A little snow didn’t stop the nearly 200 advocates who visited Capitol Hill this week for American Associations Day 2018. For the second year in a row, ASAE’s legislative fly-in was threatened – but not thwarted – by a spring snowstorm. Participants, representing associations from more than 30 states, including Ohio, gathered to discuss key association issues and prepare for visiting with members of Congress. They shared statistics and personal stories that exemplify the power of associations and the many ways in which associations strengthen America.
During the evening ASAE Board reception at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill, ASAE presented its Sentinel Award to Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Congressman Scott Taylor (R-VA) with the Sentinel Award for support of associations on Capitol Hill.
The American Associations Day message was again amplified this year through a social media tool called Thunderclap. Participants in ASAE’s #AssociationsStrengthenAmerica Thunderclap shared a message on their social media channels about the millions of association professionals in every industry and sector collectively working to strengthen jobs, the economy, security and American lives. The Power of A Thunderclap had a social media reach of nearly 300,000 people.
Thank you to all who participated in our successful fly-in events! Special thanks to our educational panelists and presenters, including Matt Shay, CAE, ASAE Board Chair President & CEO National Retail Federation; Emily Walker, CAE Chair, 2017-2018 Public Policy Committee Vice President of Advocacy Virginia Society of CPAs; Pamela Hemann, FASAE, President of Association Management Services Inc.; OSAE Member Scott Wiley, CAE, President and CEO of the Ohio Society of CPAs; Gaurav Parikh Associate Director, Legislative Affairs NAFCU (National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions); and Margarita Valdez, Assistant Director of Congressional Relations American Society for Radiation Oncology.
If you have any questions about the fly-in or how you could engage next year, please contact ASAE Public Policy Department Director Mary Kate Cunningham at (202) 626-2787 or mcunningham@asaecenter.org.