CEO Summit & CEO Series
Association CEOs face a unique set of challenges—governance complexity, leadership demands, organizational transformation, and accelerating technological change. At the 2026 ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition, the CEO Summit and CEO Series provide a dedicated learning track designed exclusively for association chief executives and executive directors, creating space for candid conversation, peer exchange, and practical leadership insights.
CEO Summit (Pre-Conference): Preparing Your Association for What Comes Next
Before the Annual Meeting officially begins, association CEOs are invited to participate in the CEO Summit, a three-hour working session focused on one of the most pressing leadership questions facing associations today: how artificial intelligence will reshape member expectations, organizational strategy, and mission delivery over the next five years. Unlike a traditional presentation, this interactive workshop is designed to help leaders move from awareness to action. Participants will explore AI’s impact on trust, credibility, revenue, and relevance while developing a practical roadmap for their organizations. CEOs will leave with a prioritized AI action plan, a board-ready narrative, and a network of peers navigating similar challenges.
Content Leader:
Trent Gillespie, CEO & Co-Founder, Stellis AI; former Amazon executive
CEO Series
The CEO Series, presented through ASAE’s Associations Governance Institute (AGI), offers a curated collection of sessions exclusively for association CEOs and executive directors. Through candid discussions, governance-focused debates, and peer-to-peer learning, participants will explore the leadership challenges that matter most in today’s association environment.
CEO Confidential: Ask Me Anything (AMA)
Association CEOs rarely have the opportunity to ask the questions they are truly wrestling with in a confidential setting. This interactive session creates exactly that opportunity. Participants can submit questions anonymously and hear unfiltered responses from veteran CEOs on topics ranging from governance and leadership pressure to difficult strategic decisions and career-defining moments. No scripted answers. No advance preparation. Just honest dialogue among peers who understand the realities of the CEO role.
CEO Panel: Marc Cadin, Gary LaBranch, Anne Forristall Luke, Vicki Deal-Wililams. Full Description
Do Your Leadership Skills Need a Reboot?
The expectations placed on CEOs continue to evolve. Today’s leaders must demonstrate agility, resilience, self-awareness, and the ability to guide organizations through constant change. This session brings together executive recruiters and leadership coaches to discuss the capabilities that define successful CEOs today—and the competencies that will be required tomorrow. Participants will gain practical strategies for strengthening leadership effectiveness, identifying blind spots, and sustaining personal well-being while navigating increasing organizational complexity.
Featured Speakers: Executive recruiters and leadership coaches specializing in CEO development and succession.
Stop Pretending the CEO–Chair Relationship Is Easy
The relationship between a CEO and board chair can accelerate organizational success—or create significant leadership friction. This candid session examines the realities of one of the most important partnerships in association leadership. Participants will explore the dynamics that build trust, strengthen governance, and clarify expectations, while learning from governance experts about the practices that help CEOs and volunteer leaders work effectively together.
Featured Speakers: Governance experts and experienced association leaders.
CEOs vs. Boards: Who Owns the Hard Decisions?
Governance challenges often emerge where strategic authority, accountability, and decision-making responsibilities intersect. In this lively debate-style session, participants will hear contrasting perspectives from the CEO seat and the board chair seat as panelists tackle real-world governance scenarios. The discussion will address where authority should reside, how decisions should be made, and what happens when expectations between CEOs and boards diverge.
Featured Speakers: Association CEOs and board leaders participating in a structured governance debate.
Learning from Each Other: A Peer Exchange for Association CEOs
The CEO Series concludes with a highly interactive peer exchange designed to maximize learning through conversation rather than presentation. CEOs will participate in facilitated small-group discussions focused on timely leadership topics, sharing practical strategies, lessons learned, and emerging approaches with peers from organizations of all sizes and mission areas. This session is built on the belief that some of the most valuable insights come directly from fellow CEOs facing similar challenges.
Facilitated by: Association CEO peers and discussion leaders.
This program is Sponsored by
