In this episode of The Association Insights Podcast, host Colleen Gallagher, President & CEO of OnWrd & UpWrd, sits down with Melissa Loner, MBA, QAS, Chief Executive Officer of the National Society of Compliance Professionals (NSCP), one of the 2025 Association Insights Comm Impact Award winners.

NSCP was recognized for its thoughtful, transparent internal communications strategy during the leadership transition from longtime Executive Director Lisa Crossley to Melissa’s leadership. From early board and member communications to a symbolic passing-of-the-baton moment at the organization’s national conference, the transition reflected what a mission-driven, people-first approach to change can look like.

🎧 In this conversation, Melissa unpacks what made the transition work, why transparency matters so much in association leadership, and what other organizations can learn from NSCP’s award-winning approach.

Key Highlights

Why NSCP’s mission resonates so deeply: Melissa shares how NSCP supports compliance professionals across the financial services industry through education, advocacy, and connection, while creating a trusted community for professionals navigating complex regulatory environments.

Reframing succession as a celebration: Rather than treating leadership change as something quiet or uncertain, NSCP intentionally positioned this transition as a celebration of Lisa Crossley’s legacy and the organization’s next chapter.

How thoughtful sequencing built trust: Melissa explains why board alignment, member communication, and phased announcements were so important to making the transition feel smooth, reassuring, and grounded in continuity.

Why transparency and over-communication matter: Melissa reflects on the role honest, clear communication plays in membership organizations, where trust and continuity are essential.

What internal succession really looks like: Coming from within the organization offered deep knowledge and credibility, but Melissa also shares the surprises, risks, and learning curves that came with stepping into the CEO role.

Lessons for other association leaders: From staying open to learning to not letting fear of mistakes create paralysis, Melissa offers practical insight for leaders planning succession and navigating change.

🎧 Tune in for a thoughtful conversation on leadership, communications, and how associations can handle transition with clarity, trust, and purpose.

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Coming Soon: We’re continuing to feature association professionals sharing top trends, leadership insights, and strategies shaping the future of the association space. Stay tuned.

In this solocast episode of The Association Insights Podcast, host Colleen Gallagher, President & CEO of OnWrd & UpWrd, takes a step back to reflect on the evolving role of communications leadership in associations.

Drawing on nearly two decades of experience working alongside associations across healthcare, transportation, finance, workforce development, and professional services, Colleen shares the leadership lessons, patterns, and strategies that separate organizations that simply communicate from those that become the trusted voice in their industry.

Whether you're leading communications, marketing, advocacy, or membership engagement, this episode offers practical insights on how associations can strengthen trust, shape conversations, and position themselves as go-to sources of expertise.

Key Highlights

Seven Lessons in Communications LeadershipColleen reflects on key lessons from her career working with associations—from the central role of trust and authenticity to the importance of strategic focus, crisis preparedness, and leadership judgment in an increasingly complex media environment.

Navigating Politicized and Complex IssuesAs industries face increased public scrutiny and political pressure, associations are being called on to provide credible perspectives while maintaining trust with stakeholders.

The Rising Importance of the CEO VoiceFrom thought leadership to media interviews and LinkedIn visibility, executive leadership is playing a growing role in shaping how associations communicate with members, media, and policymakers.

Why Member Stories Matter More Than EverThe most powerful communications asset associations have may be their own members. When organizations elevate real-world stories and experiences, they humanize complex issues and bring industry challenges to life.

Becoming the Go-To Voice in an IndustryColleen breaks down six factors that help associations become trusted sources for journalists, policymakers, and stakeholders—from proactive messaging and consistent narratives to research, executive visibility, and strong media relationships.

🎧 Tune in for a thoughtful look at what it really takes for associations to build credibility, shape conversations, and lead with authority in today’s rapidly evolving communications environment.

Stay Connected: Subscribe to The Association Insights podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Podcasts to ensure you never miss an episode.

Follow us on LinkedIn at OnWrd & UpWrd for the latest in association trends and strategies.

Coming Soon: We’re continuing the conversation with association professionals and industry leaders sharing the trends, insights, and real-world strategies shaping the future of associations.

Stay tuned for upcoming episodes exploring communications, leadership, member engagement, and the evolving role associations play in helping industries navigate change.

In this episode of The Association Insights Podcast, host OnWrd & UpWrd’s Colleen Gallagher welcomes back Louise St. Germain, Interim Executive Director of the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) for a powerful conversation on leadership during transition, global scale, and what it truly takes to maintain stability while building momentum.

After more than a decade in senior leadership at the ISTH—and over two decades in global health communications, advocacy, and crisis response—Louise has stepped into the organization’s top leadership role during a pivotal period. With 7,500 members across 120 countries and major milestones ahead—including the 2026 Congress in Paris—she shares what it means to lead with humility, curiosity, and clarity.

🎧 Whether you’re navigating executive succession, scaling global impact, or supporting teams through change, this episode offers grounded insight for association leaders at every level.

Key Highlights

Continuity Lives in People, Not the Org Chart: Rather than focusing solely on structure during leadership transitions, Louise emphasizes investing in relationships, culture, and mentorship. Succession planning, she reminds us, is a strategic responsibility—not a crisis response.

Leading at a Truly Global Scale: With members across 120 countries, the ISTH operates in a deeply multicultural environment. Louise shares why humility and lifelong curiosity are critical—and why global leadership requires listening before assuming your frame of reference is universal.

Crisis Communications as Executive Leadership Training: Louise’s background in crisis and advocacy communications has sharpened her ability to lead with clarity under pressure—knowing what you know, being honest about what you don’t, and creating enough calm and consistency for teams to stay oriented during uncertainty.

Building Sustainable Leadership Pipelines: For associations planning executive succession, Louise offers clear advice: plan earlier than you think you need to, invest continuously in leadership development, and build cultures of mentorship that create internal pathways for growth.

🎧 Tune in for a thoughtful, energizing conversation on stewardship, stability, global collaboration, and how association leaders can guide organizations confidently through moments of change.

Stay Connected: Subscribe to The Association Insights podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Podcasts to ensure you never miss an episode.

Follow us on LinkedIn at OnWrd & UpWrd for the latest in association trends and strategies.

Coming Soon

We’re continuing to sit down with association professionals across sectors to share candid perspectives on top trends, emerging challenges, and the strategies leaders are using to move their organizations forward. Stay tuned for what’s next.

In this episode of The Association Insights Podcast, host Meghan Henning sits down with OnWrd & UpWrd’s Account Director, Roger Hughlett, for a candid, wide-ranging conversation on media, messaging, and what associations need to understand about today’s newsroom realities.

With more than two decades of experience spanning journalism, editorial leadership, association communications, and corporate strategy—including senior roles at CompTIA and the Wireless Infrastructure Association—Roger has seen communications from every angle: reporter, editor, in-house leader, and now agency partner.

🎧 Whether you’re pitching a story, aligning with government affairs, or evaluating your agency relationship, this episode offers practical insight into how to build credibility, break through noise, and become a trusted voice in your industry.

Key Highlights

What Reporters Actually Need: Roger explains why quality information—not volume—wins. Reporters are looking for news they can use, insights with value, and clear angles that serve their audiences.

Exclusivity Still Matters: In a crowded media environment, exclusives remain powerful. Understanding what works—and what doesn’t—from a reporter’s perspective can transform how associations approach outreach.

What PR Professionals Misunderstand About Newsrooms Today: Modern newsrooms are lean, often virtual, and under pressure. Deadlines are relentless. Roger shares why thick skin, respect for timelines, and understanding how reporters generate stories from the ground up are essential.

Reporters Are Brands Now: In today’s media landscape, journalists operate as personal brands across social platforms and speaking circuits. Associations must treat them as peers—building relationships, not transactions.

Agency Life Through a Former Client’s Eyes: Roger reflects on the shift from in-house leadership to agency partner—and what surprised him most about the intensity, collaboration, and behind-the-scenes work agencies deliver.

Breaking Through in a Noisy World: Associations that stand out bring data, insight, perspective, and a willingness to engage in the broader conversation. You can’t ask to be quoted if you haven’t shown up with something meaningful to say.

🎧 Tune in for a thoughtful conversation on media relationships, advocacy alignment, agency partnerships, and why strong writing still matters more than ever.

Stay Connected: Subscribe to The Association Insights podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Podcasts to ensure you never miss an episode.

Follow us on LinkedIn at OnWrd & UpWrd for the latest in association trends and strategies.

Coming Soon: We’re continuing to sit down with association professionals and industry leaders to share candid insights on the trends, challenges, and strategies shaping the future of associations. Stay tuned for more conversations designed to help you strengthen impact, relevance, and member value.

In this episode of The Association Insights Podcast, host OnWrd & UpWrd’s Meghan Henning sits down with Amy Leitman, JD, President of NTM Info & Research (NTMir) for a powerful conversation about advocacy, awareness, and what it takes for a small nonprofit to execute a truly global media campaign.

Amy shares the deeply personal origin story that shaped her work in rare disease education and support—and how a patient-driven mission can scale into meaningful impact over time.The conversation also digs into the behind-the-scenes strategy of building a breakthrough, fully bilingual media campaign that earned an Association Insights CommImpact Award for Excellence in Media Relations.

🎧 If you work at an association or nonprofit with a small team, limited budget, and a big mission—this episode is packed with practical insight on how to scale impact without losing credibility or trust.

Key Highlights

From Personal Story to Global Mission: Amy explains how patient questions—not organizational assumptions—became the foundation of NTMir’s programs, resources, and research priorities, creating an organization built entirely around real-world needs.

Reaching the Audiences You’re Missing: By recognizing gaps in who they were reaching—especially Spanish-speaking patients—NTMir committed to a fully bilingual approach that went far beyond token translation, strengthening credibility and accessibility.

Building a High-Impact Media Strategy on a Small Budget: Amy breaks down how the organization identified the right media and marketing partners, leveraged retargeting and AI-supported tools, and focused spending where it would drive measurable awareness and discovery.

Why a Satellite Media Tour Still Works: The episode dives into how satellite media tours can deliver massive reach efficiently—when paired with the right spokespeople, expert preparation, and strategic market targeting.

Balancing Science with Human Storytelling: Amy shares how NTMir safeguards medical accuracy through rigorous expert review, while still centering the lived experiences of patients to create emotional resonance with broad audiences.

Stay Connected: Subscribe to The Association Insights podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Podcasts to ensure you never miss an episode.

Follow us on LinkedIn at OnWrd & UpWrd for the latest in association trends and strategies.

Coming Soon We’re continuing the conversation with association professionals across sectors, sharing candid perspectives on top trends, emerging challenges, and the strategies leaders are using to move their organizations forward. Stay tuned.

In this episode of The Association Insights Podcast, host Meghan Henning of OnWrd & UpWrd sits down with Julie Hirschhorn, Manager of Public Relations at the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), for a timely conversation on trust, tone, and leadership in healthcare communications.

As vaccines have become increasingly politicized, AAFP leaned into its most powerful asset: family physicians as trusted, local voices. Julie unpacks how AAFP’s National Immunization Awareness Month campaign reframed the conversation around vaccines—leading with empathy, evidence, and credibility—while navigating misinformation, fear, and polarization. The campaign earned AAFP an Association Insights CommImpact Award for its bold, compassionate approach.

🎧 If your association is grappling with polarizing issues, fragile public trust, or high-stakes communications, this episode offers practical insight into how to lead with clarity and purpose.

Key Highlights

Why 2025 Required a Shift in Strategy: Julie explains how the evolving vaccine landscape—and rising misinformation—signaled the need for a more intentional, audience-specific communications approach rooted in science that hasn’t changed.

Three Audiences, One Cohesive Message: From family physicians and the public to policymakers, learn how AAFP tailored messaging while maintaining consistency, credibility, and mission alignment.

Tone Matters More Than Ever: Hear how AAFP balanced scientific accuracy with compassion—avoiding shame, alarmism, and jargon in favor of empathy, shared values, and human connection.

Family Physicians as the Face of Trust: Julie walks through how AAFP activated national, state, and local physician spokespeople—equipping them with media training, local data, and adaptable messaging.

Why Local Media Builds Credibility: From local TV interviews and parenting publications to op-eds and letters to the editor, discover why community-based coverage played a critical role in trust-building.

Measuring Impact Beyond Media Hits: Success wasn’t just about placements. Julie shares how AAFP looked at message resonance, physician feedback, and real-world behavior change over time.

Stay Connected: Subscribe to The Association Insights podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Podcasts to ensure you never miss an episode.

Follow us on LinkedIn at OnWrd & UpWrd for the latest in association trends and strategies.

Coming Soon: We’re continuing the conversation with association professionals across sectors—sharing candid perspectives on top trends, emerging challenges, and the strategies leaders are using to strengthen trust, engagement, and impact. Stay tuned for what’s next.

In this episode of The Association Insights Podcast, host Meghan Henning sits down with Lisa Townsend, Director of Marketing & Communications at the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP), to unpack what it looks like when an association doesn’t just react to industry change—but leads through it.

As the global clinical research industry prepared for significant updates to the ICH E6 guidelines, ACRP recognized the moment for what it was: not just a regulatory update, but a critical inflection point for education, trust, and leadership. Lisa shares how her team transformed that complexity into a coordinated, member-driven communications and learning ecosystem—earning an Association Insights CommImpact Award and empowering tens of thousands of professionals worldwide.

🎧 Whether your association is navigating regulatory change, industry disruption, or shifting member expectations, this episode offers practical insights on how communications, collaboration, and agility can turn uncertainty into leadership.

Key Highlights

Positioning Communications as Strategy, Not Support: Lisa shares how early involvement from leadership—and a CEO who deeply understood communications—allowed ACRP to plan proactively, align messaging with strategy, and define what it truly meant to be a “trusted source.”

Planning Ahead When the Stakes Are High: With advance insight into the timing of the ICH E6 updates, ACRP began planning months ahead—launching communications before competitors and setting expectations with clarity and confidence.

Members as Co-Creators, Not Just Consumers: From subject matter experts to working groups and community conversations, ACRP leaned into “for members, by members” content—boosting credibility, relevance, and reach.

Sequencing Without Overwhelming: Lisa walks through how the team carefully layered resource hubs, blogs, webinars, tools, and live sessions—ensuring members always knew where to go without feeling overloaded.

When Things Break, Trust Is Built in the Response: A record-breaking webinar turnout exposed technical limits—but ACRP’s fast, transparent pivot reinforced trust and demonstrated what leadership looks like when things don’t go perfectly.

Measuring What Really Matters: Beyond record registrations and downloads, Lisa explains how qualitative feedback, conversations, and community signals shaped decisions and revealed deeper success.

Lessons for Small Teams with Big Mandates: With a lean staff and modest budget, ACRP’s campaign proves that strategic clarity, cross-functional teamwork, and intentional reuse of content can drive outsized impact.

🎧 Tune in for a candid, thoughtful conversation on how associations can lead through change—not by doing more, but by doing the right things at the right time.

Stay Connected: Subscribe to The Association Insights podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Podcasts to ensure you never miss an episode.

Follow us on LinkedIn at OnWrd & UpWrd for the latest in association trends and strategies.

Coming Soon We’re continuing to sit down with association executives and industry leaders to explore what’s working, what’s changing, and how associations are navigating disruption, growth, and opportunity. Stay tuned!

In this episode of The Association Insights Podcast, host Colleen Gallagher sits down with Jen O’Brien, Director of Research and Innovation at the American Marketing Association (AMA), to unpack the newly released Future Trends in Marketing Report—and what it means for association marketers navigating rapid change.

With AI reshaping how work gets done, how audiences discover brands, and how trust is built, this conversation moves beyond hype to focus on practical, long-term implications. Jen shares how AMA approached foresight-driven research, why a 5–10 year lens matters right now, and how associations can better support professionals through disruption, skill shifts, and evolving career paths.

🎧 Whether you lead marketing, communications, membership, or strategy, this episode offers clear insight into what’s changing—and how associations can stay relevant, trusted, and future-ready.

Key Highlights

Why AMA Built a Future Trends Report (Without an Agenda): Jen explains why AMA wanted to create a marketer-centered trends report—free from vendor bias—and how foresight research helps professionals prepare rather than react.

The Age of Autonomous Agents: What happens when AI moves from “tool” to “teammate”? Jen breaks down how autonomous agents are changing both consumer discovery and internal marketing workflows.

From Search to Discovery: Traditional SEO isn’t enough anymore. Learn why associations must think about social-first content, answer engine optimization, and visibility inside AI-driven environments.

Trust in a Fragmented World: With declining trust across institutions, Jen shares why associations can’t take credibility for granted—and how a single misstep can undo decades of goodwill.

The Rise of the Liquid Workforce: Portfolio careers, freelance talent, and AI-assisted work are reshaping teams. What association leaders should consider when structuring, supporting, and retaining marketing talent.

Sustainability Without Greenwashing—or Greenhushing: Why sustainability remains an innovation imperative, how to stay authentic in polarized environments, and what associations can learn from brands navigating public pressure.

Preparing Professionals for What’s Next: From skill disruption to career pathways, Jen outlines the unique role associations can play in helping workers adapt, reskill, and maintain dignity through change.

Resources: Download your copy of AMA’s 2026 Future Trends in Marketing Report today: https://resources.ama.org/2026-trends-report-nm

Stay Connected: Subscribe to The Association Insights podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Podcasts to ensure you never miss an episode.

Follow us on LinkedIn at OnWrd & UpWrd for the latest in association trends and strategies.

Coming Soon: More conversations with association professionals and leaders sharing the trends, shifts, and insights shaping the future of associations—and what it takes to stay relevant, resilient, and member-focused in a rapidly changing world. Stay tuned.