SAE Update: What’s New With the State Associations, You Ask?

by Donna Martin, ANCOR

In recent months we have welcomed two new State Association Executives (SAEs)! Representing Nebraska Association of Service Providers is Alana Schriver and hailing from Vermont Care Partners is Michelle Lallier. They bring a wide breadth of experience and a commitment to services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. They will undoubtedly be rich additions to the SAE network.

We are also looking forward to the SAE Retreat coming up in early August. This is an annual session which was cancelled last summer, for all the obvious reasons. Everyone is excited to see one another in person and for the opportunity to learn from each other, network with old friends and welcome new ones. The structure of these sessions is centered on collaborative learning. In this format Association members facilitate discussion on a particular topic and attendees share their experiences and insights. We all learn and deepen our knowledge base through real-life insights and experiences shared by trusted colleagues.

The agenda for this year’s session includes Board Management, Governance boards versus Management boards; Building a Provider Community; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives; and a unique opportunity to hear a pre-recorded session by Mary Byers. Mary is the co-author of “The Race for Relevance: 5 Radical Changes for Associations”. This is a seminal piece on the changing role of associations with considerations on how professional and trade associations remain viable in the age of information. 

The group will convene in Chicago for a day and a half of learning, reminiscing, and laughter. Some comments from prior year surveys include “I came away with SO many great ideas! The topics were VERY relevant to my association.”; “This annual retreat is the event I look forward to most each year!”; and “This was my first retreat and thought it was excellent. The best thing for me at this time was simply hearing from other members. Great information!”

So, ANCOR members from the state’s that are participating, anticipate that your Association Director will return recharged and ready to dig-in with renewed energy and ideas to enhance your membership experience!