7.75 Hours (pending)

KEYNOTE & BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Opening Keynote (8:30-9:30 a.m.)

Connect for Keeps
CAE Domain 2: Executive Leadership

Keynote Speaker: Sean Bott,  Sean Bott LLC

People don't leave companies, they leave management (and really bad jokes). Often people trudge along in jobs where they feel unseen, and where their best efforts go unrecognized. They feel invisible. The tools in his keynote, clinically proven through various therapeutic modalities and self-compassion research, will teach your people how to make others feel understood, connected, and valued. People stay, contribute, and thrive where they are seen. Layer on a truly memorable mind- reading moments and a few solid Dad jokes, and this keynote will be the signature event your people refer to again and again.

Presented courtesy of:

Monday Morning Breakout Sessions (9:45-11:00 a.m.)

Beyond Membership: Strengthening Culture and Performance in Association Teams
CAE Domain 2: Executive Leadership

Ethical Decision-Making for Today’s Association Leaders
CAE Domain 6: Member and Stakeholder Engagement and Management

Speaker: Holly Davis, Gauge Strategy LLC, Principal Consultant

Ethical decision-making is essential to Association leadership, shaping trust, transparency, and long-term impact. This course explores foundational principles and real-world dilemmas across organizational culture, donor relations, and professional conduct. Participants will examine issues like sponsor influence, digital privacy, conflicts of interest, and fairness in resource allocation. Through interactive discussions and practical frameworks, they’ll gain tools to uphold integrity in complex situations. The session empowers leaders to foster ethical clarity, strengthen institutional accountability, and build resilient, values-driven teams.

More Than a Vision Statement: Operationalizing Transformation in Associations
CAE Domain 4: Operations

Speaker: Kelsey Croston, Richmond Association of REALTORS, Chief Operating Officer

The association industry is driven by financial pressures, shifting regulations, diverse member expectations, and technology disruption. This means tomorrow’s success hinges on operational excellence today. Many sectors not only need strategic change, but transformation. This session explores how leaders can apply change management principles alongside core operational disciplines to guide their associations through transformation.

Monday Afternoon Breakout Sessions (1:00-2:15 p.m.)

Mission-Driven Leadership: Uniting Governance and Volunteer Engagement
CAE Domain 1: Governance

 
Befriending the Black Swan: Planning for Effective Crisis Communication
CAE Domain 8: Marketing and Communications

From Transition to Continuity: Strengthening Board - Executive Alignment
CAE Domain 1: Governance

Speaker: Alison Teitelbaum,  MS, MPH, CAE ASR Strategies, Founder & Principal Consultant

Leadership transitions are inevitable—but disruption doesn’t have to be. Too often, boards and executives struggle with misaligned expectations, unclear roles, and competing visions when leaders change. This session explores how associations can move from reactive transitions to proactive continuity. Drawing on real-world case studies and two decades of experience guiding boards and leadership teams, Alison Teitelbaum will share practical strategies and tools to foster stability during leadership changes, strengthen board–executive partnerships, and reduce the drama that undermines organizational progress. Participants will leave with a clearer roadmap for sustaining alignment, clarity, and momentum through times of change

Monday Afternoon Breakout Sessions (2:30-3:30 p.m.)

Navigating Burnout in the Association World
CAE Domain 2: Executive Leadership

Speaker: Maureen Dingus, CAE, VA Society of CPA's, Chief Operating Officer

In the mission-driven, high-expectation world of associations, burnout has quietly become a common and costly reality. Juggling member needs, tight budgets, constant change and increasingly blurred work-life boundaries can wear down even the most passionate professionals. This session will explore the realities of burnout and offer practical strategies for prevention and intervention. We’ll also examine professions with the highest levels of burnout and highlight how their associations are stepping up, providing training, resources, and support systems. Together, we'll unpack how early recognition and proactive culture shifts can lead to healthier individuals and stronger organizations.

Digging for Truth: Uncovering the Drivers of Membership & Retention
CAE Domain 6: Member and Stakeholder Engagement and Management

Speaker: Pete Zimek, CAE, Novi AMS, CEO

Uncover the answers to the questions that have challenged membership managers and association leaders for decades: “Why do members join, and why do they stay?” This session offers a dynamic blend of peer insights, academic perspectives, and practical tools to help you conduct impactful research within your own association. Together, we’ll explore tried-and-true research methodologies, as well as budget-friendly strategies to gain a deeper understanding of member motivations. Equip yourself with the knowledge to make data-driven decisions that strengthen both recruitment and retention efforts in your organization.

Monday Afternoon Shared Interest Group Meetings (3:30-4:30 p.m.)
Shared Interest Groups (SIGs) are a great way to learn from fellow association executives about the issues keeping you up at night. These member-led discussions are organized around areas of interest and offer a forum for you to discuss what matters most to you. Earn 1.00 CAE hour per meeting. Choose from these SIG meetings:

• Association Management Companies
• Associate Members (service and technology providers, hospitality, vendors)
• Chief Executive Officers/Executive Directors
  
• Government Affairs
• Membership, Marketing & Communications
• Meeting Planners
• Senior Staff
  
  

Tuesday Morning Closing Keynote (9:00-10:15 a.m.)

Choose to Rise: 5 Keys to Maintain Balance and Ignite Momentum 
CAE Domain 2: Executive Leadership

Keynote Speaker: Janine Stange, Janine Stange LLC, Public Speaker

For many association executives, leadership can feel like a never-ending game of whack-a-mole—membership pressures, staffing challenges, budget constraints, board changes, and industry uncertainty all competing for attention at once. It’s easy to feel stuck or overwhelmed. Choose to Rise invites leaders to pause, reset, and regain momentum by focusing on what is within their control—committing to do what you can, with what you’ve got, where you are. This keynote introduces the D.R.O.P.P. Method—a practical framework for navigating constant change with clarity and purpose: Decompress, Reconcile, Observe, Plan, Prepare, and Promise. Participants will also explore common Procrastination Profiles, uncovering how fear, self-doubt, and distraction quietly derail progress—and how to move forward anyway. Grounded in the real world of association leadership, this session reminds AEs that while they may represent different industries, they are not alone. Attendees leave with renewed perspective, practical tools, and the confidence to lead with balance, creativity, and momentum—right where they are.

Presented courtesy of:

Tuesday Morning General Session (10:30-11:30 a.m.)

No Theory, Just Practice: Real AI Tactics Your Association Can Steal Today
CAE Domain 8: Marketing and Communications

LEARNING PATHWAYS

Early-Career and Program Staff
Professionals early in their association careers or stepping into new responsibilities

• Ethical Decision-Making for Today's Association Leaders

• Mission-Driven Leadership: Uniting Governance and Volunteer Engagement

• Navigating Burnout in the Association World

Designed for leaders building confidence, leadership judgment, and a strong culture of ethical and people-centered leadership. 

Managers and Directors
Managers, directors, and senior staff responsible for teams, programs, or functional areas
Suggested Sessions

• Beyond Membership: Strengthening Culture and Performance in Association Teams
• More Than a Vision Statement: Operationalizing Transformation in Associations
• Digging for Truth: Uncovering the Drivers of Membership and Retention

Designed for leaders translating strategy into action through teams, operations and data-informed decision-making. 

Executives and Senior Staff
Executive Directors, CEOs, COOs, vice presidents, and other senior-level staff
Suggested Sessions

• From Transition to Continuity: Strengthening Board-Executive Alignment
• Ethical Decision-Making for Today's Association Leaders
• More Than a Vision Statement: Operationalizing Transformation in Associations

Designed for executives focused on governance alignment, risk management, and long-term organizational stability. 

Resilience, Wellbeing & Sustainable Association Careers
Applicable at any career stage; especially for those navigating pressure, change, or transition
Suggested Sessions

• Navigating Burnout in the Association World
• Beyond Membership: Strengthening Culture and Performance in Association Teams
• Befriending the Black Swan: Planning for Effective Crisis Communication

Designed for association professionals focused on sustaining themselves, their teams, and their organizations over the long term. 

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