The Association Podcast

Hosted by Jake Toohey, Ben Muscolino, Gretchen Steenstra

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Episodes

110

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

Jake Toohey (Adage Technologies), Gretchen Steenstra (DelCor) and Ben Muscolino (Breezio and AMS Geek) bring you The Association Podcast. With a combined five decades of experience in the association tech space, they explore challenges facing associations and bring fresh ideas to address them using strategy, design, analytics, and technology.

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60 recent

June 9, 2026Episode 11044 min

AMC Tech, NetForum Solutioning, and Using AI to Improve Requirements & QA with Megan Paulini

On this episode of The Association Podcast, Megan Paulini of Associations International, Senior Technical Solutions Specialist and recent AWTC Champion Award winner, shares how she accidentally entered the association world via a temp role and grew from member services into tech solutioning, QA, and deep NetForum work. She explains how an AMC’s shared-services model supports multiple association clients across varied tech stacks and why clear definitions, overcommunication, and documentation prevent costly misunderstandings. Megan reflects on recognition through AWTC, her preference for puzzle-style projects, and practical ways she uses AI daily, including having it review requirements for gaps, interview her with follow-up questions, generate test cases, and build a project forecast spreadsheet to reduce QA bottlenecks. The conversation also touches on realistic personalization, data foundations, and balancing customization with guardrails. 00:43 Guest Intro 01:16 Rapid Fire Questions03:23 How Megan Found Associations04:32 From Member Services to Tech07:26 Inside the AMC Model10:06 Patterns Across Clients12:22 Translating Business to Tech15:56 AWTC Award Spotlight20:37 Favorite Projects and Puzzles21:53 Switching to Maybel Setup22:23 Daily AI Wheel Spin22:59 AI for Better Requirements24:27 AI as Interviewer25:51 Forecasting QA Bottlenecks27:10 Choosing AI Tools30:05 Data Personalization Reality32:52 Progressive Profiling Vision33:23 Career Path Marketing35:12 Role Evolution at AMC38:43 Guardrails Over Customization40:27 Office Rundown Analogy41:03 Closing Takeaways

May 14, 2026Episode 10940 min

Growing SABR: Community, Baseball Research, and Balancing Legacy with Innovation with Scott Bush

On this episode of The Association Podcast, Scott Bush, CEO of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), shares his path from mechanical engineering to a decade in minor league baseball, leading to his role at SABR focused on growing revenue and membership. He explains SABR’s origins in 1971, its mission of sharing baseball research, and its structure of 85 worldwide chapters and 34 research committees spanning analytics, history, and niche topics, including projects restoring grave markers for former players. Bush discusses how technology, the pandemic, and virtual engagement expanded access and community, while emphasizing “humanity first” in member communication. He outlines strategies to improve retention, build fundraising, and expand student membership through baseball analytics courses, and details current debates on content strategy, AI-driven declines in search traffic, and potential paywall or newsletter approaches. He also previews SABR 54 in Cleveland (July 29–Aug 2), featuring Guardians speakers, research presentations, a game, League Park visit, and a Major League screening with director David Ward. 00:00 Cold Open Setup00:14 Welcome and Guest Intro00:45 Rapid Fire Questions02:34 Scott Career Journey05:59 What Sabre Does07:52 Tech and Pandemic Shifts10:14 Chapters and Committees13:30 Sabre and Analytics Origins18:44 Growing Sabre Revenue21:25 Student Analytics Boom22:15 Courses and Portfolios23:16 Favorite Committees Talk24:06 Legacy Versus Innovation29:47 Human Touch and Tech32:55 Content Strategy Debate36:33 SEO and AI Disruption38:07 SABR 54 Cleveland Preview41:02 Wrap Up and Thanks

May 7, 2026Episode 10839 min

Career Pivots, AWTC Recognition, and Workforce Development in the Age of AI with Lacey Pope

On this episode of The Association Podcast, we welcome Lacey Pope, MBA, CAE, Customer Success Manager at Web Scribble, to discuss her career journey in associations and her transition to the industry partner side. Lacey shares how she entered the association world through temp work, earned her CAE, and later drove process improvements at the Oncology Nursing Society that increased live support and boosted customer satisfaction by nearly 10%. She reflects on leading membership technology modernization at Shriners International—including AI translation tools, a new LMS, project management platform, and Power BI reporting—work that earned her recognition at the AWTC Awards. The conversation also explores hiring in the age of AI, daily AI use in customer success, and how associations can build stronger workforce development pipelines beyond a basic job board. 00:00 Welcome and Introductions 00:36 Rapid Fire Questions 02:17 Lacey Association Journey 03:26 Process Improvement Wins 04:55 Career Pivot and Web Scribble 07:22 Awards and Title Tradeoffs 09:32 Vendor Side and Member Value 12:05 Meet Mabel Topic Wheel 13:23 Hiring in the Age of AI 17:44 Daily AI and Policies 20:01 Using AI On The Side 20:51 Five-Year Career Pivot 22:17 Recruited To WebScribble 23:00 Industry Credibility Matters 24:58 Networking And Job Boards 27:02 Daily Wins And Parenting 28:21 AWTC Recognition And Belonging 30:52 Recognition And Community Growth 33:24 Customer Success Trends 34:51 Advice For Student Pipelines 36:42 What WebScribble Does 38:32 Final Thanks And Wrap

April 23, 2026Episode 10746 min

Building Responsible AI: Innovation, Leadership, and the One-Pizza Team with Jamie Atchison

On this episode of The Association Podcast, we welcome Jamie Atchison, MSMIT, Senior Director of Innovation and Strategy at the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH). Jamie shares her unique journey from public health programming into technology leadership, highlighting how she bridges business needs and digital innovation within her organization.We explore ASPPH’s groundbreaking AI chatbot, built in just eight weeks, and the intentional, human-centered approach behind it. Jamie dives into how associations can responsibly adopt AI, the importance of curated and trusted content, and how vertical AI models can combat misinformation in complex fields like public health.The conversation also covers leadership philosophy, including servant leadership, psychological safety, and building high-performing “one-pizza teams” that can move quickly without losing alignment. Jamie offers a forward-looking perspective on how AI and agentic AI will reshape associations, emphasizing augmentation over replacement and the need for strong critical thinking in an AI-driven world.00:00 Welcome and Introduction00:01 Rapid Fire Questions02:00 Jamie’s Career Journey and Path into Technology05:00 Transition from Program Work to Digital Innovation Leadership07:00 Building High-Performing “One-Pizza Teams”09:00 Inside the AI Chatbot Project (8-Week Build)12:00 Team Structure, AWS Partnership, and Knowledge Transfer13:00 From Problem to Solution: Why a Chatbot?14:30 Responsible and Ethical AI in Public Health17:00 Guardrails, Curated Content, and Vertical AI Models18:00 Data Considerations and Content Strategy20:00 Member Feedback and Adoption of AI Tools21:30 Human-Centered Design vs. Over-Reliance on AI23:00 Broader AI Strategy and Task Force Initiatives26:00 Building a Digital Innovation Team in Associations29:00 Bridging Business Strategy and Technology Execution32:00 Future Trends: AI, Agentic AI, and Workforce Impact36:00 Servant Leadership and Building Trust in Teams39:00 Culture, Collaboration, and Crisis Response in Tech Teams40:00 AWTC Recognition and Team Success42:00 Aligning Personal Values with Organizational Mission44:00 Where to Learn More About ASPPH’s AI Initiatives

April 8, 2026Episode 10642 min

Good Old-Fashioned Leadership: Partnerships, Data, and the Human Side of Technology with Dana Kohli

On this episode of The Association Podcast, we welcome Dana Kohli, Vice President of Client Solutions at DelCor Technology Solutions and recent AWTC award winner, for a conversation about leadership, partnerships, and the evolving role of technology in associations.Dana shares her career journey from music educator to association technology leader, and how her people-first approach has shaped her work helping organizations solve complex challenges. The conversation explores emerging trends in the association space, including data strategy, CEO involvement in technology decisions, system selection evolution, and the growing importance of change management.We also dive into the human side of technology, from building authentic partnerships to asking tough questions and creating space for meaningful collaboration. Dana shares insights on daily wins, leadership moments, and why the most successful technology initiatives always come back to people.Throughout the conversation, we reflect on how associations are balancing innovation with practicality, navigating security and automation challenges, and embracing what Dana calls “good old-fashioned leadership” in a rapidly changing digital landscape.

March 25, 2026Episode 10539 min

Right Content, Right Time, Right Experience: AI and the Modern Association with Erica Salm Rench

On this episode of The Association Podcast, we welcome Erica Salm Rench, Chief Marketing Officer at Sidecar, to explore how associations can move beyond AI buzzwords and into meaningful adoption. Erica shares her career journey from digital marketing to leading AI-driven innovation in the association space, along with the experiences that shaped her approach to technology, community, and leadership.We dive into practical strategies for AI adoption, including building a culture of experimentation, creating internal learning cohorts, and identifying workflows ripe for automation. Erica also discusses the growing role of agents, the balance between personalization and privacy, and how associations can use data more effectively to improve member engagement.Throughout the conversation, Erica highlights the importance of collaboration, curiosity, and continuous learning as associations navigate rapid technological change. She also shares insights from her work at Sidecar, emerging trends in AI, and what leaders should focus on today to prepare their organizations for the future.

March 5, 2026Episode 10445 min

Engineering the Future of Associations: Data, AI, and Digital Transformation with Ravi Rooprai

On this episode of The Association Podcast, we welcome Ravi Rooprai, Director of IT and PMO at the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT). Ravi shares his unique journey from molecular microbiology and pharmaceutical consulting into association technology leadership, bringing a scientific mindset to digital transformation and innovation.The conversation explores how MDRT is modernizing association technology by decoupling legacy systems, building scalable data ecosystems, and experimenting with AI-driven personalization. Ravi explains how his team approaches technology through experimentation, feasibility studies, and agile thinking to improve member experiences and operational efficiency.We also dive into MDRT’s cutting-edge meeting technology, including large-scale multilingual interpretation powered by AI and the infrastructure required to support thousands of attendees simultaneously streaming translated sessions. Ravi discusses how associations can better leverage data, personalization, and experimentation to drive engagement, retention, and measurable member value.From building a culture of innovation to applying e-commerce thinking to membership value, this episode offers practical insights for association leaders navigating digital transformation.00:01:00 Introduction to Ravi Rooprai and MDRT00:01:30 Rapid Fire Questions00:02:40 Ravi’s Career Journey from Science to Association Technology00:04:30 Lessons from Industry Applied to Associations00:05:30 Using ROI and Value Metrics in Association Technology Decisions00:07:00 Measuring Member Lifetime Value00:08:30 The Value of MDRT Membership for Financial Professionals00:10:30 Reworking Legacy AMS Systems Through Decoupled Data Architecture00:12:00 Building a Modern Data Ecosystem Around Legacy Platforms00:13:30 Scaling Membership Systems to Handle Peak Demand00:14:45 Managing 60–70K Membership Applications During Renewal Season00:16:00 Leveraging AI and Technology at Large Global Conferences00:17:00 Simultaneous Translation and Multilingual Meeting Experiences00:18:30 Solving Conference Connectivity and Infrastructure Challenges00:20:00 Improving the Member Experience Through Technology00:21:00 Favorite Tools: AI, Copilot, and Power Apps00:23:30 Empowering Staff to Experiment with Technology00:24:30 Personalization and Data-Driven Engagement00:26:00 Using Engagement Data to Shape Event Programming00:28:00 The Future of Digital Transformation in Associations00:29:00 Applying a Scientific Mindset to Technology Innovation00:31:00 Building a Culture of Experimentation and Safe Failure00:33:00 Feasibility Studies and Agile Technology Testing00:35:00 Applying E-commerce Thinking to Membership Value00:37:00 The Future of AI and Meeting Technology at MDRT00:39:00 Rethinking the Conference Experience00:40:00 Closing Thoughts

February 23, 2026Episode 10347 min

Wrestling with Leadership and Innovation with Mike Moyer

On this episode of The Association Podcast, we are thrilled to welcome Mike Moyer, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA). Mike shares his journey from wrestling coach to leading the NWCA, detailing the organization's mission to develop transformational coaches and advocate for wrestler safety through groundbreaking initiatives such as the creation of a weight management system. We delve into NWCA's innovative strategies, including coaching development programs and the Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN), which connects wrestlers with career opportunities. Mike also highlights the challenges and triumphs of expanding wrestling programs nationwide and the critical role of technology in achieving their goals.

February 16, 2026Episode 10236 min

Growth and Tech Evolution: Embracing Change with Liam O'Malley, CAE, PMP, AAiP

On this episode of The Association Podcast, we welcome industry veteran Liam O'Malley from Path LMS by Momentive. Liam shares his extensive journey in the association market, highlighting key experiences from the American Bar Association to his current role at Momentum. The discussion covers the evolving landscape of online learning, microlearning strategies, and the importance of data-driven decision-making. Liam also introduces the exciting launch of Momentive IQ, a tool designed to centralize data and integrate various association technologies. Tune in to hear insights on managing nano markets and the future of AI in associations.

February 3, 2026Episode 10148 min

Designing for Success: Community and Empowerment in Women’s Roles with Dr. Ginna Santy

On this episode of The Association Podcast, we welcome newly minted Executive Director of Women in Revenue, Dr. Ginna Santy. Ginna shares her journey from academia to founding a women-focused co-working business and ultimately leading Women in Revenue. We discuss her passion for elevating women's roles in revenue-generating positions and discuss the importance of designing for inclusivity. Ginna emphasizes the importance of creating value for women in professional spaces and describes Women in Revenue's community-building efforts.

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