Community Conversations

Episode #101 features Penny Schnarrs, Director of Community Relations and Strategy at the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).

Hosts Jim Storer and Shannon Abram chat with Penny about community building and virtual engagement with a medical organization. She shares strategies for authentic engagement in online communities, and highlights the need for innovation and connection beyond in-person meetings.

Penny Schnarrs is the Director of Community Relations and Strategy at the American Association of Medical Colleges. She is also part-time faculty at Point Park University, teaching first-year students.

The Association of American Medical Colleges is a not-for-profit association dedicated to transforming health care by supporting the entire spectrum of medical education, medical research, patient care, and community collaborations conducted by our member institutions. We are dedicated to the communities we serve and steadfast in our goal to improve the health of people everywhere.

More Community Podcasts

• Authentic Engagement in Online Communities

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It’s hard to believe it’s been 15 years since we embarked on this podcasting journey together. From the very first episode, in 2009 (with Keith Burtis from Best Buy!), we’ve strived to bring you engaging conversation with innovative community professionals.The podcast has gone through some changes in the past 15 years (who hasn’t?) changing name from TheCR Quick Chat to Conversations with Community Managers to the current title, Community Conversations.

Looking back, we’re filled with gratitude for all the amazing guests that we’ve learned from along the way. We’ve had the privilege of interviewing industry experts like Marjorie Anderson, Chris Catania, Helen Chen, Jillian Bejtlich, Brian Oblinger, Christopher Detzel, Monique Van Den Berg, and so many more.

We’re thrilled to share episode 100 with you today – featuring Allison Brotman, Vice President of Learning and Community at UKG. Allison shares her unique perspective on merging online communities and using learning and community methods to drive product adoption in SAAS organizations.

Allison Brotman is an award-winning community executive with over 15 years of experience advancing strategic initiatives and business transformation across the training, learning, and development spheres. She leads with innovation, expertise, and care. Her depth of expertise in instructional design, content development, and translation tools create engaging learning opportunities that are accessible to broad audiences. From a technical perspective, she brings a solid understanding of LMS, CMS, and community platforms to create an integrated ecosystem for seamless user experiences. Overall, she pioneers innovative training designs and customer communities that drive revenue and align with key business objectives.

As a leader, she spearheads a learning-centered culture that supports individual growth and development. She’s known for inspiring an exceptional level of engagement among her team, and her direct reports know that she is a reliable advocate for their needs. She takes pride in directing cutting-edge programs, such as attaining program accreditation through IACET to award CEUs to learners. Additionally, she and her team have begun using generative artificial intelligence (AI) in a variety of ways, particularly to localize learning videos in English to global audiences.

UKG is a leading provider of HR, payroll, and workforce management solutions for all people. But don’t take our word for it: We are the only enterprise vendor ranked as a leader by all major analysts and peer review sites and have been recognized around the world for our workplace culture, innovative practices, and commitment to customer success.

The post The Intersection of Learning and Communities appeared first on The Community Roundtable.

Episode #99 of Community Conversations features Catherine Hackney, an online community consultant specializing in association member communities with Confident Communities Consulting. Catherine discusses the importance of online communities for associations and non-profits.

Catherine shares best practices for engaging association members, getting executive buy-in and making data-driven decisions.

Highlights include:

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Catherine is a reliable online community management consultant with ten years’ experience. She helps organizations increase retention and revenue by building a thriving online community for their audience. She is an expert in increasing online member engagement and is highly experienced on the Higher Logic and Tradewing platforms. Catherine is a Certified Higher Logic Partner.

Online communities thrive when nurtured with precision. CCC understands that community success requires ongoing attention. This comprehensive approach covers the spectrum of community management, ensuring seamless launches and day-to-day upkeep. Resulting in a vibrant online space that not only attracts member engagement but becomes a hub your members are excited to be a part of and eager to share with their peers. Trust CCC to cultivate an online experience that truly flourishes. CCC offers:

Strategic Development: Confident Communities Consulting works with you to craft a concise and effective strategy, aligning with your goals and objectives.

Platform Research and Selection: Identify the best platform to fit your specific needs and budget, ensuring optimal performance and engagement.

Efficient Platform Utilization: Community platforms can be complex and time-consuming to learn. Partner with CCC to leverage the full capabilities of your chosen platform, implementing workarounds that suit your needs.

Launch Assistance: Whether you’re starting from scratch or launching a new program within an existing community, CCC provides valuable support to ensure a successful launch.

Community Revitalization: If your existing community is feeling lackluster, let CCC breathe new life into it. Revitalize your tired community by rekindling member interest and participation.

Reporting and Analysis: Gain valuable insights into your community’s performance. Understand what works, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions.

Services Tailored for Associations: CCC caters to professional associations of all sizes and industries, recognizing the unique needs and dynamics of associations.

Principal consultant Catherine Hackney brings a wealth of experience, specializing in platforms like Higher Logic and Tradewing. Certified Higher Logic Partner since 2020.

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Episode #98 of Community Conversations features Melanie Binder, Senior Manager, Community and Council Engagement, who discusses her work at Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) and how she developed and launched a hybrid community platform for their members, and best practices when evaluating community technology platforms.

Hosts Jim Storer and Shannon Abram chat with Melanie about her experience transitioning from account management to community management, the intricacies of navigating the online community technology platforms market, and finding the community technology platform that is the right fit for your organization.

Melanie also shares ideas for expanding your community team, creating content that works for your audiences, and expectations for a successful migration when changing community technology platforms.

This podcast was made possible by support from Verint.

Melanie is currently the Senior Manager, Community and Council Engagement for Healthcare Finance Management Association (HFMA), and was previously a Community Manager with HFMA. With over 25 years of experience in client services, she was closely involved in the strategic planning, development and launch of new digital communities for both HFMA and ASPB.

As a digital communicator and strategist, she is passionate about creating networks and programs that align with organizational missions and objectives which in turn, provides better service to members.

Melanie was awarded the 2023 Community Leadership Award for Pack Leadership – demonstrating outstanding leadership among her community peers.

HFMA empowers healthcare financial professionals with the tools and resources they need to overcome today’s toughest challenges. From online education and certifications to critical regulatory analysis, the benefits of membership are designed to help you create a sustainable future for your organization. You can learn more access their online community here.

More Community Podcasts

• Authentic Engagement in Online Communities

The post Melanie Binder on Community Technology Platforms appeared first on The Community Roundtable.

Community Conversations is a long-running podcast series highlighting community success stories from a wide variety of online community management professionals.

Episode #97 of Community Conversations features Chris Catania, Head of Community at Esri.

Hosts Jim Storer and Shannon Abram chat with Chris about Leveraging data analytics for community success, community building and education for executives, and his work building a community ROI model and its impact on organizational value at Esri.

Chris shares ideas for building out your own cost benefit model, and explores the positive impact of measuring community ROI.

Chris is an award-winning enterprise community building expert. For more than 20 years, he has helped leaders build community-driven organizations that leverage the power of community and collaboration to deepen trust, increase loyalty, build better products, drive engagement, save millions and grow top-line revenue. As a speaker, consultant and strategist, he has helped audiences transform disengaged customers into loyal and passionate brand advocates. He has led clients to create a digital workplace that connects and builds strong employee relationships and networks. Today he speaks and leads workshops to empower leaders to leverage community as a strategic asset in the workplace and a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Esri is the global market leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, location intelligence, and mapping.

Since 1969, they have supported customers with geographic science and geospatial analytics, what they call The Science of Where.

They take a geographic approach to problem-solving, brought to life by modern GIS technology. They are committed to using science and technology to build a sustainable world.

Esri Community is an award-winning global online community of Esri users where you can find solutions, share ideas, and collaborate to solve problems with GIS.

• Authentic Engagement in Online Communities

The post Leveraging Data Analytics for Community Success appeared first on The Community Roundtable.

Community Conversations is a long-running podcast series highlighting community success stories from a wide variety of online community management professionals.

Episode #96 of Community Conversations features Michelle Mathias, Manager, Community Experience and Programs (Esri Community), and Brianna Ettley, Community Manager, Engagement and Content at Esri.

Hosts Jim Storer and Shannon Abram chat with Michelle and Brianna about the Esri Community program, including a deep dive in their award-winning community advocacy programs.

They also discuss cultivating community leaders, how they grew the MVP program in the Esri Community since its start in 2014, and what’s in store for the Esri Community as they plan a migration to Khoros’ Aurora platform.

Esri is the global market leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, location intelligence, and mapping.

Since 1969, they have supported customers with geographic science and geospatial analytics, what they call The Science of Where.

They take a geographic approach to problem-solving, brought to life by modern GIS technology. They are committed to using science and technology to build a sustainable world.

Esri Community is an award-winning global online community of Esri users where you can find solutions, share ideas, and collaborate to solve problems with GIS.

• Authentic Engagement in Online Communities

The post Using MVPs to Power Effective Communities appeared first on The Community Roundtable.

Community Conversations is a long-running podcast series highlighting community success stories from a wide variety of online community management professionals.

Episode #95 of Community Conversations features Michael Watkins, Community Manager at Research Innovations Incorporated.

Hosts Jim Storer and Shannon Abram chat with Michael about his community building journey from gaming to engineering, fostering productive workplace culture with community, and ideas for effective programming across diverse office spaces.

Michael also shares best practices for the balancing a structured plan in place for community building in place, while also being willing to take risks and learn from mistakes.

After starting his community career in the gaming industry, at organizations including Accelerate Gaming and GreyComm Studios, Michael now works in community at Research Innovations, Inc.

Research Innovations Inc. (RII) supports critical defense, intelligence, and cyber customers across the U.S. Government and with select international customers. RII is a leader in Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) efforts with its cutting-edge solutions, rapidly delivering transformative technology to customers and end-users to achieve its core purpose of “Creating RIIdiculously Awesome® solutions that make the world safer.” By combining user-centered design and agile development methods, they create innovative products and solutions for our customers. They focus on performing cutting-edge research and development of information systems that support Joint Command and Control, Mobile Computing and Cyberspace. Research Innovations is headquartered in Northern Virginia with several work locations and provides an environment and culture that rewards talent and accomplishment. They are a company of mission focused people who are satisfied when they deliver excellence and success to our customers.

The post Fostering a Productive Workplace Culture with Community appeared first on The Community Roundtable.

Community Conversations is a long-running podcast series highlighting community success stories from a wide variety of online community management professionals.

Episode #94 of Community Conversations features Michelle Sneck, Ph.D., Community Builder, Data Literacy Advocate, Host of the USAA Data Bytes Podcast, and Data Science Evangelist at USAA.

Hosts Jim Storer and Shannon Abram chat with Michelle about community building at USAA, starting at the intersection of data science and community building. Michelle also shares her approach to mentorship, which involves understanding the pain points of others, being honest about their own limitations, and leveraging their network to help others succeed.

From Michelle: As promised, here’s a link to a slime mold video. I often think about how communities are like slime molds This video is pretty amazing because it unpacks a bit of the behaviors that slime molds exhibit that are emergent – beyond what can be accomplished with only one individual.

Michelle Sneck, PhD (she/her) (@MichelleSneck) is a PhD trained ecologist turned data scientist who loves: the outdoors, solving complex business problems, Star Trek, and heavy metal. She is currently a Data Scientist in Bank Business Intelligence and Analytics at USAA with a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Rice University. Michelle is skilled in the areas of public speaking, data analysis, inference testing, and currently developing machine learning techniques. She is passionate about leveraging the power of data to better serve our members and upholding USAA’s core values of Honesty, Integrity, Loyalty, and Service.

The United Services Automobile Association is an American financial services company providing insurance and banking products exclusively to members of the military, veterans, and their families.

• Authentic Engagement in Online Communities

The post Community Building at USAA appeared first on The Community Roundtable.

Community Conversations is a long-running podcast series highlighting community success stories from a wide variety of online community management professionals.

Episode #93 of Community Conversations features Helen Chen, Senior Community Manager at Research Innovations Incorporated (RII).

Hosts Jim Storer and Shannon Abram chat with Helen about her work building community at Research Innovations, including programs for remote employees, executive lunches, and philanthropy activities. She shared advice for community teams looking to more deeply connect with a internal audience and shared best practices for building and maintaining a collaborative and innovative culture for employees.

Helen Chen is a Senior Community Manager at Research Innovations, Inc. She is a seasoned community strategist with proven experience leading public, private and social channel communities at organizations including VMWare, Carbon Black, and TheMathWorks.

Her specialties include community management, online learning, social media strategy, collaboration, web content development, organizational development, process optimization.

Research Innovations Inc. (RII) supports critical defense, intelligence, and cyber customers across the U.S. Government and with select international customers. RII is a leader in Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) efforts with its cutting-edge solutions, rapidly delivering transformative technology to customers and end-users to achieve its core purpose of “Creating RIIdiculously Awesome® solutions that make the world safer.” By combining user-centered design and agile development methods, they create innovative products and solutions for our customers. They focus on performing cutting-edge research and development of information systems that support Joint Command and Control, Mobile Computing and Cyberspace. Research Innovations is headquartered in Northern Virginia with several work locations and provides an environment and culture that rewards talent and accomplishment. They are a company of mission focused people who are satisfied when they deliver excellence and success to our customers.

• Authentic Engagement in Online Communities

The post Building and Maintaining a Strong Internal Community appeared first on The Community Roundtable.

Community Conversations is a long-running podcast series highlighting community success stories from a wide variety of online community management professionals.

Episode #92 of Community Conversations features Lisa Tallman, Executive Director, and Israel Munoz, Community Manager, both of the Community Food Navigator, who join us to explore building mobile-first communities.

On this episode hosts Jim Storer and Shannon Abram chat with Lisa and Israel about:

As discussed in this episode:

As promised, here is the link to Israel’ mom’s cookbook. It’s an e-book and you can buy it either on Amazon or on Gumroad (I believe she prefers Gumroad as it is a bit more user friendly, but either way is fine). Israel was also generous enough to share screenshot for the Carlotta recipe (which in the cookbook is referred to as a Cold Lime Pie), as well as a Pineapple variation of it. 

The Community Food Navigator is community-powered and addresses challenges we face in the food system, such as accessing land, water, infrastructure, and funding. It is also a safe space for growers, producers, and organizers to share information, create community, and expand their work alongside others within the food system.

Community Food Navigator builds more resilient systems that prioritize:

• Food sovereignty for all residents
• Collective care and attention to need
• Equitable opportunities for Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities
• Circular and sustainably focused design
• Education on the roles we all play in the production and consumption of food

Learn more: http://communityfoodnavigator.org and their mission as the work building mobile-first communities in Chicago, Il.

• Community Conversations – Episode #80: Marjorie Anderson

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