What moves someone to found an organization that provides healthcare to the most vulnerable? How do you leverage relationships with healthcare providers to provide comprehensive care to patients? How do you sustain fundraising efforts all year long?

In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Dr. Ahman Nooristani, Founder of the SLO Noor Foundation and Savie Health Clinic. Dr. Nooristani introduces the Clinics, talks about why he founded these two organizations, and discusses how the Clinics are making an impact in their communities. Dr. Nooristani discusses:

• How he was moved to start the SLO Noor Foundation when he learned that 30% of the population in San Luis Obispo was uninsured.
• How the majority of his patients at the Clinic are middle-class individuals and families.
• The comprehensive nature of the Clinics. The Clinics offer medical, dental, vision, pharmacy, lab, physical therapy, and even surgery services to the uninsured.
• How he leverages donations to the Clinics with significant in-kind services.
• The fundraising challenges faced by the Clinics.
• The impact on an entire community when just one person gets sick and can’t get the health care they need.

References:

• SLO Noor Foundation
• Savie Health
• Make a donation and support the SLO Noor Foundation
• Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/tobias-voigt/nexus; License code: M2POPMBVFCE0RIPZ

How do you determine what your associations’ core services should be? And once identified, how do you stay committed to these core services? How do you identify adjacent markets and modify your governance to grow?

In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Dan Berger, President & CEO of the National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions (NAFCU). Dan introduces NAFCU, talks about his journey to becoming CEO of NAFCU, and talks about how NAFCU is growing and thriving. Dan discusses:

• How NAFCU is obsessively focused on ACE - Advocacy, Compliance and Education. If a program or service doesn’t belong to one of these buckets, NAFCU does not do it anymore.
• How and why NAFCU went from being the National Association of Federal Credit Unions to becoming the National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions.
• How NAFCU’s hiring matrix includes a requirement that a job candidate have experience being a member of a team, any kind of team, including a sports team or a music group.
• How Dan addressed his leadership blind spots as a CEO by hiring an executive coach and creating a personal cabal of other association CEOs.
• How NAFCU thrived during the pandemic by staying focused on advocacy, nurturing their communities, launching podcasts, creating an in-house video studio to increase production value of their education, and opening up their executive conference.

References:

• NAFCU Website
• NAFCU’s focus on ACE (Advocacy, Compliance and Education)
• NAFCU’s 2022 Accomplishments
• Dan Berger Leadership Blog
• NAFCU CUPP Podcast

How do you support emergency physician members who are exhausted after three years of a pandemic? How do you revamp traditional member benefits, including an annual conference, publication and education?

In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Bailey McMurray, Executive Director of the Illinois College of Emergency Physicians (ICEP). Bailey introduces ICEP, talks about her journey to becoming ED, and then talks about what ICEP is doing to support members and rebuild membership. Bailey discusses:

• Why becoming the Executive Director of a healthcare association was the best profession for her, given her family background and interests.
• What ICEP is doing to stem membership decline that was being caused by members leaving the profession and a global pandemic.
• How membership is everyone's job at ICEP.
• WHY and HOW membership is everyone’s job at ICEP.
• How ICEP took its oral board review course online, with great success!
• How Bailey is transforming Illinois EPIC, EPIC’s quarterly publication, into a multimedia experience.
• ICEP’s most important advocacy issues, including reducing violence in the ER (emergency room), and boarding and crowding.
• Her superpower! (You gotta listen to find out!)

References:

• ICEP website
• ICEP oral board review courses

What does it mean to be an association for students and run by students? How do you create member value and drive retention when your members turn over every few years? How do you advocate for student members in a rigorous profession that can be very hard on students?

In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Larry Hoffer, Executive Director, American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS). Larry introduces AIAS, talks about his journey to becoming Executive Director, and then shares what the organization is doing to advocate for students and provide real benefits. Larry discusses:

• How the AIAS Board President and Vice President change every year AND work for the Executive Director.
• The Alliance, which is a coalition of architecture associations from around the country, including AIAS, the American Institute of Architects (AIA), and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA).
• How Larry focused on staffing at AIAS after two years of the association being chronically understaffed as a result of the pandemic.
• How AIAS has brought back in person meetings, to the delight of members.
• How membership and meeting attendance are way up.
• The benefit that Larry is most proud of: four free counseling sessions from Better Help for ALL members, no matter where they are in the world.

References:

• AIAS website
• AIAS chapters

Post-pandemic, what aspects of your organization do you revisit and change? In this episode of Associations Thrive, Wade Koehler, Executive Director or Foodservice Consultants Society International, the Americas Division, says EVERYTHING! Wade discusses:

• What foodservice consultants are and how they design commercial kitchens in every type of environment imaginable.
• Why FCSI launched a podcast.
• How FCSI blew up its annual conference by bringing in new members to help plan the event, adding new social events, eliminating the formal banquet, adding unique experiences, and so many more changes!
• How he creates amazing events by imagining the attendees’ experience from the time they arrive at the venue and check-in, to the time they leave for home.
• Their new Bizessentials webinar program that helps members get better at every aspect of their businesses.
• An annual project showcase that features amazing projects by amazing members to the greater design community.
• How membership is growing, revenue is growing, and members and suppliers alike are thrilled with the association.

References:

• FCSI The Americas Division
• Project Showcase
• FCI International

Did you know that every piece of clothing you own was hand sewn? What is the state of the garment industry in the US? In the world? How do you reinvigorate an executive conference and tradeshow? 

In this episode of Associations Thrive, Michael McDonald, President of the Sewn Product Equipment & Suppliers of the Americas (SPESA), introduces SPESA, talks about his journey to becoming President, and discusses: 

• His philosophy of trying to be at the right place at the right time by being everywhere and volunteering, walking around, getting to know people.
• How the garment industry is one of the last industries to be automated because they work with soft fabrics. Every piece of clothing is still hand sewn!
• How SPESA reinvented its executive conferences.
• Why Michael will never hold a conference without a partner organization ever again.
• How SPESA is bringing back training to its tradeshow floor and reimagining its pavilions and programs.

References:

• SPESA website
• Texprocess Americas 2023
• Behind the Seams Magazine

What superpower do association and nonprofit CEOs need? Sharon Kneebone, Interim Executive Director of the American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM) says it’s GOVERNANCE.

In this episode of Associations Thrive, Sharon introduces AAPM, talks about her journey to becoming ED of the association, and discusses:

• The different types of pain, including acute pain, chronic pain, psychological pain.
• The different healthcare providers that help patients with their pain.
• What governance is and why it must be “people first.”
• AAPM’s transition away from an association management company to a standalone association.
• AAPM’s Innovation Challenge, in conjunction with MIT’s Hacking Medicine, which hopes to create an ecosystem that brings together industry, service providers and healthcare providers to accelerate innovation in pain medicine.
• AAPM’s governance change from 2019 that allows non-medical doctors to become members. 
• The AAPM Scholars Program that provides didactic training and hands-on training with a cadaver lab.

References:

• AAPM Website
• The AAPM Podcast - Pain Matters
• AAPM Innovation Ecosystem

How do you support your members when they’re busy serving students during a pandemic? How do you navigate the tightly regulated, political environment that your members operate in and advocate for more funds for school meals?

In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Patricia Montague, Chief Executive Officer, School Nutrition Association (SNA). Patti introduces the SNA, shares how she came to be CEO of the SNA, and then shares what SNA is doing to serve members, increase membership and advocate for nutritious meals for students.

Patricia discusses:

• The research that shows when students get nutritious breakfasts and lunches, their academic outcomes improve.
• Her journey at SNA, including all the positions she’s held, and the transition from COO to CEO.
• How SNA members navigated the pandemic by quickly doing whatever was needed to keep students fed.
• SNA’s advocacy efforts, including their position that every student deserves a nutritious breakfast and lunch, much like every student gets textbooks and a laptop.
• How SNA’s membership declined during the pandemic, but it’s on the rise dramatically as the pandemic has eased and SNA has adjusted its programs and services.

References:

• School Nutrition Association website
• SNA’s Advocacy efforts
• Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!); https://uppbeat.io/t/paul-yudin/quiet-flight; License code: KJRRI6GHC7WKCLDT

How do you differentiate your organization in a crowded fundraising landscape where so many organizations are asking individuals and companies for support? How do you craft stories that are compelling and encourage action?

In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Aaron Alejandro, Executive Director of the Texas FFA (Future Farmers of America) Foundation. Aaron introduces the Foundation, shares his journey to becoming Executive Director of the Foundation, and shares how the Foundation’s fundraising and programs are thriving through:

• A powerful vision for FFA.
• Compelling stories that help donors understand the FFA mission and programs.
• Successful partnerships between the actors in the Texas Ag-Ed (agricultural education) ecosystem.

References:

• Texas FFA Foundation website
• FFA national website
• Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/zoo/clarity; License code: RQWZMZXYSBVT16ZW

How do you create a thriving association with an all-volunteer staff? How do you create and maintain momentum as the organization grows and matures? How do we plan our professional and volunteer lives so our personal lives don’t get short-changed?

In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Gretchen Steenstra, Chair and President of Association Women Technology Champions (AWTC), who introduces AWTC, shares her journey to becoming Chair of this all-volunteer organization, and talks about what we can expect from AWTC in 2023. Gretchen discusses:

• The origins of AWTC and how the organization is by and for women association execs who create and use technology, not just CTOs and CIOs.
• How AWTC started out as a meetup and is now a full-fledged 501(c)(3).
• How Gretchen plans her volunteer activities based on the intensity of her personal life. Next year, when her son will be a senior in high school, we won’t see much of Gretchen. But until then, it’s full steam ahead at AWTC and DelCor.
• The amazing AWTC planning meeting that will power the organization in 2023.
• Recent changes to the programming committee.
• The upcoming awards ceremony.
• Possible expansion of AWTC to other cities.
• A new membership application process.
• The new branding and website launching soon.

References:

• AWTC website
• AWTC awards
• AWTC events calendar