I’ve been asked these questions enough times that I thought
it would be worthwhile to share via the executive director’s blog.
How did I come to
work for OTAC? I was employed by Association Resource Center (ARC), which
is the association management company umbrella where OTAC is housed. Soon to
retire (June 2008) OTAC executive director, Chuck Strauch, negotiated to move
OTAC to ARC the year before he retired in preparation of his succession
planning. In April (two months before Chuck’s retirement as the executive
director), he and president-elect Shawn Phipps attended a CEO / CEO (chief
elected officer / chief executive officer) association governance training conducted
by senior executive directors employed by ARC. I was one of the trainers, which
is how I met Shawn Phipps. From that training session, Shawn started a dialogue
with me about the OTAC opportunity. While I was an executive director for
another association, I was interested in learning more about OTAC based on
observing OTAC operations through Chuck, Shawn’s vision for the association,
and an opportunity to return to again serving in health care. I was interviewed
by an OTAC committee for the position along with several other candidates and
was offered the position. Shawn and I took over our positions (president and
executive director, respectively) just as the Great Recession of 2008 hit.
Needless to say the next four years were extremely challenging and
exponentially rewarding as we successfully navigated with the OTAC Board of
Directors this unique time period in our country’s and OTAC’s history.. I have
been serving OTAC since 2008 and it continues to be professionally challenging
as well as rewarding.
What is my background
to do this kind of work? I hold a BS in Business Administration with
concentrations in accounting and marketing. My IOM represents a professional
development program, Institute of Organizational Management, conducted by the
US Chamber of Commerce for chamber and association senior staff. It’s a 128-hour
program covering all nine domains of association management. I am also a
long-time member of both the California and American societies for association
executives. Most of my adult career has been in senior association management
positions, performing or overseeing all domains – membership, professional
development/conferences, governance and leadership, administration, government
affairs, marketing/communications/public relations, strategic management, and
products/programs . My background also includes working with several mental
health focused associations as well as at Sutter Health in its marketing/public
relations/patient relations department, and the second largest chamber of commerce
on the west coast as director of communications/events/leadership. My for
profit management background includes: director of operations for an
international certified public accounting firm, director of finance and
administration for a publishing company, and co-director of a commercial
construction company. As I mentioned before, I am an ARC trainer for
association leaders. In addition I serve on two nonprofit charitable
organizations (one since 2009) in the role of elected vice president.
