How do you rebuild an association that is struggling financially, operationally, and reputationally, and turn it into an organization that members are excited to invest in?

In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Eric Ellman, President of the National Consumer Reporting Association (NCRA). Eric discusses:

• How NCRA represents mortgage reporting companies and tenant screening companies that provide regulated data to mortgage lenders, landlords, and property managers.
• How NCRA members act as the “go-betweens” of the industry, combining data from credit bureaus and public records to help mortgage lenders and landlords assess risk in housing.
• Why the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is the governing touchstone of the industry and how it functions as a foundational privacy law.
• How trust sits at the center of the consumer reporting ecosystem, from consumers, to data furnishers, to reporting agencies, to end users.
• Why Eric says he is having more fun in this role than at any other point in his career, thanks to culture, trust, and the ability to make a meaningful impact quickly.
• How he inherited an association in significant financial trouble and immediately focused on stabilizing finances, improving communications, revamping branding, and strengthening public policy work.
• How NCRA reimagined its annual conference by rebranding it as Elevate, upgrading the content, creating stronger sponsor value, and building energy around the event experience.
• How Eric personally led sponsor conversations, helped generate record-breaking sponsorship support, and brought in nine new sponsors in roughly 14 months.
• How NCRA asked members for a special assessment, explained the financial situation transparently, and earned overwhelming member support through a compelling vision for the future.
• What’s ahead for NCRA in 2026, including continued growth, stronger advocacy, and Elevate 2026 in New Orleans.

References:

• NCRA Website

How do you rebuild an association when you inherit the top job, lose key staff almost immediately, and have to figure everything out in real time? And in a relationship-driven industry like commercial construction, how can an association help members strengthen connections, prove value, and grow even when the staff team is tiny?

In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Gwyn Donohue, Executive Director of the American Subcontractors Association Metro Washington (ASAMW). Gwyn discusses:

1. How ASAMW represents subcontractors, suppliers, and service providers across Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC, serving as the “moving parts” behind commercial construction projects.
2. How Gwyn came into her first chief staff executive role in July 2025 and quickly found herself running the organization with almost no transition playbook when a longtime staff member left just five weeks into her job.
3. How ASAMW relied on highly engaged members and committee chairs to preserve institutional knowledge and keep major programs moving.
4. How Gwyn and the team pulled off the organization’s marquee event, the Subby Awards Gala, a 450-person event with a complex awards program and voting process
5. How Gwyn modernized ASAMW’s tech operations.
6. How ASAMW is growing membership by leaning into LinkedIn, increasing visibility, promoting sponsor recognition, and meeting the construction community where it already is online.
7. Why Gwyn made governance a priority.
8. What 2026 looks like for ASAMW.

References:

1. ASAMW Website
2. 62nd Annual Subby Awards Gala

What happens when 50 million people need endocrine care… but there are only about 4,000 practicing endocrinologists to see the complex cases? In an environment where misinformation is everywhere and specialist capacity is limited, how can an association help clinicians and care teams deliver better outcomes at scale without diluting quality?

In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Johnnie White, CEO of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology (AACE). Johnnie discusses:

1. How AACE’s membership is ~6,000 worldwide, with predominantly physicians and a growing “endocrine care team” that includes NPs, PAs, pharmacists, and primary care clinicians.
2. The sobering workforce math: “there’s not enough endocrinologists” for the volume of diabetes (and other endocrine disorders), and why AACE prioritizes educating the broader care team.
3. How members get access to endocrine-specific education, guidelines, publications, and networking with field experts.
4. The strategic shift from “endocrinologists” to “endocrinology” and how a bigger tent supports care delivery while keeping endocrinologists as the clinical leaders who develop guidelines.
5. AACE’s patient-first digital strategy: landing visitors on the patient portal first, then routing clinicians to the healthcare/member portal.
6. How AACE built “patient journeys” (diabetes, thyroid, obesity, and more) to counter misinformation and provide understandable, trustworthy guidance for patients and caregivers.
7. Why AACE’s patient content is heavily used not only by patients but also by clinicians who refer patients to it for education and reinforcement.
8. The organization’s non-traditional education mix, including podcasts as an accessible channel for timely topics, and microlearning with short modules, tracked for continuing education credit.
9. Johnnie’s leadership philosophy, “Mamba Mentality,” is a continuous quest to improve, seek feedback, and empower experts on the team.

References:

1. AACE Website