Education Sessions

because I said I would.

We live in a society that often does not respect the importance of a promise. It is too easy to say, "I'll get to it" or "tomorrow.” This expectation starts to fade into our character as individuals. Alex Sheen believes that every individual has the strength to become a person of their word. As the Founder of an international social movement, Alex shares his insights and actionable ways to become better at fulfilling commitments. He inspires others to become more accountable to their promises through compelling and real-life examples from the because I said I would movement. Alex convincingly illustrates how integrity and keeping your promises are forever interwoven to truly changing humanity for the better.

Alex Sheen, Founder, because I said I would

10 PR Hacks for Association Leaders

Great public relations doesn’t happen by accident. It takes strategic planning, effective systems, and authentic engagement. While you may not have the resources to hire an outside firm or the time to take on another full-time job, there are several key practices that can ensure your public relations efforts are impactful and consistent. Discuss top tips from a PR consultant, professor and author who recently became the first Executive Director of a statewide PR association and be ready to share your own proven practices.

Trinette Marquis, APR, Executive Director, California School Public Relations Association

A Trusted Source: Ethical Considerations for Association Content Curation

Associations often rely on a mix of original content creation and the curation of industry news from various outlets to keep members informed. When distributing content on behalf of other organizations though, associations take on the responsibility of vetting sources that value truth, honesty, and respect. Take a closer look at the ethical considerations that you should keep top of mind when curating relevant industry content to share with members. Discuss specific questions to consider before sharing content within your member communications to ensure the highest quality.

Sarah Sain, CAE, Senior Director, Content Services, Naylor Association Solutions

Leadership Survival Guide

You’re a CEO, executive director, or head honcho! Congratulations! Now what? Hear from three different CEOs of diverse backgrounds as they share their career journey to their current role as CEO. Hear how they had to quickly navigate their organization’s landscape, politics, landmines, and fiscal challenges. Listen to what they have to say about lessons learned, challenges overcome, and proactive strategies they implemented to inspire their stakeholders to achieve success. Walk away understanding the different pathways to executive leadership and whether the chief staff executive role is a potential role for you.

Melanee Cottrill, MBA, Executive Director, California Association of
School Psychologists
Shaun Rundle, Executive Director, California Peace Officers Association
Oyango Snell, Esq., CAE, Executive Director, California Lawyers
Association

Mastering the Art of Negotiation

If you think negotiating skills are only for salespeople, think again! Every single relationship in your personal and professional life entails some negotiation. Trying to increase your team’s productivity? Attempting to get the best deal from a vendor? Pitching your services to recruit and retain members? In all these situations, you’ll have to negotiate to succeed. This session takes the mystery out of a negotiation by creating a step-by-step process for analyzing the other party’s motivation and how you can come together to achieve success.

Valerie Grubb, CSP, Keynote Speaker, Author, Executive Coach,
Val Grubb and Associates

Associations: Know Thy Value Proposition!

For optimal performance, associations must have a clear understanding of the value proposition offered to members. That is - what is the perceived value of the goods and services that members receive in return for dues? An analysis of a value proposition allows you to study where members find value, and if it varies across member types or demographical segments. If you truly know your value proposition, your organization can solidify recruitment and retention activities by offering relevant programs and compelling messaging. Learn how to conduct your own value proposition analysis to determine how best to serve your members.

Brett Fraser, MBA, MA, Association Services Director + Strategist,
Compass Management Solutions
David Murillo, CAE, President & CEO, Compass Management Solutions

Life After Launch. Now What? Tactics to Ensure Success.

Organizations think of their go-live date or launch as a destination, a point in time when final tasks will be finished. While the go-live marker is cause for celebration, the date should mark is a significant milestone rather than the end game for your project. To ensure long-term success of technology investments, associations need to focus on “what’s next” including continuous adoption and improvement. Discover how to shift your organization to a “life after launch” mentality, to drive adoption, enhance ROI, and increase the success of your AMS or any other technology initiative.

Rebecca Achurch, PgMP, PMP, CSM, CAE CIO, Achurch Consulting
Patrick Dorsey, SVP, Impexium

Networking Works: Build Relationships to Grow Your Organization

Networking strikes fear into the heart of even the most confident leader. What if you don't know anyone? What if you're an introvert? How do you introduce yourself? How do you enter a group conversation in progress, and how do you exit when you're ready to move on? Whether in-person or virtual, networking is a critical tool for building visibility, credibility and awareness for your work, yet many leaders don't represent themselves or their organization effectively. This workshop covers the nitty gritty of talking to strangers, building relationships and partnerships, and making everyone feel included. BONUS - you can take these learnings right into the evening networking activities immediately following this session, and throughout ELEVATE.

Lisa Braithwaite, M.A. Public Speaking Coach and Presentation Skills
Trainer, The LisaB Company

Your Board Wasn't Born Perfect: New Orientation, Refresh, and Onboarding

The efficacy with which our boards work together directly impact an organization's ability to advance its mission. Particularly now, as we emerge from a time of virtual and distance, we have new volunteer leaders who may have never had time with their board members, making it harder for the board to feel like a team. Explore the differences between a board orientation for new board members, a board refresh for returning, and a board onboarding for the team. Walk away with new ideas and practical approaches on how to structure their board for greater success as individual leaders and together as a unit.

Lowell Aplebaum, FASAE, CAE, CPF, CEO, Vista Cova