Association Transformation
Business & Finance
About
Welcome to Association Transformation, a transatlantic conversation advancing the impact and evolution of non-profit organizations. We're always seeking diversity of thought and new examples of innovation in action. That and a commitment to mission driven organizations spurred this collaboration between the teams at Brewer Pratt Solutions and Elevated. Together with our special guests, each episode we take a deep dive into the issues, topics, challenges and opportunities facing the association community. Between us we’ve been there, done it, got the t-shirt: membership, mergers, boards and leadership, advocacy, and education - nothing is off limits. Any subject that effects non-profits, their survival or their success is up for discussion.
Episodes
- Project Management Paralysis
This episode of Association Transformation, titled "Project Management Paralysis," discusses common reasons why association projects fail to progress. It explores the impact of communication and culture on project execution and offers insi…
- The Small Charity Bunfight!
Association Transformation examines a UK charity sector controversy involving the NCVO, where member actions are described as overreach, raising questions about the boundary between legitimate scrutiny and operational interference.
- Dissecting & Defining Engagement
This episode examines the definition of engagement for associations, distinguishing communication from connection. The discussion explores moving beyond activity-based metrics to focus on member value, belonging, and retention.
- Recovery is Not Success: The Case for Anti-Fragile Associations
Elisa Pratt and Andrew Chamberlain explore the concept that stability does not equate to success, suggesting that focusing on recovery might impede progress for associations. The episode encourages leaders to reconsider resilience and view…
- 🎙️ Navigating the Ethics Minefield
This episode of Association Transformation discusses ethics in association leadership, covering ethical governance beyond policies and forms. Co-hosts Elisa Pratt and Andrew Chamberlain examine real-world boardroom issues, the role of stru…
- Let's explore the new MXC!!
Send us Fan Mail 🚨 Breaking news in the membership world. A new professional certification for membership leaders has just launched and we got the inside scoop first. In the newest episode of Association Transformation , co-hosts Elisa Pr…
- 🎙️ The Upside Down of Dues: Pricing vs. Perception
Send us Fan Mail Membership dues feel maxed out. But the financial pressure on associations keeps rising. In the latest episode of Association Transformation , co-hosts Elisa Pratt and Andrew Chamberlain sit down with Dr. Michael Carr-Tato…
- Is the juice worth the squeeze? 🍊
Send us Fan Mail In the latest episode of the Association Transformation Podcast , Elisa Pratt of Brewer Pratt Solutions and Andrew Chamberlain of Elevated tackle a tough question for association and nonprofit leaders: 👉 Are foundations a…
- Fighting for Members but Undervaluing Association Staff
Send us Fan Mail What happens when associations aggressively advocate for their members, while quietly shortchanging the professionals who make that advocacy possible? In Episode 167, Elisa Pratt and Andrew Chamberlain unpack a timely and…
- Rethinking Association Events
Send us Fan Mail Tired of expensive conferences with ten competing tracks, swag bags that collect dust, and exhibitors standing awkwardly behind tables? So is Gordon Glenister. In this episode, the CEO of Membership World joins Andrew and…
- The Year of Courageous Associations: Letting Go, Leaning In, and Leading Forward
Send us Fan Mail As associations head into 2026, the pressure to prove relevance, sharpen focus, and deliver measurable member value has never been greater. In Episode 165 of Association Transformation , Andrew Chamberlain and Elisa Pratt…
- 400 Resumes Later: Real Talk on Landing Your Next Association Role
Send us Fan Mail In this special holiday episode of Association Transformation, host Elisa Pratt is joined by Brewer Pratt Solutions' Client Solutions Coordinator Jess Bellamy for a candid conversation about the current job market in the a…
- The Real Challenges Facing Trade Association CEOs
Send us Fan Mail Susan Avery, CAE, CEO of the Performance Plastics Association, joins us to expose why trade associations have become the "forgotten format" in association management. With 28 years spanning both sides of the association wo…
- From Industry to Inside: Navigating the CEO leap into association leadership
Send us Fan Mail What happens when seasoned industry leaders become first-time association CEOs? In this episode, we sit down with Sandy Moore (Pet Advocacy Network) and Melissa Loner (National Society of Compliance Professionals), two exe…
- 🎧 Radical Transparency: The Renewed Role of Associations in a Misled World
Send us Fan Mail Trust is under attack; from misinformation, disinformation, and even unchecked AI “truths.” In this powerful new episode of Association Transformation , Elisa Pratt and Andrew Chamberlain revisit their white paper Restorin…
- From Scratch: The Startup Story of a Brand NEW Association
Send us Fan Mail What if you could build an association from scratch? No inherited bylaws, no legacy structures, no forever committees, just purpose and potential. In this episode, Elisa and Andrew welcome Matt Ott , Executive Director of…
- Halloween Horror Stories III
Send us Fan Mail Dying for Relevance, Zombie Members, Toxic Boards & Other Association Nightmares From members who vanish into thin air, to boards behaving monstrously, to the creeping dread of dying for relevance, this year’s fright fest…
- Leading Through Change... into the future
Send us Fan Mail What really drives leadership decisions? Data, ethics, or a good hard look in the mirror? 🤔 In our latest episode, we dive into the Institute of Leadership’s new Leading into the Future report and wrestle with change fati…
- Boardroom Bullies & Boundary Setting: Protecting Staff & Volunteers from Corrosive Behavior
Send us Fan Mail In Episode 157 of Association Transformation , co-hosts Elisa Pratt and Andrew Chamberlain tackle one of the most uncomfortable, but increasingly urgent, realities in association life: the mistreatment of volunteers and st…
- Digital Accessibility: Building Vibrant & Inclusive Member Experiences
Send us Fan Mail Is your digital content reaching everyone? In Episode 156 of Association Transformation , Elisa Pratt goes solo to tackle a vital and often overlooked conversation on digital accessibility and ADA Section 508 compliance, w…
- Behind the Byline: The Stories That Shape Associations
Send us Fan Mail In Episode 155 of Association Transformation , co-hosts Elisa Pratt and Andrew Chamberlain welcome Mark Athitakis, Contributing Editor at Associations Now , the flagship digital publication of ASAE. Mark pulls back the cur…
- The CFO/COO Balancing Act: Revenue, Operations & Resilience!
Send us Fan Mail Join us for Episode 154 of Association Transformation , where co-hosts Elisa Pratt and Andrew Chamberlain sit down with Beth Eagle, Chief Finance & Operations Officer at the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA), to unpack…
- Are Dues Dead? Rethinking the membership model
Send us Fan Mail Recorded live from their Autumn 2025 leadership retreat, Elisa and Andrew tackle a big question: are membership dues dead? They unpack the flaws of the annual renewal model, the pull of subscription-style approaches, and t…
- Leadership lessons from our first retreat
Send us Fan Mail In this special episode of Association Transformation , Andrew and Elisa reflect on their very first Governance as Leadership Retreat . Over two days, CEOs, board chairs, and senior leaders came together to dig deep into t…
- Back to Basics: What Really Builds Membership
Send us Fan Mail Welcome back!! In this episode Elisa and Andrew sit down with guest Jane Zaretskie, CAE to unpack the essential strategies behind real, lasting membership growth. Forget the flashy trends, Jane takes us back to the foundat…
- RE-RELEASE: Constructive Conflict: Turning Team Tension into Transformation
Send us Fan Mail We're taking a break for the summer, but we don't want you to go without your regular AT fix, so we're re-releasing some of our favourites until we return in September. Next up, we're going back to Season 5, Episode 123 fr…
- RE-RELEASE: Amplifying Your Association's Voice: The Power of Podcasting with Mike McAllen
Send us Fan Mail We're taking a break for the summer, but we don't want you to go without your regular AT fix, so we're re-releasing some of our favourites until we return in September. Next up, we're going back to Season 5, Episode 111 fr…
- RE-RELEASE: Top talent doesn't tolerate average cultures. Design yours right.
Send us Fan Mail We're taking a break for the summer but we don't want you to go without your regular AT fix, so we're re-releasing some of our favourites until we return in September. Next up, we're going back to Season 4, Episode 73 from…
- RE-RELEASE: Communicating with Impact in an AI-Driven World
Send us Fan Mail We're taking a break for the summer, but we don't want you to go without your regular AT fix, so we're re-releasing some of our favourites until we return in September. Next up, we're going back to Season 5, Episode 118 fr…
- RE-RELEASE: The quagmire of leadership relationships
Send us Fan Mail We're taking a break for the summer, but we don't want you to go without your regular AT fix, so we're re-releasing some of our favourites until we return in September. Next up, we're going back to Season 3, Episode 63 fro…
- RE-RELEASE: A unicorn and puppy proposals: fresh perspectives on association leadership
Send us Fan Mail We're taking a break for the summer, but we don't want you to go without your regular AT fix, so we're re-releasing some of our favourites until we return in September. Next up, we're going back to Season 4, Episode 70 fro…
- Surviving Nonprofits
Send us Fan Mail 🎉 150 episodes and still surviving! In our milestone episode, Surviving Nonprofits , we’re joined by Survivor winner and nonprofit leader Ethan Zohn to talk scaling global impact, building better boards, and leading throu…
- The Credibility Crisis: Can Associations Rebuild Trust in a Post-Truth World?
Send us Fan Mail 🎧 The Credibility Crisis: Can Associations Rebuild Trust in a Post-Truth World? 📄 New White Paper Alert: Restoring Trust in Expertise In a world drowning in misinformation, eroding trust, and self-declared "experts," can…
- Mid-Year Reality Check: AI Adoption, Innovation Pressure, and Finding Perspective in 2025
Send us Fan Mail Join us for a hot mid-year conversation as we take the temperature on where associations really stand in 2025. We dive into the reality of AI adoption—why the gap is widening between early adopters and everyone else, and h…
- RE-RELEASE: Board Culture and the Cult of Personality
Send us Fan Mail Elisa and Andrew are on the road this week but we don't want you to go without your weekly dose of AT!! So here's a Season 4 episode we released back in November 2023. We'll be back soon but until then, put your members an…
- Mastering Association Branding: The Story Your Members Tell
Send us Fan Mail Why do associations struggle with something as fundamental as branding? In this eye-opening episode of Association Transformation, hosts Andrew Chamberlain and Elisa Pratt welcome Tom Silva, Principal of Silver Brand and a…
- The Great Committee Cull
Send us Fan Mail Ever wondered what happens when 400+ volunteers spread across 44 committees becomes an organizational nightmare? Our latest Association Transformation episode features Angela Davis, CEO of the Society for Pediatric Radiolo…
- Finding Your Authentic Leadership Voice
Send us Fan Mail What if the best leaders aren't born but made? 🤔 Join hosts Andrew Chamberlain and Elisa Pratt as they dive deep with authentic leadership expert Jennifer Jensen, author of "Developing Authentic Leaders." 🔍 Key takeaways…
- Governance is Leadership: Announcing the AT Executive Retreat
Send us Fan Mail Join Andrew and Elisa as they preview the Association Transformation Governance & Leadership Executive Retreat, happening September 3-4, 2025 in Berkshire, UK! After five years of collaboration and extensive consultation w…
- Report from the Road: Unpacking ASAE’s MMC+Tech 2025
Send us Fan Mail Fresh off the heels of ASAE's 2025 MMC+Tech Conference in Washington, D.C., Elisa is back with stories, insights, and a few spicy takes. From packed-out sessions on member behaviour (shout out to Rachel Mace) to memorable…
- Actions Speak Louder Than Surveys
Send us Fan Mail In this energizing episode of Association Transformation , we welcome Rachel Mace, Director of Customer Experience at Association Analytics—and just four houses down the street! From her upcoming solo session at ASAE’s MMC…
- Do the Donkey Work: Why Implementation Beats Innovation
Send us Fan Mail In this candid conversation, hosts Elisa Pratt and Andrew Chamberlain challenge the relentless pursuit of new ideas and constant change in association management. They explore how organizations often chase innovative strat…
- From Gratitude to Strategy: Transforming Volunteer Engagement
Send us Fan Mail It's more than just a month! Elisa and Andrew discuss moving beyond traditional volunteer appreciation to sustainable volunteer management. In this episode of Association Transformation, they explore the unique challenges…
- RE-RELEASE: A culture of failure and learning through experimentation
Send us Fan Mail We're taking a break for a couple of weeks but we don't want you to go without your regular AT fix, so we're re-releasing some of our favourites until we return. Next up, we're going right back to Season 2, Episode 32 from…
- RE-RELEASE: Celebrating 100 Episodes of Transformative Conversations!
Send us Fan Mail We're taking a break for a couple of weeks but we don't want you to go without your regular AT fix, so we're re-releasing some of our favourites until we return, starting with our milestone 100th episode from May 2024. Joi…
- Leadership in the Hot Seat: Imposter Stories from a Chief Exec
Send us Fan Mail What happens when the person at the head of the table doesn’t feel like they belong there? In this episode of Association Transformation , we welcome back Simon Forrester, Chief Executive of the Cast Metals Federation, for…
- Their Secret Sauce: UST's Association Education Revolution
Send us Fan Mail In this revolutionary episode, host Elisa Pratt uncovers how Nicole Crabtree orchestrates UST's impressive educational ecosystem. Nicole reveals the project management magic behind delivering 200 free events annually, expl…
- Leadership Without the @%$&# - Creating a Humble & Self-Aware Culture
Send us Fan Mail What does effective, humble and self-aware leadership look like? Join hosts Elisa Pratt and Andrew Chamberlain as they welcome Ellen Daniels, CEO of the British Compressed Gases Association and 2025 WiTA Powerlist honoree.…
- Beyond the AI Hype
Send us Fan Mail Stop hiding your AI usage "under the desk" and learn practical implementation strategies that won't sacrifice authentic member connections. Andrew and Elisa are joined by Your Nerdy Best Friend , Beth Z. who shares how to…
- Beyond Age Labels: Creating Authentic Member Communities That Transcend Generational Divides
Send us Fan Mail Just released! In Episode 135 of Association Transformation, hosts Elisa Pratt and Andrew Chamberlain sit down with Carter Lyons from LeadingAge Virginia for a refreshingly honest conversation about what we're getting wron…