This episode of The A100 podcast dives deep into the heart of healthcare in the Bluegrass State. Host Colleen Gallagher interviews Drilon Gojani, Senior Director of Member Services, about the work being done by the Kentucky Primary Care Association (KPCA) to promote access to comprehensive, community-oriented healthcare for underserved populations. 

The two discuss the challenges faced by Kentucky, historically not the healthiest state, and how KPCA is providing essential resources and training to primary care providers. The association supports its members through advocacy work, conferences, webinars, and a newly-developed online community that is accessible 24/7. Drilon highlights how the introduction of the online community has provided members with touchpoints throughout the year, extending beyond in-person conferences.

He speaks about initiatives like the Clinically Integrated Network, which is designed to simplify credentialing and insurance issues for KPCA members. The association also plans to launch a leadership program aimed at developing the next generation of healthcare leaders in Kentucky. 

Tune in to this episode for insights into the challenges, opportunities, and stories behind this fascinating association. 

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In the latest episode of The A100 Podcast, we sit down with Carter Alleman, the Director of Government Affairs & Science Policy at the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET). Show co-hosts, OnWrd & UpWrd’s Meghan Henning and Keaveny Hewitt dive into the intersection of advocacy and storytelling with Carter, exploring its profound impact on scientific progress.

ASPET, a renowned association with approximately 6,000 dedicated members, occupies a prominent position in research. Their primary focus centers on unraveling the intricate interactions between drug compounds and the human body. Their work serves as the vital first steps in pioneering treatments and drugs destined for the market, as well as contributing to the development of life-changing medications.

However, despite their pivotal role in healthcare advancements, ASPET continually grapples with a recurring challenge – securing funding for their work. Often heralded as the true incubators of discovery in the United States, they heavily depend on funding from sources such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation. Unfortunately, their funding is all too frequently subject to budget cuts during the appropriations process, posing a substantial obstacle to their mission.

As a way to combat that, Carter shares that ASPET actively engages its members in the advocacy process. He acknowledges that scientists may not inherently gravitate toward advocacy, given its perceived political nature. Therefore, ASPET underscores the power of storytelling as a formidable tool in their advocacy efforts. 

Carter talks through one of their initiatives, the Washington Fellows program, which is an innovative program that escorts 10 early-career scientists to Capitol Hill, where they share their research and forge direct connections with policymakers. These personal interactions bridge the gap between science and policy. This program is an integral part of a broader strategy aimed at preparing members to become active participants in shaping policy discussions, rather than passive observers.

ASPET is keenly aware that effective advocacy extends beyond mere congressional testimony; it hinges on active engagement with elected officials who share common interests and concerns.

In an era where science has become increasingly entwined with politics, ASPET acknowledges the inseparable nature of these two realms. While government funding and support are indispensable for scientific progress, they also recognize the necessity of navigating the intricate political landscape while steadfastly remaining committed to their overarching mission of advancing public health.

To gain further insights into the ever-evolving relationship between science, advocacy, and policy, be sure to tune in to this episode of The A100 podcast. 

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In this episode of The A100 podcast, hosts Keaveny Hewitt and Meghan Henning are joined by guest Gail Kulp, Executive Director of the Sea Tow Foundation. Broadcast live from ASAE, the group discusses the organization's Life Jacket Challenge initiative in addition to tips for operating as a two-person team with limited resources. 

Gail introduces the Life Jacket Challenge, which tests participants’ ability to locate and put on a life jacket in less than 30 seconds. She explains that most boaters refrain from wearing life jackets, often keeping them underneath seats or in lockers. The initiative is intended to simulate real-life, water-based boating emergencies, emphasizing the difficulty of putting a life jacket on in such situations. 

Keaveny draws an analogy between wearing life jackets and fastening seat belts during a car crash, emphasizing the importance of being prepared and taking proactive measures before emergencies happen. 

“Life jackets save lives, but really only if they’re worn.” Gail shares statistics from the U.S. Coast Guard, citing 75% of boating incident victims drowned, and of those drowning victims, a shocking 85% were not wearing a life jacket. She adds that most people only wear a life jacket on board when it’s required.

Hit play now to discover how the Sea Tow Foundation, operating as a two-person team, manages to stay creative and innovative with limited resources.

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Join OnWrd & UpWrd co-hosts Meghan Henning and Keaveny Hewitt as they talk retention, open access to research, and effective engagement strategies with Shannon Reed, Director of Community Engagement at The Electrochemical Society (ECS). The organization plays a critical role in powering the sustainability of the future by publishing foundational research around things like corrosion and lithium ion batteries. 

Shannon discusses their groundbreaking “Free the Science” program initiated in 2014. The program has a simple mission: make published research freely accessible to everyone since having open access to science contributes to the advancement of the field. ECS has fully embraced this, by making all of the research in their highly peer-reviewed journal available for free. He also stresses the importance of developing transformative agreements with their publishing partners to make the research free and accessible. 

“Imagine you are in a library and you’re doing your research and you can only read an abstract. You can’t access an article because the library doesn’t have a subscription to the journal,” Shannon noted. “Especially in underrepresented communities or underrepresented countries- not having to have a subscription allows people to access that content, so that allows for advancement.”  

The group also discusses ECS’ Battery Workforce Development Program, an initiative to prepare students at the master’s or doctoral level with the knowledge and skills of electrochemists. Shannon’s vision for the program goes further, with plans to expand it to community colleges and undergraduate levels, ensuring that a wide range of people can access the education. He envisions partnerships with governmental organizations and industry titans like Ford and Tesla to expand the program. 

Discover the most impactful engagement strategies Shannon has encountered, from tailored membership options for early career professionals to creating more networking opportunities at technical meetings. Don’t miss this chat that explores the power of science, education, and collaboration in driving change. 

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On this episode of the A100, OnWrd & UpWrd host Colleen Gallagher talks with Lakisha Barclay, Executive Director & CEO of the Rubber Division of the American Chemical Society (ACS). With over a century of history, the Rubber Division, ACS is constantly evolving to meet the changing needs of their membership and the industry. 

Lakisha explains that the Division’s key to success is actively listening to its members and the industry as a whole. By understanding what their community needs and desires, they can develop and provide relevant initiatives and programs. The pair emphasize the importance of creating a sense of belonging and providing opportunities for members to be heard and to build relationships with others in the industry. 

One significant achievement she highlights is the organization’s focus on engaging students. They instituted student-focused initiatives to attract and support students in the industry, resulting in a more than 50% growth in student membership. This includes asking undergraduate and graduate programs to help fund students’ attendance at events like annual conferences, where they can witness first-hand the breadth and nature of the industry. 

During the podcast, they also discuss how the Rubber Division has a technical program that bridges academia with industry professionals. The program allows for collaboration between the two groups, ensuring that “academia can hear from industry on what’s important… so they know where to drive their research.” 

Lakisha also emphasizes the importance of creating networking opportunities that allow members to connect and foster relationships. She recognizes that members want more than just technical sessions; they seek opportunities to connect and need breaks during jam-packed conferences and events. 

Towards the end, Lakisha shares her vision for the future, which includes growing the organization’s women’s program and empowering younger generations to take on leadership roles. Hit play for valuable insights on how to improve your association’s approach to community building and leadership. 

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Introducing the latest episode of the A100 Podcast with your OnWrd & UpWrd host Meghan Henning. Broadcast live from the ASAE conference in Atlanta this August, Meghan is joined by Sean Luechtefeld, the Vice President of Membership and Communication at ANCOR. 

ANCOR is a community of over 2,100 organizations dedicated to delivering services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, empowering them to live independently. From providing virtual program services to job and employment training, ANCOR’s members operate a wide range of services united by a common goal: community inclusion for people with disabilities. 

In this episode, Sean speaks to how the organization fosters collaboration, engages stakeholders, and tackles challenges faced by the disability services sector. The conversation focuses on ANCOR’s advocacy efforts and how they align with the principles of the Americans with Disabilities Act. They also touch on how to encourage members to use their voice and advocate for important issues.

“How do we identify the right message for the right audience at the right time? But then how do we build the capacity of our members to advance that message?”

Tune in to this insightful episode to learn how to enhance your association’s advocacy efforts and mobilize members of your community.

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Join us for the latest episode of The A100 as Jeanne Wolf, CEO at CFA Society Boston, delves into the world of investments and their ongoing efforts to foster inclusivity within the industry. Podcast co-hosts Meghan Henning and Keaveny Hewitt chat with Jeanne about key strategies to foster inclusivity, measuring the success of these campaigns, and collaborating with stakeholders to amplify DEI initiatives.

CFA Society Boston is a community of over 6,000 investment professionals, part of the broader global network of CFA Institute. Their members are primarily investment and asset managers, ranging from those overseeing 401K portfolios to institutional investments and university endowments. The discussion centers around CFA Society Boston’s efforts to promote inclusivity in a predominantly male-dominated industry. 

Jeanne emphasizes that while the field doesn’t fully represent the diversity of our communities, change is underway. They draw inspiration from industries like law, accounting and medicine that have successfully diversified their ranks and associated membership organizations. In terms of assessing the impact and measuring the success of their efforts, the organization uses both qualitative and quantitative metrics. Qualitatively, they assess whether people feel included, and they gauge the representation of diverse leadership at events, board meetings, and the committee level. 

She also touched on the undergraduate Women in Investment Management Internship, a partnership involving the society, its members, and local universities. It has grown substantially over the years, expanding beyond just women to include more diverse participants from underrepresented groups. The program provides a supportive environment for aspiring investment professionals and connects them with peers who share their journey. 

Jeanne discusses how their organization gives back by providing financial literacy to underserved communities. One such example is partnerships with Massachusetts correctional institutions to bring financial education to prisoners. 

Stream this episode to learn more about CFA Society Boston’s journey towards inclusivity, the impact of their initiatives, and how they’re shaping a more diverse and equitable investment profession through partnerships. 

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Join us for the latest episode of The A100 as Eduardo Arabu, CEO of The National Hispanic Corporate Council, shares his insights on actionable steps associations can take to be more inclusive and the difference between mentorship and sponsorship. Podcast co-hosts Colleen Gallagher and Meghan Henning chat with Eduardo about key strategies for associations when it comes to DEI and driving member engagement among young professionals. 

Eduardo advises associations who haven’t already embedded DEI into the way they operate to look inward first, review best practices and then bring someone on board to coach or guide you on these efforts. The why is clear – statistics show a more diverse workforce drives innovation and gives companies a competitive advantage over other organizations.

Diverse perspectives allow you to see the world differently and from that opportunity is born. Eduardo stresses the importance of being intentional about your DEI efforts – it won’t just happen unless you make a strategic effort to do it right. 

The conversation shifts to growing leaders within your association and Eduardo discusses the difference between mentorship and sponsorship. A lot of organizations have mentorship programs that help individuals mobilize their career, but what isn’t always talked about is sponsorship. “Sponsorship is the individual who is talking about you when you’re not in the room,” says Eduardo.

The three move on to tackle a challenge for so many associations – engaging younger generations. They agree that it comes back to identifying the value proposition through the lens of these young professionals and then being able to tell the story of why they should be a part of this association.

This is a can’t miss episode that is not only packed with actionable insights, but will push you into self-reflection mode when it comes to thinking about how your association operates.

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The latest episode of The A100 podcast features Barb Jones, CEO of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI), alongside OnWrd & UpWrd’s Meghan Henning. Broadcast live from the ASAE annual conference, the two discuss artificial intelligence and how to manage change within a well-established organization. 

CLSI boasts a history that spans five decades, with only three CEOs in charge throughout its existence. Barb says that navigating change within this legacy organization has been remarkably easy. When your mission is deeply ingrained, well-structured and widely understood, change is natural. It’s a testament to the power of a strong mission. 

The pair also discussed the increasing popularity of artificial intelligence and how it could potentially impact the clinical and laboratory domain. Barb has a data scientist daughter who has shared insights into the intricacies of AI. She explains it as a computer program that is tirelessly learning from vast amounts of data, 24/7, more than we as humans could ever do in years. It never gets tired, and it never has to sleep. The challenge lies in the data itself, since biased or false information can influence artificial intelligence’s outcomes. As Barb puts it, “you can use these very powerful tools about 80 percent of the way, and then there’s a point at which you need to have humans come in and be a part of the process.” 

Barb and Meghan agree that there are challenges, but also opportunities that come with the use of artificial intelligence. There needs to be a middle ground in terms of using it, and organizations that have determined effective use cases have a leg up. 

Tune in to this episode for an in-depth look at how organizations can thrive by embracing change and harnessing the potential of artificial intelligence. 

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On the latest episode of The A100, OnWrd & UpWrd co-hosts Colleen Gallagher and Christine Stay talk with Suzanne Bohle, executive vice president for the Council of State Restaurant Associations. Suzanne shares the challenges that state restaurant associations have faced in recent years as the pandemic had a massive impact on the restaurant industry, and talks about how it forced them to become more nimble and innovative. 

She talks about the prominent role government affairs plays in their efforts at the national, state  and local levels, and highlights the power of storytelling when they bring the restaurant operators themselves to meet with legislators. 

CSRA works to make it easier for their state restaurant association members to empower their members to navigate changing consumer preferences, technology advancements and sustainability concerns along with workforce issues. It’s all about bringing members together to share industry best practices. She also talks about CSRA’s focus on professional development and information sharing, as the association offers both virtual and in-person opportunities to meet their members’ needs. 

“At our restaurants and in our industry, you've got from baby boomers to millennials to Gen X to Gen Z. How do they work? What are their work traits? How do you motivate them?” Suzanne shares when talking about one of the ways CSRA provides value for their members through bringing in topical conference speakers. “So what we do is we educate our members. We plant the seeds. A lot of that they'll take back to their members. Some of it's  to educate the associations, but some of this is to educate them so they can educate their members.” 

If you’re looking for advice from an association excelling in providing ROI for its members, even through difficult times, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. 

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LinkedIn: /company/the-association-100