Registration

Oshkosh Mariott Waterfront Hotel & Convention Center
1 N Main St, Oshkosh, WI 54901

 Room Rate: $129
Reservation Cut-Off: June 11, 2026

 Book reservations online here
or
Call (800) 228-9290 or (920) 230-3200.

ALA Meeting

Better Networking Starts With the 5th Question
Gina Glover, GinaConnects 

You already know relationships are essential to career success and personal fulfillment, but how do you turn a quick hello or a passing introduction into a genuine connection that actually matters? In this energizing and relatable opening program, you'll discover The 5th Question™, a simple yet powerful strategy that moves conversations past small talk and into moments of real connection. Whether you're leading your organization, building your team, or navigating the everyday interactions of association life, authentic relationships are what open doors, provide support, and remind us that we're not on this journey alone.

This isn't another "how to network" talk. Designed especially for association professionals who understand that meaningful connection is at the heart of everything we do, this session will have you laughing, reflecting, and walking away saying, "Wow, I never thought about it that way before." You'll leave with practical tools to start conversations with confidence, build stronger professional relationships, and carry a renewed sense of connection, perspective, and possibility into every part of your work and life, from today’s WSAE Live @ Oshkosh event to the hallways of your own organization.

Breakout #1 
ALA Membership Workshop: The Importance of Onboarding and Engaging New Members
Moderator: Beth McVeigh, Association Resource Center 

Panelists: 

Gina Doyle, Executive Director, Inc

Strong onboarding and meaningful engagement are essential to building a connected, active, and sustainable membership community. This session will explore practical strategies for welcoming new members, helping them quickly understand the value of involvement, and creating pathways for long-term engagement and leadership. Participants will discuss approaches to fostering belonging, strengthening communication, and designing intentional member experiences that increase participation, retention, and overall satisfaction. Through shared insights and real-world examples, attendees will leave with ideas they can immediately apply within their own organizations to better support and engage new members from day one.

Breakout #2 
Meeting Planner Track: Essential Tech Tips for Smarter Meeting Planning 
Alyssa Gluth, Executive Director, Inc 
Elizabeth Clausen, Executive Director Inc
Jennifer Rzepka, CAE, Wisconsin Society of Association Executives 
Paul Wehking, CVENT
Sarah Tulley, Association of Equipment Manufacturers 

This session will highlight practical technology tools and strategies designed to help meeting professionals work smarter and more efficiently. Speakers will share quick, actionable insights on maximizing meeting apps, using Excel for planning and organization, streamlining attendee check-in, and incorporating AI into event workflows. The session will conclude with an interactive roundtable discussion where attendees can exchange ideas, ask questions, and share their own tech tips and challenges with peers. 

Breakout #3 
Dial Up Your Influence 
Gina Glover, GinaConnects 

What do Michelle Obama, Brené Brown, and Malala Yousafzai have in common? They come from completely different worlds, yet each one built extraordinary influence without waiting for a title, a corner office, or permission. In organizations where relationships and reputation drive opportunity, the ability to influence others isn't reserved for those at the top of an org chart. It is a skill everyone already has, and most are leaving it untapped.

Gina Glover works with organizations whose members are ready to stop waiting for permission and start building the kind of influence that opens doors, deepens relationships, and drives meaningful change, with or without a formal leadership role.

In this empowering and engaging session, Gina redefines what it means to be an influencer in today's world, not the social media kind, but the kind who inspires, guides, and elevates the people around them. Grounded in practical strategy and delivered with warmth and humor, attendees are introduced to the I5 Influence Map, a five-step framework built around one powerful letter: I.

Breakout #4 
BREAKOUT#4: The Site Visit, Decoded: A Hands-On Tour for Planners 
Malissa MacDonald-Toepke, Oshkosh Marriott Waterfront Hotel and Convention Center
Leah Skogman, Executive Director, Inc 

Breakout #5
Marketing Panel: Small Team, Big Impact: Marketing with Limited Resources
Moderator:  Amanda Niebauer, Executive Director Inc 

Panelists: 

Kyle Geissler, CAE, Wisconsin Broadcasters Association
Lizzie Murphy, Executive Director Inc
Hannah Lier, Impact Association Management, Inc 

Many associations rely on lean teams to deliver big results. Whether marketing is handled by one person or shared across departments, the expectations remain high: grow attendance, engage members, attract sponsors, support programs, and keep communications moving.

This panel will bring together professionals who understand how to make meaningful progress without large staffs or large budgets. Panelists will share practical strategies, lessons learned, and honest insights on prioritization, efficiency, creativity, and saying no when everything feels urgent. Attendees will leave with realistic ideas they can implement right away—regardless of team size.

Breakout #6 
You Asked, They Answered: Navigating Venue Negotiations and Contracts 
Megan Hille, CMP, CAE, Executive Director, Inc. 
Marin Medema, CMP, Senior Sales Executive & WSAE Board of Directors, The Osthoff Resort & Spa 

Every meeting planner has been there — staring down a contract clause, wondering whether to push back, what's standard, and what's negotiable. Attrition, force majeure, F&B minimums, comp rooms, cancellation terms, rebooking penalties — the language can be dense, and the stakes are real.

This session flips the script on the traditional panel format. Ahead of the meeting, attendees will be invited to submit the venue and hotel contracting questions they've been wrestling with — the sticky clauses, the gray areas, and the situations where they wished they'd known more. Our experienced industry professionals will work through your real-world questions live, sharing how they'd approach each issue, where there's room to negotiate, and the language and tactics that have worked for them. Bring your questions and leave with practical strategies you can use the next time you're at the negotiating table.

Panel Discussion
The Politics of Participation: Registration Tax & DEI Impacts on Associations
Moderator: Ashley Allgood, Executive Director, Inc

Panelists: 

Kay Whalen, Executive Director, Inc
Kyle Hayes, MPP, AAiP, American Society of Association Executives
Tyrone Stoudemire, Hyatt Hotels Corporation

This panel brings together leaders from the association, hospitality, and policy sectors to discuss how evolving industry and policy conversations are shaping participation across the association community. Panelist will explore topics including registration tax proposals, recent DEI related impacts on associations and meetings, and the broader challenges organizations face as expectations continue to shift. Attendees will leave with practical insight and real world perspectives on the external factors influencing engagement, events, and decision making across the industry.

Breakout #7
Ethics Workshop: Bringing Ethics to Life
Elizabeth Schlicht, MMgT, CAE, Impact Association Management

Considering the ethical standards and values you hold is great - but how do you bring these to life in the work you do? We'll explore real-life situations, working through varying ways of considering the ethical repercussions of different choices or actions. Attendees will leave this session with practical approaches for navigating ethical dilemmas and outlined approaches for reaching ethics-based decisions.

Breakout #8
Meeting Planner Track: Safe, Welcoming and Ready: Designing Meetings with Security and Accessibility in Mind
Megan Seppmann, MBA, CVP, Wisconsin Center District 
Tamara Wagester, CAE, American Academy of Emergency Medicine 

Today's association meetings have to do more than run smoothly — they have to be safe and welcoming for every attendee. From emergency protocols and venue coordination to mobility access and inclusive practices, planners are expected to think through it all, often without a clear roadmap.

In this session, hear directly from a convention center professional and an association executive with deep experience in meetings. They'll share what works, what's commonly overlooked, and the practical questions you should be asking your venues, vendors, and teams. Whether you're planning your first event or your fiftieth, you'll leave with a checklist of takeaways you can put to work at your next meeting.

Closing Session
Game On: Trends, Takeaways & Trivia
Sarah Tulley, Association of Equipment Manufacturers 
Zach Blevins, CAE, Executive Director Inc
Denise Husenica, MBA, CAE, National Fluid Power Association