Speaker Profile

Susan Sarfati, CAE President and CEO, The Center for Association Leadership and Executive Vice President, ASAE
Susan Sarfati is the President and founding Chief Executive Officer of The Center for Association Leadership. Following a merger with the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), she also serves as their Executive Vice President and has held this position since July 2004. ASAE and The Center for Association Leadership are two organizations linked together by a common belief and a common passion – that associations have the power to transform society for the better. Our passion is to help associations and association professionals achieve previously unimaginable levels of performance and reach even higher goals. ASAE is a membership organization of 22,000 association executives and industry partners representing 11,000 organizations. Its members manage leading trade associations, individual membership societies, and voluntary organizations across the United States and in 50 countries around the globe. ASAE also represents industry partners providing products and services to the association community. ASAE protects and advocates for the rights of voluntary organizations to ensure they can thrive and continue to improve the quality of life in society. The Center for Association Leadership is the premier provider of learning, future focused and strategic research and knowledge resources that challenge and empower association professionals. The Center offers association professionals an impressive array of essential services and resources that identify the path for success. Together, ASAE & The Center provide resources, education, ideas and advocacy to enhance the power and performance of the association community. CAREER SUMMARY Highly experienced, results-oriented association professional with a proven track record as an inspirational and accomplished leader. Innovator, risk taker, and entrepreneur with sound financial management expertise. Outstanding ability to work collaboratively with board members, volunteer leaders, members and external audiences, and to create a high performance environment for staff to flourish. Industry-wide reputation for visionary leadership, creativity, forging partnerships and strategic thinking and planning, leading to concrete measurable accomplishments. Ability to communicate effectively and building exceptionally positive and productive relationships with association professionals and industry partners. Recognized spokesperson, advocate, author and speaker with genuine passion for the association profession and life-long learning. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Since joining the association profession, Susan Sarfati has been a leader in strengthening the programs and services offered to association professionals, with emphasis on educational opportunities and lifelong learning. She has expanded the quality and quantity of association education, engaged in research and advocacy, expanded government relations efforts, and raised the awareness of the value and contributions of associations to society. Ms. Sarfati’s entrepreneurial leadership approach is that of a risk taker and innovator. RECOGNITION/AWARDS A committed association professional, Ms. Sarfati earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation in 1987 and was named an ASAE Fellow in 1994. She was named to the 1996 Class of Leadership Washington and is the recipient of the 1996 Pace-Setter Award from the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International, the 1997 Leadership Award in Associations from ASSOCIATION TRENDS and the Business Women’s Network, the 1998 Brotherhood/Sisterhood Award from the National Conference for Community and Justice, as well as recognized in 2005 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for her involvement in the Workplace Partnership for Life Program. Ms. Sarfati also was named Nonprofit Times 2001 Executive of the Year for her “forward-thinking and creative leadership.” She recently was invited to be a lifetime member of the International Women’s Forum, a global organization of preeminent women of significant and diverse achievement. She serves on the Association Committee of 100 of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the BB&T Bank Advisory Council, the board of directors of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington, the Washington Convention and Tourism Corporation, Gifts in Kind International, the Exhibition Industry Foundation, and the Convention Industry Council Foundation. She is a Trustee of the Federal City Council and was an inaugural member of the Kogod Advisory Council for the Kogod School of Business at American University. Ms. Sarfati has been named one of the 25 most influential people in the meetings industry in 2001, 2002 and 2003 by Meeting News magazine. In 2003 she was a recipient of the Spirit of Hospitality Award from Destination Marketing Association International (formerly Intl Assn of Convention and Visitors Bureau) –the highest honor in the hospitality industry. She has recently been chosen as a recipient of the 6th Annual Parade of Stars honoring Women Meeting Industry Stars, February 2006, presented by the New York Society of Association Executives. EDUCATION She holds a B.A. in philosophy and sociology from the City University of New York and a M.Ed. from Coppin State College.	Presentations by this speaker: Leadership v Management 7 Measures of Success Sarfati Named to 'Top 25' List by Meeting News Magazine ASAE Press Release Connecting Great Ideas and Great People ASSOCIATIONS NOW, November 2005 By: Susan Sarfati, CAE

 

 

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