Education Sessions

Ask the Association Attorney: Everything You Want to Know 

From one of the country’s most experienced and notable association attorneys, come armed with your questions as we explore the most pressing legal issues facing trade and professional association these days. In a Q&A-driven format, explore some of the hottest topics and legal risks creating buzz in the association community, from minimizing DEI-related risk to regulating AI usage by staff and volunteer leaders to protecting tax-exempt status, managing HR-related legal risk, avoiding antitrust problems, and more. In plain English and an interactive format, learn the key red flags you need to be able to spot, what you should do when you spot them, and practical tips and suggestions for protecting your association and mitigating legal risk. 

Jeffrey S. Tenenbaum, Esq., Managing Partner, Tenenbaum Law
Group PLLC

Advice from Lawmakers’ Staff on How to Advocate Effectively

Who better to ask for legislative advice than the people who advise the legislators? Whether your association has a lot of legislative “juice” or you don’t have a clue what that even means, this session puts you in the room with the people who are in the room. Bring your questions, your notepad, or just your intellectual curiosity to hear what the staff representing our lawmakers have to say about the legislative process and how association professionals can best communicate and work with legislative representatives and their offices.

Kyle Packham, Chief Advocacy and External Affairs Officer, California Special Districts Association
Russellie Bongolan, District Director, Office of Congressman Dave Min (D-Irvine)
Jennifer Carey, Chief of Staff, Office of Senator Tony Strickland (R-Huntington Beach)
Cooper Strull, District Director, Office of Assembly Member Diane Dixon (R-Newport Beach)

Peer-Powered Lab: Marketing & Communications

Step into a collaborative, high-energy lab designed for association marketing and communications pros who want real talk and real solutions. This peer-powered session invites you to share emerging insights, campaign ideas, and challenges you’re wrestling with right now. Compare notes with colleagues, crowdsource fresh approaches, and get practical guidance to bring back. Whether you’re refining messaging, boosting engagement, or navigating limited resources, you’ll leave with new perspectives, sharper ideas, and momentum to put what you’re learning into action.

Peer-Powered Facilitator: Tara Da Re, Managing Director, California Attorneys for Criminal Justice

Speak with Confidence: Public Speaking Skills for Association Executives

You don’t have to be a keynote speaker to need public speaking skills. As an association executive, you're regularly in front of members, boards, or stakeholders - and how you speak impacts how your message is received. But if public speaking feels stressful or unnatural, you’re not alone. This practical, judgment-free session is designed specifically for association professionals. It pairs essential speaking concepts with technical and stagecraft skills (think mic-use tips, how to pace your voice, and more) for pros who want to improve their communication on stage, at the podium, or with a mic from the floor at a member event. You’ll learn how to sound more credible, reduce nerves, and avoid common mistakes - even if speaking isn’t your thing.

Grant Fu, Cinematographer, Audio Engineer, Magnus Media Group Video Production

K'ai Roberts Fu, Video Editor, Cat-Herder-in-Chief, Magnus Media Group Video Production

 

The Ethical Association Leader

In today’s rapidly evolving landscape, association professionals must make decisions that serve members while upholding the highest ethical standards. This can be especially challenging amid complex issues of governance, member interests, and external partnerships. This session explores the core principles of ethical leadership in associations, guided by ASAE’s recently updated Ethics Toolkit. Learn how to foster transparency, trust, and accountability while navigating conflicts of interest, member advocacy, and industry regulations. Through real-world case studies, gain practical insights into making values-based decisions aligned with your organization’s mission and goals. Leave with actionable strategies to build an ethical framework that strengthens member trust, enhances organizational reputation, and supports long-term success. Ideal for executive directors, board members, and association professionals committed to leading with integrity.
Participation in this session provides 1 CAE Ethical Credit.

Cindy Ziegler, Director of Governance and Special Initiatives, APIC – Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (and past-Chair of the ASAE Ethics Committee)

Leading Your Board Fearlessly: Transforming Risk-Averse Directors into Strategic Champions

Board risk aversion can cripple mission-critical initiatives. In an age of rapid transformation, from shifting membership models to technological disruption like AI, associations can’t afford indecision. This session offers a candid and action-packed experience: real-case comparisons of boards that blocked investment versus those that embraced it, interactive scenario planning, peer-to-peer diagnostics, and guided action mapping. Participants will learn to reframe fiduciary responsibility as both stewardship and strategic foresight, deploy transparent trust-building practices without encouraging micromanagement, and facilitate board conversations that inspire vision, not suspicion. Attendees will leave with a personal “fearless board” action plan that is ready to bring back to their next board meeting and begin shifting the culture toward confident, mission-centered decision-making.

Matt Ott, MS, FASAE, CAE, CMP, AAiP, CEO & Co-Founder, Momentum Association Management

The Post-AI Association: What Business Models Survive?

Your certification program can now be created by AI in hours, not months.  Your research reports and content can be produced at scale at the click of a button. And your conference education can be replicated with a well-worded prompt.  What revenue streams will survive as AI transforms how associations deliver value? This session explores which association business models will remain viable, and reveals emerging opportunities that smart associations are already capturing. Through example scenarios and practical frameworks, you will learn to assess your current revenue streams, identify AI-enhanced opportunities, and develop strategies for thriving in an AI-transformed landscape. Leave with actionable tools to evaluate your association's business model resilience.  You'll have a roadmap for building sustainable revenue streams, and leverage AI rather than compete against it.  Most importantly, you'll have confidence in your ability to lead this critical strategic pivot to a post-AI future, and thrive.

Vanessa Dennison, CAE, CBAP, Principal, Dennison & Associates

 

When to Let Go: The Art and Heart of Sunsetting Programs and Organizations

Every association leader knows the challenge of starting new initiatives—but what about ending them? This candid panel explores one of leadership's most difficult decisions: knowing when to sunset programs, pivot strategic direction, or even close an organization's doors. Three association leaders share their real-world experiences navigating these transitions, from sunsetting beloved flagship programs to merging entire organizations. They'll discuss the strategic considerations that guided their decisions, how they managed staff emotional attachment and culture shock, and what they learned about communicating difficult changes to stakeholders. Whether you're evaluating a pilot that isn't gaining traction, reconsidering a long-standing program that no longer serves your mission, or facing more existential organizational questions, this session offers practical wisdom and emotional honesty about the endings that make new beginnings possible.

Laurel Nava, CAE, Deputy Executive Director, CITE (California IT in Education)
Shannan Young, RDN, SNS, Initiatives, Education & Engagement Officer, Dairy Council of California
Dani Siver, Director of Membership + Events, Westside Economic Alliance

ABCs of AMCs: A Transparent Conversation About How Association Management Companies Really Work

Association Management Companies (AMCs) often play a major role in shaping programs, supporting boards, and delivering the day-to-day member experience — yet, for many association professionals, the AMC model still feels unclear or misunderstood. This session aims to change that through a candid, highly interactive conversation with AMC leaders who will pull back the curtain on how AMC operations actually function.
This session is designed to be open, honest, and grounded in real experiences. Attendees will walk away with a clearer understanding of the AMC model, stronger insight into AMC–association collaboration, and practical takeaways for improving these partnerships in their own organizations.

Moderator: Amanda Rae Smith, Senior Account Manager: Operations, Smith Moore & Associates

Panelists:

Karl Baur, CMP, CAE, Senior Executive Director, ARC

Andrea Casillas, President & Owner, Group Concepts

Elizabeth Cardwell, CAE, CMP, Senior Account Executive, Smith Moore & Associates

Kirsten Machi, CMP, Founder & COO, Association Management Solutions, LLC

From Obstacles to Opportunities: Strengthening Culture & Leadership

Jess’s #1 Amazon Best Seller, Almost Doing Good, turns real-world challenges into lessons for stronger leadership and higher-performing teams. Drawing from decades of experience with organizations navigating complex situations, Learn how to anticipate obstacles, leverage existing skills, and strengthen team agility to respond effectively to change. Combining her research, 20+ years of consulting, and a healthy dose of humor, Jess tackles the tough topics that often get left unspoken, helping leaders and teams take meaningful action. In this open dialogue, you will be encouraged to  lead boldly, strengthen culture, and achieve lasting performance - no matter what challenges arise.

Jessica Pettitt, MBA, CSP, Med, Founder, Good Enough Now

Is Your Association Ready? An Executive Succession Readiness Toolkit

How can you setup your successor for success in stepping into the executive director role? This interactive workshop equips chief staff executives with a board-sharable practical succession readiness toolkit to assess internal leadership potential with confidence and clarity. This session explores decision criteria, personality and leadership assessments, a competency rubric, and sample interview questions that reveal more than your gut or a resume could. We'll also tackle the tough stuff: cultural risks, interim leadership options, and what to do if a promotion doesn't work out. You will walk away with a customizable tool, real-world insights, and a framework to guide you and your board in planning for the next executive transition—whether it's happening next month or five years from now.

Greg Wilson, Interim Executive Director, Greg Wilson Consulting

Peer-Powered Lab: Emerging Association Professionals-Connect, Learn & Grow

New-ish to the association world? You’re not alone—and this session is built just for you. This interactive, peer-powered lab brings together emerging professionals to connect, share experiences, and learn from one another in a relaxed, welcoming setting. Swap insights, ask questions you may not feel comfortable asking elsewhere, and build relationships with peers navigating similar roles and challenges.

Peer-Powered Facilitator: Erin N Smith, Director of Member Services, Sacramento Association of REALTORS®