Education Sessions

Rediscover Your Play

We often measure our self-worth through our achievements and external results. Many people define success as accomplishing a specific goal or purpose while overlooking how they got there. Fulfillment and happiness exist when you can let go of the results, follow your curiosity, and enjoy the ride.

Research shows that the more we play, the more open we are to the countless possibilities in front of us. In this interactive workshop, you will identify your play values, engage in brainstorming sessions to help find your play, and discover actionable ways to get into flow.

In this high-energy and playful session you will:

• Learn about the science behind flow/play and how this affects productivity & focus
• Practice positive psychology techniques that help connect your work to your purpose​
• Identify your play values and how they can be utilized to tap into your zone of genius

Jeff Harry, keynote speaker + emcee, Rediscover Your Play

Association Leaders Situation Room: Tackling Practical Challenges

Back by popular demand: Step into the Situation Room — a dynamic forum designed to tackle challenges faced by today’s association leaders. This interactive session invites association leaders to share real-world obstacles, exchange ideas, and uncover actionable solutions. Leave with a strengthened network of peers and new tools to lead your association with confidence and resilience. Join CalSAE President, Jim Anderson as he facilitates a lively and interactive session to solve common challenges together to elevate your leadership impact! .

Governance in an Age of Turbulence: Trends, Challenges, and Innovations

Nothing consumes CEOs more, nor is more important to the association than its governance and the board-CEO partnership. Learn about the key issues,  trends and emerging practices as observed by the ASAE Association Governance Center.  These will include new developments in board selection and development, strategic planning, design and conduct of board meetings, board structure and culture, and CEO-Board relations.  Join us for provocative and interactive discussion where we will share our challenges and approaches and learn from each other how we leverage our governance for maximum impact.

Paul Pomerantz, Managing Director, Governance Institute, ASAE Business Solutions, ASAE 

Perfecting Nonprofit Finance with AI & Automation Tools

Discover how AI and automation tools are transforming the nonprofit finance landscape. In this session, we will introduce tools designed to streamline repetitive tasks, enhance financial accuracy, and improve overall efficiency in your finance function. We will show how these tools will save time, reduce manual errors, and increase the financial transparency your leadership demands. We’ll walk through practical examples, highlighting how these technologies are reshaping everyday operations, from budgeting and forecasting to accounts payable and receivable management. 

Alicia Eastvold, CPA, Manager, YPTC Technology, Your Part-Time Controller
Edwin Harvey, Ph.D., Director of AI Solutions & Training, Your Part-Time Controller
Teresa Henderson, MST, CPA, Manager, Association and Membership Organizations Practice, Your Part-Time Controller  

Turn What Your SMEs Know Into What Your Learners Need

You want your members to see you as the go-to resource for professional development. And your association has experts. Lots of them. But do those two things always line up? When creating learning content, subject-matter experts (SMEs) with the best intentions can end up creating content that’s long on information, short on practical application, and wrapped up in a bullet-point PowerPoint bow. The next thing you know, your members are going to YouTube to find what they need instead. In this session, you’ll learn five key strategies for making your content come alive in the classroom or online. Gain practical insights, tips, and resources for making the most of your SME’s expertise and harnessing that power in a productive and helpful way. You’ll walk away better able to move your educational content from simply conveying content to helping your members solve the real problems they face every day.

Amy Morrisey, President, Artisan Learning 

Elevating the Member Experience: Blending Personalization, Automation, and a Dash of AI

Struggling with membership management? You’re not alone. Balancing renewals, events, and daily demands often leaves little room for the meaningful connections that truly matter. But what if you could simplify the chaos and reignite the joy in membership engagement? Uncover strategies for building a dynamic membership culture that marries personalized connections with smart automation. Discover how to map the member journey, leverage AI, and implement innovative techniques that transform the member experience. Whether you are a seasoned pro or new to the field, this session is packed with actionable insights to elevate your impact and create deeper member engagement. Leave with fresh ideas, practical tools, and the confidence to make membership not just manageable but truly memorable. Get ready to revolutionize your approach and bring the fun back to your membership strategy!

Joseph Burak, MBA, Chief Strategist, TRANSiT Strategy & Analytics 
Dani Siver, Director of Membership and Events, Westside Economic Alliance 

Everybody Hates Board Meetings, But We Have a Fix!

While the title is irreverent, our goal is a serious one.  We want to help attendees find more productive and meaningful ways to run board meetings for better outcomes for directors and their associations.  This will be a panel discussion among experts, like yourself, who are steeped—and committed to—good governance. During this session, we will explore how association leaders can take steps to plan meetings for positive outcomes, navigate difficult issues, provide board members a favorable experience, and to communicate, and act on, the board's actions.

Emergency Preparedness - Part 1: Leadership During an Emergency

In this two-hour immersive workshop, you will explore the real-world challenges and solutions of conference emergency management in this engaging panel discussion. This session teaches the basics of the Incident Command System (ICS) and the need for strong leadership during an emergency. This concept empowers staff to work effectively with each other and first-responders. The curriculum presented will provide the framework for a Discussion-Based Exercise (DBE) that you  will participate in Part 2 of this presentation. 

Be sure to attend both Part 1 and 2, from 1:30-2:30 pm, and again from 3:00-4:00 pm

From Plan to Action: Maximizing the Impact of Your Strategic Vision

A thriving association depends on a strategic plan that truly reflects its members’ needs and fuels engagement and growth. This session will equip you with practical tools to create a data-driven, inclusive plan that serves as a roadmap for decision-making and daily operations. Learn how to align meetings, budgets, and communications with your strategy while ensuring leadership accountability and follow-through. Walk away with a best-practices checklist, real-world examples of tracking progress, and strategies to showcase your successes. No matter your association’s size, you’ll leave ready to transform your strategic plan into a dynamic, results-driven resource.

Trinette Marquis, APR, Executive Director, California School PR Association 

Creating a Roadmap to Member Engagement

Growing engaged members begins on their very first day. This session will help you create a dynamic roadmap to cultivate an active and invested membership. Learn how to inspire excitement around your association’s vision and mission, guide members to find their fit in events and leadership roles, and provide opportunities for both personal and professional growth. Explore strategies to build a thriving, inclusive community that makes volunteering fun and rewarding. Discover how to help members measure their success and see the tangible value of their membership. Bonus: this roadmap doesn’t just engage members—it develops future leaders! You’ll leave with practical tools and actionable techniques to implement immediately, driving your association’s success and ensuring a vibrant and engaged membership for years to come.

Navigating Difficult Conversations Through Play

We will facilitate a series of experiential activities that will provide you with play-oriented tools to practice exploring language and tone, shifting perspectives, and questioning the stories in your head. Let us help you redirect the mental energy currently devoted to unhealthy coping mechanisms and channel it towards identifying the underlying obstacles getting in the way of understanding each other. Replace confusion with clarity by adjusting your communication habits that will help build a stronger, healthier future for us all.

Jeff Harry, keynote speaker + emcee, Rediscover Your Play

Emergency Preparedness - Part 2: The Situation Room

Enter a high-stakes environment where you’ll tackle the critical art of emergency management. In Part 2 of this interactive session, you’ll navigate real-world crisis scenarios using an Incident Command System (ICS) framework. Acting as an incident commander, you’ll gain firsthand experience in setting objectives, defining operational periods, and applying actionable emergency management protocols. This discussion-based exercise will also help you enhance team communication, build confidence in managing emergencies of any size or complexity, and develop practical skills that translate seamlessly to real-life situations. Prepare to elevate your crisis leadership capabilities with scenario-based training designed to make a lasting impact. 

Be sure to attend both Part 1 and 2, from 1:30-2:30 pm, and again from 3:00-4:00 pm

Stan Szpytek, President, Fire and Life Safety, Inc.
Laura Thomas, CoFounder, GatherSafe 

The Stay Interview: A Proactive Approach to Retaining Top Talent 

Retaining top talent is essential for an association’s success, and fostering a positive workplace culture is key. According to SHRM's 2023 Global Workplace Culture Report, employees in a healthy work environment are 96% less likely to dread going to work and 78% less likely to seek new opportunities within six months. Unlike exit interviews, which focus on why employees leave, stay interviews are proactive conversations designed to understand current employees’ motivations, concerns, and aspirations—empowering associations to enhance engagement and retention.

This session will guide you in building trust, asking meaningful questions, and developing personalized retention strategies. Learn practical methods to document discussions and follow through effectively. Discover how stay interviews can transform your workplace culture, strengthen employee connections, and drive organizational success.

Jessica Rivera, MBA, PHR, SAHRA, Sr. Trainer, California Employers Association  

Choose a group piques your interest...

Transforming Association Meetings and Events

Connect with fellow association professionals in this interactive learning circle designed to spark ideas and share experiences about planning and managing meetings and events. Dive into candid discussions about current trends, challenges, and opportunities in the events space, from hybrid and virtual formats to sustainability and attendee engagement strategies. This conversational session encourages participants to exchange insights, practical solutions, and lessons learned from their own experiences. Bring your questions, ideas, and expertise to contribute to a dynamic dialogue that will leave you with fresh perspectives and actionable takeaways for your next event. 

Strengthening Association Leadership

This peer-driven discussion brings together association leaders to collaboratively explore effective strategies for strengthening leadership and driving organizational success. Through guided discussions and real-world examples, participants will share challenges, successes, and innovative approaches to leadership development. Topics include building diverse leadership teams, fostering a culture of collaboration, and creating impactful leadership succession plans. Gain valuable insights on how to empower teams, navigate leadership transitions, and align leadership practices with the association’s mission and goals. Leave with practical tools and strategies to elevate your leadership approach, strengthen your organization’s capacity, and inspire your team for the future. Bring your leadership challenges and leave with actionable solutions from your colleagues.

Elevating Membership Strategies 

Explore innovative membership strategies that drive growth and engagement. This open forum invites you to share challenges, insights, and success stories with fellow association professionals who are reimagining membership models to meet evolving member expectations. Together, we’ll discuss strategies for attracting diverse audiences, enhancing member value, and increasing retention. Whether you’re refining your existing strategies or starting from scratch, you’ll leave with fresh perspectives, actionable ideas, and a network of peers who are equally passionate about membership innovation. Elevate your approach and help shape the future of membership success!

Marketing Masterminds: Insights for Innovation 

Step into this dynamic, peer-driven conversation to exchange ideas and uncover fresh approaches to association marketing. This interactive session is a space to share challenges, innovative campaigns, and real-world successes with fellow professionals who are navigating the ever-changing marketing landscape. With no formal presentations, the focus is on collaboration and knowledge sharing with actionable takeaways tailored to your needs. If you are exploring new marketing tools or refining your existing campaigns, you’ll leave with creative insights, practical tips, and connections to energize your marketing efforts. Join us to spark ideas and strengthen your marketing impact!

Rising Leaders: Insights for Emerging Association Professionals 

Experience the power of peer-led learning in this session designed for new, and emerging professionals shaping the future of associations. This interactive forum highlights innovative ideas, challenges, and solutions from the next generation of association leaders. Dive into discussions on navigating career growth, embracing new technologies, and rethinking traditional approaches to member engagement and operations. This is your chance to share experiences, ask questions, and gain actionable insights in a supportive and forward-thinking environment. Whether you're starting your journey in the association world or looking to connect with rising leaders, this session offers valuable perspectives and fosters connections across all career stages. Come prepared to contribute, learn, and leave inspired to drive change in your association.