A Year of Progress at Association Headquarters
Scaling Association and Nonprofit Management While Maintaining Service Excellence
2025 was a year of significant growth and transformation at Association Headquarters (AH). As an experienced association management company and nonprofit management partner, we support more than 70 mission-driven organizations, including associations, credentialing bodies, and mission-driven nonprofits, across the world.
For association CEOs, executive directors, and nonprofit leaders navigating growth, transition, or increasing operational complexity, the challenge is familiar: How do you scale capacity and expertise without shows cracks in service quality, culture, or continuity?
This year, AH focused on answering that question deliberately. We strengthened leadership, restructured our delivery model, and invested in systems and partnerships that support sustainable growth for organizations with complex governance and diversified revenue models. What follows is what we built, why it matters, and how it supports the organizations we serve.
Serving Associations and Mission-Driven Nonprofits
While AH is widely known for association management services, many of the organizations we support operate as professional nonprofits with similar structural characteristics. These include credentialing bodies, advocacy organizations, and nonprofits that rely on education, certification, events, and membership revenue models.
Across these organizations, the operational realities are consistent:
- Volunteer boards with fiduciary responsibility
- Lean staff teams managing complex programs
- Revenue diversification beyond grants alone
- High expectations for governance, compliance, and transparency
AH’s delivery model is designed to support organizations where strategy is board-led and execution requires professional, scalable staff capacity. That structure translates seamlessly across associations and structurally complex nonprofits alike.
Growing to Meet Demand
In February, Sam Leone joined as President, bringing deep experience scaling professional service organizations. Sam’s focus has been on strengthening operational structure to support growth while preserving the service quality and responsiveness our client partners expect. His leadership has influenced everything from internal accountability to how we allocate resources as client needs evolve.
In November, Paul Hanscom joined as Vice President of Business Development. With decades of experience in association management, his role centers on helping leaders understand what strong operational partnership can unlock when aligned with strategic goals.
We also welcomed two established association management firms this year: Managing Matters (MM) and Association Executive Group (AEG). These acquisitions brought talented teams and deep client relationships into AH. The integration process has taught us a lot about balancing growth with continuity; how to bring new people into the organization while maintaining the culture and service standards that matter to our clients.
Managing Matters, led by Jenny Faucher, continues to drive our Canadian market presence and works closely with Paul on business development across the region.
We now serve more than 70 international, national, regional and state client partners with a team of 220+ professionals across North America. For our clients, this scale delivers deeper expertise, specialized capabilities, and operational continuity, especially during leadership transitions or periods of change.
Maintaining Service Excellence
As AH grew, it became clear that systems designed to support 50 organizations would not sustain excellence at 70+.
To address this, we created a Delivery Operations Department, led by Chief Delivery Officer Jodi Araujo, focused on strengthening the infrastructure behind our association and nonprofit management services. This work includes:
- Standardizing core processes to ensure consistent quality
- Managing resource allocation as client needs shift
- Improving how we use technology to increase efficiency
- Expanding learning and development programs to grow internal expertise
Lyn Wallington, COO of Managing Matters, assumed the role of Senior Director of Delivery and Operations, helping guide this work. The goal is not perfection, but systems that make it easier for teams to deliver world-class customer service consistently.
We also refined our client service model under Chief Client Officer Mike Dwyer. Client partners are supported through two portfolio teams led by Managing Directors Monica Evans-Lombe and Kristy Cohen, with strategic oversight from senior leaders Gene Terry, Marybeth Kurland, and Eric Mason. This structure strengthens knowledge sharing, succession planning, and best-practice execution across the organization.
Client Outcomes that Matter Across Associations and Nonprofits
Growth only makes sense if it delivers meaningful outcomes.
Our work with the Restoration Industry Association (RIA) showed meaningful progress in membership growth, program engagement, and operational performance. RIA's leadership knew what they wanted to accomplish; we helped them build the systems and execute the strategies to get there.
Similarly, the National Board for Certification of School Nurses (NBCSN) expanded its certificant base through targeted digital marketing, clearer messaging, and refined content strategies. This work required close collaboration, testing what worked, adjusting what didn’t, and aligning operational support with strategic priorities.
While these examples come from associations, the underlying capabilities, scaling certification programs, strengthening education delivery, and executing growth strategies, are the same tools professional nonprofits rely on to expand impact and sustainability.
Creating Space for Honest Conversation
This year’s AH Leadership Forum brought client partner leaders together to discuss the realities of governance and growth. Conversations focused on board dynamics, revenue pressure, staffing challenges, and the balance between innovation and operational stability.
We're planning the next Leadership Forum for April 27-28, 2026, in Philadelphia. The theme is Blueprint for Tomorrow: Where the Future Takes Shape. We're designing it to be practical, not aspirational, focused on giving volunteers tools and frameworks that can help them be better leaders.
Expanding What We Can Offer
In 2025, we began implementing AI-supported tools internally to handle routine tasks more efficiently. This isn't about replacing people, it's about freeing up capacity so teams can focus on strategic thinking, relationship-building, and creative problem-solving.
We also announced a partnership with Mission Fuel AI, enabling client partners to build professional learning programs without traditional upfront costs. Organizations can choose between a low-cost project fee or a revenue-sharing model, removing financial barriers to expanding education and credentialing portfolios.
These investments are particularly valuable for associations and professional nonprofits operating with lean teams, where efficiency gains translate directly into greater mission impact.
AH’s Foresight Council, led by Beth Mauro, Senior Director of Learning and Development, continues to remain future focused on forces that will shape the non-profit space over the next 3-5 years. Beth was appointed to the ASAE 2025-2026 ForesightWorks Advisory Council for a three year term, further strengthening AH’s role in national conversations about the future of the sector.
What We're Taking into 2026
As we look ahead, our priorities remain clear:
- Achieving client growth objectives
Managed growth creates opportunity for organizations, volunteers, and staff alike. - Strengthening and expanding our delivery model
Ensuring access to experienced professionals and the right tools to support both short- and long-term goals. - Staying close to client needs
Through listening, feedback loops, and a willingness to adapt. - Continuing to innovate responsibly
Exploring new tools and partnerships only when they genuinely serve client needs and reinforce our core work.
To our client partners: thank you for your feedback, and your trust as we continue building AH's capacity to help you achieve your growth goals.
To our team: thank you for adapting to change, maintaining quality during growth, and staying focused on what matters; delivering on AH’s core values.
Let's Talk
If your association or mission-driven nonprofit is navigating growth, leadership transition, or capacity constraints, and relies on education, certification, advocacy, or membership-based revenue, we’re happy to have an honest conversation about whether Association Headquarters is the right fit. Email us at inquire@ahint.com.
