Capital Summit

Conversational Intelligence - Connect, Navigate and Collaborate in a Changing World

Amy Eliza Wong, Founder, Always on Purpose

In today’s fast-changing world, the quality of our work and life often reflects the quality of our conversations. Great results don’t require everyone to like each other—but they do require trust. And trust isn’t built by accident. It’s created—or eroded—in the moment, through the dynamics of our interactions.

Conversational Intelligence® is the skill of connecting, navigating, and growing with others through high-trust communication. This session will explore how to cultivate trust as a daily practice, empowering you and your team to facilitate the free flow of ideas, foster healthy debate, and achieve better-than-expected outcomes.

Whether you’re facing disengagement, low morale, information silos, or declining retention, the root cause may be a low-trust environment. You’ll learn practical strategies to:

• Encourage honest, risk-taking dialogue.
• Ensure people feel heard and valued.
• Unlock creativity and innovation.
• Build a collaborative culture where people show up fully.

Trust is the oil that keeps the machine running—without it, creativity stalls, innovation suffers, and performance declines. This program will give you the tools to turn conversations into catalysts for connection, alignment, and transformation.

Culture By Design – Building Organizations That Thrive

Nancy Green, FASAE, CAE, Interim Executive Director, National Council on Problem Gambling

Today’s workplace is complex—remote teams, shifting expectations, and a demand for equity and purpose. Culture isn’t just about employee engagement anymore; it’s a strategic advantage. This interactive workshop is for anyone who shapes staff experience or drives outcomes. Hear candid insights from senior leaders who have built strong cultures and learned from failure. Walk away with tools and frameworks to identify your culture’s key drivers and design systems that bring it to life—consistently and authentically. Join open, solution-focused conversations about real workplace challenges and how culture can be your foundation for long-term success.

Learning Objectives

• Identify the cultural forces shaping today’s association workplace and understand why intentional culture design is a strategic imperative.
• Apply frameworks to uncover and strengthen the key drivers of your organization’s culture.
• Implement practices that build resilient, purpose-driven cultures through leadership modeling, staff engagement, and systems alignment.
  
  

Buy vs. Build: Why Your Members Deserve More Than Off-the-Shelf

Evan Hawkins, CAE, Association Executive, W Strategies

In today’s digital landscape, associations no longer have to settle for one-size-fits-all software solutions. Thanks to the rise of no-code and AI-driven platforms, it's now possible to build internal tools that are custom-fit to your association’s unique needs. This session will explore how associations can leverage their greatest asset—their deep knowledge of their members and industry—to design tools that support member engagement, streamline operations, and drive impact. Whether it's simplifying internal workflows or creating member experiences that truly resonate, you'll learn how non-technical staff can leverage their expertise of mission and members to create meaningful tech innovation built just for your association. No coding or technical expertise is required. You'll leave this session with the confidence to start building solutions that serve your unique community.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand how no-code and AI-driven platforms enable associations to build custom internal tools without technical expertise.
• Identify ways to leverage staff’s knowledge of members and mission to design tools that enhance engagement and streamline operations.
• Gain confidence to initiate and lead in-house tech innovation tailored to your association’s unique needs.

Leading from the Top: Building High-Impact Association Boards

Nancy Green, FASAE, CAE, Interim Executive Director, National Council on Problem Gambling

Strong boards don’t just govern—they lead with purpose, alignment, and accountability. This session explores what it takes to cultivate a high-performing board that is strategic, engaged, and aligned with your association’s mission and future.

This session will address how to clarify roles, improve board dynamics, and foster a culture of shared leadership. Learn how to structure board development efforts—from recruitment and onboarding to evaluation and succession planning—that elevate both individual and collective impact. Through real-world examples and interactive discussion, you’ll walk away with practical tools to strengthen board performance, build trust, and create a partnership between staff and volunteer leadership that drives results.

Experience Is Everything: Designing Learning That Connects, Engages, and Lasts

Jenny Sauer-Klein, Founder + CEO, The Primary Shift and The Culture Conference
Tired of lecture-style sessions that leave participants disengaged and uninspired? You’re not alone—and there’s a better way. This session will introduce you to the power of Experience Design: a transformative approach that turns information into interactive, meaningful, and memorable learning.

Through real-life examples and hands-on insights, you’ll explore how to craft learning experiences that are engaging, actionable, and aligned with your audience’s needs. Learn how to scale intimacy in large events, activate your participants as co-creators of insight, and create environments where genuine connection and transformation can happen.

If you’re ready to ditch passive presentations and design events that resonate long after they end, this session is your starting point. Because when learning is an experience, it sticks—and it sparks real change.

Learning Objectives

• Recognize the limitations of traditional lecture-based learning and articulate the benefits of experience-driven education.
• Apply key principles of Experience Design to create learning environments that foster connection, insight, and transformation.
• Design and scale experiential techniques for audiences of any size, including large groups, while maintaining a sense of intimacy and relevance.

Moving from Panic to Purpose: Navigating Change with Clarity and Confidence

Amy C. Waninger, Founder & CEO, Lead at Any Level

The association landscape is evolving faster than ever—shaped by shifting member needs, emerging technologies, economic pressures, and changes in how we work. For association professionals, these shifts often spark conversations about disruption, agility, and resilience.  But navigating change doesn’t have to mean reacting with fear or standing still. It can be the spark that propels you forward with clarity, confidence, and momentum.

This interactive session is designed to help you move from feeling overwhelmed to feeling empowered. You’ll explore proven models for navigating change, uncover common barriers like fear and resistance, and engage in a guided exercise to apply these tools to a real transition you’re currently facing. Most importantly, you’ll leave with a personalized action plan—ready to implement not just this session’s insights, but everything you’ve gained during the summit. Don’t let big ideas get stuck in your notebook. This is your moment to turn insight into intentional progress.

Learning Objectives

• Recognize different models for understanding change in both organizational and personal contexts, with examples relevant to associations.
• Identify common responses to change—including fear and resistance—in yourself, staff, and volunteer leaders.
• Evaluate productive behaviors and resilience strategies that strengthen both individual and organizational adaptability.
• Create a personalized action plan for a current or imminent change in your association role.

Amy Eliza Wong, Founder, Always on Purpose    

Conversational Intelligence - Connect, Navigate and Collaborate in a Changing World
Amy Wong is a TEDx speaker, award-winning author, and leadership expert who helps organizations harness the power of human connection to unlock breakthrough performance and create winning teams. Drawing from her unique background in mathematics and transpersonal psychology and two decades in Silicon Valley, she has developed methodologies that create thriving cultures at organizations like LinkedIn, Salesforce, and Meta. Amy currently teaches communication and leadership courses at Stanford University Continuing Education and is the author of “Living on Purpose.” Amy shows how trust, alignment, and exceptional communication create the conditions for individual fulfillment and organizational success.

Amy C. Waninger, Founder & CEO, Lead at Any Level 

Moving from Panic to Purpose: Navigating Change with Clarity and Confidence

Amy is the Founder & CEO of Lead at Any Level, where she improves employee engagement and retention for companies that promote from within. Amy offers assessments, advisory services, and training on essential skills for inclusive leaders. She is the author of eight books including Network Beyond Bias: Making Diversity a Competitive Advantage for Your Career.

Amy is a Certified Diversity Professional (CDP), Certified Diversity Executive (CDE), and Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach. She is also a Member of National Speakers Association and a Prosci Certified Change Practitioner. She’s been named a Top 100 HR Influencer globally, five years in a row, and has served clients and audiences on all seven continents, including Antarctica! Her other credentials include two degrees from Indiana University and a “World’s Best Mom” coffee mug."

Evan Hawkins, CAE, Association Executive, W Strategies    

Buy vs. Build: Why Your Members Deserve More Than Off-the-Shelf

Evan Hawkins is an experienced association executive who helps mission-driven organizations solve complex challenges with creative, tech-enabled solutions. As an Association Executive at W Strategies, Evan specializes in helping small-staff associations streamline operations, enhance member engagement, and build custom tools using no-code and AI platforms. With over 15 years of leadership experience in advocacy, governance, and organizational development, Evan brings a practical, strategic lens to digital transformation. He previously served as Executive Director of the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges, where he led major advancements in membership, governance, and advocacy impact.

Jenny Sauer-Klein, Founder + CEO, The Primary Shift and The Culture Conference

Experience Is Everything: Designing Learning That Connects, Engages, and Lasts

Jenny Sauer-Klein is a serial entrepreneur who is passionate about designing transformational experiences that prioritize connection over content. She is the founder and CEO of The Primary Shift, a workplace experience design studio that helps companies engage their employees and bring their culture to life through dynamic learning experiences. She has consulted with and ran programs for leading organizations like Airbnb, Google, Dropbox, the Haas School of Business and Stanford. She created Play On Purpose (a video tutorial library of her best 80+ virtual and in-person team building games) to support leaders to confidently engage and connect groups and teams. She is also the founder and CEO of The Culture Conference, an invite-only event for organizational leaders who are committed to building a positive culture from the inside out. 

Nancy Green, FASAE, CAE, Interim Executive Director, National Council on Problem Gambling

Culture By Design – Building Organizations That Thrive
Leading from the Top: Building High-Impact Association Boards

Nancy Green is a versatile senior executive with more than 30 years of experience advising and leading complex organizations in the association and non-profit sectors. She is skilled at partnering with boards to implement effective governance practices, facilitating strategic conversations and annual planning, and using data to drive sound decision-making. Specializing in transition management, Green has most recently held interim leadership roles, where navigating operational change, implementing strong governance models, building trust with staff teams, and stabilizing systems for continued growth are key to success. As a leader, Green is known for her ability to create inclusive cultures focused on results. She excels at facilitating transparency, guiding successful transitions, and ensuring that boards and staff teams are aligned and working collaboratively. She has successfully raised the profile and influence of the organizations she has led by forging key partnerships, implementing consistent messaging strategies, and developing innovative programs and products.