CESSE

Working in an association comes with its own unique landscape, from volunteer governance and membership structures to balancing mission and margin. The CESSE course, Association Basics, helps professionals and partners understand that landscape and build practical knowledge they can apply in their roles.

Co-leading the November session is Matt Miller, Chief Executive Officer of the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB). Matt brings extensive association leadership experience, having previously served as Executive Director & CEO at the American Welding Society, Chief Operating Officer for NACE International, and Director of the SAE Foundation and Pre-Professional Programs at SAE International. He is also a former member of the CESSE Board of Directors.

During this two-day virtual course, participants will explore the purpose and structure of associations, governance, membership, programs and services, volunteer engagement, and more through interactive discussions and activities.

🔺 November 17–18 | 10 a.m.–2:30 p.m. ET
🔺 Earn 8 CAE credits
🔺 Register for Association Basics: www.CESSE.org/Association-Basics-Course

A meeting can do more than share knowledge. It can spark the connection that leads to the next major innovation.

Toronto’s concentration of hospitals, universities, research institutes and AI organizations has made it easier for clinicians, scientists, engineers and data experts to collaborate on complex challenges. One example is a University Health Network team using AI-powered models and digital twins to evaluate donor lungs.

For STEM society professionals, this story offers a powerful reminder: the ecosystem surrounding a meeting can be just as important as what happens inside the conference venue.

Explore the article and see how your next meeting destination could help turn new connections into meaningful outcomes: https://ow.ly/2nKh50ZQHzV

Thank you to our Premier Partner: Destination Canada Business Events (Canada Keep Exploring)

Great events don't happen by accident. They're intentionally designed.

Meet Beth Surmont, Head of Strategy & Design at 360 Live Media and presenter for CESSE's upcoming webinar, Beyond the Program: Designing STEM Events for Lasting Impact.

Beth helps associations and nonprofits redesign, reinvent, and reinvigorate their events through audience-centered design and purposeful strategy. A recognized innovator in the meetings industry, she is an ASAE The Center for Association Leadership Fellow, CMP Fellow, recipient of PCMA's 2024 Groundbreaker Award, and a member of the Smart Women in Meetings 2026 Innovator class.

Beth will share practical approaches for designing experiences that create connection, spark new ideas, and generate impact that continues well after an event concludes.

📅 September 22, 2026
⏰ 2:00 p.m. ET
✅ 1 CAE credit available. CESSE is also a CMP preferred provider.
🔗 https://ow.ly/4BbR50ZERCJ

Join fellow STEM association professionals for a conversation about designing events that create lasting value.

Meet Christina Lewellen, MBA, FASAE, CAE, Executive Director and CEO of the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) and presenter for CESSE's upcoming webinar, Beyond the Program: Designing STEM Events for Lasting Impact.

Known for her data-driven approach to leadership and strategy, Christina is a respected voice in the association community and was named an ASAE The Center for Association Leadership Fellow in 2025. She brings extensive experience leading professional communities, navigating organizational change, and helping associations maximize the value they provide members.

During this session, Christina will share insights on how intentional event design can strengthen communities, support collaboration, and advance organizational goals beyond traditional education and networking.

📅 September 22, 2026
⏰ 2:00 p.m. ET
✅ 1 CAE credit available. CESSE is also a CMP preferred provider.
🔗 https://ow.ly/4i3P50ZERyy

What if the true value of your annual meeting can extend far beyond the event itself?

Meet Michael Beale, Client Engagement Manager at Destination Canada (Canada Keep Exploring) and one of the presenters for CESSE's upcoming webinar, Beyond the Program: Designing STEM Events for Lasting Impact.

With more than a decade of experience in the global business events industry, Michael works with associations and organizational leaders to create events that drive meaningful economic and social impact. His work is informed by Destination Canada's groundbreaking research on event legacy and impact, helping organizations think differently about what success looks like after attendees return home.

Join us on September 22 to learn how STEM societies can intentionally design meetings that foster collaboration, innovation, and lasting value for their communities.

📅 September 22, 2026
⏰ 2:00 p.m. ET
✅ 1 CAE credit available. CESSE is also a CMP preferred provider.
🔗 https://ow.ly/rKQf50ZERsj

The most valuable conversations in STEM society leadership happen when CEOs and Executive Directors come together to learn from one another, share candid insights, and tackle common challenges. That's exactly what you'll find at the 2027 CESSE CEO Meeting, and helping shape this year's experience are two outstanding volunteer leaders:

Scott Grayson, CAE, Chief Executive Officer, American Public Works Association (APWA) and Abigail Gorman, MBA, Chief Executive Officer, American Society for Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics for (ASCPT).

Together, Scott and Abigail are working with CESSE to create an experience designed by CEOs, for CEOs, focused on the issues that matter most to STEM societies today.

📍 The DeSoto Savannah
📅 January 24-27, 2027

Be among the first to hear when registration opens, hotel details are released, and new program information becomes available by signing up for notifications at: www.cesse.org/ceo-meeting

POV: You're at the CESSE CEO Meeting 🤝🧠☕

Big-picture conversations. New ideas you can take back to your STEM society. Time away from the day-to-day to focus on the future of the profession.

We're counting down the days until the 2027 CESSE CEO Meeting, taking place January 24-27, 2027, in Savannah, Georgia!

Whether it was a breakthrough idea from a fellow CEO, a thought-provoking discussion, or a connection that turned into a lasting professional relationship, the CEO Meeting has a way of creating moments that stay with you long after the event ends.

What's your favorite memory from a past CESSE CEO Meeting? Share it in the comments or tag us in a post!

What if your organization's greatest advantage in the age of AI is the knowledge you already own?

Join Rob Barnes, CAE, AAiP, CEO and Co-Founder of Betty:AI, for CESSE's upcoming webinar, "How AI is Transforming From Standards Documents to Standards Intelligence." A longtime association executive and technology leader, Rob has spent decades helping associations unlock the value of their most trusted asset: their knowledge. His perspective is simple: standards organizations don't have a knowledge problem. They have a findability problem.

During tomorrow's session, Rob will share practical examples of how standards development organizations can use governed AI to help users find, compare, apply, and interpret standards while maintaining authority, accountability, and human judgment. Whether you're exploring AI for the first time or looking to develop a pilot initiative, you'll gain actionable insights to help chart your organization's path forward.

Register Now: https://ow.ly/Vc6k50ZtxNK

Artificial intelligence is creating new possibilities for standards development organizations, but where can it deliver the most value while preserving trust, authority, and human oversight?

Join Thomas Altman, CIO and Co-Founder of Betty:AI, for CESSE's upcoming webinar, "How AI is Transforming From Standards Documents to Standards Intelligence." With a background in applied statistics, machine learning, and association technology, Thomas has spent his career helping organizations turn data into action. In this session, he'll explore how governed, source-bound AI can support the full standards lifecycle, from research and retrieval to comparison, interpretation, education, and more.

Register Now: https://ow.ly/292Q50ZtxK2

In addition to 1 CAE credit, you'll leave this webinar with practical frameworks for identifying high-value AI opportunities, evaluating potential pilots, and implementing governance guardrails that keep people at the center of decision-making.

📸 The ACCESSE26 photo gallery is here!

Take a look back at the conversations, connections, and community that defined this year's conference in Raleigh. Whether you attended or want a glimpse into the ACCESSE experience, we invite you to explore the highlights.

Browse the gallery and relive the moments that brought STEM society professionals together around this year's theme, Rooted in Purpose. 🔗 https://ow.ly/1s7G50ZtxvB

If you attended, don't forget to tag us when sharing your favorite photos.