings. More info/register.

Host: Planners on Purpose

---

Thu 7/8 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Evolve Homecoming: The Big Industry Comeback

Learn the practical logistics of going hybrid and building communities. Hear expert insight on hybrid event design. Discover everything you need to know about going back to in-person safely. Network and learn from a global community of 13,000+ eventprofs. More info/register.

Host: Swapcard

---

Thu 7/8 at 12 p.m. – Community Book Club: The Art of Gathering

We’ll read Priya Parker’s incredible book The Art of Gathering and then watch her in conversation with Gali Kling Schnieder, SAP. The first 100 registrants will get a FREE digital copy of the book. More info/register.

Host: The Community Roundtable

---

Thu 7/8 at 2 p.m. – Selecting a Cloud System – A Guide for Association Executives

Hear tips, advice, and independent research on how to make a successful cloud technology investment for your association. We’ll guide you through all aspects of the cloud system selection process including: Cloud 101; the procurement process when considering a cloud system; how to ensure your business strategy drives your technology investments; the real costs of pay-by-the-month cloud systems—customizations, integrations, and upgrades; where accounting fits in the mix; common questions and concerns about moving to the cloud—including security, data storage, training, support and implementation; and what you should be looking out for and what you should be asking vendors. More info/register.

Host: Advanced Solutions International (ASI)

---

Thu 7/8 at 2 p.m. – Creating your Content Stream—from Marketing to Sales to Programs

Content is key to marketing and sales success across the entire member lifecycle from prospect to paying member to actively engaged volunteer and leader. It is used to drive marketing campaigns, anchor sales conversations, and fuel the member experience. Learn how to determine the content that’s going to serve each of your personas and ensure minimal overlap as you seek to move marketing leads to sales leads, sales leads to conversions, and conversions to ever deeper engagement with your organization. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Presenter: Aimee Pagano, HighRoad Solutions

---

Thu 7/8 at 3 p.m. – Community Case Studies

Learn tips, tricks, and best practices from experienced community managers that have overcome the same challenges you’re faced with every day. Leave with new online community strategies and tactics and meet peers who are experiencing the successes and challenges of managing an online community. More info/register.

Host: The Community Roundtable

---

Fri 7/9 at 12 p.m. – Strategy First, Software Next

Are your technology capabilities aligned with your mission? To explore this question, we are kicking off a 3-part series—the first will be “Strategy First, Software Next”. We will explore the importance of creating a technology strategy for your association that aligns with your organization’s mission and long-term goals. More info/register.

Host: AI Now for Associations

---

Fri 7/9 at 1 p.m. – Improve Your Email Engagement with a Conversational Email Strategy

Learn how to turn your static emails conversational. Find out how conversational email helps improve reply rates, scale outreach, and unlock email’s hidden potential. Learn how to send emails that people actually want to open, leverage proven strategies and tactics for writing conversational emails, and measure and optimize your conversational email results. More info/register.

Host: American Marketing Association

Presenter: Drift’s Sr. Director of Demand Generation Charm Bianchini

---

Fri 7/9 at 4 p.m. – Play to Win: Developing Your Political Intelligence

It’s no longer enough for leaders to have just IQ and EQ. These days, successful leaders must also have political intelligence (PQ). Find out what would change if you managed workplace politics with a new PQ mindset, and how to approach workplace challenges with a “how do I want to play this?” approach. Learn about the six behaviors that chip away at organizations and how to address them, and the play-to-win strategy to strengthen your PQ muscle. More info/register. (Must join Fridays@4 for free first.)

Host: Fridays@4

Presenter: Kathleen Zwarick Shanley, PhD, CAE, ACC, ELI-MP

---

Tue 7/13 at 1 p.m. – Member Engagement in 2021: How Associations are Navigating Engagement in the Post-Pandemic Environment

The pandemic has reshaped every aspect of our lives: how we do business, how we communicate, and how, when and where we interact with each other as human beings. With that big of a cultural shift, associations have no choice but to adapt their engagement strategies to stay relevant in 2021. The panel will discuss societal observations, new engagement tools and tactics, updated association business models, and how data can help us make sense of this all. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: MemberSuite

Presenters:

• Ryan Costello, Chief Strategy Officer, MemberSuite
• Julie Sciullo, CEO, Association Analytics
• Greg Melia, CAE, CEO, Customer Experience Professionals Association

---

Wed 7/14 at 12 p.m. – Emails That Don’t Creep But Get You…Like Really Really Get You

Members and prospects are more likely to engage with your content and programming if you demonstrate that you know and understand their needs. It’s the underlying principle of Inbound Marketing. How do you personalize a digital experience across multiple channels that doesn’t come off as creepy or stalkerish? It starts with data, but association marketers need to be selective with the data they choose and map it to programming and content. Better yet, they need a continuous feedback loop to keep the content personalized and relevant based on what their audiences consume. Learn how you can create a hyper-personalized email experience without needing a staff of 10 to pull it off. More info/register.

Host: HighRoad Solutions

Presenters: Maneesha Manges, Director of Services, Kim Cregan, Strategic Account Manager, and Chris Park, Development Manager, HighRoad Solutions

---

Wed 7/14 at 2 p.m. – The Race for Relevance in Post-Pandemic Times

Years before COVID-19, time pressures, higher member expectations, increased member diversity, differing generational values and accelerated advances in technology challenged the relevance of traditional association structures and practices. The pandemic acted as a powerful accelerant to these changes, forcing association leaders to think differently and reinforcing the need for real change. Hear association execs share their experiences creating more intentional approaches to governance; rethinking the scope of their programs and services; and intensifying their adoption of “digital first” thinking. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host/presenter: Mary Byers, CAE, CSP, former association executive, consultant, professional speaker, and association advisor

Presenters:

• Harrison Coerver, president of Harrison Coerver & Associates
• Mark Dorsey, CAE, FASAE, CEO of the Construction Specifications Institute
• Karen Silberman, CAE, Executive Vice President of the American Chiropractic Association
• Len Toenjes, CAE, President of AGC of Missouri

---

Wed 7/14 at 3 p.m. – Beyond the New Normal, Part 2: Implementing Work Anywhere Future for Associations

In the second installment of Beyond the New Normal, we’ll be checking in to see how associations are implementing changes to create the Work Anywhere Era for their organizations. After a panel discussion, we’ll go into breakout rooms for a deeper exploration into implementing different facets of the Work Anywhere Era (e.g., technology, human resources, physical space, leadership, engagement, etc.). 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Presenters:

• Rebecca Achurch, PgMP, PMP, CSM, CAE, Chief Executive Officer, Achurch Consulting
• Genevieve Borello, CAE, Senior Manager, Member Engagement, ACTFL
• Emily Kirkpatrick, MBA, Executive Director, National Council of Teachers of English
• KiKi L’Italien, Chief Executive Officer, Association Chat
• Tori Miller Liu, MBA, CAE, Information Systems Director, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
• Janet McNichol, SPHR, CAE, Human Resources Director at American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
• Barbara J. Armentrout, CAE (Moderator), Client Engagement Manager, Aplusify

---

Wed 7/14 at 3 p.m. – How to Use Data to Create Relevant Content

Learn how to discover your top trending topics by analyzing member engagement data, as well as expressed and implicit interests; targeted interests and needs for different member segments based on demographics and engagement behaviors; potential volunteers by drilling down into your most active members; and speakers for events and webinars by identifying community influencers and thought leaders. More info/register.

Host: Association Analytics

Presenters: Bill Conforti, SVP of Strategy & Solutions, and Greg Pollack, Vice President of Sales, Association Analytics

---

Thu 7/15 at 11 a.m. – How To Do Hybrid: Practical Tips for Delivering Successful Events

Join us for insights on designing hybrid events and leveraging technology to deliver personalized experiences that resonate with your attendees and sponsors – whether they’re online or on-site. Learn how to successfully transition from online to hybrid events, deliver superior experiences for attendees and sponsors, choose the right technology to deliver your events (regardless of budget), and ensure ROI for your organization. More info/register.

Host: Results Direct

Presenters:

• Katie Atkinson, President & CEO, Results Direct | RD Mobile
• Jeanette Brown, Sr. Director, Strategic Marketing & Communications, America’s Blood Centers
• Michelle Dickinson, Marketing & Communications Coordinator, Virginia Assisted Living Association
• Brian James, Assistant VP, Conference Operations, National Association of Manufacturers

---

Thu 7/15 at 11 a.m. – How to (Really) Engage Members for Short-Term Success & Long-term Survival

Learn how to attract more members, keep members longer – and at lower cost, increase member satisfaction, improve member meetings and conferences to drive retention, add or change programs to address real member needs, decrease acquisition and maintenance costs to retain members, and build self-sustaining membership communities. More info/register.

Host: Lee Gimpel, Better Meetings

Presenters:

• Lee Gimpel, Better Meetings
• Nick Beadleston, founding partner, Good Impacts

---

Thu 7/15 at 11 a.m. – Talent Generation: Getting Members Ready for the Future of Work

Future workforce is a hot-button issue in many industries. The lack of incoming talent, coupled with a wave of approaching retirements, and gaps between education preparedness and industry needs, have long been predicted as urgent workforce needs. Hear from the associations prioritizing workforce development, job creation, and partnerships with youth and education to better prepare their industries for the future of work. More info/register.

Host: Sarah Sladek and Company, Save The Associations

---

Thu 7/15 at 2 p.m. – Thriving During a Pandemic, Thanks to Tech

How did the National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES) manage to not just survive, but thrive, during the COVID-19 pandemic? How were they able to deepen their members’ involvement with the organization during this difficult time? Learn what the NAES staff did to serve members, how they struggled, how technology was critical to their success, and how they tied all of their offerings together through their membership database. More info/register.

Hosts: 100 Reviews and Matrix Group

Presenters:

• Jonathan Cooper, Communications Manager at NAES
• Joanna Pineda, CEO and Chief Troublemaker of Matrix Group
• Teri Carden, founder of 100 Reviews and ReviewMyAMS

---

Thurs. 7/15 at 2 p.m.  The CIO Hour: PCI in July

Processing credit cards means you need to manage PCI compliance. Learn about the latest in PCI requirements and how a modern payment processor can help with this critical function. We’ll also discuss how Finance and IT departments can work together to lower costs and increase security in the online purchase process. More info/register.

Host:  501Works

Presenters:

• Christian Fadel, CFO, Affinipay
• James Marquis, Chief Information Officer, 501Works

---

Thu 7/15 at 8 p.m. – Talent Generation: Getting Members Ready for the Future of Work

Future workforce is a hot-button issue in many industries. The lack of incoming talent, coupled with a wave of approaching retirements, and gaps between education preparedness and industry needs, have long been predicted as urgent workforce needs. Hear from the associations prioritizing workforce development, job creation, and partnerships with youth and education to better prepare their industries for the future of work. More info/register.

Host: Sarah Sladek and Company, Save The Associations

---

Fri 7/16 at 1 p.m. – The No BS Guide to Digital Transformation

The research is clear: the key to lasting, responsive digital transformation is intentional and focused culture change. Still, associations struggle to get beyond “digitizing” and truly “go digital.” Hear some of the findings from the new, deeply researched whitepaper, The No BS Guide to Digital Transformation: How Intentional Culture Change Can Propel Associations Forward. Find out how the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) embarked on their digital transformation project on behalf of their members and their industry. More info/register.

Host: Propel

Presenters:

• Elizabeth Weaver Engel, M.A., CAE, founder, Spark Consulting
• Hugh Seaton, Head of Construction Technology Practice, Cimatri
• Maddie Grant, founder, Propel

---

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 before Wednesday morning.

---

---

Creative Commons photo byRobert Woeger via Unsplash

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

Chapter benchmarking data. Billhighway explains what to do with benchmarking data you collect from chapters. They describe how the Association General Contractors of America shares this data with its chapters, provides resources to help them improve performance, and supports their growth with chapter leader training and development.

Online learning. Since everyone went virtual over the past year, the competition has heated up in the online learning marketplace. WBT Systems suggests a baker’s dozen ways to differentiate your online learning programs from the competition.

Virtual expo. Most of the people I know who exhibited at virtual conferences this past year were not pleased with the results. Tracy King has come to the rescue with an excellent idea: host the trade show/expo on your learning management system (LMS)—a long-lasting and sustainable solution for exhibitors, prospective customers and your association.

Exhibitors. Whether they’re at an in-person, virtual or hybrid trade show, a survey shows exhibitors are dissatisfied. Dana Freker Doody at Trade Show News Network suggests how to solve their biggest gripe: not enough real engagement with show attendees.

Virtual conference pricing. Casey Gale at PCMA Convene writes about two associations that tweaked their plans for a second year of digital events. The changes made by the American Society for Nutrition to their pricing model are worth noting.

Quick hits

• Four questions to help vet your content ideas. (Amanda Milligan, Content Marketing Institute)

• Yes, you can be an outgoing introvert—here are three signs you fit this personality profile. This is so me. (Erica Sloan, Well + Good)

• What is your click-to-open rate and how do you improve it? (Jessica Malnick, Databox)

Good eats

Skip down to the list of free webinars if you prefer takeout. If you’re a home cook, check out the irregularly published In The Kitchen posts on my Grabbing the Gusto blog.

• Lots of fish this past week. One night, we had blackened mahi mahi. On the side, leftovers—a sauté of summer squash, kohlrabi, green onions, garlic and basil.

• Another night, we had baked lemon parmesan white grunt for dinner. Since I had chervil from the CSA, I used lots of it in the topping. I mixed some of the leftover blackened spice mix from the night before into the summer squash sauté that was going on its third night.

• There’s something about the combo of coconut milk and curry paste, boy, I love it, so I jumped at making Fish in Choo Chee Thai Curry Sauce from Nancie McDermott’s Quick & Easy Thai: 70 Everyday Recipes. My notes from the last time I made it said, “Excellent. Yes, damn good.” This time I made it with a mix of catfish and striped mullet, and served it over jasmine rice—and, yes, it was damn good.

• On the side, a summer squash sauté again—I’m getting a boatload of squash every week from the CSA—tossed this time with a southeast Asian-style pesto.

Would you like to subscribe to this newsletter?

---

Here are the educational events scheduled for next week. If you have a free webinar or event coming up, please send me the link before Wednesday morning the week before it’s scheduled. I’ll be happy to feature it as long as it’s not too product centric.

---

Fri 6/25 at 11:30 a.m.* – DEI Practitioners Social Hour: Why Is It So Hard to Talk About Race?

Join fellow association colleagues and Mariama Boney, LMSW, CAE as we explore options around introducing a race equity framework to your organization. We will discuss how to identify the best framework for your organization and the challenges and successes that may arise as you implement. More info/register.

*All times are Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.

---

Fri 6/25 at 12 p.m. – The Global Journey: Cultural Tips To Help You Soar

Hear valuable cultural tips on nine countries/regions (USA, Mexico, Brazil, Germany, Ghana, Middle East, India, China, Japan), including a brief overview of each culture’s customs and norms to help you understand the similarities and differences between them. 1 CMP credit. More info/register (possible fee for MPI non-members).

Host: MPI

---

Fri 6/25 at 12 p.m. – EventTech Chat

A weekly conversation about meeting and event technology, including software, hardware, and audiovisual for in-person and online events. More info/register.

Host: Brandt Krueger, founder Event Technology Consulting

---

Fri 6/25 at 1 p.m. – Demystifying LMS-AMS Integration Options: For Association Non-Techies

Get an overview of terms and technology concepts having to do with LMS-AMS integrations, discuss the important end-user and association staff benefits—and potential pitfalls—of LMS-AMS integrations, and see live examples of LMS-AMS integrations. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Blue Sky eLearn

---

Fri 6/25 at 1:30 p.m. – Re-Entry Roundtable: Mastering Hybrid Meetings & Events

As we transition to hybrid environments, hosting effective meetings and events becomes more complicated. Find out what an effective, inclusive meeting looks like for a hybrid team, which all-virtual activities we should maintain post-COVID, which activities should *only* be held in person, and wow to best engage with clients and members going forward. More info/register.

Host: Optimal Networks

Presenter: Joanna Pineda, CEO, Matrix Group

---

Fri 6/25 at 4 p.m. – Performance Driven: How to Overcome the Paradox of Potential

Learn the reasons why people say they’re missing their potential; how to make the switch from “wishing” to “doing;” how to gain clarity about plans, purpose and people, and how they relate to your success; the biggest limiting beliefs and how to circumvent them; and how to lead your team over the gap between potential and results. More info/register. (Must join Fridays@4 for free first.)

Host: Fridays@4

Presenter: Thom Singer, CSP, executive search consultant and a professional speaker

---

Mon 6/28 at 1 p.m. – CyberStory with Sanjay Deo (Chatting with Agnes & Cecilia)

This series of 15- to 20-minute videos cover hot topics and issues related to 501c organization management. New episodes are posted by 1 p.m. every Monday. Check out Cecilia’s Nonprofit Executive Spotlight series too.

Guest: Sanjay Deo

Hosts:

• Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC
• Agnes Amos-Coleman, MBA, CMP, education, conference, event, certification consultant, Amos-Coleman

---

Tue 6/29 at 11 a.m. – Sponsorship Growth for Your Nonprofit

Are you currently utilizing sponsorship as a funding source for your nonprofit organization? Do you hope to launch a sponsorship program but don’t know where to start? Does your current program need a refresh to maximize your results? Learn how to leverage sponsorship and corporate partnerships to benefit the future of your organization. More info/register.

Host: Nonprofit Learning Lab

Presenter: Melissa Lagowski, Big Buzz Idea Group

---

Tue 6/29 at 2 p.m. – Revenue Success from Scratch: One Association’s Story

Learn how The National Alliance generated non-dues revenue from continuing education and certification, how they continue to innovate and develop new education offerings to their industry, and tips for growing non-dues revenue from education and certification programs, marketing strategies, pricing models, and partnerships with members. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: 100 Reviews/Non-Dues-A-Palooza

Presenters:

• William Hold, President and CEO of The National Alliance of Insurance Education and Research
• Michelle Brien, VP of Marketing and Product Strategy for TopClass LMS by WBT Systems

---

Tue 6/29 at 2 p.m. – #RealTalk Dialogue Series | State of Crisis: Leveraging Meetings for Transgender Justice

2021 has seen a 250% increase in anti-transgender discriminatory bills introduced at the state level since 2017, when many people first remember hearing about “bathroom bills.” 33 states have introduced more than 100 bills this year aiming to diminish, or completely take away, the rights of transgender people in the United States. Learn how the industry has served as a catalyst for change on LGBT issues before and how it can be done again, how to better serve transgender tourists and event attendees in meaningful ways while avoiding “rainbow capitalism,” and understand the influence of your dollar and the message socially responsible economic spending sends. 1 CMP credit. More info/register (possible fee for MPI non-members).

Host: MPI

Presenters:

• Chase Brunson, Marketing and Development Manager, The Rise School of Austin
• Marques Davison
• Katrina Whaley, Field Producer, Reel Impact

---

Tue 6/29 at 2 p.m. – Post-Pandemic Contract Clauses You Need to Know

Hear a general overview of key contractual provisions to keep in mind for negotiations with all types of venues as things continue to open up to try and mitigate issues in the future. Learn what to include—and not include—in venue contracts, real world force majeure clause triggers in a post-Covid world, and how to negotiate for a win-win and prepare for the worst. More info/register.

Host: Smart Meetings

Presenter: Ty M. Sheaks, faculty legal advisor to the International Association of Venue Managers, and lead for McCathern, Shokouhi, Evans, Grinke’s Restaurant & Hospitality Section

---

Tue 6/29 at 3 p.m. – Pronouns Are Evolving: Here’s What You Need to Know

We’ll help you navigate your way through this new and evolving world of expanding pronouns that is more than just being ‘grammatically or politically correct.’ It’s about better understanding our colleagues, peers, suppliers, clients, planners and attendees and providing them the same respectful treatment we strive to accord everyone. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: PCMA

Presenters:

• Sarah Lewis, Porter Novelli
• Ed Salvato, LGBTQ marketing specialist

---

Tue 6/29 at 3 p.m. – Driving Diversity: Move Beyond the Checkbox and Unlock the Value of DEI

Do you want to engage in the diversity conversation but need to know where to ask and how to start? Hear how to go beyond the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) checkbox and develop a program where employees thrive and business outcomes are achieved. Explore the powerful impact that DEI has on people, culture and performance. Go back to the basics of what diversity is, how to manage unconscious bias and how to create meaningful DEI impact in our rapidly changing world. More info/register.

Host: Boma

Presenters:

• Donald Thompson, founder and CEO of The Diversity Movement
• Kaila Colbin, co-founder, Boma

---

Wed 6/30 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. – Day of Diversity

In our increasingly interconnected world, openness and appreciation of differences are paramount to create welcoming experiences. LGBT MPA welcomes all to recognize the past, honor the present, and strive for a stronger future together through our “Day of Diversity.” In honor of PRIDE month 2021, this day will promote self-affirmation, dignity, equality, and increased visibility of diversity in the meetings and events industry. More info/register.

Host: LGBT Meeting Professionals Association

---

Wed 6/30 at 10 a.m. – 10 Essential Steps When Planning Hybrid Events

A new Eventsforce research study with 200+ event planners, shows that 75% are planning on running hybrid events in 2021-2022, with the majority of those taking place from October this year. Even with the right budgets and resources to fund a hybrid event strategy, many organizers feel unsure where to start. Learn about the ten essential steps when planning your hybrid event from agenda design and new sponsor opportunities to blending your virtual and in-person experiences, plus how to apply learning from virtual to hybrid and choose the right hybrid event model. More info/register.

Host: Eventsforce

---

Wed 6/30 at 11 a.m. – The Most Innovative Campaigns in Digital Advocacy

From doubling advocate databases, conducting hugely successful virtual fly-ins, using social media to mobilize supporters and capture lawmakers attention to change legislation, we’ve seen multiple clients turn what was an existential threat into their most productive year ever. Hear about some of the best campaigns of the last few years and where digital advocacy is headed due to the recent events of the past 16 months. More info/register.

Host: FiscalNote

---

Wed 6/30 at 12 p.m. – Let’s Reboot Volunteer Training

You have a solid base for recruiting and training chapter volunteers that has worked well in the past. Then came the evidence-based research on volunteers challenging our percepts, followed by the pandemic and increased volunteer burnout. Turns out our training programs need a new approach. Learn how to use volunteer motivations and personas to drive learning and rethink our approach so we can retain volunteers and develop future leaders. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Hosts: Billhighway and Mariner Management

Presenters:

• Peggy Hoffman, FASAE, CAE, Mariner Management
• Kristine Metter, MS, CAE, Crystal Lake Partners

---

Wed 6/30 at 12 p.m. – What Sponsors Want from Your Event and Your Sales Team: Pros and Peers Share

Customer relationship management has taken priority in business development best practices, but does your team feel like you are not meeting customer expectations? During this peer-to-peer active learning huddle, learn what successful associations are doing to shorten the gap in their product and team offerings. Hear insights from leading sponsor and event business development experts on successful engagement and share ideas and notes from association peers on what is working for their events. More info/register.

Host: Professionals for Association Revenue

---

Wed 6/30 at 12 p.m. – Extinguishing Burnout Fires: A Roadmap for Association Professionals

Learn about the ramifications of burnout and hear about resources, examples and tips on what association executives can do to extinguish these burnout fires. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Xchange

Presenters:

• Carmen Elliott, MS, CAE (moderator), Executive Director, American Physical Therapy Fund, and Vice President, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the American Physical Therapy Association
• Teshera Hull, Manager, Preceptorship, Coaching and Retooling, American College of Surgeons
• Maureen Markey, MBA, CAE, Director of Membership & Marketing, The Gerontological Society of America

---

Wed 6/20 at 12:30 p.m. – Diving Deeper into UBIT: How to Engage Sponsors in the Hybrid Virtual World

As nonprofits consider offering innovative sponsorship opportunities in the hybrid event model, understanding your organization’s unrelated business income tax (UBIT) obligations is of the utmost importance. Hear about sponsorship and convention/trade show UBIT exceptions and tips on how to maximize your tax-free revenue potential. More info/register.

Host: Venable LLP

Presenters:

• George Constantine, Partner, Nonprofit Organizations, Venable LLP
• Ryan Kasdin, Associate, Nonprofit Organizations, Venable LLP
• Judith Kim, Associate, Nonprofit Organizations, Venable LLP

---

Wed 6/30 at 1 p.m. – Strategic Negotiating in the Post-Shutdown World

Learn about tactical strategies that will help you negotiate and defend your organization in the post-shutdown world. Hear a review of key contract clauses, negotiations tips and strategies to ensure a strong contract to protect your organization. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Meetings Today

Presenter: Robyn Mietkiewicz, strategic partner for INNOV8 Meetings + Events

---

Wed 6/30 at 1 p.m. – How to Use Tiktok, Instagram and Facebook Insights: Propel Your Content Strategy

Find out how to tap into social conversations that are taking place on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook to take a data-driven approach to consumer and market intelligence and discover insights and identify critical trends. More info/register.

Host: American Marketing Association

Presenters: Harvey Ranola, Global Head of Media Intelligence, and Mike Baglieto, Global Head of Product Marketing, Netbase Quid

---

Wed 6/30 at 1 p.m. – #ExpoChat on Twitter

ExpoChat is a Twitter-based conversation on topics related to the trade show industry. More info.

---

Wed 6/30 at 2 p.m. – Production in the Age of Hybrid Events

Connecting two audiences across the digital divide, balancing live vs pre-recorded sessions, and creating moments of impact are just some of the production challenges we tackled at the Untethered Design-a-thon. Join three veteran event profs as they share the ideas they have tested. They will also discuss which production strategies will shape events in fall 2021 and beyond. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Hubb

Presenters:

• Hilary Laney, Owner and CEO, Evia
• Laurel Miller, CEO, Seamless Event Solutions
• Jennifer Kingen Kush, DES, Founder and Strategist, Kingen Kush Solutions, LLC

---

Wed 6/30 at 3 p.m. – Your New Venue Sourcing Strategy: What Does an RFP for Hybrid Events Look Like? (Part 1)

In part one of our two-part webinar series, we’ll evaluate sourcing strategies that relate to hybrid meetings. What should you ask for in your RFPs? How do you determine your space needs? What does availability look like? And what’s happening to rates? More info/register.

Host: Events Leadership Institute

Presenters:

• Steve Enselein, SVP Event Operations | Hyatt Hotel & Resorts
• Linda McNairy, Vice President – Americas, Meetings & Events | American Express Global Business Travel
• Heather Sharpe, Instructor | Event Leadership Institute
• Caroline England, Head of Product | Convene
• Howard Givner, Founder and CEO | Event Leadership Institute

---

Wed 6/30 at 4 p.m. – Mindful Networking with Edima Elinewinga

Enjoy a small group setting for participatory conversations led by visionary leaders who will share knowledge but not deliver a formal presentation. Edima is Chief Tech Officer at Zero to Three and previously was Exec Dir of Info Tech at the United National Foundation. 0.5 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

---

Wed 6/30 at 2 p.m. – What’s Special About Nonprofit Mergers: 6 Things You Need to Know on Your M&A Journey

Learn about the main drivers for nonprofits to consider a combination, various alternate forms of combination, M&A compelling factors for nonprofits, inhibiting factors, important considerations for building consensus, and the important steps in merger/consolidation. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.

Presenter: Jerald A. Jacobs, Partner, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

---

Thu 7/1 at 12 p.m. – Re-Engage Virtual: Planning the Event of Tomorrow

Sessions: Get 7 Times Revenue by Shifting From Offline Workshops to On-Demand Online Workshops; How to Build an Engaging Community; Virtual Event Monetization Models – What Is Best for You? What Not to Do When Organizing and Producing a Virtual Event – the Tips and Tricks. More info/register.

Host: Airmeet

---

Wed 7/7 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Evolve Homecoming: The Big Industry Comeback

Learn the practical logistics of going hybrid and building communities. Hear expert insight on hybrid event design. Discover everything you need to know about going back to in-person safely. Network and learn from a global community of 13,000+ eventprofs. More info/register.

Host: Swapcard

---

Wed 7/7 at 12 p.m. – Succeed in Challenging Times by Being Negotiation Ready

Learn the first three steps in a practical, easy-to-implement approach for negotiating with clients, contractors, staff, vendors, and even friends or family, and find out how to adopt a positive negotiation mindset. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Insights In Old Town

Presenter: Susan Borke

---

Wed 7/7 at 12 p.m. – Re-Engage Virtual: Planning the Event of Tomorrow

Sessions: How to Create an Effective Social Media Strategy for Your Event; How to Use Virtual Events to Promote Your In-Person Event; Reinventing Live, The Always-On Future of Events; The Future of the Event Industry – What Is Hybrid!? How to Use Creative Solutions to Engage Attendees; How to Become a Better Speaker/Moderator. More info/register.

Host: Airmeet

---

Wed 7/7 at 8 p.m. – Planners on Purpose July Book Club: Engaging Virtual Meetings by John Chen

Your virtual meetings need to be dynamic, engaging, and just packed full of amazingness. Want to know what you need to do to engage in virtual meetings? Join Naomi Tucker and author John Chen for a discussion about his latest book, Engaging Virtual Meetings. More info/register.

Host: Planners on Purpose

---

Thu 7/8 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Evolve Homecoming: The Big Industry Comeback

Learn the practical logistics of going hybrid and building communities. Hear expert insight on hybrid event design. Discover everything you need to know about going back to in-person safely. Network and learn from a global community of 13,000+ eventprofs. More info/register.

Host: Swapcard

---

Thu 7/8 at 12 p.m. – Community Book Club: The Art of Gathering

We’ll read Priya Parker’s incredible book The Art of Gathering and then watch her in conversation with Gali Kling Schnieder, SAP. The first 100 registrants will get a FREE digital copy of the book. More info/register.

Host: The Community Roundtable

---

Fri 7/9 at 12 p.m. – Strategy First, Software Next

Are your technology capabilities aligned with your mission? To explore this question, we are kicking off a 3-part series—the first will be “Strategy First, Software Next”. We will explore the importance of creating a technology strategy for your association that aligns with your organization’s mission and long-term goals. More info/register.

Host: AI Now for Associations

---

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 before Wednesday morning.

---

---

Creative Commons photo by Rodion Kutsaev via Unsplash

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

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

Make time for microlearning. If members are burnt out on virtual everything, how do you convince them to make time for online education? WBT Systems shares ideas for microlearning programs and samples of marketing messages that will persuade members to schedule time for professional development.

Chapter benchmarking. Billhighway talked with Peter Houstle of Mariner Management and Christi Beatty of the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) who are working together on AGC’s chapter benchmarking project. Christi shared lessons learned so far, including five prerequisites for a chapter benchmarking project.

Event budgets. Because of new safety-related expenses for in-person events, your old event budget templates are of no use to you now. But, fear not, Event Farm crunched the numbers and came up with guidelines on how much your 2021 event budget might increase for each line item.

Data governance. Rene Shonerd at Cimatri shares a cheat sheet for making data work for your association. She starts with four questions about data quality issues and then makes recommendations based on your responses.

Loyalty strategies. Ana Andjelic says people develop brand affinity only when it gives them a sense of community. Hmm, the same thing happens in associations. She explains how for-profits are using membership strategies to develop customer loyalty.

Staying away from the office. I feel bad for anyone who prefers to work remotely but is being forced to return to the office. Andrew Seaman suggests what you can do if you want to continue working from home.

Quick hits

• Level up with these 15 association marketing resources—books, podcasts and blogs. (Beth Arritt, Higher Logic)

• What is a Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO)? (Calvin Ebun-Amu, MakeUseOf)

• Voyeurism fix: 27 top marketers share pictures of their desks along with tips for cameras, mics, lights and hamsters. (Andy Crestodina, Orbit Media Studios)

Good eats

Skip down to the list of free webinars if you prefer takeout. If you’re a home cook, check out the irregularly published In The Kitchen posts on my Grabbing the Gusto blog.

• I never get tired of greens but I do get bored with how I always cook them, so I was happy to rediscover this recipe for Indian-spiced chickpeas and greens. I added half a serrano, half a jalapeño, ginger and dried apricots, and omitted the tomato paste, lemon juice and cilantro. To complement them, I baked swordfish steaks topped with garam masala and butter.

• My Italian chicken bake is another one of those sauté-a-bunch-of-ingredients-and-throw-them-in-a-baking-dish recipes. This one includes chunks of boneless chicken thighs, bacon, onion, mushrooms, broccoli stems, red bell pepper, poblano, jalapeño, garlic, flour, chicken broth, canned tomatoes, cannellini beans, whole wheat penne and mozzarella.

• Not that we needed more vegetables with that dish, but I had them in the frig so, on the side, we enjoyed a sauté of carrots, broccoli stems, zucchini and garlic with a sprinkling of fresh basil.

• And not that we needed bread, but I had discard to use so I made sourdough focaccia. I only gave it a short rise (a few hours) in the frig. Some day, I’ll plan ahead and start it on Saturday instead of early Sunday afternoon so it can get the recommended overnight rise.

Here are the educational events scheduled for next week. If you have a free webinar or event coming up, please send me the link before Wednesday evening the week before it’s scheduled. I’ll be happy to feature it as long as it’s not too product centric.

---

Fri 6/11 at 12 p.m.* – EventTech Chat

A weekly conversation about meeting and event technology, including software, hardware, and audiovisual for in-person and online events. More info/register.

Host: Brandt Krueger, founder Event Technology Consulting

*All times are Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.

---

Fri 6/11 at 12:30 p.m. – Navigating the Legal Side for the Return of Live Events

What should planners be aware of when returning to live events? Should planners incorporate any new steps or change anything in their current contracting processes? Are there any new things to communicate in your contract? How to best approach contract commitments like force majeure, attrition, and hybrid event needs with your hotel partner? More info/register.

Host: Hopskip

Presenters:

• Barbara Dunn, Partner at Barnes & Thornburg LLP, representing groups
• Lisa Sommer Devlin, Devlin Law Firm, P.C. representing hotels

---

Fri 6/11 at 4 p.m. – Successful Assertion

Have you ever failed to stand up for yourself in a meeting and beat yourself up about it later? Have you ever regretted something you said to a coworker in the heat of the moment because your tone was harsher than you intended? Such failures to communicate effectively in the workplace can hinder a career. Learn about the qualities of successful assertiveness that can help us become better, more controlled and more confident communicators. More info/register. (Must join Fridays@4 for free first.)

Host: Fridays@4

Presenter: Lisa Johnson, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, Owner, HR Know-How LLC

---

Mon 6/14 at 1 p.m. – Visit Brussels: The Future of Meetings & Events (Chatting with Agnes & Cecilia)

This series of 15- to 20-minute videos cover hot topics and issues related to 501c organization management. New episodes are posted by 1 p.m. every Monday. Check out Cecilia’s Nonprofit Executive Spotlight series too.

Guest: Patrick Bontinck

Hosts:

• Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC
• Agnes Amos-Coleman, MBA, CMP, education, conference, event, certification consultant, Amos-Coleman

---

Tue 6/15 at 11 a.m. – Intersectionality: Considering Identity When Working Towards a More Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Future

As individuals, we are never just one identity, and the concept of intersectionality highlights how multiple, overlapping identities—for example, race, class, gender, and sexuality—contribute to the ways in which marginalized groups of people experience discrimination. In this webinar, we’ll ask how this layering of identities impacts our experience of and contribution to our working environment. Explore what intersectionality means, how it can shape our professional experience, and what we can do to better support ourselves and our colleagues. More info/register.

Host: Coalition for Diversity and Inclusion in Scholarly Communications

---

Tue 6/15 at 11 a.m. – 7 Reasons Your Business Needs Data Recovery and Backup

Many of the current security methods, tools and techniques used by businesses to secure their environment and protect their brand have been effective so far, but attacks are now coming from all directions. Hackers, hacktivists, cyber criminals, nation states and insiders (like employees) are all pounding security protocols to find a weak spot to get in. Knowing that data streams in from various entry points, organizations that still differentiate between internal and perimeter security should urgently reconsider their security approach—specifically the role of digital assets (i.e., domains, domain name system (DNS) and digital certificates)—in enabling the day-to-day successful operation of their business. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.

Presenter: Greg Smith, Senior Information Technology Consultant

---

Tue 6/15 at 12 p.m. – Association Management Companies (AMCs) and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Part 2

Hear the journey of two AMCs as they implement Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and (Accessibility) initiatives in their companies and for their association clients. Find out about their approach to DEI(A) with their association clients,  effective internal and external practices, and success metrics. More info/register.

Host: ASAE AMC Professionals Advisory Council

Presenters:

• Beth Quick-Andrews, CAE (facilitator), President, Q&A-An Association Management Company, Inc.
• Derrick M. Johnson II, CMP DES, Chief Diversity Officer & Director of Event Strategy, Talley Management Group Inc
• Dionne S. Wilson, CAE, Executive Director, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Association Management Center

---

Tue 6/15 at 12:30 p.m. – Meetings of Membership Minds

These impromptu, casual discussions about membership concepts, issues, and challenges are conducted live online and open to membership professionals to comment and offer insights. More info/register.

Hosts: Dan Ratner, The Business of Membership, and Scott Oser, Scott Oser Associates

---

Tue 6/15 at 2:45 p.m. – Engaged Members Stay Members: Stop Chasing and Start Investing

Is your association thinking strategically about communication with its stakeholders? Do you need support with membership marketing? Learn about building your association’s relationship with visitors, members, volunteers, donors, communities and students; member engagement; membership marketing implementation; and connecting your association’s brand with your audience. More info/register.

Host: Grype

Presenter: Beth Brodovsky, strategic membership communications expert and president of Iris Creative Group

---

Wed 6/16 at 11 a.m. – Advanced Remote Worker Environment, Post Covid

Learn how to identify best technology practices, platforms for UCAAS, and the hybrid-work model for remote/on-site employees, and discuss success stories of UCAAS implementation within the B2B and not-for-profit verticals. Hear about the benefits of Zoom vs. Teams environment and which carriers offer a true direct routing solution and a true native Teams environment. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.

Presenters:

• Ali Niroo, CNSG Founding Member CNSG, An AppSmart Company
• Dave Hopper, Director of Engineering CNSG, An AppSmart Company
• Adam Kuhn, Director of IT for Futures Industry Association

---

Wed 6/16 at 12 p.m. – The Good, the Bad, the Ugly: Everything You Need to Know About APIs

While an API simplifies programming, it’s a complicated software component that can connect multiple systems together. It’s complexity is rooted in defining the kinds of calls made, how they should be requested, data formats to use, as well as programming convention to follow. Since so much of the API itself is defined and self contained, how do you actually evaluate its quality or level of sophistication and determine if it’s the right fit for your technical plan? Join us as we discuss qualities and features to look for and programming “gotchas” to consider so you don’t end up with a lemon. More info/register.

Host: HighRoad Solutions

Presenters:

• Chris Park, Development Manager, HighRoad Solutions
• Adam Higgins, Director of Technology, HighRoad Solutions

---

Wed 6/16 at 1 p.m. – #ExpoChat on Twitter

ExpoChat is a Twitter-based conversation on topics related to the trade show industry. More info.

---

Thu 6/17 at 8 a.m. – Global Association Outlook for 2021 Executive Management Dialogue

One year has passed since the world changed the way we operate in the global environment. Ongoing restrictions on international travel challenged organizations to evaluate their global operations and explore innovative ways of engaging with members and volunteer leaders around the world. Hear how association leaders are adapting their global strategies including: how they’re addressing current uncertainty and the evolving global situation in 2021, what they’re anticipating and planning for the remainder of the year, and what additional challenges or opportunities the move toward regional reopening brings to them. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Presenters:

• Steven Basart, Vice-President at Kellen
• Senthil Gopinath
• Arlene A. Pietranton, Ph.D., CAE, chief executive officer of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
• Gregory J. Fine, FASAE, CAE, EVP/CEO, CCIM Institute

---

Thu 6/17 at 11 a.m. – Be the Change: How and Why Associations are Changing Membership and Revenue Models

Learn from association executives who are leading a change initiative and glean valuable tips on how to launch a change initiative in your own organization. More info/register.

Host: Sarah Sladek & Company, Save The Associations

Presenters:

• Steve Fox, Vice President of Membership and Constituent Relations, American Nurses Association
• Carol Cohen, CAE, Director, Membership Development, American Nurses Association
• Molly Soat, Vice President, Professional Development, American Marketing Association
• Sharon Kneebone, Executive Director, National Society for Histotechnology
• Mary Lue Peck, President and CEO, National Speakers Association
• Julian Scadden, President and CEO, Nexstar Network

---

Thu 6/17 at 11 a.m. – Future Roles and Skills: Talent, Training and Succession Planning for Tomorrow’s Events

With two worlds colliding, the physical and the digital, now is the time to take a strategic look at the new functions and roles that are emerging to tackle this important shift in the events industry. We have put together a panel of experts to discuss the whole talent scenario, the impact on your teams and organizations, the new roles and expectations in the freelance market, where agencies fit in and above all, what we need to do to plan for the future. More info/register.

Host: Virtual Events Institute

Presenters:

• Catherine Dogra, Head of Digital Marketing, Informa Connect
• Mike Frost, Co-Founder & Global Recruitment Director, Expocast
• Tracy Judge, Founder & CEO, Soundings
• Matthew Pycock, Director, Global Talent Acquisition, Intrado
• Janice Rogers, Corporate Vice President, Human Resources, Diversified Communications

---

Thu 6/17 at 11:30 a.m. – Why Virtual Conferences Have Sticking Power

Between upskilling ourselves and our teams, introducing attendees to a new way of conferencing, and pushing the limits of event technology, this year has forced us all to rewrite the rulebook on academic and association conferences. So, what will we do with all that learning and growth when physical events are possible again? Our panel will discuss some of the reasons to choose virtual for your conference long after large gatherings are the norm again. From sustainability and travel considerations to content capture and accessibility, there’s so much benefit that online events can bring. More info/register.

Host: Ex Ordo

---

Thu 6/17 at 12 p.m. – Gaining Sponsorship Commitments

Your association shifted from in-person to online events and struggled to secure sponsorship revenue. Now your organization is trying to figure out how to increase income. The ongoing uncertainty of in-person, online, or hybrid events does not make it easy. Sponsors go through three specific stages prior to making a commitment. During this session, we will dive into the three stages, make sure that you are not short-circuiting a critical stage, and help you increase your sponsorship revenue. More info/register.

Hosts: Lewis Flax and Scott Oser

---

Thu 6/17 at 12 p.m. – Association Executive Panel Discussion on the Economic Impact & Challenges of the Pandemic

Learn how three association executives worked with leadership to make decisions regarding reserves, dues, conferences and forecasting. Hear a discussion about establishing and using reserves, essential elements for a well-constructed Investment Policy Statement, roles and responsibilities of the interested parties in managing the reserves, and the current market and outlook for economic normalization. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

---

Thu 6/17 at 12 p.m. – Ready to Recruit & Retain Diverse Talent?

Want to increase the diversity of your talent pipeline but aren’t sure where to start? Have diverse entry-level talent but no clear path of promotion? Have diverse talent but are seeing them leave your organization at disproportionate rates? Learn how to successfully develop a robust talent pipeline, ensure you are seeking culture adds rather than culture fits, and create a fully inclusive culture where all employees from all backgrounds want to work for many years to come. More info/register.

Host: The Diversity Movement

Presenters:

• Kim Drumgo, Chief Diversity Officer, Anthem
• Sherri Thomas, SPHR, Chief Administrative Officer, Truliant Federal Credit Union
• Gerald Walden Jr., ESQ., MBA, VP, Deputy General Counsel & Head of Diversity, The Fresh Market
• Shelley Willingham, VP, Business Strategy, The Diversity Movement

---

Thu 6/17 at 2 p.m. – Let’s Talk About Member Data: Turning Insight Into Action

You have all the data at your fingertips. Now what? It’s time to take action based on trends you’ve seen over time and view the full picture. Learn how to develop the “voice of the member,” tips for validating data and ways to activate members. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Higher Logic

Presenters:

• Joshua Slyman, Sr. Consultant, Strategic Services, Higher Logic
• Jeff Horne, CEO and Co-Founder, Wicket
• Vasan Selliah, Member Insight and Engagement Manager, CSAE
• Nicole Covello, Data Analyst, Wicket
• Beth Arritt, Product Marketing Manager, Higher Logic

---

Thu 6/17 at 2 p.m. – Which Technology Will Benefit Your Events Most Right Now?

Meetings in the near future are going to look different: We’ll likely be addressing both in-person and remote audiences, and we’ll need to keep attendees engaged wherever they are. How can technology facilitate the process? Hear from experts who can address the latest tech tools that can optimize communication and engagement—and be flexible enough to account for the contingencies and last-minute changes we must prepare for. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Northstar Meetings Group

Presenters:

• Dahlia El Gazzar, Tech Evangelist and Principal of  DAHLIA+ Agency
• Julie Ho, CMM, Manager, Live Learning & Event Operations of Project Management Institute
• Michael J. Shapiro, Editor, News & Technology, Northstar Meetings Group

---

Thu 6/17 at 3 p.m. – Keeping Your Members Engaged from Onboarding through Renewal

It costs ten times as much to get a new member to join then it does to hold on to the members you have. Let’s make sure that your members feel seen, taken care of and satisfied with their membership experience. Learn about making the right impression during the onboarding process, capturing the initial enthusiasm of a new member, building relationships over transactions, winning back members who do not want to renew, and capitalizing on member churn to gather info for improvement. More info/register.

Host: Grype Digital

---

Thu 6/17 at 8 p.m. – Be the Change: How and Why Associations are Changing Membership and Revenue Models

Learn from association executives who are leading a change initiative and glean valuable tips on how to launch a change initiative in your own organization. More info/register.

Host: Sarah Sladek & Company, Save The Associations

Presenters:

• Steve Fox, Vice President of Membership and Constituent Relations, American Nurses Association
• Carol Cohen, CAE, Director, Membership Development, American Nurses Association
• Molly Soat, Vice President, Professional Development, American Marketing Association
• Sharon Kneebone, Executive Director, National Society for Histotechnology
• Mary Lue Peck, President and CEO, National Speakers Association
• Julian Scadden, President and CEO, Nexstar Network

---

Fri 6/18 at 12:30 p.m. – Speakeasy Virtual Networking

Hear a conversation about how Joanna and Liz see the future of virtual networking and how various formats work for different audiences. More info/register.

Host: TechsyTalk

Presenters: Matrix Group CEO Joanna Pineda and Liz King Caruso of Liz King Events & TechsyTalk

---

Fri 6/18 at 4 p.m. – Open Networking, Fridays@4-style

This session’s featured topic will be “Landing Your Dream Job.” Come join us to make new connections, reconnect with old ones and engage in interesting discussions that will help you and your peers on the road to the next job. More info/register. (Must join Fridays@4 for free first.)

Host: Fridays@4

Facilitator: Anuja Miner, Project Management | Association Executive | Membership Executive | Account Director | Fridays@4 Member

---

Tue 6/22 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Community Platform Demo Day

Join us for the just-in-time virtual Community Platform demo day featuring presentations from a limited number of industry partners that offer community platforms. Community experts will be showcasing platforms and sharing their knowledge with the association market. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

---

Tue 6/22 at 1 p.m. – How to Demonstrate the Value of Components to Your Association Through Data, ROI & Strategic Vision

As our capacity for in-person engagement starts to open back up, the question is how can we better mobilize our chapters to serve members and advance the mission of our association while creating a win/win for everyone? The answer is in real-time chapter data. Learn how other associations are defining and measuring success of their components as it pertains to delivering member value and on the mission of the association. Explore the possibilities of tracking component data and measuring chapters to prove ROI and drive the future vision for component-based associations. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Billhighway

Presenters:

• Mark Prevost, Billhighway
• Fred Ulreich, Founder and Managing Director of The Eastwind Group & Former CEO of NARI

---

Wed 6/23 at 12 p.m. – Creating Innovative New Classes, Certifications & Association Products That Wow Members — and Your Board

How can your organization improve or create new, innovative and profitable offerings that benefit both your members and your organization? Whether it’s a new course, a new certification or any other event, it can be hard to pinpoint what will make them super engaged. Learn about some quick product-development sprint techniques, then work with your association colleagues to invent—or re-invent—your very own new offerings during our hands-on session. More info/register.

Host: Lee Gimpel, founder, Better Meetings

---

Wed 6/23 at 1 p.m. – The Shift to Remote Work: Taking the Long View

Hear a lively discussion about remote work and its impact on associations long-term with a focus on the following three questions: What are the four primary forces of turbulence already shaping this decade? How will these forces of turbulence affect the context in which remote work takes place? Why do association decision-makers need to take the long view on the shift to remote work, and how can they do it? 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Achurch Consulting

Presenters:

• Jeff De Cagna FRSA FASAE, executive advisor for Foresight First LLC
• Rebecca Achurch PgMP, PMP, CSM, CAE, CEO, Achurch Consulting

---

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 before Wednesday evening.

---

---

 Photo: coming up the slickrock on our way to Big Springs Canyon in Canyonlands NP (Needles District)

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

Benchmarking chapter data. Billhighway asks, “What’s the point of chapter benchmarking?” Of course, you know they have a good answer, which they share in their latest post along with examples of how two associations use chapter benchmarking data to spark change.

Digital credentialing for the next gen. Associations are always talking about attracting young members and customers. Well, here’s one way to do it, according to WBT Systems: help students and recent graduates learn industry basics and differentiate themselves from the competition with introductory digital badge and credentialing programs.

Non-renewing members. MemberSuite looks at a challenge many associations have been struggling with over the past year: non-renewing members. They describe why members don’t renew (per an MGI study) and what you can do about it.

Introvert-friendly conferences. Introverts everywhere want to hoist John Spencer up on their shoulders and thank him for the five suggestions he asks you to consider when planning your next conference—or, at least, I do. His recommendations at Susan Cain’s Quiet Revolution blog would improve the conference learning and networking experience not only for introverts, but for extroverts too.

Quick hits

• “I don’t have time” is not true. We can always make time for important things. The problem isn’t time, it’s something else. (Darius Foroux)

• Brain research confirms the stupidity of back-to-back meetings. (Pim de Morree, Corporate Rebels)

Good eats

Skip down to the list of free webinars if you prefer takeout. If you’re a home cook, check out the irregularly published In The Kitchen posts on my Grabbing the Gusto blog.

• After making a massive quantity of chicken tinga for a cookout, I froze the leftovers for a casserole one day. That day was Sunday when I combined the chicken with tomatillos, zucchini, yellow squash, poblano, jalapeno, bell pepper, onion, garlic, pinto and black beans, elbow mac, cheddar cheese and cilantro to make my casserole dreams come true—so good.

• Not that we needed more vegetables on Sunday, but I had them from the CSA, so I sautéed carrots, yellow and pattypan squash, broccoli stems and green onions with a sprinkling of fresh basil at the end.

• During the week, I baked swordfish with a topping of southeast Asian-style pesto (made with Thai basil, Vietnamese coriander and mint) and panko bread crumbs. On the side, summer squash and zucchini quarters, glazed and roasted with hoisin, General Tso’s and sriracha sauce.

• The next night, Spanish mackerel baked with a maple-barbecue-Worcestershire glaze. On the side, greens (arugula, pac choi, mizuna, broccoli and carrot tops) sautéed with bacon, broccoli florets, red onion, green onions, red and yellow bell pepper, carrots, jalapeno and garlic.

Here are the educational events scheduled for next week. If you have a free webinar or event coming up, please send me the link before Wednesday evening the week before it’s scheduled. I’ll be happy to feature it as long as it’s not too product centric.

---

Fri 6/4 at 12 p.m.* – AI Now for Associations – Chat about AI

Reggie’s insights will help association executives learn and understand the progress that AI and Machine Learning will bring to your association’s mission. More info/register.

Hosts: Michael Butera and Karen McCann/AI Now for Associations

Presenter: Reggie Henry, CAE, Chief Information and Engagement Officer, ASAE

*All times are Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.

---

Fri 6/4 at 12 p.m. – Inclusive Experience for your Virtual Events

With an opportunity of paving a new way through humanity, it is imperative for event professionals to ensure the experiences they design to deliver a message of ‘inclusivity as natural behavior’ that makes everyone feel welcome. How do you create an inclusive experience in a virtual environment? Let’s talk about ten best practices that make sure all attendees experience your events to its full potential. 1 CMP credit. More info/register (fee for MPI non-members).

Host: MPI

Presenter: Sonali Nair, CMP, DES, Education Chair, MPI Experiential Designers and Marketers Advisory Board

---

Fri 6/4 at 12 p.m. – EventTech Chat

A weekly conversation about meeting and event technology, including software, hardware, and audiovisual for in-person and online events. More info/register.

Host: Brandt Krueger, founder Event Technology Consulting

---

Fri 6/4 at 4:00 p.m. – Career Book Open Discussion

We will discuss the book Promote Yourself: The New Rules for Career Success, by Dan Schawbel. While reading the book in advance is encouraged, it’s not required. Plan to attend what is sure to be a lively and productive discussion on how to take hold of your own promotion and win in your career. More info/register. (Must join Fridays@4 for free first.)

Host: Fridays@4

---

Mon 6/7 at 1 p.m. – Diversity & Inclusion Programs (Chatting with Agnes & Cecilia)

This series of 15- to 20-minute videos cover hot topics and issues related to 501c organization management. New episodes are posted by 1 p.m. every Monday. Check out Cecilia’s Nonprofit Executive Spotlight series too.

Guest: Linda Devonish Mills

Hosts:

• Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC
• Agnes Amos-Coleman, MBA, CMP, education, conference, event, certification consultant, Amos-Coleman

---

Tue 6/8 from 10 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. – SURGE Forward

This year, we’ll talk about the technologies, ideas and opportunities that will change membership forever. We’re taking the hard-learned lessons from 2020 and establishing a new normal for association pros. At SURGE, you won’t simply listen to the speakers. You’ll engage them directly in our live chat, and you can ask questions during their presentations. Through this interactive networking, you will build real relationships with like-minded and innovative association professionals. CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: Sidecar

---

Tue 6/8 at 1 p.m. – The New Association Tech Ecosystem

Learn about differing technology philosophies and why associations choose one or the other, four popular association tech stack models and which became more popular post-COVID, popular association software solutions providing specialized functionality, and how CRM platforms fit in association tech stack models. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Ricochet Advice

Presenters:

• Beth Power, Association Technologist
• Chris Gloede, Ricochet Chief Consultant

---

Tue 6/8 at 2 p.m. – All Video Is Not Created Equal: How to Inspire Your Community to Action with Video Content That Inspires

Association and nonprofit leaders should be using video to inspire real change and advance your missions. Learn how to define the goals of your video project upfront to ensure success, get to know your audience and understand what motivates them so you can create content that resonates, the foundational components of inspiring video content that will actually influence your community to action, and where to publish video content to drive results. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Gather Voices

Presenters:

• Danny Alpert, Executive Director of the Kindling Group
• Michael Hoffman, CEO of Gather Voices

---

Tue 6/8 at 2 p.m. – Beyond Engagement: Using Gamification to Achieve More Meaningful Educational Outcomes

Learn how gamification can be used to improve engagement and educational outcomes in both live and virtual settings, and what insights can be gained by data collected through gamification. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MeetingsNet

Presenters:

• Tyler Nelson, Director of Product, Array
• Katie Robinson, PhD, CHCP, Associate Director, Medical Research and Quality Outcomes, Vindico Medical Education
• Sue Hatch, Content Director, MeetingsNet

---

Tue 6/8 at 2 p.m. – Backstage Pass: Producing Compelling Content that Drives Engagement

In this new age of content consumption, how do you create a cohesive content strategy and production plan that guarantees maximum engagement? Learn how to build an audience-centric strategy from the ground up for every type of event; the content, production and technology levers that dial up engagement; new tools and production tips that make ‘Zoom fatigue’ a thing of the past; and keys to working with A/V pros to bring your content to life for virtual and hybrid events. More info/register.

Host: Smart Meetings

Presenters:

• Alyssa Peltier, Senior Manager, Industry Solutions, Event Marketing, Cvent
• Julie Haddix, Senior Director, Industry Solutions, Cvent

---

Tue 6/8 at 3:45 p.m. – Accessible Web Design Without Tradeoffs: Leaving No Member Behind Online

Is your association’s membership accessible to all? Does your website reflect your values of inclusivity and accessibility? Maybe there is room for improvement. Learn how to broaden your audience with inclusive design and design thinking. More info/register.

Host: Grype Digital

Presenter: David Berman, author, Do Good Design: How Designers Can Change the World, and UN Special Advisor on web accessibility

---

Wed 6/9 from 10 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. – SURGE Forward

This year, we’ll talk about the technologies, ideas and opportunities that will change membership forever. We’re taking the hard-learned lessons from 2020 and establishing a new normal for association pros. At SURGE, you won’t simply listen to the speakers. You’ll engage them directly in our live chat, and you can ask questions during their presentations. Through this interactive networking, you will build real relationships with like-minded and innovative association professionals. CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: Sidecar

---

Wed 6/9 at 1 p.m. – The State of Community Management 2021

Get a look at the findings from the 12th annual State of Community Management report. More info/register.

Hosts: The Community Roundtable and Higher Logic

---

Wed 6/9 at 1 p.m. – #ExpoChat on Twitter

ExpoChat is a Twitter-based conversation on topics related to the trade show industry. More info.

---

Wed 6/9 at 2 p.m. – 10 Common Webinar Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Learn tips and best practices to make sure that your webinars are always a success, including common “webinar from home” mistakes to avoid, tips for dealing with “less good” speakers, optimizing for audience engagement, and tricks for higher webinar lead conversion. More info/register.

Host: ON24

---

Wed 6/9 at 3 p.m. – The Innovation Imperative

The pandemic forced associations to innovate on the fly—but what does intentional innovation look like on a long-term basis? How can your association build a culture that naturally supports innovation? What are associations doing now to proactively transform their future? Learn what the panelists are seeing in the field and what all association professionals can learn as a result. Find out how to frame the Innovation Imperative for your association going forward. Hear thought-provoking strategies that will inspire and encourage you as we move out of the pandemic. More info/register.

Host: Mary Byers

Presenters: association consultants Seth Kahan, Celisa Steele, Jeff Cobb, Bruce Rosenthal and Mary Byers

---

Wed 6/9 at 3 p.m. – Analytics in Action: How to Boost Event Registration Revenue with Data

With the pandemic almost/nearly/hopefully close to behind us, we can start adding in-person events back in the mix and with that, look for ways to maximize our attendance and revenue across all events. Learn how to use engagement data to reach new attendees, leverage data to provide a personalized and relevant experience to different member segments, uncover registration trends by event categories and customer segments, understand and analyze event loyalty and overlap, and determine who is most likely to attend your event based on historical data, demographics and behavior. More info/register.

Host: Association Analytics

Presenters:

• Bill Conforti, SVP of Strategy & Solutions, Association Analytics
• Greg Pollack, Vice President of Sales, Association Analytics

---

Thu 6/10 from 10 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. – SURGE Forward

This year, we’ll talk about the technologies, ideas and opportunities that will change membership forever. We’re taking the hard-learned lessons from 2020 and establishing a new normal for association pros. At SURGE, you won’t simply listen to the speakers. You’ll engage them directly in our live chat, and you can ask questions during their presentations. Through this interactive networking, you will build real relationships with like-minded and innovative association professionals. CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: Sidecar

---

Thu 6/10 at 11 a.m. – Predicting Policy & Identifying Trends in Legislation

Get a look at 2021 legislation trends, how those trends could influence what happens for the rest of the year, and the tools you can use to stay on top of it all. More info/register.

Host: FiscalNote

Presenters:

• Tonya Saunders, Principal, Washington Premier Group
• Amber Fording , Data Analytics Manager, FiscalNote

---

Thu 6/10 at 1 p.m. – Emotionally Engaging Attendees in the New Era of Events

How do brands like Hulu, Disney, and the NFL think about creating emotional event experiences for their audience? Hear event industry leaders discuss event personalization and the secrets behind energetic unique event experiences, in the new era of events. More info/register.

Hosts: BizBash and Cadence

---

Thu 6/10 at 2 p.m. – Let’s Talk Brand and Your Association Board: Ask Me Anything

A rebrand done right, with buy-in (and excitement!) from your board and stakeholders, can have a significant impact on your association. In this “Ask Me Anything” style webinar, you’ll hear from our branding experts on methods for getting buy-in from your board on a rebrand as well as hear from the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners about their rebrand journey, including obstacles and lessons learned. More info/register

Host: Mighty Citizen

Presenters:

• Gardiner Rhoderick, Creative Director, Mighty Citizen
• Michele Stickel, Director of Marketing and Strategic Projects, National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners
• Moderator: Nicole Araujo, Client Engagement Director, Mighty Citizen

---

Thu 6/10 at 3 p.m. – Attainable AI Ethics for Associations

As associations invest more in content personalization, predictive modeling, marketing automation, voice recognition, or facial recognition, it’s imperative we understand the math behind the AI. Join an interactive discussion with four association experts who will grapple with this question. Then, join us in working groups to discuss attainable ways the association community can address ethical AI. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Hosts: Association Women Technology Champions and the ASAE Technology Professionals Council

Presenters:

• Tim Hopkins, CAE, consultant, McKinley Advisors
• Katherine Matthews, CAE, Manager, Data & Analytics, for the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards
• Alexis Redmond, JD, MA, CAE, director, career management resources for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
• Evan Reid, Data Analytics Manager at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

---

Fri 6/11 at 12:30 p.m. – Navigating the Legal Side for the Return of Live Events

What should planners be aware of when returning to live events? Should planners incorporate any new steps or change anything in their current contracting processes? Are there any new things to communicate in your contract? How to best approach contract commitments like force majeure, attrition, and hybrid event needs with your hotel partner? More info/register.

Host: Hopskip

Presenters:

• Barbara Dunn, Partner at Barnes & Thornburg LLP, representing groups
• Lisa Sommer Devlin, Devlin Law Firm, P.C. representing hotels

---

Fri 6/11 at 4 p.m. – Successful Assertion

Have you ever failed to stand up for yourself in a meeting and beat yourself up about it later? Have you ever regretted something you said to a coworker in the heat of the moment because your tone was harsher than you intended? Such failures to communicate effectively in the workplace can hinder a career. Learn about the qualities of successful assertiveness that can help us become better, more controlled and more confident communicators. More info/register. (Must join Fridays@4 for free first.)

Host: Fridays@4

Presenter: Lisa Johnson, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, Owner, HR Know-How LLC

---

Tue 6/15 at 12 p.m. – Association Management Companies (AMCs) and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Part 2

Hear the journey of two AMCs as they implement Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and (Accessibility) initiatives in their companies and for their association clients. Find out about their approach to DEI(A) with their association clients, effective internal and external practices, and success metrics. More info/register.

Host: ASAE AMC Professionals Advisory Council

Presenters:

• Beth Quick-Andrews, CAE (facilitator), President, Q&A-An Association Management Company, Inc.
• Derrick M. Johnson II, CMP DES, Chief Diversity Officer & Director of Event Strategy, Talley Management Group Inc
• Dionne S. Wilson, CAE, Executive Director, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Association Management Center

---

Thu 6/17 at 8 a.m. – Global Association Outlook for 2021 Executive Management Dialogue

One year has passed since the world changed the way we operate in the global environment. Ongoing restrictions on international travel challenged organizations to evaluate their global operations and explore innovative ways of engaging with members and volunteer leaders around the world. Hear how association leaders are adapting their global strategies including: how they’re addressing current uncertainty and the evolving global situation in 2021, what they’re anticipating and planning for the remainder of the year, and what additional challenges or opportunities the move toward regional reopening brings to them. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Presenters:

• Steven Basart, Vice-President at Kellen
• Senthil Gopinath
• Arlene A. Pietranton, Ph.D., CAE, chief executive officer of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
• Gregory J. Fine, FASAE, CAE, EVP/CEO, CCIM Institute

---

Thu 6/17 at 12 p.m. – Association Executive Panel Discussion on the Economic Impact & Challenges of the Pandemic

Learn how three association executives worked with leadership to make decisions regarding reserves, dues, conferences and forecasting. Hear a discussion about establishing and using reserves, essential elements for a well-constructed Investment Policy Statement, roles and responsibilities of the interested parties in managing the reserves, and the current market and outlook for economic normalization. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

---

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 before Wednesday evening.

---

---

Creative Commons photo byPatrice Bouchard via Unsplash

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

Train-the-trainer. With the switch this past year to online courses and conferences, many associations came to the troubling conclusion that their instructors and presenters didn’t know how to provide an enjoyable or effective learning experience. WBT Systems suggests fixing that by launching a train-the-trainer program and explains how to get one going.

AMS business case. Do you have AMS envy? I feel your pain, but if your CEO or board doesn’t, getting their buy-in for a new AMS can be challenging. MemberSuite describes how to make a case for a new AMS. It takes some effort, but it’s totally doable.

Remote work skills. Working remotely requires a different set of skills than working in an office. Achurch Consulting identifies five competencies you should seek in remote employees and suggests interview questions that will help you determine whether candidates have those skills.

Collaborative innovation. Greg Satell says great innovators cultivate long-standing relationships with trusted thought partners. Because innovation is a highly social activity, collaboration is increasingly becoming a competitive advantage. How can your association facilitate this collaboration among staff and members?

Surface inclusion. Michael Slepian at the Harvard Business Review reminds us that an organization with a diverse workforce is not necessarily an inclusive one. Employees, volunteers and members may not feel like they belong if your DEI efforts only result in “surface inclusion.”

Social connections. Barbara Palmer at PCMA Convene spoke to author Marissa King about social networks and connections. King made some interesting observations about what the pandemic has done to our professional networks, how people develop and maintain connections in different ways, and how the move to digital might affect our connections in the future.

Quick hits

• 6 tried-and-true ways to extract content from your subject matter experts. (Mindi Zissman, MarketingProfs)

• 10 mindfulness tips to help boost your focus and productivity—excellent suggestions and very doable. (Marina Khidekel, Thrive)

• People who adopt a self-compassion mindset are more likely to achieve their goals (Jeff Haden, Inc.)

Good eats

Skip down to the list of free webinars if you prefer takeout. If you’re a home cook, check out the fortnightly (or sometimes more irregular) In The Kitchen posts on my Grabbing the Gusto blog.

Thanks to a “hockey with friends” night and leftovers another night, I only had dinner duty twice last week. One night, I pulled a couple of Korean-style gochujang burgers out of the freezer and served them with leftover pasta pesto salad.

I made pesto pasta salad for a party but didn’t follow a recipe. Later, I realized I forgot to add olive oil and red wine vinegar so a list of ingredients would help. Here’s what I usually put in mine:

• Cooked fusilli
• Red, orange and/or yellow grape tomatoes, halved
• Red, orange and/or yellow bell pepper, chopped
• Corn cut off the cob (or thawed frozen)
• Cucumber, quartered lengthwise, deseeded and sliced
• Tiny broccoli florets
• Sweet onion, chopped
• Basil pesto
• Fresh mozzarella balls, sliced in halves or quarters
• Grated parmesan cheese
• Olive oil, red wine vinegar and salt to taste

Another night, we had black drum fillets baked with fresh chervil, Aleppo pepper flakes and butter. On the side, a mix of greens (kale, pac choi and radish) sautéed with bacon, poblano and orange bell pepper, onion and dried cranberries.

---

Here are the educational events scheduled for next week. If you have a free webinar or event coming up, please send me the link before Wednesday evening the week before it’s scheduled. I’ll be happy to feature it as long as it’s not too product centric.

---

Fri 5/28 at 12 p.m.* – EventTech Chat

A weekly conversation about meeting and event technology, including software, hardware, and audiovisual for in-person and online events. More info/register.

Host: Brandt Krueger, founder Event Technology Consulting

*All times are Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.

---

Mon 5/31 at 1 p.m. – The Pandemic Recovery Journey of IAAPA (Chatting with Agnes & Cecilia)

This series of 15- to 20-minute videos cover hot topics and issues related to 501c organization management. New episodes are posted by 1 p.m. every Monday. Check out Cecilia’s Nonprofit Executive Spotlight series too.

Guests: Reno Deschaine

Hosts:

• Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC
• Agnes Amos-Coleman, MBA, CMP, education, conference, event, certification consultant, Amos-Coleman

---

Tue 6/1 at 12 p.m. – Rethink Tech Adoption: The Secret to Building a Data Analytics Culture (2021 Data Analytics Network)

How do you empower your team to get curious about analytics? What do you do when your colleagues resist the new platform you worked so hard to secure? The secret is culture. You must build a culture of analytics that stems from curiosity and openness to learning. Hear tips and insights about how to build a data culture in your organization and why that matters. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Analytics

Presenter: Monica H. Kang, Founder & CEO of InnovatorsBox and Co-Founder of Culture of Analytics

---

Tue 6/1 at 12 p.m. – The Science of Meetings & Events Series: The Science of Trust

An event planner is the sixth most stressful job in America. In a survey of meeting professionals, the most stressful element of their job is the dependency on other people. Learn about trust, trustworthiness, how to know who to trust, and what to do when you can’t. 1 CMP credit. More info/register (fee for MPI non-members).

Host: MPI

Presenter: Yoram Solomon, Author, The Book of Trust

---

Tue 6/1 at 2 p.m. – Building Aligned Teams Through Organizational Design

Are you using an organizational design that’s left over from the industrial revolution? If so, you may find it hard to successfully align your team with your mission. Learn about the role of disruptive vs. stabilizing functions in your organization’s design and how they are essential to building aligned teams, and gain a deep understanding of why, in order to bring about change, innovation, and meaningful progress, organizations need to adopt a new type of organizational model. More info/register.

Host: Wild Apricot

Presenter: Sarah Olivieri, nonprofit business strategist and founder of PivotGround

---

Wed 6/2 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Event Tech Innovation Summit

Event tech is ready and eager to power the next generation of hybrid events. This event is designed to inspire you and show you how you can take your event to the next level. Join our handpicked event tech experts as we cut through the noise to provide you with valuable advice and tangible takeaways. More info/register.

Host: Event MB

---

Wed 6/2 at 12 p.m. – Planning a Return to the Office: A Candid Conversation About How and Why

Learn how associations are managing a return to the office after more than a year of remote work, and why going back is important to improving collaboration and culture. Several voices from a diverse group of associations and a legal authority will discuss the ins and outs of planning a return, key risks and how to answer the common question, “why should I?” 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Insights In Old Town (now aka Monthly Events In Cyberspace)

Presenters:

• Laura Withers, IOM, Vice President, Strategic Communications, NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association
• Kathy Compton, Senior Vice President, Brand & Engagement, The American Institute of Architects
• Michele E. Rinn, CAE, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Sr Vice President, Human Resources, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
• Andrew D. Goldman, Esq., Attorney, Your In-House Law

---

Wed 6/2 at 1 p.m. – #ExpoChat on Twitter

ExpoChat is a Twitter-based conversation on topics related to the trade show industry. More info.

---

Wed 6/2 at 2 p.m. – Choosing the Best Convention Destinations for 2021

Find out the best destinations for large-scale events. The rankings are determined by many factors, including available exhibit space, nearby hotel rooms, average hotel cost, travel time from the nearest international airport to the convention center, the number of daily flights, and local risk factors — including the prevalence of Covid-19. Hear about the methodology and findings of the second-annual Convention Cities Index and key role safety plays in the industry’s recovery. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Northstar Meetings Group (NMG)

Presenters:

• NMG’s vice president and content director Loren Edelstein
• NMG’s associate editor Elise Schoening
• GeoSure’s CEO Michael Becker

---

Wed 6/2 at 2 p.m. – On the Edge of Your Seat: Creating Hybrid Events that Thrill Your Audience

As digital programs and events become more prevalent in the industry, so does the expectation from audiences. Attendees are no longer satisfied with sitting passively at their computers, watching a fully digital or a hybrid program. Hear ways to increase not only your attendees’ engagement, but also their overall satisfaction attending your next event. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: PCMA

Presenter: Will Curran, Founder & Chief Event Einstein, Endless Events

---

Wed 6/2 at 3 p.m. – Four New Association Survey Reports Portend Opportunities for Corporate Sponsorships

Four major new surveys show challenges and obstacles facing associations. The Partnership Professionals Network (PPN) has analyzed the survey reports and identified ways in which robust sponsorship programs can mitigate these situations. Join the PPN Idea Exchange discussion. More info/register.

Host: Partnership Professionals Network

Presenters:

• Bruce Rosenthal, PPN Co-Convener and Principal, Bruce Rosenthal Associates, LLC
• Dan Kowitz, PPN Co-Convener and Founder & CEO, JSB Partnership Consultants

---

Thu 6/3 at 12 p.m. – Adding Value by Leading with a Global Mindset

Learn how to add value by leading with a global mindset and embracing uncertainty, volatility, complexity and multicultural inclusiveness. Hear about the relevance and use of the global mindset leadership model in addressing the critical ways associations contribute to society and become an invaluable part of our professional and personal lives in a changing world. More info/register.

Host: ASAE International Associations Professionals Community

Presenters:

• Sylvia Gonner, CAE, Founder & Principal, CultureWiz
• Sirin Köprücü, Principal, StrategicStraits, Inc.
• Guilherme Lopes, Executive Director, ISTAT

---

Thu 6/3 at 12 p.m. – Kick Off Panel: The Future of Community

Join us for a deep dive conversation into the future of community technology with leading strategists from Higher Logic, Verint, and Beezy. From AI to APIs and everything in between, we’ll discuss what to expect from community platforms in the next five years. More info/register.

Host: The Community Roundtable

---

Thu 6/3 at 2 p.m. – The CIO Hour: Trust but Verify

In this monthly webinar, non-techies can ask tech questions and learn key information to increase their association’s IT success. Come boost your IT IQ with this month’s topic: Trust but Verify. Learn how association staff can monitor servers, websites, and applications with low cost and free tools in an easy-to-understand terms. There will also be time to ask ANY tech question of our CIO and get answers to help you with problems you may be facing today. More info/register.

Host:  501Works

Presenter: James Marquis, chief technology officer, 501Works

---

Thu 6/3 at 3 p.m. – Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT): Latest Update Nonprofits & Associations

As membership dues and conference registrations decline, associations are expanding products and services to generate additional income. These activities may be considered unrelated business income (UBI). Executives must carefully monitor the level of UBI activity, as it may jeopardize their exempt status. Learn exactly what UBI means, the interpretations and IRS guidance. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.

Presenter: Jennifer Eubanks, Principal, CPA Department

---

Fri 6/4 at 12 p.m. – Inclusive Experience for your Virtual Events

With an opportunity of paving a new way through humanity, it is imperative for event professionals to ensure the experiences they design to deliver a message of ‘inclusivity as natural behavior’ that makes everyone feel welcome. How do you create an inclusive experience in a virtual environment? Let’s talk about ten best practices that make sure all attendees experience your events to its full potential. 1 CMP credit. More info/register (fee for MPI non-members).

Host: MPI

Presenter: Sonali Nair, CMP, DES, Education Chair, MPI Experiential Designers and Marketers Advisory Board

---

Fri 6/4 at 4:00 p.m. – Career Book Open Discussion

We will discuss the book Promote Yourself: The New Rules for Career Success, by Dan Schawbel. While reading the book in advance is encouraged, it’s not required. Plan to attend what is sure to be a lively and productive discussion on how to take hold of your own promotion and win in your career. More info/register. (Must join Fridays@4 for free first.)

Host: Fridays@4

---

Tue 6/8 from 10 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. – SURGE Forward

This year, we’ll talk about the technologies, ideas and opportunities that will change membership forever. We’re taking the hard-learned lessons from 2020 and establishing a new normal for association pros. At SURGE, you won’t simply listen to the speakers. You’ll engage them directly in our live chat, and you can ask questions during their presentations. Through this interactive networking, you will build real relationships with like-minded and innovative association professionals. CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: Sidecar

---

Tue 6/8 at 1 p.m. – The New Association Tech Ecosystem

Learn about differing technology philosophies and why associations choose one or the other, four popular association tech stack models and which became more popular post-COVID, popular association software solutions providing specialized functionality, and how CRM platforms fit in association tech stack models. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Ricochet Advice

Presenters:

• Beth Power, Association Technologist
• Chris Gloede, Ricochet Chief Consultant

---

Wed 6/9 from 10 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. – SURGE Forward

This year, we’ll talk about the technologies, ideas and opportunities that will change membership forever. We’re taking the hard-learned lessons from 2020 and establishing a new normal for association pros. At SURGE, you won’t simply listen to the speakers. You’ll engage them directly in our live chat, and you can ask questions during their presentations. Through this interactive networking, you will build real relationships with like-minded and innovative association professionals. CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: Sidecar

---

Wed 6/9 at 3 p.m. – Analytics in Action: How to Boost Event Registration Revenue with Data

With the pandemic almost/nearly/hopefully close to behind us, we can start adding in-person events back in the mix and with that, look for ways to maximize our attendance and revenue across all events. Learn how to use engagement data to reach new attendees, leverage data to provide a personalized and relevant experience to different member segments, uncover registration trends by event categories and customer segments, understand and analyze event loyalty and overlap, and determine who is most likely to attend your event based on historical data, demographics and behavior. More info/register.

Host: Association Analytics

Presenters:

• Bill Conforti, SVP of Strategy & Solutions, Association Analytics
• Greg Pollack, Vice President of Sales, Association Analytics

---

Thu 6/10 from 10 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. – SURGE Forward

This year, we’ll talk about the technologies, ideas and opportunities that will change membership forever. We’re taking the hard-learned lessons from 2020 and establishing a new normal for association pros. At SURGE, you won’t simply listen to the speakers. You’ll engage them directly in our live chat, and you can ask questions during their presentations. Through this interactive networking, you will build real relationships with like-minded and innovative association professionals. CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: Sidecar

---

Thu 6/10 at 2 p.m. – Let’s Talk Brand and Your Association Board: Ask Me Anything

A rebrand done right, with buy-in (and excitement!) from your board and stakeholders, can have a significant impact on your association. In this “Ask Me Anything” style webinar, you’ll hear from our branding experts on methods for getting buy-in from your board on a rebrand as well as hear from the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners about their rebrand journey, including obstacles and lessons learned. More info/register.

Host: Mighty Citizen

Presenters:

• Gardiner Rhoderick, Creative Director, Mighty Citizen
• Michele Stickel, Director of Marketing and Strategic Projects, National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners
• Moderator: Nicole Araujo, Client Engagement Director, Mighty Citizen

---

Thu 6/10 at 3 p.m. – Attainable AI Ethics for Associations

As associations invest more in content personalization, predictive modeling, marketing automation, voice recognition, or facial recognition, it’s imperative we understand the math behind the AI. Join an interactive discussion with four association experts who will grapple with this question. Then, join us in working groups to discuss attainable ways the association community can address ethical AI. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Hosts: Association Women Technology Champions and the ASAE Technology Professionals Council

Presenters:

• Tim Hopkins, CAE, consultant, McKinley Advisors
• Katherine Matthews, CAE, Manager, Data & Analytics, for the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards
• Alexis Redmond, JD, MA, CAE, director, career management resources for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
• Evan Reid, Data Analytics Manager at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

---

Fri 6/11 at 12:30 p.m. – Navigating the Legal Side for the Return of Live Events

What should planners be aware of when returning to live events? Should planners incorporate any new steps or change anything in their current contracting processes? Are there any new things to communicate in your contract? How to best approach contract commitments like force majeure, attrition, and hybrid event needs with your hotel partner? More info/register.

Host: Hopskip

Presenters:

• Barbara Dunn, Partner at Barnes & Thornburg LLP, representing groups
• Lisa Sommer Devlin, Devlin Law Firm, P.C. representing hotels

---

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 before Wednesday evening.

---

---

Creative Commons photo by Kunal Shinde via Unsplash

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

Niche conferences. The riches are in the niches, says WBT Systems. They make an argument for adding smaller, niche virtual conferences to your event lineup. Makes sense: hyper-relevant programming and more opportunities for attendees to spend quality time with peers.

Intellectual humility and curiosity. I’ve seen many references over the past year to the power of “unlearning” conventional so-called wisdom so we can take on new and existing challenges with the mindset they require. Roger Craver at The Agitator/DonorVoice says we also need to harness the immense power of knowing what we don’t know so we don’t keep repeating so-called best practices that turn programs “into the equivalent of a nearly petrified forest.”

Conference design. Because of pandemic-induced change, Dave Lutz of Velvet Chainsaw Consulting says, “Conference organizers have an opportunity to make changes that would have been more difficult to sell up the ladder in the past.” He suggests five changes to conference design that are long overdue. I could kiss him, and you will want to too, after reading the first one on his list. Yes, please! Seriously, all five are stellar recommendations.

Association fortune-telling. At LeadershipNow, Lance Mortlock explains the difference between scenario planning and forecasting, and offers six questions to help you identify which tool will provide the outcomes your association needs.

Hooking members. Mary Cahalane at Hands On Fundraising interviewed Francesco Ambrogetti about his book, Hooked on a Feeling. Although their conversation is focused on donors, everything he says about emotions, feelings, experiences, memories and identity relate to members, attendees and learners too.

Good eats

Skip down to the list of free webinars if you prefer takeout. If you’re a home cook, check out the weekly (or sometimes fortnightly) In The Kitchen posts on my Grabbing the Gusto blog.

• It’s been too long since we’ve had monkfish in the house. My fish store suggested monkfish tacos and I obliged. I sprinkled the fillets with ground ancho chile, cumin, paprika, oregano, garlic and onion powder, baked them and cut them into bite-size pieces. Served them with the usual accompaniments: slaw, salsa verde and avocado. On the side, the usual during the spring CSA season, greens (chard, beet and pac choi) sautéed with red and green onion, carrot and dried cranberries.

• The next night, we had baked black sea bass fillets sprinkled with herbes de Provence, Aleppo pepper, lemon juice and butter. On the side, roasted beets, carrots, cauliflower and radishes with garlic and thyme.

• On Sunday, I made a Tex-Mex skillet with ground pork and chorizo, sweet potato, black beans, corn, chard and a bunch of other stuff. I tweak this recipe according to what’s on hand, but described the usual sort-of recipe earlier this year on my other blog.

Here are the educational events scheduled for next week. If you have a free webinar or event coming up, please send me the link before Wednesday evening the week before it’s scheduled. I’ll be happy to feature it as long as it’s not too product centric.

---

Fri 5/21 at 12 p.m.* – Meetings Outlook: Future Predictions for the Business of Meetings

Given the reality of the current pandemic, meeting professionals are finding it nearly impossible to make decisions related to the business of events. Much is uncertain, but current projections can help. Deep dive into MPI’s most recent Meetings Outlook research, published quarterly in The Meeting Professional magazine, and then discuss the trends that are most affecting you and your peers. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: MPI

Presenters:

• Jessie States, CMP, CMM
• Matt Turner

*All times are Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.

---

Fri 5/21 at 12 p.m. – Reconvene

Introducing RECONVENE, a free, two-day virtual summit made for event creators of all kinds, featuring some of the most forward-thinking entrepreneurs, artists, producers, and promoters in the event world. We hope you’ll join us to explore where the industry is heading—or better yet, where you’d like to take it. More info/register.

Hosts: Eventbrite, National Independent Venue Association, Music Venue Trust and FundBox

---

Fri 5/21 at 12 p.m. – EventTech Chat

A weekly conversation about meeting and event technology, including software, hardware, and audiovisual for in-person and online events. More info/register.

Host: Brandt Krueger, founder Event Technology Consulting

---

Fri 5/21 at 2 p.m. – The Work Must Go On: Retaining and Engaging Volunteers Remotely

As volunteers represent 20-25% of our labor pool, losing them would be catastrophic. We have to keep our governance volunteers actively connected in order to make decisions in a timely fashion. For some associations this past year, volunteers didn’t lose steam at first. As the months marched on, we’ve encountered struggles from loss of volunteers to disengagement. Hear about strategies from associations (and a few non-profits) that have weathered this and how these strategies can ultimately help us engage more members – a greater diversity of members – in the work of the association going forward. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Presenters:

• Peggy Hoffman FASAE, CAE, President and Executive Director, Mariner Management
• Peter Houstle, CEO, Mariner Management

---

Fri 5/21 at 3:45 p.m. – Promotions: Tipping the Scales in Your Favor

Join us for an engaging discussion, interactive Q&A and useful tools to help give you the edge when pursuing your next promotion. Based on research and tried-and-true methods of application, hear what works to help you position yourself for the promotion you want. Be ready to laugh a little as you overcome any fears you may have of putting new ideas to work for you. More info/register. (Must join Fridays@4 for free first.)

Host: Fridays@4

Presenter: Carole Stizza, PCC, SHRM-SCP, executive leadership coach, senior HR professional and strength strategy specialist

---

Mon 5/24 at 1 p.m. – CyberStory with Sanjay Deo (Chatting with Agnes & Cecilia)

This series of 15- to 20-minute videos cover hot topics and issues related to 501c organization management. New episodes are posted by 1 p.m. every Monday. Check out Cecilia’s Nonprofit Executive Spotlight series too.

Guests: Sanjay Deo

Hosts:

• Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC
• Agnes Amos-Coleman, MBA, CMP, education, conference, event, certification consultant, Amos-Coleman

---

Tue 5/25 at 11 a.m. – 5 Secrets of Email Marketing Geniuses

Learn the secrets of email marketing geniuses, including: the 5 types of nonprofit emails, the anatomy of an email marketing campaign, and 6 email marketing mistakes to avoid. More info/register.

Host: Firespring

Presenter: Jay Wilkinson, founder and CEO of Firespring

---

Tue 5/25 at 12 p.m. – Workforce Strategy Webinar: Tools You Can Use

As you plan for employees to return to the office, hear strategies and best practices for creating the workplace of the future for your association. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Finance and Business Operations Professionals Community

---

Tue 5/25 at 1 p.m. – RESULTS: A Networking Garden Party

Hear about the findings from our Virtual Networking Incubator, which brought 150+ association professionals together six times over the course of 12 weeks to explore virtual networking and its potential. Each Gathering in our Incubator “garden” was intentionally designed as a collaborative exploration of key virtual networking concepts, practices, and considerations—for example, size of audience, creation of safe space, what makes connections meaningful, and more. Learn about tools and practices that will help you build better networking into your own virtual events. More info/register.

Host: Matchbox Virtual

Presenters:

• Amanda Kaiser, MBA, Member Engagement Specialist, Kaiser Insights LLC
• Arianna Rehak, CEO & Co-Founder, Matchbox Virtual Media
• Sze Pak Ng, Community Engagement Specialist, Matchbox Virtual Media
• Reggie Henry (interviewer), Chief Information and Engagement Officer, ASAE

---

Tue 5/25 at 1 p.m. – Disruptive Technology: Launching an AMS During a Pandemic

Hear how the Minnesota Society of CPAs launched a new AMS in March 2020, right as the pandemic began to unfold. Find out how staff were trained to quickly adopt remote work, overcoming the pandemic and teleworking issues while ensuring go-live tasks were slayed in a timely manner. These best practices, while especially important in a virtual environment, can also be applied to an in-person launch. More info/register.

Host: ReviewMyAMS

Presenters:

• MNCPA’s Manager of Digital Strategies, Misty Garrick
• benel Solutions President and CEO, El Mehdi Marhoum
• ReviewMyAMS’ CEO and Founder, Teri Carden

---

Tue 5/25 at 1 p.m. – When Virtual Meets In-Person: How to Run a Successful Hybrid Event

This webinar will be an actual hybrid event, with both virtual and in-person speakers and attendees. We’ll go behind the scenes on agenda planning, speaker prep, emcee roles, and more; reveal how to run panels with both live and virtual speakers; show how emcees can weave virtual chat w/ live Q&A; get real about the AV and production requirements; share case studies from recent hybrid events; and include live networking sessions paired with virtual video rooms. More info/register.

Host: Socio

---

Tue 5/25 at 2 p.m. – Post-Pandemic Strategies for Growth: Expanding Education Programs for Member Companies

With remote work and learning becoming the norm for many of your members, there are more competitors providing professional development in your industry than ever before. By providing corporate training programs, your association can establish deeper relationships with company members and their employees, resulting in strengthened loyalty and higher member and customer retention. Hear about successful strategies used by associations to provide continuing education to professionals in their industries and take away ideas to sustain the growth of your education portfolio. 0.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: ProTech Services

Presenter: Michelle Brien, VP of marketing and product strategy, WBT Systems

---

Tue 5/25 at 2 p.m. – It’s Time to Innovate: Member Engagement in the Post-COVID Age

Does your member engagement strategy revolve around your organization’s needs or does it revolve around the people at the heart of your mission? Learn about member engagement lessons learned during COVID-19, using data to better serve your members, innovative solutions to give your members ownership over their engagement experience, and how to empower your members with the tools they need to improve their industry and their communities. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Gather Voices

Presenters:

• Jacqualine Price Osafo, MBA, CAE, Vice President of Membership at the American Health Information Management Association
• Michael Hoffman, CEO of Gather Voices,

---

Tue 5/25 at 2 p.m. – CEO Update LIVE: Associations and Advocacy

We’re talking to association veterans and advocacy experts about how associations can move forward in the new political environment. They’ll address approaches to gain traction with policymakers—some tried and true, others learned during the pandemic—and share effective advocacy strategies aimed at maintaining credibility in a time of extreme partisanship. More info/register.

Host: CEO Update

Presenters:

• Suzanne Clark, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
• Susan Neely, American Council of Life Insurers
• Jay Timmons, National Association of Manufacturers

---

Tue 5/25 at 3 p.m. – Better Sales Through Better Storytelling

When it comes to sales and marketing, logic doesn’t move people — stories do. James Ontra has been helping clients in every industry refine their stories for over 20 years. He’ll share the insights he’s learned over his extensive career, so you can craft a narrative that connects with your members and creates action. More info/register.

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

Guest: James Ontra, CEO and co-founder of Shufflrr

---

Tue 5/25 at 3 p.m. – How to Hybrid

Hybrid events are still a bit of a mystery to a lot of meeting professionals, and they are seen as complex and costly. Learn about the six key drivers that every meeting professional needs to know about planning, producing, and executing a successful hybrid event, and how to apply the key drivers to common meeting types.1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: PCMA

Presenters:

• John Rissi, SVP, Customer & Industry Engagement, Encore
• Debra Mategrano, Regional Sales Director, Encore

---

Wed 5/26 at 11 a.m. – Spring Cleaning: 5 Reports to Run In Your Membership Database Now

Your data is one of your most valuable assets, and requires care, maintenance, and constant attention. And yet, if you’re like most, you’ve collected and neglected your data over the years, and it’s way past time for a decluttering. Learn about five reports you can run in any database that will help you kickstart your data spring cleaning. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Matrix Group

---

Wed 5/26 at 12 p.m. – Drive Chapter Behavior with Targeted Benchmarking

If we want our chapters to help us serve the members and move the mission, we need to benchmark those behaviors that help us achieve that end. In other words, let’s count the things that count. Benchmarking also implies comparison, and here’s the other important purpose. When we measure and make comparisons on those metrics which are truly important, we can then identify our “bright spots” – the high achievers – and replicate those behaviors across the system. Let’s talk about what we’re benchmarking (or not) and why. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Hosts: Billhighway and Mariner Management

Presenters: Peter Houstle & Peggy Hoffman, Mariner Management

---

Wed 5/26 at 1 p.m. – The State of the Industry Summit

With COVID-19 vaccines finding their way into arms across the U.S. and major destinations easing restrictions for public gatherings, momentum is building for a return to in-person meetings. What will this new environment look like, and what do planners, suppliers and attendees need to know—and need to ask each other? Hear about the current state of the meetings industry, and what the next few months to a year will look like. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: Meetings Today

Presenters:

• Michael Dominguez, President & CEO, ALHI
• Tori Barnes, Executive Vice President, Public Affairs & Policy, US Travel Association
• Cathy Breden, CEO, Center for Exhibition Industry Research

---

Wed 5/26 at 1 p.m. – Associations/Nonprofits – Planning for Accounting Department Disruptions

Accounting within the non-profit sector in particular has experienced unique challenges during this time of unprecedented upheaval. There’s never been a greater need for not-for-profits to pivot, think outside the box, and be creative: especially for associations that primarily provide in-person (people-facing) services. 1.5 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: U.S. Transactions Corp.

Presenters:

• Gary Linnen, CEO, PeerForward
• Wes Tomer, CPA, CGMA, Principal and Managing Director, Vault Consulting
• Tommy Tepper, Vice President of Finance and Operations, SOS Children’s Villages
• Kristina Casey, Senior Consultant, Vault Consulting
• Sadé Hinton-Morris, CPA, Senior Consultant, Vault Consulting

---

Wed 5/26 at 1 p.m. – Nonprofit Cybersecurity: Balancing Best Practices, Budget, and Team Productivity

Get answers to your questions on nonprofit cybersecurity balancing best practices, including ways to build a cybersecurity budget into your technology roadmap, and create a sound process for managing risks and managing staff training, before you consider the specific cybersecurity technologies available to meet your organizational needs. More info/register.

Host: Community IT

Presenters:

• Build Consulting’s change management expert Peter Mirus
• Community IT’s cybersecurity guru Matt Eshleman

---

Wed 5/26 at 1 p.m. – #ExpoChat on Twitter

ExpoChat is a Twitter-based conversation on topics related to the trade show industry. More info.

---

Wed 5/26 at 2 p.m. – The 5 Essential Elements For Developing A Successful Remote Workforce

Remote workforce models have a multitude of compelling benefits. However, to optimize and sustain their full range of perks, organizations should address 5 Essential Elements™  in their chosen model. Learn about each element and why it’s essential, how high-performing organizations with remote workers adopt these elements and how they help improve productivity, and tips for incorporating the elements into action. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Achurch Consulting

---

Wed 5/26 at 2 p.m. – Measuring What Matters: The Value of Your Online Community

You invest a lot of energy into your online community – but how do you measure the impact of your efforts? Learn which key goals and measurements our engagement experts use to measure success, how to know whether your tactics are impacting community and organizational goals, and different ways to demonstrate value to others in your organization. More info/register.

Host: Higher Logic

Presenters:

• Marjorie Anderson, Product Manager at Project Management Institute
• Chris Detzel, Community Program Manager at Reltio
• Kim FitzSimmons, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at American Association of Endodontists
• Jeff Breunsbach, Director of Customer Experience at Higher Logic

---

Wed 5/26 at 2 p.m. – #RealTalk | Standing Up and Speaking Out: AAPI Voices in the Meetings & Events Industry

Join us for an important conversation led by Asian American meetings & events thought leaders who will share their personal and professional experiences on being Asian in this industry and navigating an industry where there still remains little representation. 1 CMP credit. More info/register (fee for MPI non-members).

Host: MPI

Presenters:

• Elaiza Shepherd
• Noelle San Jose
• Kevin Iwamoto, GLP GTP
• Mae Whiting
• Gary Murakami, CMP, CMM, DES

---

Wed 5/26 at 2 p.m. – Improve Attendee Satisfaction and Engagement

As digital programs and events become more prevalent in the industry, so does the expectation from audiences. Attendees are no longer satisfied with sitting passively at their computers, watching a fully digital or a hybrid program. Learn ways to increase not only your attendees’ engagement, but also their overall satisfaction attending your next event. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Host: PCMA

Presenter: Will Curran, Founder & Chief Event Einstein, Endless Events

---

Wed 5/26 at 2 p.m. – How To Get The Best Out Of Your Virtual Fundraiser

We’ve seen new variations and takes on the virtual fundraiser as nonprofits get creative. In this fireside chat, learn what tools and resources are already available to help your nonprofit make a successful transition to online fundraising. Learn what has worked and what hasn’t from three different experts. More info/register.

Host: Remo

---

Wed 5/26 at 4 p.m. – Mindful Networking (Slack Edition)

AWTC Mindful Networking events are quick (45-minute), small group meetings with someone we think you should get to know. No formal presentations. This is a chance to intentionally expand your network, exchange ideas, and get some advice. For this special Mindful Networking, Katherine will also be giving an overview of Slack: what it is, how to use it, and why and when you would use it for your association. More info/register.

Host: Association Women Technology Champions

Presenter: Katherine Matthews, CAE, Manager, Data & Analytics, for the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards

---

Wed 5/26 at 4 p.m. – May EIX: An Exclusive Look at Our New Event Model

We’re introducing our 5-part framework for events, which will cover what audiences really want out their events, how to manage the digital component of your event, and how to build networking events that actually work–both in-person and digitally. More info/register.

Host: 360 Live Media

---

Thu 5/27 at 10 a.m. – Virtual Events – How to Boost Your Sponsor ROI

80% of event planners find managing sponsor/exhibitor ROI is one of the biggest challenges they face around virtual events today. How can organizers help their sponsors and exhibitors see the enormous potential of investing in a virtual space? Learn key considerations when choosing virtual sponsors/exhibitors, how to manage their expectations (pre, during and post-event), and the six most popular ways of boosting sponsor ROI. More info/register.

Host: Eventsforce

---

Thu 5/27 at 11 a.m. – Virtual Networking for Nonprofit & Association Professionals

Meet other great association & nonprofit professionals in this fast and fun — but productive — virtual networking event. We’ll be using a number of online engagement techniques that you can adapt, copy and steal for your own events. This isn’t about just exchanging business cards. It’s designed to really get people to engage and find real value in connecting. You’ll meet 4-8 other great professionals in your field. And even introverts will tell you the format is great. More info/register.

Host: Lee Gimpel, Better Meetings

---

Thu 5/27 at 11 a.m. – Delivering an Amazing CX for All through Hybrid Events

Hybrid events can offer new levels of engagement and interactivity, combining creative storytelling with integrated technology to reach and engage your audiences in entirely new ways, at scale. Learn from organizations who have already delivered amazing hybrid experiences. Pick up ideas around segmentation and tailoring the experience, delivering on expectations, designing with intent, skills, resource and budget required, and how to manage your customer data to enhance experiences in the future. More info/register.

Host: Virtual Events Institute

Presenters:

• Cheri Keith, Head of Strategy, ON24
• Vanessa Lovatt, Chief Evangelist, Glisser
• Chris Mitchell, VP Operations, Intrado
• Neil Mortimer, Client Success Manager EMEA, Grip

---

Thu 5/27 at 12 p.m. – For Total Brand Success, Strengthen Employer Branding

Employer branding may not seem like a big deal for associations, but it helps all types of organizations showcase intentional cultures and inclusive workplaces, which enables authentic communication for why they are an employer of choice. Learn how to define employer branding and how it fits into an association’s overall brand (with an association case study example), initiate conversations between Marketing and Human Resources to collaborate, build and maintain a successful employer brand, engage your talent to help create your Employee Value Proposition (EVP) and tell your brand story, and more. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Marketing Professionals Community

Presenters:

• Atokatha Ashmond Brew, MBA, Managing Director, Marketing & Communication, Nonprofit HR
• Lori Kipnis, Managing Director, Strategy & Advisory, Nonprofit HR
• Maureen DuBois, Senior Director, Human Resources, American Health Law Association
• Stefan Bradham, CAE, Senior Director, Marketing & Communication, American Health Law Association

---

Thu 5/27 at 1 p.m. – Digital-first Culture as a Growth Strategy for Associations

Learn how several association leaders applied digital-first practices to drive growth and engagement within their communities. Find out how to expand your association’s global footprint and grow your membership across borders, provide the right visibility for your sponsors and partners to hold your end of the deal, and wield virtual events technology and social media to boost membership engagement. More info/register.

Host: AirMeet

Presenters:

• Benita Lipps, Head of Association Management, Interel Group
• Dan Ratner, Senior Director, Member Services, FMI-The Food Industry Association
• Jessica Lombardo , Vice President, Membership, ASIS International
• Lynsey Sweales, CEO, Social B
• Reggie Henry, Chief Information and Engagement Officer, ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership
• Susan Arslan, President-Elect, MPI-Meeting Professionals International

---

Thu 5/27 at 1 p.m. – Depleted? Overwhelmed? Start Setting Boundaries

Learn how to use new tools to set effective boundaries with others, understand what gets in the way of personal and professional boundaries, and discover the change you’ll see when you apply these principles and tools to your life. More info/register.

Host: Veritus Group

---

Thu 5/27 at 2 p.m. – Growing Non-Dues Revenue in 2021 & Beyond: The Future of Association Revenue

Learn how to ensure your non-dues revenue models are aligned with current association trends, and how to successfully generate value for members, sponsors, and most importantly, your association. More info/register.

Host: 100 Reviews/Non-Dues-a-Palooza

Presenter: Dan Stevens, President, AssociationTV/WorkerBee, TV, inc

---

Thu 5/27 at 2 p.m. – Marketing Channels for the Largest Generation in the Workforce: The Millennials

Learn about the social media and communications channels that are and are not worth your time for attracting the largest group of adults in the workplace, and a consistent and regular approach to engagement. More info/register.

Host: ASAE

Presenters: millennials Molly Phayer and Erica Salm Rench

---

Thu 5/27 at 2 p.m. – Achieve Mega Impact with Micro Learning

The largest continent in the workforce, Millennials and Gen Z, prefer microlearning to all other formats for continuous professional development to adapt to career demands. Collections of curated content aren’t going to cut it. Learn about the 7 roles microlearning can play in your learning portfolio, whiteboard a 3-part planning process for microlearning development, and explore microlearning format samples with production tips. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: CommPartners

Presenter: Tracy King, Chief Learning Strategist & Founder of InspirEd, InspirEd

---

Wed 6/2 at 12 p.m. – Planning a Return to the Office: A Candid Conversation About How and Why

Learn how associations are managing a return to the office after more than a year of remote work, and why going back is important to improving collaboration and culture. Several voices from a diverse group of associations and a legal authority will discuss the ins and outs of planning a return, key risks and how to answer the common question, “why should I?” 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Host: Association Insights In Old Town (now aka Monthly Events In Cyberspace)

Presenters:

• Laura Withers, IOM, Vice President, Strategic Communications, NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association
• Kathy Compton, Senior Vice President, Brand & Engagement, The American Institute of Architects
• Michele E. Rinn, CAE, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Sr Vice President, Human Resources, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
• Andrew D. Goldman, Esq., Attorney, Your In-House Law

---

Wed 6/2 at 3 p.m. – Four New Association Survey Reports Portend Opportunities for Corporate Sponsorships

Four major new surveys show challenges and obstacles facing associations. The Partnership Professionals Network (PPN) has analyzed the survey reports and identified ways in which robust sponsorship programs can mitigate these situations. Join the PPN Idea Exchange discussion. More info/register.

Host: Partnership Professionals Network

Presenters:

• Bruce Rosenthal, PPN Co-Convener and Principal, Bruce Rosenthal Associates, LLC
• Dan Kowitz, PPN Co-Convener and Founder & CEO, JSB Partnership Consultants

---

Thu 6/3 at 2 p.m. – The CIO Hour: Trust but Verify

In this monthly webinar, non-techies can ask tech questions and learn key information to increase their association’s IT success. Come boost your IT – IQ with this month’s topic: Trust but Verify. Learn how association staff can monitor servers, websites, and applications with low cost and free tools in an easy-to-understand terms. There will also be time to ask ANY tech question of our CIO and get answers to help you with problems you may be facing today. More info/register. 

Host:  501Works

Presenter: James Marquis, chief technology officer, 501Works

---

Association Brain Food Weekly is published Friday mornings. If your organization offers free professional development for the association community, please send me the link via email or Twitter before Wednesday evening.

---

---

Creative Commons photo by Ann via Unsplash

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