submitted by Chris Vest, ASAE
WASHINGTON— The Leadership Committee of ASAE and the ASAE Research Foundation has selected nominees to serve on the ASAE and ASAE Research Foundation Boards of Directors for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY2026), with terms beginning September 1, 2025.
The Leadership Committee develops a pool of candidates for board service based on several criteria, including how they best characterize ASAE’s strategy, represent their organizations’ membership and enhance ASAE’s commitment to diverse representation, which is inclusive of geography, association size, career level, gender, identity, ethnicity, skill sets and areas of expertise.
The Leadership Committee is chaired this year by Lynda Bouchard Patterson, FASAE, CAE, Founder & CEO, AMPED Association Management/CEO & Founder, Association CEO, and Immediate Past Chair of the ASAE Board.
“As we considered nominees for the FY2026 Board, the Leadership Committee was intentional about identifying individuals who not only reflect the diversity and breadth of the association community, but who also bring the forward-thinking mindset and leadership qualities necessary to guide ASAE in its continued evolution,” Patterson said. “The skillsets and experience these nominees bring will thoughtfully complement and round out the current Board, positioning ASAE for strong, collaborative leadership. They will be valuable partners to the exceptional ASAE staff team, led by President and CEO Michelle Mason, as together they advance ASAE’s mission and ensure the association community thrives in a rapidly changing world.”
The following nominees will serve as officers of ASAE and the ASAE Research Foundation:
Jay Karen, CAE, Chief Executive Officer, National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA), will become Chair of the ASAE Board.
Sheri Sesay-Tuffour, PhD, FASAE, CAE, ICE-CCP, IOM, Chief Executive Officer, Pediatric Nursing Certification Board, will become Chair-Elect of the ASAE Board and Chair of the ASAE Research Foundation Board.
Philip K. Bell, CAE, President, Steel Manufacturers Association, will become Secretary-Treasurer of the ASAE Board and the ASAE Research Foundation Board.
Heidi Brock, President and CEO, American Forest & Paper Association, will become Immediate Past Chair of the ASAE Board.
The following nominees will serve three-year terms as “At-Large” directors on the ASAE Board:
Thomas Arend, Jr., JD, CAE
Chief Executive Officer
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
Rosemont, IL
Marc Cadin
Chief Executive Officer
Finseca
Washington, DC
John D. Dee, CPA, CGMA
Chief Executive Officer
Bostrom Corporation
Chicago, IL
Anne Forristall Luke
President and CEO
U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association
Washington, DC
Elliott Ferguson (Industry Partner)
President and CEO
Destination DC
Washington, DC
Ferguson and Dee are also nominated to serve on the ASAE Research Foundation Board.
The new boards will be officially installed and join the current board members during the 2025 ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition August 9-12 in Los Angeles CA.
ASAE Bylaws provide the opportunity for additional nominees to be proposed through a petition process. Should any member be proposed by petition, the petition should contain the signatures of at least 2.5% of the ASAE voting membership and should be received at ASAE Headquarters no later than August 1, 2025, to the attention of Lynda Bouchard Patterson, FASAE, CAE, Chair of the Leadership Committee.
About ASAE
ASAE is a membership organization of more than 50,000 association executives and industry partners. Since it was established 100 years ago, its members have and continue to lead, manage, and work in or partner with organizations in more than a dozen association management disciplines, from executive management to finance to technology. With the support of the ASAE Research Foundation, a separate nonprofit entity, ASAE is the premier source of learning, knowledge, and future-oriented research for the association and nonprofit profession and provides resources, education, ideas, and advocacy to enhance the power and performance of the association and nonprofit community. Visit ASAE at Welcome to ASAE — American Society of Association Executives (asaecenter.org)
