Membership & Marketing Summit

Thrive Through Loyalty: How To Increase Membership In A Distracted World

Organizations don’t thrive because of better perks. They thrive because members feel they belong. In a marketplace flooded with options, loyalty is no longer earned through incentives—it’s built through emotional connection.

Sheri Jacobs shares groundbreaking research from 100,000 members and insights from nearly half a million professionals to reveal why traditional retention strategies are falling short—and what high-growth organizations do differently. This keynote delivers a clear roadmap for building member communities that drive engagement, advocacy, and long-term growth.

Sheri Jacobs, CEO, Avenue M Group

Inside Out: Building a Culture of Connection for Stronger Communication and Collaboration

Strong public communication begins long before the first press release, community meeting, or social post. It starts inside our organizations. In cities, districts, and agencies, communicators are often asked to tell compelling stories, manage crises, and build public trust, yet internal alignment, collaboration, and connection are frequently overlooked. Silos, unclear priorities, and limited cross department dialogue can quietly undermine even the strongest external strategies. In this interactive session, participants will explore how intentional internal communication practices can strengthen collaboration, trust, and performance across teams and departments. Drawing from real-world examples, this session will introduce a framework and tools to help leaders and communicators build trust, strengthen alignment around mission, improve collaboration across teams, and translate internal wins into authentic external storytelling. Leave with practical ideas you can apply immediately, regardless of organization size or structure, to strengthen both internal culture and external impact.

David Garrison, Outreach and Communications Lead, West Yost

Marketing Smarter, Not Louder: Leveraging AI, Video, and Volunteer Power to Maximize Mission Impact

Associations navigate limited budgets, small teams, and competing priorities as obstacles to effective marketing. At the same time, associations are uniquely positioned to tell powerful, mission-driven stories, often without realizing how many valuable assets they already have. This session is designed specifically for association professionals who want to increase membership visibility and engagement without increasing budgets or staffing. You will learn how to motivate and inspire volunteers and members as authentic mission-focused ambassadors, use AI tools to create and repurpose content efficiently, and leverage short-format video to engage their community and humanize your association’s mission. The session emphasizes practical strategies and actionable takeaways, helping you focus on what will works for your organization. Walk away knowing how to align marketing efforts, use AI tools to streamline content creation and messaging, and how to create authentic short-format videos that increase reach and engagement!

Bridgette Lehrer, M.A., Assistant Director, Marketing and Outreach, Berkeley International Study Program, UC Berkeley

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! Avoid the post-lunch slump with these interactive and participant driven sessions. Select between a membership or marketing focus and get ready to dive into meaningful discussions with your peers on topics that are timely and relevant to you in these 'choose your own' adventure sessions.

Stop the Scroll: Marketing Strategies That Get Attention

Join fellow association professionals for a dynamic, participant-driven conversation focused on today’s most pressing marketing and communications challenges. Rather than a formal presentation, this session is powered by the experiences, questions, and ideas in the room. Together, the group will identify timely topics—such as member engagement, video engagement, content strategy, social media, branding, AI tools, or measuring impact—and exchange practical insights and approaches. Come ready to share what’s working, ask questions, and learn from peers navigating similar opportunities and obstacles.

The Membership Question: What’s Working—and What Isn’t?

This interactive, participant-driven session invites membership professionals to explore the issues that matter most right now. The conversation will be shaped by the group, with attendees identifying timely topics such as recruitment strategies, retention and renewal, member value, engagement models, new membership structures, or evolving expectations. There’s no formal presentation—just an open, peer-powered exchange of ideas, challenges, and solutions. Bring your questions, insights, and experiences, and leave with fresh perspectives and practical ideas you can apply to your membership strategy.

Reimagining Your Association Brand: From Strategy to Successful Launch

Is it time to rethink your association’s brand—or simply refresh it? As member expectations evolve, industries shift, and new audiences emerge, you may be asking whether your brand still reflects your organization's mission and value. Join us for an honest discussion on how to assess your organization’s current value proposition and determine whether a rebrand is the right move - and if bringing in an outside agency is needed. Explore the difference between a simple cosmetic update and a true brand transformation, along with the strategic considerations that should guide your decision. Through two candid case studies, association leaders who recently navigated rebranding will share lessons from early discussions and stakeholder alignment to rollout and implementation—helping you build a clearer roadmap for evaluating, planning, and executing a brand transformation aligned with your organization’s future direction.

Christine Feenstra, Executive Director, CALIE
Eric Grotenhuis, CEO, Page Design Group
Jamie Innamorato, Director of Marketing & Strategy, Associations West

The Art of Membership in the Age of Everything

(BONUS! Delivered by your keynote speaker!)

We’ve long been told the key to membership growth is offering more—more benefits, more options, more reasons to join. But what if that mindset is actually holding us back? In this provocative keynote, bestselling author and membership strategist Sheri Jacobs challenges conventional thinking about member value. The principles from The Art of Membership still apply—define value, understand your members, personalize their experience, and build loyalty—but the way we deliver them has changed. In a world overflowing with choices, success doesn’t come from offering more. It comes from offering better. Strategic constraint can actually strengthen personalization and engagement. Through storytelling, research, and real-world examples, Sheri reveals how clear boundaries can unlock stronger connection, deeper exploration, and more meaningful outcomes of belonging.

Sheri Jacobs, CEO, Avenue M Group

 Sheri Jacobs, CEO, Avenue M Group
Keynote: Thrive Through Loyalty: How To Increase Membership In A Distracted World
Breakout: The Art of Membership in the Age of Everything

 Sheri Jacobs is a renowned keynote speaker, Amazon #1 business/innovation bestselling author, researcher, and CEO of Avenue M Group. She has surveyed nearly half a million people and worked with over 300 organizations to uncover how leaders can amplify every voice, foster risk-taking, and build greater resilience. Drawing from a unique blend of business acumen and real-world insight, as well as the eye of an award-winning wildlife photographer, Sheri challenges conventional thinking and inspires bold action through her global keynotes, workshops, and consulting.

In addition to leading Avenue M Group, Sheri has helped shape industry standards through her service on the Board of Directors for the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and the ASAE Foundation. Her data-driven yet practical approach helps organizations move beyond incremental change to spark meaningful growth.

Based in Denver, Colorado, Sheri draws inspiration from her adventures photographing wildlife from Antarctica to Zambia—and from daily life with her husband, Jon, and their three spirited dogs, Zoey, Ellie, and Jonah.

Christine Feenstra, Executive Director, CALIE
Reimagining Your Association Brand: From Strategy to Successful Launch

Christine Feenstra is the Executive Director of CALIE (California Association for Leading Innovation in Education), formerly CUE. She leads the organization’s transformation into a modern association that inspires learning and empowers educators to embrace technology in ways that create dynamic, equitable classrooms. Under Christine’s leadership, CALIE is rolling out a comprehensive rebrand, updated membership model, and new product portfolio. She has streamlined operations, implemented new technology systems, and repositioned CALIE as the leading community at the intersection of education and technology while elevating the flagship Spring CUE Conference as a national convening for thousands of educators and partners.

Before joining CALIE, Christine held senior leadership roles in nonprofit management, where she developed programs, built convenings, and engaged diverse member communities. Christine is passionate about advancing associations and believes in the transformative power of membership organizations.  

David Garrison, Outreach and Communications Lead, West Yost
Inside Out: Building a Culture of Connection for Stronger Communication and Collaboration

David Garrison brings more than 15 years of experience in outreach, public engagement, strategic planning, and communications leadership. Since 2012, he has partnered with associations and public agencies, working at the intersection of governance alignment, member engagement, and strategic facilitation. Early in his career, David served as a Creative and Communications Director within an Association Management Company, leading branding, communications, and engagement strategies for multiple organizations while working closely with boards, volunteer leaders, and staff teams. He has facilitated strategic planning processes for organizations including the California Society of Municipal Finance Officers and Dublin San Ramon Services District. Today, David serves as Outreach and Communications Lead at West Yost, where he collaborates with public agency leaders to strengthen communication, align stakeholders, and support resilient infrastructure for the future. 

Eric Grotenhuis, CEO, Page Design Group
Reimagining Your Association Brand: From Strategy to Successful Launch

 Eric was born and raised in the upper Midwest, and is a 1992 graduate of the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design. As a teenager, he began working on national design campaigns for SC Johnson Wax, General Mills, Pillsbury, Target, and the Chip Ganassi Racing Team. After moving to sunny Sacramento in 2001, he became partner and Creative Director at Page Design Group, where he added more services to meet the escalating demand for digital marketing and brand messaging. Presently, Eric balances his talents between making Page Design a great place to work, and developing campaigns for many non-profits, associations, and organizations like Visit California, The California Rice Commission, and the California Department of Water Resources. 

Jamie Innamorato, Director of Marketing & Strategy, Associations West
Reimagining Your Association Brand: From Strategy to Successful Launch

 Jamie has built her career as a marketing team of one, developing a versatile skill set that spans analytics and strategy, creative design, and even some coding. This broad expertise—combined with a passion for innovation—has helped the organizations she served challenge the status quo and breakthrough with stronger visibility, communications, and audience engagement. Most recently, Jamie led the successful rebrand of CalSAE to Associations West, guiding the organization through a defining moment in its evolution. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from the University of New Mexico.

Bridgette Lehrer, M.A., Assistant Director, Marketing and Outreach, Berkeley International Study Program, UC Berkeley
Marketing Smarter, Not Louder: Leveraging AI, Video, and Volunteer Power to Maximize Mission Impact

 Bridgette Lehrer is the Assistant Director for Marketing and Outreach with the Berkeley International Study Program, a study abroad option at UC Berkeley for highly motivated visiting students. Since 2009, she has cultivated expertise in engagement, strategic marketing and outreach management with particular emphasis on international student recruitment and alumni relations. Prior to Berkeley, Bridgette worked in diverse industries including nonprofit fundraising, corporate marketing, and technology customer service. Her educational background includes a B.A. in Art History (Arizona State University), an M.A. in Museum Studies (San Francisco State University) and Certificates from Cornell University (Digital Marketing) and UC Davis-Coursera (AI-Powered Content Creation for Social Media Success).