“Associations Creating Community" Video Interviews
An extension of the “Associations Creating Community" podcast series, these "Zoomcast" video discussions provide timely tips and information about how associations can create community on a local and global level.
Click here to navigate to the podcast interview series.
Associations Creating Community - Interview with Lynda Bouchard Patterson
Published March 22, 2024
In this most recent Associations Creating Community podcast, Jefferson Glassie had the opportunity to sit down virtually with Lynda Bouchard Patterson, FASAE, CAE, the current chair of the American Society of Association Executives and president and owner of AMPED Association Management. Lynda shared her perspective on the various and intertwining communities in her life and how they are all so critical to our overall personal and professional success. Lynda and Jeff agreed on the importance of having a positive perspective on community in our respective roles for associations and the incredible value of associations in our lives and in society. Lynda says the ASAE community is very special and is proud of how ASAE leads the way to ensure the association community remains accessible, diverse, and inclusive.
Associations Creating Community - Interview with Jeff de Cagna FRSA FASAE
Published January 9, 2024
In this most recent Associations Creating Community, Jefferson Glassie, FASAE, has a fascinating conversation with the brilliant Jeff De Cagna FRSA FASAE, Executive Advisor for Foresight First LLC. This episode follows a prior interview in 2019 and focuses on association communities, boards of directors, and the duty of foresight. In this episode, De Cagna discusses the definition of the duty of foresight and how that definition has changed in light of all the disruption of the pandemic. De Cagna explains why it is so important for associations to confront, interrogate, and defeat orthodox beliefs that can hinder associations in navigating the future. De Cagna also suggests there is a community-wide duty of foresight that associations collectively have in these perilous times. Glassie likens De Cagna's thoughtful and insightful concepts to indigenous thinking, which puts a premium on making decisions based on their effects on coming generations, as De Cagna stresses that association boards need to approach decision-making with the foresight to address the needs of the associations' future successors. This is a cutting-edge conversation for anyone in the association community.
To listen to the 2019 interview with Jeff De Cagna, please visit our “Associations Creating Community” Podcast page.
Associations Creating Community – Interview with Shelly Alcorn and Elizabeth Engel
Published December 19, 2023In this most recent Associations Creating Community, Jefferson Glassie interviews Elizabeth Engel with Spark Consulting and Shelly Alcorn with Michelle Alcorn and Associates about their groundbreaking, recently published white paper titled “The Time is Now: Association Resilience an Adaptation and the Anthropocene Climate Disruption.” The white paper explains the current perspectives on climate as applicable not just to humans on the planet, but also to associations and nonprofit organizations, which are and will be more affected by climate in the future. These effects include climate disruptions on associations’ members, businesses, industries and professions, but also on association meetings, conventions and programs, as well as on individual association staff.
Associations Creating Community – Interview with Sheri Singer
Published July 25, 2023As a consultant and on staff, Sheri Singer of Singer Communications has worked with more than 100 associations helping them solve their public relations, communications and marketing challenges. Sheri shares her insights on building association communities, emphasizing the importance of messaging and training association spokespersons, with Jefferson Glassie, FASAE. They discussed how traditional community building has now expanded to include virtual and online communities. While the need for online communities were in the forefront during the pandemic, they are now mainstreamed as more associations pursue a hybrid approach to creating community.
Associations Creating Community: Interview with Artesha moore, FASAE, CAE
Published August 5, 2022
Jeff Glassie, FASAE, of Whiteford, Taylor & Preston, interviewed Artesha Moore, FASAE, CAE, President and CEO of the Association Forum in Chicago. Artesha talks about beginning her career with associations as life changing, because associations can have such impact. She says member engagement is like career engagement, along with networking, which are all critical for association community. Artesha believes that inclusive communities are really needed, and is focusing on how we can bring in the up and coming generations into the association community.
Associations Creating Community: Interview with Michelle Mason, FASAE, CAE
Published May 24, 2022
Jeff Glassie, FASAE, of Whiteford, Taylor & Preston, recently interviewed Michelle Mason, FASAE, CAE, President and CEO at ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership, about how ASAE is creating and maintaining community in the association profession. Michelle began her tenure at ASAE as CEO by going on a listening tour to hear what members of the association community had to say, and Michelle says it will be an ongoing effort. Community is very important and strategic to the future, says Michelle.
ASAE has a very successful community in the area of diversity, inclusion, and equity, but is also now focusing on ‘conscious inclusion’ as a way to support the DEI effort to align to the strategic plan. Training is being developed, as an example, to help further DEI but also to measure success and to research effectiveness. Michelle noted that research confirms that diversity will lead to stronger and more effective business results. Michelle also talked about some new initiatives being explored for the annual meeting in Nashville, and focusing on building relationships among members. ASAE wants to learn from member experiences to better strengthen the community within ASAE. She believes it is important to try new approaches and be a little vulnerable and experimental in order the promote community.
Jeff also noted how pleased Whiteford was to be a Founding Donor of the John Graham DEI Fund of the ASAE Foundation.
Associations Creating Community: Interview with Irving Washington
Published March 7, 2022
Jeff Glassie of our Associations, Nonprofits, and Political Organizations (ANPO) practice discussed creating and maintaining communities in a timely conversation with Irving Washington, FASAE, CAE, who is the Executive Director/CEO of the Online News Association ("ONA").
Irving talked about how we have all been living a shared experience around the world during the pandemic, which is what community is all about. ONA’s members are digital journalists, and there has been a lot of disruption in the news business. At the start of the pandemic, Irving reached out in a personal way to all members, which was very well received. He does see that there have been a number of great opportunities arising from the pandemic, such as the ONA Community Circles program aimed at responding to members’ current challenges. Irving also noted that ONA had streamed its conferences even before the pandemic, and that had generated additional interest in the association’s activities that helped in maintaining community through the pandemic.
Irving also talked about starting the Texts to Table podcast with Michelle Mills Clement, Shawn Boynes, and Donte Shannon which during the summer of racial reckoning in 2020, addressed issues relevant to Black association executives. It has been very successful and continues nearly three years later. Irving also gave a shout out to ASAE for its strong and ongoing DEI program and the positive effects for associations and the supported professionals. Jeff and Irving also discussed the value of having discussions about how different management models for communities are important and can evolve in the future.
Associations Creating Community: A Reflection with ASAE
Published April 21, 2021
Jeff Glassie of our ANPO practice hosted an important zoomcast conversation with Susan Robertson, president and CEO of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), as an extension of the podcast series, "Associations Creating Community."
Susan and Jeff reflect on the challenges faced by associations during 2020 and the pandemic. Susan says there were many hard decisions made during the year, but also many associations stepped up to maintain community and excel for the benefit of their members and constituents. Susan says that remote working turned out to be much more efficient than many would have assumed, in spite of all of the disruption of the pandemic.
In efforts to help the association community, ASAE did whatever it could to help associations, such as including in the PPP program, in this rapidly developing situations. ASAE also made many programs available without cost to further assist associations and execs. Another challenge was dealing with the George Floyd murder and the fallout from that, but the openness and response from the community in support of racial justice was really outstanding.
Susan says she feels it will be a whole new ballgame going forward for the whole community, especially the partnerships with hotels, cities, and venues, and opportunities to strengthen those relationships. Expectations of members have changed, and she thinks people will want to get together for a deeper purpose, deeper meaning. And individual values have also changed and grown so that we all will be able to come back to a better situation and a stronger community.
Maintaining Community in Certification Organizations During a Pandemic
Published February 3, 2021
Sara Lake, Executive Director of the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners, and Bill Ellis, Executive Director of the Board of Pharmacy Specialties, were interviewed by Jeff Glassie and Mark Franco. Both organizations worked diligently during the pandemic to re-schedule exams, disseminate information about changes and provided helpful information to the certification communities, while remaining flexible and learning to plan on the fly. Sara felt that the pandemic has made the IBCLC credential more valuable, and Bill noted that maintaining the integrity of the credential became even more important. Bill and Sara also said that they emphasized thanking volunteers, candidates, and certificants for all they had done during the pandemic. Lastly, watch for a special guest appearance by Sara’s cat, Chloe!
Engaging Members and Building Community in China and the Asia Pacific Region
Published October 29, 2020
This interview is an extension of the podcast series, “Associations Creating Community,” with a focus on how associations based in the U.S. and Europe create community in China and the Asia Pacific Region. Steven Basart, Vice President at Kellen’s Beijing office, provided insights about the China market and strategic considerations for associations interested in exploring opportunities in China and the Asia Pacific Region. The conversation also covers practical suggestions about translation, global governance structure and the China Foreign NGO law.