No Tricks, Just Tips - Bay Area

Get the best of multiple perspectives in one dynamic learning experience. Uncover frightfully good strategies from three experienced association professionals. Then stir in peer discussions on spooky challenges and conjure up solutions together. Leave ready to work your magic with a cauldron full of practical ideas, actionable takeaways, and new connections.

Courageous Conversations: The Art of Asking, Not Assuming

Most of us hear a problem and immediately start solving it. But when someone brings us something that matters, solving isn't always what they came for — different conversations call for genuinely different things from us, and assuming wrong is why so many well-intentioned exchanges leave both people frustrated and disconnected. I'll offer instead is a case for resisting the reflex to fix, and for treating "what do you need from me right now?" as a question worth asking out loud — up to a boss or a board, down to staff, and sideways to the volunteers and committee chairs who report to no one. Whether or not you supervise anyone, you'll leave with concrete tactics to try in your next meaningful conversation.

Phil Miller, MBA, M.Ed., Chief Operating Officer, California Water Environment Association

Making the Most of a Tiny Event Budget: Creating a Superior Attendee Experience

Big experiences don't require big budgets—they require smart design and creative thinking. Learn proven strategies from an experienced association exec for stretching your budget while creating memorable moments that attendees value. Tap into the collective expertise of your peers by sharing ideas, asking questions, and crowdsourcing practical solutions you can take back to your next event.
 
Christina Bauders, CAE, CMP, Vice President + COO, Compass Management Solutions

Beyond the Prompt: Leading People Through AI Nuance

Most organizations begin their AI journey by asking, "What tools should we use?" I've found the more important question is how we implement those tools without losing the human element that makes our organizations successful. AI isn't a "do more with less" play. It's about understanding how people work, building trust, and creating processes that support both your team and your mission. Drawing from my experience leading operations and organizational change, I'll share practical lessons on integrating AI in ways that strengthen teams, improve processes, and create more time for the work only people can do.
 
Ben Bradley, Director of Operations, Sacramento Regional Builders Exchange

About Your Speakers

Christina Bauders, CAE, CMP, Vice President + COO, Compass Management Solutions

Christina Bauders, CAE, CMP is a nonprofit executive with more than 20 years of experience in association management, governance, operations, marketing, and event management. Christina is the current President of the MPI Sacramento Sierra Nevada Chapter (MPISSN) and a past Board Member of Associations West. She holds both the Certified Association Executive (CAE) and Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designations.

Ben Bradley, Director of Operations, Sacramento Regional Builders Exchange

Ben Bradley is the Director of Operations for the Sacramento Regional Builders Exchange (SRBX) and the Construction Industry Education Foundation (CIEF), where he oversees the connections between operations, human resources, technology, facilities, government affairs, and internal systems.
 
Before joining SRBX, Ben led operations for a commercial real estate and property management company, founded a workforce compliance and operations consulting firm, and served as Director of Operations and a founding member of a statewide trade association growing to more than 500 businesses. 
 
Today, Ben focuses on helping organizations and teams improve how they operate by building practical processes, implementing new technology, and supporting the people responsible for making those systems work.

Phil Miller, MBA, M.Ed., Chief Operating Officer, California Water Environment Association

Phil Miller is the Chief Operating Officer of the California Water Environment Association, an 11,000+ member association representing California’s wastewater sector. Phil has over a decade of executive-level experience leading programs, finance, human resource, risk/compliance, organization culture functions. Phil has served for five years as the Board Chair of Rising Sun Center for Opportunity, an East Bay workforce development nonprofit organization.