Smart Starts, Big Impact: How One Small Association is Leading with AI

In this episode of The Association Insights Podcast, we kick off our August series on artificial intelligence with a powerful real-world example of how small-staff associations can lead with strategy, innovation—and confidence.

Host Meghan Henning sits down with Cathy Lada, D.Sc., CAE, Chief Marketing & Membership Officer at the American Alliance of Orthopaedic Executives (AAOE), to explore how her team is thoughtfully integrating AI to enhance member experience, streamline operations, and unlock time-saving value across the organization.

🎧 Whether you’re just starting to explore AI tools or ready to build your first custom GPT, this episode offers clear, practical insights from someone who’s been there—and is doing the work every day.

Key Highlights:

The First Prompt is the Hardest – How Cathy moved from AI skeptic to strategic champion—and why a $24 prompt engineering course changed everything.

Build a Policy Before You Build a Bot – Why a clear AI policy was AAOE’s starting point—and how they keep it updated as tools evolve.

Real-Time Use, Real-Time Impact – From custom GPTs to job aid generation, Cathy shares how her team is saving hours each week through smart AI applications.

Confidence Through Crowdsourcing – How AAOE involved staff from day one and built trust by aligning use cases with values, confidentiality, and member benefit.

Tested by Humans, Trusted by Members – Why Cathy insists on human vetting for all AI-generated outputs—and how her team validates ideas with both members and industry partners.

What’s Next: Vendor-Facing AI – Learn how AAOE is exploring the possibility of piloting a custom chatbot to support exhibitors, advertisers, and sponsors—aiming to deliver better service and saving time along the way.

🎧 Tune in for a candid, encouraging conversation about how associations of any size can embrace AI—without losing what makes them human.

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Coming Soon: We’re continuing our August series on AI with more leaders who are testing, learning, and finding real-world value—from custom tools to smarter content strategies. Stay tuned!