Associations Thrive

As America ages, who will provide the healthcare that our families and communities increasingly need? How can nonprofits bring together employers, educators, and communities to address critical workforce shortages? In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Van Ton-Quinlivan, CEO of Futuro Health. Van discusses: How Futuro Health is a national nonprofit established with...

How does an association reinvent itself after a major organizational transformation and use that moment to deliver more value to more members? In an industry being reshaped by AI, cybersecurity, and constant technological change, how can an association create the communities, resources, and guidance members need to navigate the future? In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda int...

What do 200 conversations with association CEOs teach us about leadership, resilience, and the extraordinary impact of associations? In this special 200th episode of Associations Thrive, the tables are turned! Leah Monica, Director of Marketing at Matrix Group International, and Tanya Kennedy Luminati, Director of MatrixMaxx, interview Joanna Pineda, CEO and Chief Troublemaker at Matrix Group Inte...

What happens when schools close, but millions of children still need breakfast and lunch? How can an association help its members keep feeding students—and respond when rising costs threaten their ability to continue? In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Patti Montague, CEO of the School Nutrition Association (SNA). Patti’s first appearance on the podcast inspired...

When the world was in crisis and people desperately needed trusted guidance, who stepped up to help professions, industries, healthcare systems, schools, and communities navigate the uncertainty? And what can associations learn from that experience about how to serve members, build partnerships, and lead during the next crisis? This is a special episode of Associations Thrive! Joanna’s new book, W...

What does it take to turn passionate community advocates into effective board members? And how can associations and nonprofits better prepare volunteer leaders to govern instead of manage? In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Bridget Lee, Founder and Executive Director of the Academy for Local Leadership (ALL Chicago). Bridget discusses: How Chicago is transitionin...

How do learners know that the continuing education they receive is accurate and high quality? As AI and new technologies transform learning, how can associations ensure their education remains valuable and trusted? In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Randy Bowman, CEO of International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET). Randy discusses: How...

What if the thing holding your team back from innovation isn’t too many constraints, but too few? And how can associations create clear boundaries that give staff the confidence and freedom to experiment, learn, and move faster? In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Sheri Jacobs, CEO of Avenue M Group, keynote speaker, and best-selling author. Sheri discusses: How A...

What happens when membership growth gets harder, even though the members you already have continue to renew? How can associations better communicate their value, attract new members, and create the engagement that fuels growth? In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Jana Darling, President of Marketing General (MGI). Jana discusses: The findings from MGI’s 2026 Membe...

What happens when professionals stop viewing their culture as something they need to minimize at work, and start recognizing it as a leadership superpower? And how can associations create the spaces, programs, and opportunities that help underrepresented leaders build confidence, visibility, and pathways to leadership? In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Carlos Ca...

What does it take for a 45-year-old association to continually reinvent itself in a field being transformed by digitization and AI? And how can an association bring together professionals from different specialties, roles, and organizations to help shape the future of an entire field? In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Cheryl Kreider Carey, CAE, CEO of the Societ...

What happens when the organization that has managed your association for decades tells you that you have 18 months to find a new path forward? How can association leaders navigate a major operational transition while protecting their staff, serving members, and making smart decisions about what to keep in-house and what to outsource? In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda inter...

How does a sport that many people notice only once every four years build sustained, double-digit growth year after year? What can associations learn from USA Fencing about making a specialized community more visible, accessible, and relevant, without a giant marketing budget? In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Phil Andrews, CEO of USA Fencing. Phil discusses: Ho...

What does it take to prepare every student, not just future engineers, for a world shaped by technology, AI, and constant innovation? And what role should associations play in equipping educators to meet that challenge? In this episode of Associations Thrive , host Joanna Pineda interviews Kelly Dooley, Executive Director & CEO of the International Technology and Engineering Educators Associat...

What if your conference wasn't designed around sessions, speakers, and logistics, but around how you wanted attendees to feel? How can your association bring more artistry, intention, and humanity into everything it does? In part two of this two-part special on Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Nir Hindi, Founder of The Artian. Nir discusses: What business artistry is, and why lea...

Can an association create deeper member loyalty by focusing not just on solving problems, but on creating experiences that people genuinely care about? In an era where efficiency and technology dominate, perhaps the real opportunity for associations is to bring more humanity, intention, and artistry into every member interaction. In part one of this two-part special on Associations Thrive, host Jo...

How do you help an industry innovate at breakneck speed while ensuring consumer protection, trust, and regulatory compliance? And what role should an association play in bringing competitors, regulators, and innovators together to shape the future of an emerging industry? In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Phil Goldfeder, CEO of the American Fintech Council (AFC)...

How does an association grow from 6,000 to 9,000 members without a membership sales team? What can associations learn from an organization whose members actively recruit the next generation on its behalf? In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Jeff Morgan, President & CEO of the Club Management Association of America (CMAA). Jeff discusses: How CMAA represents pr...

What if your association's most effective membership recruiters aren't staff at all, but your members themselves? In an era where association professionals have countless options for education, networking, and professional development, how can associations create such a strong sense of belonging that members actively recruit, welcome, and mentor new participants? In this episode of Associations Th...

When your industry is everywhere but almost invisible, how do you tell your story? And how can associations help members navigate tariffs, supply chain pressures, and changing market dynamics? In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Emily Bardash, Executive Director of the American Wire Producers Association (AWPA). Emily discusses: How AWPA represents companies that...

What happens when young people never see anyone who looks like them in the careers they dream about pursuing? And how can associations, nonprofits, and mission-driven organizations help members build stronger, earlier, and more inclusive talent pipelines in response? In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Celeste Warren, Founder of Destination STEM, Inc . Celeste dis...

What if one of the most important contributors to energy efficiency, worker safety, and emissions reduction is also one of the most overlooked? And in an industry facing consolidation and private equity pressure, how can an association help members see the value of community, standards, and education? In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Michele Jones, EVP/CEO of t...

What happens when a fintech leader decides that serving the association community means doing far more than processing payments? And in an environment where associations are under pressure to deliver more value with limited resources, how can they create learning and connections that truly help members thrive? In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Wade Tetsuka, Pres...

What if one of the most effective ways to strengthen nonprofit leadership is to rethink how board members are recruited, trained, and supported? And in a time when AI is reshaping work and human skills matter more than ever, how can associations and nonprofits help members build the judgment, empathy, and strategic thinking that only real service can develop? In this episode of Associations Thrive...

What does it look like when an organization does more than represent workers and actually builds a community, a career pathway, and a better life? And how can associations help members thrive when workforce shortages, family pressures, and mental health challenges are all converging at once? In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Michael Coleman, General President of...