6 Degrees of Associations: Presented by Big Red M

In an episode that any young professional with leadership aspirations in the association industry will not want to miss, Wendy-Jo Toyama, MBA, FASAE, CAE, joins us this week on Six Degrees of Associations. Wendy currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, a client of the Association Management Center. Wendy’s story and career trajec...

Lou DiGioia, FASAE, CAE, the chief operating officer (COO) of the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), brings his energy and enthusiasm to the Six Degrees of Associations Podcast this week. Lou joins us to share insights into the elaborate workings of NATO, an association representing companies that own movie theaters across the U.S. and abroad. Previously serving as the chief financial...

Kerri L. McGovern, MPP, CAE, the Senior Director of Membership at Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC), is our guest on this week’s episode of the Six Degrees of Associations Podcast. With 46,000 members strong, ACC consists of more than 60 chapters while serving in-house lawyers globally who work for a company or organization (as opposed to working in a law firm). Enhancing member experiences t...

Our distinguished guest on this week’s edition of the 6 Degrees of Associations Podcast is Jean C. Accius, PhD, NACD.DC, President & Chief Executive Officer of CHC: Creating Healthier Communities (CHC). Prior to his role with CHC, he served as Senior Vice-President of Global Thought Leadership & International Affairs at AARP. He was with AARP for over a decade and is no stranger to driving...

With member-engagement strategies at the heart of everything he does as a professional, Bill Scott, President and CEO of CFA Society of Washington, DC, joins the 6 Degrees of Association Podcast this week. In this interview, Bill shares his unique career path, from starting as a finance major and working in retail to finding his true calling in the association world. Bill’s passion for association...

Bringing over two decades of experience in serving association members, Leakhena Swett joins the Six Degrees of Associations Podcast this week for a conversation with our host, Lucas McCann. Leakhena is the newly appointed President of the International Legal Technology Association (ILTA) and shares her fascinating career journey with us in today’s episode. Starting as a temp at the Irrigation Ass...

The Six Degrees of Associations Podcast is honored to host a timely discussion on the art of marketing, communications, and advertising in the world of associations and beyond this week, featuring our guest American Marketing Association (AMA) CEO Bennie F. Johnson. As marketing continues to change at a rapid pace, certain enduring qualities have never been more important. As we learn in today’s c...

Associations are complex by nature. This week on our Six Degrees of Associations Podcast, we are joined by David Gammel, who provides insight into how his prolific consulting experience has helped him become an effective executive while navigating the many layers of an association. David currently serves as the Executive Director of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine. His journey i...

In this week’s episode of the 6 Degrees of Associations Podcast, we’re talking with KiKi L'Italien, the Vice President of Marketing & Community Engagement with Big Red M and Editor-in-Chief of Association Chat. She is an accomplished community builder and speaker on the topics of technology, community, and trust. Much of today’s discussion explores the metaphor of associations being like a...

We are joined by Cheretta A. Clerkley MBA, CASE, CME, Executive Director of Association for Positive Behavior Support (APBS) on this week’s edition of the 6 Degrees of Associations Podcast. Cheretta leads us in an insightful conversation about her journey through the world of associations and the transformative power of effective communication and strategic planning. From her early career in local...

Celia Chomón Zamora, PhD, CAE, Director of Professional Learning and Certification at ACTFL, is our guest on this week’s episode of the 6 Degrees of Associations Podcast. In addition to her CAE certification, she is a DELP Scholar. She earned her doctorate in Spanish Applied Linguistics from Georgetown University. She is a dedicated lifelong learner, educator, and advocate of languages and languag...

Our guest this week on the 6 Degrees of Associations Podcast is Stacie East, Esq., CAE. Stacie is the Director of Equity and Grants at the Entomological Society of America (ESA). Equipped with an Ivy League Law Degree and years of grit from running a business, Stacie knew she had to dig deep and find even more ways to gain the valuable education she’d need to find success as an association executi...

We visit with Ally Brown, MS, joins us to share her inspiring story in the latest episode of the 6 Degrees of Association Podcast. Ally is the Vice President of Learning and Director of Training with Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine (SIIM). Through a candid conversation, she reflects on her unexpected path, challenges faced, and the pivotal role of support networks like the Diversity Ex...

This week, Jeff De Cagna, AIMP, FRSA, FASAE, of Foresight First, LLC, joins the 6 Degrees of Associations Podcast to discuss what it takes to support the operation of associations and non-profit boards through a commitment to foresight. Jeff emphasizes the critical importance of foresight, strategic planning, and adaptability for boards to thrive in an ever-changing environment. He advocates for a...

Volunteers are not an unlimited resource, and relationships with volunteers must be managed with the precision of a world-class conductor leading an orchestra. Amanda Parsons, CAE, the Executive Director of the Oregon Recreation and Park Association, is our guest this week on 6 Degrees of Associations, offering a masterclass for our listeners on volunteer management. As we learn from Amanda, if yo...

Alison Heppenstall is our guest this week on the 6 Degrees of Associations Podcast as we explore the practical side of going carbon free and effectively navigating the “call for sustainability.” While today’s podcast focuses on associations, nonprofits, and other membership-based organizations, it offers takeaways applicable to integrating sustainability into the core strategy of any business. Ali...

Primarily working as a coach with nonprofits and associations on cultural competencies and strategies, Danielle Marshall, CDP, ACC, is our guest this week on the 6 Degrees of Associations Podcast. Danielle has been a fixture of the nonprofit and associations world throughout the bulk of her career. She currently serves as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Culture Principles. More About Culture Prin...

As established here on the 6 Degrees of Associations Podcast, really good things tend to happen when you “stick to the mission.” Associations gain an advantage in inspiring both constituents and the workforce when their mission elicits passion and purpose. When an association's reason for existence is to save lives, it heightens the stakes and stress for everyone, including the staff. In this...

Rodneikka Scott, MSC, CAE, brings nearly two decades of association management insights to the 6 Degrees of Associations Podcast this week. She currently serves as Vice President at the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), where she leads the member and state engagement team. She talks about how she has successfully transferred her competitive drive as a former NCAA Division I basket...

Carol Hamilton, the founder of Grace Social Sector Consulting, is our guest this week on the 6 Degrees of Associations Podcast. Carol is a dedicated, proven and deeply respected expert in the nonprofit sector, specializing in strategic planning, evaluation, and serving as an equity-focused nonprofit strategy consultant. Her focus is to assist associations and nonprofits that are ready to envision...

Andrew Chamberlain is truly one of a kind. With a robust background as a former association CEO, he boasts an impressive 15-year tenure in executive roles within professional membership bodies across the UK. Since 2016, he has expanded his expertise globally as a renowned consultant in non-profit business development, leadership, strategic planning, and effective governance. Andrew brings a unique...

We explore the difference-making abilities of influential members within associations this week on 6 Degrees of Associations with our guest, Brandon Lawrence. Brandon is an Executive Director with the Oncology State Societies at Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC). Discover the strategies behind identifying and effectively engaging these influential figures, gaining insights that resona...

Six Degrees of Associations producer, Casey Callanan, sits down with longtime association world executive Kathy Zwarick Shanley, PhD, CAE, ACC, this week on our podcast. Kathy shares key trends in the association world, focusing on the shift to hybrid work models and the challenges of effective communication. She emphasizes the importance of thoughtful decision-making, setting boundaries, and unde...

Change can be exhilarating, necessary, and anxiety-provoking. It is the undisputable champion when it comes to being a catalyst for growth. In the week’s edition of our 6 Degrees Associations Podcast, we enjoy a visit with Sara Wood for a conversation about the best ways to navigate change in the association world and beyond. This interview covers Sarah's keynote presentation on modern leaders...

We are pleased to welcome Jeanette Gass, CAP, ACNP, DES, to our 6 Degrees of Association Podcast this week. Jeanette is the Senior Program Manager for Global Engagement with International City/County Management Association (ICMA). Jeanette joins our show to talk about the importance of global partnerships and other relationship building techniques she has seen bare fruit with ICMA. This work has u...