Did you know 33 million Americans see chiropractors each year? The American Chiropractic Association is the professional organization for practitioners of chiropractic medicine and represents 10,500 doctors and students. We've invited their Executive VP, Karen Silberman to the show. Titles vary wildly in the nonprofit world and her title of Executive VP puts her in charge of the operations of the organization while the President is occupied with more outward-facing duties. The ACA has been aroun...
Nov 20, 2017•34 min•Ep. 314
Our population is aging, our health care system is crumbling, and our transportation system often isolates people who can no longer drive. Enter Meals on Wheels. Ellie Hollander is the President and CEO of Meals on Wheels America which represents 5000 different Meals on Wheels programs across the United States. Meals on Wheels makes it possible for people to remain independent and stay in their own homes by helping those who are unable to travel to grocery stores or prepare their own meals. With...
Nov 16, 2017•40 min•Ep. 313
With technology moving so quickly these days, it's easy to make changes to websites, campaigns, and programs at the click of a button. But that ease can also create complications and allow for the implementation of unvetted ideas so we've invited Merrill Shugoll to the show to talk about her expertise in market research. Merrill Shugoll is the President of Shugoll Research, a marketing research firm based in Bethesda, MD, just outside DC and she helps nonprofits and private companies test their ...
Nov 13, 2017•48 min•Ep. 312
Stephanie Mickle of The National Bar Association Political Action Committee joins us for an overview of PACs, how and why they work, and how you could use one. The National Bar Association was created in 1925 to give (primarily) African American lawyers, judges, law students, and other supporters a professional organization as the American Bar Association was still segregated and they were not allowed to become members. The NBA represents 66,000 members of the legal profession and has been part ...
Nov 09, 2017•42 min•Ep. 311
Most people working for nonprofits probably consider the work they're doing to be pretty important but the challenge is to convince other people of the value of your work and that of your organization. You may be doing the most transformative work in the entire world, but if you can't tell your story and can't let people know about it -- then what is the point? To answer some of the important questions about getting your message not just out there, but in the hands of the right people, we have i...
Nov 06, 2017•39 min•Ep. 310
Housing impacts each of us every single day and plays a pivotal role in ensuring that we are able to live our best lives and do the work that makes the world a better place. Whether you rent or own, the work of the National Association of Home Builders has probably influenced your life in some important way, so we've invited Lakisha Woods to the show to talk with us about representing the 8 million people working in all facets of the housing industry. Since the early 1940s, the NAHB has been a c...
Nov 02, 2017•33 min•Ep. 309
We've all heard eight hours per night is the ideal amount of sleep to strive for -- and while some need less and many need more -- the quality of sleep we are able to get is heavily dependent on the surface on which we sleep. To find out more about spending one-third of our lives in a way that benefits all of our waking hours -- particularly for the new parents that host and listen to the show -- we invited Mary Helen Rogers of the International Sleep Products Association for a chat. Founded in ...
Oct 30, 2017•50 min•Ep. 308
Mindy Saffer -- rhymes with laugher -- is a Managing Principal at Cresa, the only company that solely represents the tenants/users of office spaces. Her specialty is working with nonprofits and we're thrilled to have her on the episode today to get some insight into what it takes to find a space that works for the wide variety of needs for different organizations. Think open office spaces are the worst invention ever, as Blake and Ernesto do? Mindy has an answer for that. She is an expert in fin...
Oct 26, 2017•42 min
Susannah Wellford is the President & Founder of Running Start, an organization with an unusual mission -- to get girls and young women ready and excited about running for office. They start working with girls that are just 14, before they are jaded, and show them the ropes of how it's done. Many girls and young women are passionate about helping people through politics but are often hesitant because there are so rarely people in those roles that look like them. Running Start empowers these y...
Oct 23, 2017•46 min•Ep. 306
We're excited to bring you another show with Jeffrey Tenenbaum for some rare insight into the legal side of the nonprofit world. He is one of -- if not the -- leading expert on nonprofit law in the Washington, DC area and is consistently recognized for his work amongst lawyers around the country. He is the Chair of Venable's Nonprofit Organizations Practice Group and a Partner in the Venable law firm. They have the biggest nonprofit law practice in the country with 700 nonprofit clients of varyi...
Oct 19, 2017•41 min•Ep. 305
Stefanie Reeves has spent much of her career running government affairs programs for large national associations but has recently transitioned to the broader role of Executive Director for the state organization -- the Maryland Psychological Association. The MPA works with the doctors that do talk therapy, rather than the ones that prescribe medicine. It's been a couple of years since that move but we chat with her about the changes and challenges of working in a staff of four instead of 600. Me...
Oct 16, 2017•47 min•Ep. 304
Blake returns! He's back from his travels creating podcasts for several different industries around the country, just in time to welcome Brian Turmail from the Associated General Contractors of America. The AGC represents the people who build pretty much every structure -- and the facilities that support them -- with the exception of homes. He is the Senior Executive Director of Public Affairs and helps tell the stories of general contractors, bridging the gap between what they really do and wha...
Oct 12, 2017•50 min•Ep. 303
Can you believe that women were unable to join the Chamber of Commerce until 1988 unless their husbands were members? That was one of the (many) reasons for the founding of the National Association of Women Business Owners in 1975 and we're thrilled to welcome Kathy Warnick, NAWBO's National Chair and Joy Lutes, the Vice President of External Affairs to chat about the groundbreaking work their organization has done over the past 42 years on behalf of the (now) more than 10 million women business...
Oct 09, 2017•37 min•Ep. 302
Simon Owens is a returning guest to Through the Noise, having been one of our earliest guests on the show. He's a journalist employed by many who has departed from his freelance marketing career in favor of pursuing the leads and stories that call to him. Writing about tech, media, and marketing, his niche is broad enough to appeal to and provide important content for a huge range of people. Join us for a conversation about transitions in tech, getting and retaining subscribers, and the value of...
Oct 02, 2017•48 min•Ep. 301
Sarah McCann has spent a good deal of her career in aviation advocacy and has recently become the Director of Communications for General Aviation Manufacturers Association. Ernesto and Sarah discuss the ins and outs of working as a member of a "one man shop" -- running the communications program for the organization versus being part of a communications team. We also touch on membership -- how do you manage your communication planning when your membership is comprised of individuals compared to ...
Sep 25, 2017•42 min•Ep. 300
Nonprofit organizations are constantly struggling to be heard "through the noise" so we've asked Stephanie Ceruolo, Senior Vice President of Infogroup to join us on the show to talk communications and fundraising. With so many ways to reach potential supporters, it can be difficult to tell which method will be most effective -- and to compete with all the other organizations (and distractions) vying for their attention. Infogroup works to help organizations "fish where the fish are" and help con...
Sep 18, 2017•46 min•Ep. 299
Managing and supporting the "humans" in "human resources" is a monumental and often delicate and complicated task that is crucial to every single organization. Since resources impact all of our listeners, we've invited Laurie McIntosh, the Director of Membership for the Society of Human Resource Management to join us on Through the Noise. Pronounced "Shirm," the SHRM has 285,000 members worldwide -- though most are in the U.S. -- and even has an office in India. With 575 chapters, there are ampl...
Sep 11, 2017•47 min•Ep. 298
Dr. Andy MacCabe of the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges sits down in the studio with Ernesto to talk goals, opportunity, the health of many species, collaborating with other organizations, and the benefits of a diverse profession. Dr. MacCabe is CEO of the AAVMC but brings a vast and varied background to the position, including a degree in agriculture, time in the Air Force, a degree in public health, and filling out the diploma wall in his office, a patent law degree. Though...
Sep 04, 2017•44 min•Ep. 297
While Blake parties, er, works in Vegas, Through the Noise is hosted by Ernesto and his partner at Infamia, Mickey Panayiotakis, and today they're joined by Henri Makembe of the Beekeeper Group. Mr. Makembe is a partner at the Beekeeper Group, a Washington, DC-based firm that works with associations and nonprofits (and some of those for-profits as well) to engage their target audiences in creative and compelling ways. Their tagline "Build the hive, manage the buzz" is smart, memorable, and infor...
Aug 31, 2017•36 min•Ep. 296
Today's Through the Noise is a quickie takeover by our sister podcast, Tech in Ten. Mickey Panayiotakis, Ernesto's partner at Infamia joins us on the show today for an informal conversation about their new podcast Tech in Ten where they quickly tackle all things related to association tech needs. You can find this succinct weekly podcast on the Through the Noise website and we hope you'll check it out, tune in, and spread the word. Speaking of which... if you've enjoyed any of the nearly 300 epi...
Aug 28, 2017•20 min•Ep. 295
Through the Noise is back with Annette Brown of FHI 360 -- a human development non-profit based in Durham, NC. Ms. Brown was one of the earliest guests on our show and we're excited to have her back nearly three years later to see how and what she's doing these days. With FHI 360, she's the Director of the Research and Evaluation Strategic Initiative and helps those involved in evidence-based research to work more effectively and to be able to distribute their work in the best places. Join us fo...
Aug 24, 2017•45 min•Ep. 294
"Everyone has a book," says today's guest, Howard Yoon, literary agent, and partner in the Ross Yoon Agency. That will certainly be music to the ears of many of our listeners (as well as our friendly co-host Blake who has already written a book!). The Ross Yoon agency acts as a filter for the publishers and they build the bridge between authors that have a book worth selling and the publishers who print it and distribute it to bookstores and into the hands of the audience. Ross Yoon is based in ...
Aug 21, 2017•42 min•Ep. 293
Nancy Burke sits down with Blake and Ernesto to talk about a segment of the large economy that occasionally goes unnoticed and is often left out of larger discussions about employment. Direct sales are a way for companies to hire people as contractors and for 20 million Americans to earn money through sales but without being stuck in a traditional retail environment. Nancy Burke is the Vice President of Membership for the Direct Selling Association and the DSA represents the ~150 companies that ...
Aug 17, 2017•41 min•Ep. 292
Greeley Koch of the Association of Corporate Travel Executives answers the phone and our questions from Chicago. Greeley is a true jet-setter, but he travels the world making travel easier, better, safer, and more convenient for travelers, primarily business travelers. Sounds like a pretty sweet gig! ACTE hosts 60ish events around the globe in 20 different countries, and he gets to lead the industry that is helping make business leaders more productive by making their travel more efficient. A hu...
Aug 14, 2017•42 min•Ep. 291
Tracy Todd and Jillian Bashore of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy join us on Through the Noise in their respective roles as Executive Director and Communication Manager. Tracy Todd brings 20 years of experience as a licensed marriage and family therapist to the role of Executive Director and brings a critical understanding of the profession to the association that works to advance the profession. Like many associations, the staff of the AAMFT struggle with the problem of...
Aug 10, 2017•38 min•Ep. 290
Richard Tracy and Amanda Brondy of the Global Cold Chain Alliance join us to talk food (and flower) cooling and preservation. They are part of the "industry that is feeding the world" and the Alliance is comprised of four different associations involved in refrigeration, shipping, and transport of the food that makes it to your plate and the cut flowers that make life a little more beautiful. You could probably guess that the United States consumes a lot of frozen food -- but you won't believe t...
Aug 07, 2017•41 min•Ep. 289
Close your email, turn off your phones, and get ready to take some notes. Author Chris McGoff joins us on the show and offers countless invaluable techniques that can transform your personal life and work life. He's the founder of The Clearing, Inc, a strategic management firm that utilizes his 33 years of experience helping companies of all sizes around the world. Who are your customers? What do they need? How can you effectively meet that need? If you're in a position of authority -- are you a...
Jul 31, 2017•43 min•Ep. 288
Though there are a few different organizations known as the Knight Foundation, we're pleased to be joined by Anusha Alikhan, the Director of Communications of the prominent John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Founded by two brothers who were newspaper publishers from Akron, OH, the Foundation is the leading funder of media innovation in the United States and supports organizations, people, and ideas that are working to engage their communities. Headquartered in Miami, they fund projects acro...
Jul 24, 2017•45 min
Bryan Fratkin of SparkInfluence is one of the most popular guests we've had on Through the Noise so we've brought him back in to talk shop, advocacy, and building relationships. One of the main ways that people use the SparkInfluence software is to connect with legislators and to do so in a way that helps build those meaningful relationships necessary to stand out from the crowd. Anyone can sign a form letter -- and just as easily anyone can ignore a form letter. SparkInfluence helps people and ...
Jul 17, 2017•38 min
Today's guest Alison Teitelbaum wears many hats and she is an Associate Vice President with MCI USA, the US branch of an international firm with offices in 60 countries that helps companies and associations engage their target audiences and grow strategically. Through her work with MCI, she's worked with seven different associations focused on health-care and she joins us in her role as Executive Director for the American Health Quality Association. The AHQA works with member organizations that ...
Jul 10, 2017•36 min
