In this episode of The Association Insights Podcast powered by OnWrd & UpWrd, host Colleen Gallagher is joined by Meghan Henning, Senior PR Strategist & Founding Partner, and Christine Stay, Director of Operations at OnWrd & UpWrd, for a fast-paced conversation on the real challenges associations are facing right now.

Instead of going deep on one topic, this episode takes a rapid-fire approach to the situations many teams are navigating every day—from lack of visibility and overwhelmed staff to stalled campaigns, underused member stories, and uncertainty around AI.

🎧 Whether you’re leading communications, managing operations, or wearing multiple hats, this episode offers useful insight on how to focus, prioritize, and move forward with more clarity.

Key Highlights

Stop Sharing Updates—Start Telling Stories: Associations often default to announcements instead of narratives. Meghan explains why storytelling—especially through member experiences—is the key to media interest, engagement, and real impact.

When Everything Is a Priority, Nothing Is: Christine breaks down how overwhelmed teams can regain control by narrowing focus to 2–3 priorities, building clear ownership, and giving permission to deprioritize what doesn’t matter right now.

AI as a Strategic Partner (Not a Shortcut): From repurposing content to generating new angles, AI can significantly reduce workload—when used intentionally. The key: maintain human voice, apply guardrails, and start small with one clear use case.

Thought Leadership Without the Time Burden: Executives don’t need to be online constantly to build a voice. The team shares how to capture authentic perspectives, repurpose existing content, and create a sustainable process for visibility.

Member Stories = Untapped Gold: Associations are sitting on some of their most powerful content. Member stories build credibility, drive engagement, and scale across channels—but only if there’s a system to capture and use them.

Why Engagement Falls Flat (and How to Fix It): If content isn’t resonating, it’s time to step back. Are you audience-first or organization-first? Are you saying something worth repeating? The answers often reveal the gap.

🎧 Tune in for a candid, practical conversation on how associations can do less, better—and make smarter progress with the time and resources they have.

Stay Connected: Subscribe to The Association Insights Podcast powered by OnWrd & UpWrd 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 feature association professionals sharing top trends, practical insights, and real-world strategies for navigating change and driving impact. Stay tuned!

In this episode of The Association Insights Podcast powered by OnWrd & UpWrd, host Colleen Gallagher sits down with Alexandra Bradley, President; Kim Howard, CAE, President-Elect; and Whitney Meyerhoeffer, MPA, CAE, Secretary/Treasurer of The Alliance for Women in Associations.

Together, they share how the Alliance came to life, the gap it is designed to fill, and why creating community for women in the association space feels especially urgent right now.

🎧 If you’re thinking about leadership growth, community-building, or how associations can better support women at every stage of their careers, this conversation offers thoughtful perspective and practical insight.

Key Highlights

Why the Alliance launched now: Alexandra explains that while women make up much of the association workforce, they remain underrepresented in leadership. The Alliance was created to offer community, support, and resources at a time when many organizations were pulling back on DEI efforts.

More than networking: Whitney shares why the Alliance is being built as more than a networking group. For many women, career growth is happening alongside caregiving, invisible labor, and shifting expectations—making real community and shared support more important than ever.

The leadership gap women still face: Kim points to sponsorship as one of the biggest missing pieces in leadership advancement. Beyond mentorship, women need advocates who will elevate their work and help create pathways into senior roles.

What early momentum is showing: From strong founding member interest to high-energy in-person events, the response has made one thing clear: this need is real, and women across the association space are looking for connection, support, and a place to grow.

What comes next: The Alliance is focused on growing membership, expanding events, and launching meaningful educational programming and virtual engagement opportunities that help women navigate leadership and career growth in practical ways.

Stay Connected: Subscribe to The Association Insights Podcast powered by OnWrd & UpWrd 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 leaders and industry experts to explore the real challenges teams are facing—and the strategies helping them build stronger, more resilient organizations.

Building Stronger Association Teams: Wellbeing, Leadership, and Sustainable Performance

In this episode of The Association Insights Podcast, host Colleen Gallagher sits down with Johanna Roodt, Founder, Wellbeing Consultant & Coach, Leladijo Consulting, for a timely conversation on what it really takes to build healthy, high-performing association teams.

From burnout and communication breakdowns to leadership habits and practical wellbeing strategies, Johanna brings both lived experience and actionable insight—drawing from her work leading association teams and supporting professionals across high-pressure environments like events.

🎧 If you’re leading a small but mighty team, navigating constant demands, or thinking about how to better support your staff without adding more complexity, this episode is packed with practical, real-world takeaways.

Key Highlights

Why Burnout Is Rising—Especially in Associations: Johanna shares why burnout is becoming more common across teams—including younger professionals—and how always-on culture, small teams, and mission-driven work can accelerate the risk.

The Hidden Signs Leaders Often Miss: Burnout doesn’t always look like disengagement. High performers may actually overdeliver and push harder—making it even more important for leaders to check in and recognize early warning signs.

How Stress Impacts Team Communication: When pressure rises, communication often breaks down. Meetings get skipped, messages are misinterpreted, and blame can creep in—creating a cycle that’s hard to reverse without intentional structure.

Clarity Is the Ultimate Stress Reducer: Clear priorities, defined roles, and consistent communication routines help teams stay focused—even when everything feels urgent. Johanna explains how leaders can simplify without slowing down.

Simple, No-Budget Ways to Support Team Wellbeing: You don’t need a formal program to make a real impact. From weekly capacity check-ins to time-blocking, flexible work norms, and celebrating small wins, small shifts can dramatically improve team health.

The Leadership Mindset Shift That Changes Everything: Wellbeing isn’t about big initiatives—it’s about daily habits. Leaders who listen, communicate expectations clearly, and create psychological safety build stronger, more sustainable teams.

🎧 Tune in for a candid, practical conversation on how association leaders can reduce burnout, strengthen communication, and create environments where teams can truly thrive—not just keep up.

Resources:

Johanna is offering our listeners an exclusive 50% discount on her self-paced “Certified Event Mental Wellbeing” e-learning course! Use code VIP50 at checkout. Offer valid through Monday, March 30th.

👉 Register here: https://event-mental-wellbeing.thinkific.com/products/courses/event-mental-wellbeing-course

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 leaders and industry experts to explore the real challenges teams are facing—and the strategies helping them build stronger, more resilient organizations.