The weekly list of free educational events and resources for the association community…
Hybrid online courses. WBT Systems shares examples of hybrid online courses from the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA) and two other associations. TIA’s courses offer “the convenience and flexibility of asynchronous, on-demand learning combined with the live instructor and peer interaction, plus learner support, normally associated with synchronous learning.” This learning mix is the backbone of cohort programs, which are so popular right now.
Blended learning. Leading Learning’s new guide (sponsored by WBT Systems) helps you understand why and how to enhance or add blended learning offerings to your association’s portfolio. Blended learning is another type of hybrid—a mix of in-person and online learning.
AMS warning signs. Selecting and implementing a new AMS is a royal PITA, but sometimes you have to put on your big-girl (-boy) pants and do it. Impexium describes the seven signs you need a new AMS. If you’re seeing any of these red flags at your association, start gathering your evidence so you can make a case for a new system.
Hybrid workplace budget. Achurch Consulting shares their three-step budgeting process for hybrid workplaces, plus the factors you should consider while budgeting and areas that need special attention.
Data warehouse. No matter your level of IT proficiency, if you’re shopping for an AMS, you need to get somewhat technical to know exactly what you’re looking at and whether it’s the best fit for your association. MemberSuite explains the benefits of an AMS with its own built-in data warehouse, so you don’t have to rely on other software for analysis and reporting.
Instructional design. Blue Sky eLearn’s step-by-step guide to instructional design helps you decide what educational programs your market needs, develop learning objectives and assessments, map content, and design your program.
digitalNow 2022 recap. Jose Triana at Sidecar recaps days 1 and 2 of the conference, which focused on AI and Web3. He explains both these concepts, clears up misconceptions about AI, describes Web3’s relationship with blockchain technology and suggests how you can start experimenting with each technology.
Accessible websites. Cierra Loflin at Superpath explains why creating accessible website content is so important and describes the steps to making your website more accessible, including small changes that make a big impact.
Good eats
Skip down to the list of free educational events if you prefer takeout.
I was excited to get sheepshead again in my fish share. I topped the fillets with a mix of melted butter, parmesan, bread crumbs, lemon zest, chives, garlic powder and salt, and slid them into the oven. On the side, roasted butternut squash with smoked paprika, cinnamon, garlic powder and cayenne, and summer squash with basil pesto, parmesan, three colors of sweet bell pepper and onion.
The next night, Portuguese fish skillet made with yellowfin tuna, linguiça, tomatoes, chickpeas and more.
We’re having a bonanza poblano pepper harvest right now, so I made ground chorizo and linguiça stuffed poblano peppers. Other ingredients: onion, mushrooms, sweet bell pepper, jalapeño, garlic, smoked paprika, oregano, cooked brown rice, and shredded cheddar. On the side, a sauté of chard (and stems), kale, bacon, red onion, jalapeño, garlic and dried cranberries.
As an appetizer, we enjoyed whole pompano sauteed with lemon butter that Jim caught while we were at Ocean Isle Beach last weekend. These little fish only end up being four to six bites per fish, but they taste as good as sweet crabmeat.
If you have a free webinar or event coming up, please send me the link by Wednesday afternoon the week before it’s scheduled. I’ll be happy to feature it as long as it’s not too product centric.
Fri 10/28 at 12 p.m.* – EventTech Chat
A weekly conversation about meeting and event technology, including software, hardware, and audiovisual for in-person and online events. More info/register.
Host: Brandt Krueger, founder, Event Technology Consulting
*All events are online at Eastern Daylight Time unless otherwise noted.
Fri 10/28 at 4 p.m. – Association Membership: Shifts in Trends
Associations have seen shifts in membership trends over the last couple of years. Join us for a panel discussion that will encourage participants to share their onboarding practices, engagement methods, and state of retention, plus their experiences on changes since the pandemic, building community, and solutions to address retention concerns. More info/register.
Host: Fridays@4
Speaker: Amy Hemphill, Senior Director of Member Relations, ASAE
Moderator: Regais Wilson, Senior Manager, Membership and Chapters, National Grants Management Association
Mon 10/31 at 1 p.m. – The Humanity of Technology (Nonprofit Conversations with Cecilia Sepp, CAE)
Extended episode with exercises. This series of 15- to 20-minute videos covers hot topics and issues related to 501c organization management. New episodes are posted around 1 p.m. every Monday. Check out Cecilia’s Nonprofit Executive Spotlight series too.
Guest: Miguel Neves, Editor In Chief, Skift Meetings
Host: Cecilia Sepp, CAE, CNAP, principal and founder, Rogue Tulips LLC
Tue 11/1 at 12 p.m. – Data Governance (Data Analytics Network)
The panel will be comprised of association data experts immersed in data governance implementations. Bill Conforti, of Association Analytics, will moderate the conversation and cover topics from getting started with data governance to guiding a team of data stewards. Karine Blaufuss (AGU), Dan Hickey (Delcor), Evan Reid (ASHA), and Jennifer Sargent (AAAS), will discuss their real-world experience with data governance and provide some tips, tricks, and many many lessons learned. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Association Analytics
Tue 11/1 at 12 p.m. – Five Strategic Focus Areas For 2023 Planning
Hear about five areas to focus on as the year comes to a close and you prepare for the year ahead. Learn about trends impacting member engagement, member growth, measurements, outcomes, and sustainability. More info/register.
Host: GrowthZone
Speaker: Shari Pash, founder, Strategic Solutions for Growth
Tue 11/1 at 12 p.m. – Beyond Networking: Event-Planning Reimagined
Networking doesn’t need to feel intimidating. In fact, if done well, it can become one of the most enjoyable parts of our jobs. First, we need to rethink how it’s been done in the past. Explore the future of networking and what it truly means to build meaningful relationships. Learn three steps to improve your network, a positive new way of perceiving your network, and several tangible tools to maintain your network. 0.5 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: MPI
Tue 11/1 at 1 p.m. – Facilitation Tips and Tricks: The Art of Helping Others Engage
New volunteer leadership and work environments have increased the need for conversations and meetings that focus as much on connection and listening as on the content presented. Learn how to identify the nine competencies every facilitator should know and incorporate into the meetings they lead. Walk away with an increased knowledge of the theory of facilitation and a wider tool belt of approaches. Learn the personalized experience of application and feedback and emerge as a better facilitator. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speakers:
- Aaron Wolowiec, MSA, CAE, CMP, President & CEO, Event Garde LLC
- Lowell Aplebaum, FASAE, CAE, CPF, CEO, Vista Cova
Tue 11/1 at 2 p.m. – Critical Considerations for Future Event Contracting
With economic headwinds and ever-changing legislation potentially impacting your attendees and exhibitors/sponsors, contracts are becoming even more critical than ever before. Learn what should be reviewed, modified or included in organizers’ contracts to reduce exposure to liability and risks. Hear about force majeure/acts of god, cancellation, excused non-performance attrition and other provisions in venue and hotel contracts, and avoiding potential liability issues and key considerations that may impact your group’s performance. More info/register.
Hosts: Personify and Women in Exhibitions Network, North America Chapter
Speaker: Mark Roysner, Esq., exhibitions and events industry legal expert
Tue 11/1 at 3 p.m. – Volunteer Recruitment: No Volunteers? Maybe It’s Your Marketing
Hear how to develop a marketing strategy and apply practical approaches to effectively position your volunteer opportunities to attract, inspire, engage, and increase satisfaction of your volunteers. Learn how to segment volunteer opportunities into identified markets. Discuss strategies and content that reflect the personas of membership. Analyze value to volunteers and market those benefits to increase engagement. Learn steps to leverage a marketing strategy to build a communication plan around volunteer management. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: ASAE’s Marketing Advisory Council and the Component Relations and Volunteer Management (CRVM) Professionals Advisory Council
Speakers:
- Elizabeth Moris, Council on Undergraduate Research
- Maureen Geoghegan, American Society of Anesthesiologists,
- Annie Storey, Illinois Section American Water Works Association
Tue 11/1 at 3 p.m. – Find Hidden Gems in Your Data & Discover New Revenue Opportunities
Beneath data, lies hidden gems (aka insights) that can be monetized to bring in more revenue—as long as you know where to look and how to dig them out. Learn ways you can leverage structured and unstructured data to come up with ideas for new revenue, the top three areas you should analyze to find these opportunities, a framework for building a data monetization strategy, and how one association’s hidden data insights led to monetizing intellectual property to bring in additional revenue. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Greg Pollack, VP of Sales, Association Analytics
Wed 11/2 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. – Guru Conference 2022
An email marketing conference designed to help exceed your current strategies with actionable advice you can deploy same-day, informed by a deep pool of real-time user data. Learn about the very latest digital trends, email best practices and emerging tools you’ll need to step up your email marketing performance today in two days of live, virtual sessions from industry experts that will take your email marketing programs to the next level. More info/register.
Host: Guru Events
Wed 11/2 at 12 p.m. – Critical Tips For Keeping A Positive Culture in 2023
Culture is the foundation of any successful organization and affects nearly every aspect of your team. Hear about best practices and resources for creating a positive culture in your company, including the importance of an individualized approach to team management, how to empower your team to think creatively and take risks, how trust encourages creative approaches and accountability, and how to facilitate a collaborative environment. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Association Insights in Old Town
Speaker: Annette Summers, President/Owner, The GA Team
Wed 11/2 at 12 p.m. – How to Leverage Healthcare Data to Add Member Value and Increase Revenue
Association leaders continue to look for innovative ways to diversify revenue streams and create new product offerings that add value to their members. Learn how healthcare data can facilitate revenue diversification, how data can be leveraged to create new product offerings, and how data has driven innovation for a healthcare association. More info/register.
Host: BData Inc.
Speakers:
- Kimberly A. Hoarle, MBA, CAE, Executive Director, American Burn Association
- Bart Phillips, MS, CEO, BData Inc.
Wed 11/2 at 1 p.m. – Users Groups and Conferences: Learn, Collaborate, and Impact
Learn how to make the most of users groups and conferences, collaborate internally and externally to leverage users communities, and strengthen partnerships with technology providers through participation. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Fonteva & Protech
Speakers:
- Kim Klotz, Sr. Business Systems Analyst, National Funeral Directors Association
- Michael Ryba, Director of Technology, North American Spine Society
- Jay S. Daughtry, Client Engagement & Content Creation,
Wed 11/2 at 1 p.m. – How to Conquer Changes in the Digital Marketing Space
With the constant changes happening in the digital marketing space, the effects on analytics, ROI, and campaign effectiveness are questioned. Learn what email marketing analytics are most important, how to not allow new privacy initiatives to hinder your marketing plans, and how to still remain competitive in this ever-changing landscape. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Alfred McKelvy III, VP of Strategic Partnerships, Multiview
Wed 11/2 at 1 p.m. – 10 Proven Tips to Scale Your Content Marketing Efforts
certain marketing challenges are universal: the pace of content is relentless, there are countless customer touchpoints to address, and customers expect higher levels of personalization and customization than ever before. Hear about proven methods to help solve common problems with manual process, broken communication, poor visibility, and disconnected systems. More info/register.
Host: American Marketing Association
Speakers: Krista Garcia and Ileen Roth, Creative Directors at Travelers Insurance
Wed 11/2 at 2 p.m. – 2023 State Sessions Look Ahead: The Biggest Issues You Need to Watch
Staying on top of policy and developing legislation across all 50 states, as well as any corresponding implications at the local level, is no easy task. Hear about the top policy themes, issues, challenges, and opportunities coming up at the state level next year that you and your organization should be aware of. Learn how to implement an effective, modern state government relations strategy. More info/register.
Host: FiscalNote
Speakers:
- Laura Morgan-Kessler, principal at Carpi & Clay Government Relations
- Michael Reynold, senior vice-president at McGuireWoods Consulting
- Charles Boruchowitz, government relations manager at Bentley Systems
- Annika von Grey (moderator), consultant for FiscalNote Professional Services
Wed 11/2 at 3 p.m. – Get Your Piece of the Pie: Cutting a Slice of the Budget for Analytics
Convincing leadership that now is the time to give you a piece of the pie for analytics (or really any new tool or piece of tech for that matter) can be a challenge. Learn how your peers are demonstrating return on an analytics investment, and how you can build a winning presentation for leadership, use an ROI calculator to convince others to get onboard, leverage partners and association peers, and get creative when the budget is already set. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Association Analytics
Speakers:
- Rebecca Achurch, CEO of Achurch Consulting
- Bill Conforti, SVP of Strategy & Solutions, Association Analytics
- Greg Pollack, VP of Sales, Association Analytics
Wed 11/2 at 3 p.m. – Association Trends: Pulse of the Industry
Learn how to provide your members up-to-date information on the issues that matter most to their industry, peers or customers as well as a clear picture of trends over time. Hear how pulse surveys have emerged as invaluable tools for gathering ongoing insights on critical business needs as they evolve in real-time. Learn how quick hitting, short surveys can also promote the issues essential to the success of your industry over time. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speakers:
- Dale Ford, Chief Analyst at Electronic Components Industry Association
- Mike Hayes, MBA, Managing Director, Research Business Unit, Vault
- Laura Clark, IPC, Senior Director at Vault Consulting
Wed 11/2 at 3 p.m. – The ROI on Promoting Mental Health
When are we finally going to talk about promoting mental health in associations, from both the staff side as well as the member side? Join Association Chat as KiKi interviews psychologist and principal at Executive Therapy & Consulting, Nabil El-Ghoroury, PhD, CAE, about creating a culture of employee well-being that is a different take on mental health in associations. More info/register.
Host: KiKi L’Italien, senior consultant, Tecker International, and host, Association Chat
Thu 11/3 at 11 a.m. – Beyond Words: Changing Behavior and Holistically Implementing DEI
After the events of the last two years many association boards are cultivating more understanding and capacity to improve what we do best as associations—creating belonging through diversity, equity, and inclusion. Explore the DEI journey of a small-staff association in their first two years of implementing a holistic and courageous transformation. Hear about board decisions, public commitment, member push back, and lessons learned when holistically implementing DEI across an association. Learn how to undo the unconscious and default approaches currently used when creating belonging through DEI. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speakers:
- Sharon Newport, CAE, Principal, Sharon Newport, LLC
- Jessica Struve, CAE, Deputy Executive Director, Radiology Business Management Association
Thu 11/3 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. – Guru Conference 2022
An email marketing conference designed to help exceed your current strategies with actionable advice you can deploy same-day, informed by a deep pool of real-time user data. Learn about the very latest digital trends, email best practices and emerging tools you’ll need to step up your email marketing performance today in two days of live, virtual sessions from industry experts that will take your email marketing programs to the next level. More info/register.
Host: Guru Events
Thu 11/3 at 12 p.m. – The Voice of the American Worker: Retirement Survey Insights
The Voice of the American Survey was created by Franklin Templeton’s Retirement Innovation Initiative. Hear how American workers are reevaluating how they think about work and their expectations from employers, the impact of worker’s financial independence over traditional retirement, and how workers are looking to employers to improve their financial health. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: ASAE
Speaker: Shelly Howard-Horwitz
Thu 11/3 at 12 p.m. – The Community Check-In
A weekly community chat on Slack for black professionals working in the events industry. More info/register.
Host: Black In Events Network
Thu 11/3 at 1 p.m. – Leadership Echo Chambers: Let’s Dismantle One of Leadership’s Greatest Barriers
Learn how the rise of media consumption and algorithms, mixed with fundamental human nature, has created a need for leadership to dismantle echo chambers with intention. Hear how these systems have been progressively strengthened in recent history and how echo chambers are environments that encourage the amplifying of ideas. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Ryan MacTaggart, PhD, Associate Director, Professional Learning, EDUCAUSE
Thu 11/3 at 2 p.m. – AI: Going Beyond Alexa and into your Association
Hear about the benefits of AI and how you can utilize it to benefit your association. Learn what kind of data you need to implement AI; how associations have used AI to engage, retain and grow their membership; how AI technology can help future-proof your organization to ensure success and longevity; and how AI can augment your job, not replace it. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: 501 Works
Speakers:
- Evan O’Neill, Chief Growth Officer, Hum
- Thomas Altman, Co-Founder, Tasio
Thu 11/3 at 2 p.m. – Carpe Per Diems! A Close (and Fun) Look at Managing Speaker and Entertainment Contracts
You might understand hotel contracting, but getting to “yes” with speakers and entertainers is a different negotiation, often with riders and addendums that may be unfamiliar to planners. Learn why speaker and entertainment contracts feel so one-sided and how you can protect your company’s interests, the best way to start the contracting process to keep it more in your favor, and clear and concise explanations of legal terms like “indemnification” and “force majeure” as they relate to your speaker contracts. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.
Host: MeetingsNet
Speaker: Adam Kahan, Senior Vice President, Empire Entertainment, Inc
Thu 11/3 at 3 p.m. – Data Breach Preparedness: The Reality of ID Theft and Data Breach Incidents
CEOs and senior executives don’t get fired when their companies get hacked or experience a data breach incident. They get fired for failing to implement a clearly defined, strategic management response to their data-breach incident. Learn more about data breach trends, identity theft trends, data breach risk management, information governance policy and information security training. Hear about state and federal breach notification laws along with the breach source, assessment, and response plan. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speaker: Mark Pribish, Practice Leader, Identity Theft and Data Breach Solutions at Vero
Fri 11/4 at 10 a.m. – Association Purpose (Coffee with Innovators)
We are association people. We welcome diverse perspectives and all experience levels. We meet on the first Friday of each month. Each session will have a featured facilitator and new theme. We share ideas through connection. The vibe of the circle is thoughtful, casual, and kind. More info/register.
Host: Association Design Circle
Facilitator: Barbara Silverstone, executive director and attorney, most recently of the National Organization of the Social Security Claimants’ Representatives
Fri 11/4 at 12 p.m. – EventTech Chat
A weekly conversation about meeting and event technology, including software, hardware, and audiovisual for in-person and online events. More info/register.
Host: Brandt Krueger, founder, Event Technology Consulting
Tue 11/8 at 11 a.m. – Data Lakes: No Question is Dumb
Not an IT session, a conversation about why the association world is buzzing about data lakes, and giving you a safe space to ask questions, such as why are associations using these tools? Learn about the pros and cons of data lakes and data warehouses, when data lakes are a good tool, or not, based on your association’s needs, data privacy and data stewardship, and what steps you can take to improve the current data situation. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: UST Education
Speakers:
- Barbara J. Armentrout, CAE, Managing Partner, Mesa Group
- Greg Pollack, VP of Sales, Association Analytics
Tue 11/8 at 2 p.m. – Future-Proof Your Association with Value Management
Our friends at Halmyre surveyed non-profit leaders about their value propositions. Hear about the quantifiable impact of a clear value proposition on revenue, resilience, and customer loyalty; how your organization’s approach to value management compares to like organizations; what’s keeping non-profit CEOs up at night and how to address these concerns; how to determine member preferences and interests by segment and over time; ways to understand the exchange of value between you and your members; and how to use engagement scoring to validate your value proposition. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: Association Analytics
Speakers:
- Christine Saunders, President of Halmyre
- Bill Conforti, SVP of Strategy & Solutions, Association Analytics
Wed 11/9 at 12 p.m. – 7 Easy Steps for a DIY Technology Assessment
A technology assessment helps you align your technology tools and investment with your organization’s strategy. It provides a comprehensive look at the tools you use today and provides a framework to analyze their effectiveness for your staff, members, and organization. Learn how you can form a digital strategy, with prioritized steps and a realistic timeline, that will ensure your technology serves your stakeholders and actually helps to meet your organizational goals. Hear how to align your strategic plan with your people, processes, and technology; identify and improve inefficient technology use; and motivate organizational change through staff buy-in. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: ReviewMyAMS
Speaker: Vanessa Dennison, CAE, CBAP, Principal/Owner, Dennison & Associates
Thu 11/10 at 11 a.m. – Ask Me Anything: Recruiting, Engaging, and Managing International Volunteers from US-Based Associations
Ask questions and learn from peers as we delve into the topic of working with a global body of volunteers and the many aspects that need to be considered to be successful. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.
Host: ASAE Component Relations and Volunteer Management Professionals Community
Speakers:
- Kerry Cosby, IOM, Chapters Manager, IEEE Computer Society
- Joy Davis, CAE, Managing Director, Member Products, American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists
- Jamie Gray, MS, CVA, Volunteer Engagement Specialist, Project Management Institute
- Rob Henry, VP, People, Culture and Talent, Council for Advancement and Support of Education
Thu 11/10 at 2 p.m. – Secrets for Engaging, Platform-Agnostic Association Meetings
Find out what’s working today in-person and on virtual and hybrid platforms for bringing association communities together in meaningful ways. Learn how to pick the topics people care about and go deeper in the discussion, get everyone to speak up, find alternate venues to fit the group dynamic, and use technology to enhance marketing and execution of the event. More info/register.
Host: Smart Meetings
Speakers:
- Joanna Pineda, CEO, Matrix Group
- Jennifer O’Grady, Senior Director, Maritz Events
Association Brain Food Weekly is published Friday mornings. If your organization offers free professional development for the association community, please send me the link via email or Twitter by Wednesday afternoon the week before it’s scheduled.
Creative Commons licensed photo by Gaith Shalan via Unsplash
Association Brain Food 