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Agenda

Wed Nov 5
Opening Remarks
10:00AM – 11:00AM

Welcome Address & Opening Keynote

Unlocking Member Engagement: Key Strategies for Association Success in 2026

  • Meet the Speaker
    Michael Jones

    Vice President, Mobile Technologies at Results Direct

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    Member engagement is critical – it drives member acquisition, retention, revenue, and connection with the next generation of professionals. As we approach 2026, rapidly evolving technology and rising member expectations are pushing associations to rethink how they connect with members and deliver lasting value. Join this keynote session to learn how associations are rising to the challenge and using mobile apps, websites, and AI to bring together content, community, events, and communication, creating a more connected and engaging member experience.

    • Spot engagement gaps & prepare to evolve
    • See how associations are driving participation & innovation in small ways that make a big difference
    • Drive measurable engagement that results in revenue
Panel Session
11:10AM – 11:40AM

What Your Members Wish You Knew: Rethinking Tech to Build Trust, Spark Belonging, and Drive Growth 

  • Meet the Speaker
    Kurt Heikkinen

    CEO at Forj

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    In this provocative session, we’ll reveal key findings from Forj’s State of Association Member Experience report—paired with behavioral data across thousands of member interactions—to uncover what your tech stack might be costing you in connection, loyalty, and growth. You’ll learn how leading associations are shifting from a tools-first approach to an experience-first ecosystem—and walk away with criteria and a modern framework for designing tech that builds trust, sparks belonging, and drives outcomes.

    • Identify hidden friction points in their member experience using real-world data
    • Understand how learning and community platforms are converging—and why it matters
    • Develop criteria for aligning technology decisions with trust, connection, and growth
    • Apply a new framework for evaluating tech investments through a member-first lens
Sponsor Showcase
11:50AM – 12:20PM

Sponsor Showcases

  • Meet the Sponsors
Break
12:20PM – 12:50PM

Lunch

Panel Session
12:50PM – 1:20PM

Best Practices with Certification Management

  • Meet the Speaker
    Joe Zewe

    Lead Programmer / Analyst at ACGI Software

    Tia Thompson

    Programmer / Analyst at ACGI Software

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    Discover how to optimize your credentialing operations using ACGI Software’s premier certification management platform.

    This informative session addresses optimizing your certification operations to equip you with actionable strategies to strengthen connections with your constituents and drive organizational growth.

    Showcasing proven best practices that help organizations centralize data, automate workflows, and deliver a seamless experience for candidates, certificants, and staff alike, this session covers:

    • Increasing certificant engagement
    • Decreasing application abandonment
    • Automating to drive efficiency
Panel Session
1:30PM – 2:00PM

Making Sense of AI: Tools That Empower Associations & Credentialing Organizations

  • Meet the Speaker
    Doug Brown

    Founder and President at Catalyst Fire

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    In this session, Catalyst Fire will provide an overview of the plethora of AI offerings that are in the marketplace, and how to make sense of the platforms that will work for you. We will look at numerous platforms and show you demonstrations of what each does well (and not well). This will include models for:

    • AI Agents (think FAQ/Customer Support, popup helper that appears on a website)
    • Generative AI (think Find Resources, Site Search)
    • Agentic AI (think take a request and process it for the member/certificant, full-assist with completing submittals/workflows/applications)

    We expect a lively session with interactive discussion and questions/answers/thoughts. Come join the fun!

Sponsor Showcase
2:10PM – 2:40PM

Sponsor Showcases

  • Meet the Sponsors
Panel Session
2:50PM – 3:20PM

Host, Build, Grow: Integrated Website Hosting and User Portal Reporting to Drive Engagement

  • Meet the Speaker
    Stephen Elliott

    Software Engineering Manager at ACGI Software

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    Discover how to strengthen connections with your customers and drive growth through our new managed WordPress hosting service.

    In this session, you’ll learn how we make website management effortless by hosting and assisting with the maintenance of your website—complete with single sign-on integration for a seamless customer experience. We’ll also showcase how you can empower your team with versatile APEX reporting tools, giving you the flexibility to build and share custom reports directly within the User Portal (SSA).

    As a bonus, you’ll get an exclusive sneak peek at some upcoming reporting functionality you’ll have access to in Version 10 of Association Anywhere®/Certelligence®!

Closing Remarks
3:30PM – 4:00PM

Ask the Keynote & Closing Remarks

  • Meet the Speaker
    Michael Jones

    Vice President, Mobile Technologies at Results Direct

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    As we wrap up a day of insights and innovation, join us for a dynamic closing session featuring our keynote speaker in an open Q&A format. This is your opportunity to dive deeper into the keynote topic: how associations are evolving to meet rising member expectations and leveraging technology—mobile apps, websites, and AI—to create more connected, engaging member experiences.

    Following the Q&A, we’ll share final reflections and key takeaways from the day, celebrating the ideas and connections that will shape our path forward. Don’t miss this chance to ask questions, share your thoughts, and leave inspired to strengthen connections and drive growth in 2026 and beyond.