Through The Noise

David Lusk, Founder, and CEO of Key Advocacy joins Ernesto on the show to talk about how he helps nonprofits and associations become more effective advocates. Planning a lobbying day on the Hill? Try to bring your members and not just your professional lobbying staff. Hearing directly from constituents (the ones who can vote them out of office) is the most effective. Don't miss this episode to grab some more insights from a professional who has been helping organizations advocate for themselves for two decades. Both Jefferson and David Lusk say "we don't have government by the majority, we have government by the majority that participates" -- do you need help participating?

Today we're excited to welcome back a guest from the early days of the show -- Jim Starr of America's Charities. When we had him on the show previously, he was serving as the COO & Chief Business Development Officer but he's recently been put in charge of everything and now runs the show as the President and CEO. America's Charities is kind of like a fundraising agent for nonprofits. They help nonprofits raise money through coordinated workplace giving campaigns. Since people are more likely to give more when they have the money taken directly from their paycheck than if they have to do it each time out of their wallet, America's Charities helps facilitate that. People support nonprofits when they are asked to do so -- it's important to make sure that you DO ask and that you ask in a way that registers with the person. Check out this episode to find out if targeted workplace giving could help your organization -- it certainly won't hurt to find out how you could earn more for your cause, easily. As an acc

Your friendly association podcast Through the Noise won an award! As part of the Trending 40 series honoring people making a difference in the Washington, DC region. Ernesto and Blake were recognized as Association and Nonprofit Innovators and so we invited Douglas Anderson, CEO of DCA Live that runs the program to speak with us on the show today. With decades of experience in media and events planning, Douglas has been using his skills working behind the scenes to elevate those who have been in the shadows and amplify their message. Join us for a conversation on the changing nature of business and associations.  

Blake is back! Ernesto and Blake are together in the studio again and recently won a "Trending 40" award for businesses contributing to the Washington, DC area and that's how they originally connected with today's guest -- Nicole Araujo, Director of Business Development for BrightKey. BrightKey is a company that makes other companies (and associations) look good by taking care of some of the more mundane aspects of running an organization. Need to spiff up your membership? Or send out a ton of materials? BrightKey can handle that for you. About 85% of their clients are associations so they're well-versed in membership conversion and retention. Give this episode a listen and find out about the vast possibilities to make your organization run more smoothly. Nicole Araujo is the Director of Business Development for associations at BrightKey, leading outsourced services and support company, providing a full range of association services, including call center and outbound telemarketing, warehousing and fulfillmen

On this week’s episode of Through the Noise, host Ernesto Gluecksmann is flying solo as he talks to returning guest Kristy Kaufmann, Executive Director and co-founder of the Code of Support Foundation. One year after her first appearance, Kristy has a lot of great new stuff to share about all things non-profit. Join Ernesto and Kristy as they talk about the US military veteran services provided by the nonprofit Code of Support Foundation. Kristy talks extensively about the Foundation’s coordinating of veteran support services, as well as what it means to help military families in times of need. She also discusses the growth and sustainability of a large-scale nonprofit, public perception and transparency, as well as treating a nonprofit like a business with employees, investors and product. Kristy has served as an advocate for military and veteran families for over 12 years and is a subject matter expert regarding the mental health impacts of war on military families. Her publications and media appearances in

Ernesto runs the show solo again today while Blake is creating a podcast for another organization (need help with yours? Get in touch!). We're excited to chat with Janet Koster, Executive Director for the Association for Women in Science, the only organization in the United States working at the intersection of STEM and gender. Women have traditionally been underrepresented in the sciences and as recent as the 1960s and 1970s were not even admitted to many of the prestigious science programs. AWIS was founded in 1971 to rectify the imbalance and give women a voice and to increase visibility and opportunities for women across all STEM fields. Women entering (and already in) STEM fields face a number of obstacles men many not even recognize and AWIS is actively working to even the playing field. For more on their programs and initiatives, don't miss this episode and find out how to connect and collaborate.

Ernesto flies solo again from the host chair as Blake is away traveling. We're excited to welcome back to the show Bethany Henderson, the Executive Director of DC SCORES, a Washington, DC-based organization that inspired a national organization and chapters around the country. DC SCORES provides free after-school programming to children in Washington, DC that includes team-based learning and activities like soccer and creating spoken word poetry. They have recently become a community partner of DC United, the professional soccer team in Washington, DC and collaborate on events and activities that enrich the lives of everyone involved. Find out what it takes to run a nonprofit on a school calendar rather than a fiscal year and get some tips to bring back to your own organization. Bethany Rubin Henderson is an award-winning social entrepreneur whose career has spanned the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, including service as a White House Fellow in the Obama Administration. She strongly believes every ch

We're happy to welcome Helena Berger of the American Association of People with Disabilities. She joins us today in her role as President and Chief Executive Officer for AAPD, but over the past (nearly) two decades, she has been held many crucial leadership positions within the organization, as well as advocating for disability rights for a quarter century. The AAPD recently acknowledged that the traditional membership plan used by most associations just wasn't a great fit for their community and the people they wanted to reach so they scrapped it. Have you been questioning the viability of your own membership plan? If so, don't miss this episode to find out how one organization is changing the game for their supporters. Helena Berger has been a disability-rights advocate for over 25 years and is currently the President & CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). She is a mission-focused, seasoned, strategic, and process minded leader with experience scaling an organization, lead

Today's guest is Linda Darr of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association. Passengers are The ASLRRA represents the business owners of the 565 short line railroads carrying freight throughout the U.S. Many are small business owners, including smaller, family owned short line railroads. These also include short line excursion cars such as the ones used for Whistle Stop tours for politicians like Franklin Delano Roosevelt nearly a century ago. Passengers are not a consideration for the members of this organization and are seen as merely a barrier to commerce. Check out this episode to learn more about this industry and discover the (unpleasant) meaning of the word "foamer". Linda Bauer Darr is the President of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association. Prior to leading ASLRRA, Ms. Darr worked with every major mode of transportation either as an advocate or a government official. Ms. Darr serves on the Board of the University of Denver’s Intermodal Transportation Institute, is Pres

We're happy to welcome Blake back to his host chair and theproper operation of the sound effects for Through the Noise. Shannon Steene ofthe Carpenter's Shelter in Alexandria, VA also joins us again on the show. We spoke with him over a year ago when he was new to the role of Executive Director and today we get to see what he's been working on in the past year. They have made major progress on expanding their services, offerings, and have a pretty big announcement to share with the Through the Noise community. They're holding their 15th Annual Fundraiser on April 23, the Carpenter's Cook Off with 15 local restaurants and you're invited! Show up to support the community if you're nearby. Shannon Steene is the Executive Director of Carpenter’s Shelter in the City of Alexandria, Virginia. He brings more than 20 years of leadership experience to his role, having worked at local, regional and national nonprofits. The Carpenter’s Shelter offers Alexandria’s homeless the shelter and support to stabilize and transiti

On this episode of Through the Noise, it’s the return of the Revenue Architect himself, Dave Wakeman of Wakeman Consulting Group. As always Dave specializes in helping everyone from nonprofits to Fortune 1000 companies to political advocates to fully realize their support bases. This week, Dave talks to hosts Blake and Ernesto about the challenges inherent to working with donors for charities and nonprofits. When the name of the game is garnering buy-in support for your project, Dave Wakeman is a go-to figure for advice on donor development, connectivity and communication. Dave also explains the importance of effective and relatable storytelling in fundraising campaigns, as well as staying focused along one’s project path. Principal of the Wakeman Consulting Group, he’s known as the “Revenue Architect” and helps organizations — nonprofits and for-profits — become more effective and make more money. Sounds great, right? Today we’ll talk about the importance of storytelling in conveying your mission. Through t

So you’re thinking about jumping out of a plane - for fun, of course. But how easy is it to pull that off, let alone pull the ripcord? On this week’s episode, hosts Blake Althen and Ernesto Gluecksmann talk skydiving with guest Nancy Koreen, Director of Sport Promotion with the United States Parachute Association (USPA). With both a national and international presence, the USPA is a nonprofit organization committed to helping educate and facilitate all things skydiving. Nancy explains her role as a promotor of this classic thrillseeker’s sport, as well as the high importance of safety, training and accountability in skydiving. Nancy also discusses skydiving as a progressive learning experience. With skills ranging from assisted beginner’s jumps, to freefalls, to group diving and acrobatic formations, there’s always room to learn and grow, even in the wide open sky - but always with a vital grasp on safety. So check out this episode of Through the Noise - no skydiver’s certification required! Nancy Koreen has

What do boating, flooring, wine, guitars all have in common? Wood is the easy answer. But the industry behind wood is far more complex, and there’s a lot to learn for anyone looking to get into it. For this episode of Through the Noise, Blake and Ernesto talk with Cindy Squires, Executive Director for the International Wood Products Association (IWPA). Whether you’re an emerging business or an emerging country, it is vital to understand the legal and ethical aspects of international wood sales and trade. Wendy talks us through how the IWPA serves to help manufacturers, retailers, importers and others navigate the world of sustainable forestry. Cindy Squires has extensive experience with law, the marine industry, the Department of Agriculture, as well as trade associations and advisory. She is also on the Board of the American Hardwood Export Council. Tune in to this in-depth look at how the IWPA extends olive branches to help emerging businesses and nations access global networks, understand compliance and re

Chris Abraham of Gerris digital is a recognized leader in digital marketing and he joins us on Through the Noise for the second time to talk strategies nonprofits can employ to get their work out and get the word out too. He last joined us in June, 2015 so we're pleased to chat with him again and see what's changed since then. Pick up some useful strategies for getting more attention online and how to get the best kind of attention. What is earned media? Why should it matter to you? How can you earn it? If you're asking these questions or wondering how you can harness the power of the internet to illuminate your mission, don't miss this episode. Chris Abraham is a leading expert in digital: online reputation management (ORM), Internet privacy, social media marketing, and digital PR with a focus on blogger outreach, blogger engagement, and Internet crisis response. After growing up in Hawaii, Chris moved to the DC area almost 27-years ago, though he has detoured through the UK, Berlin, and Portland before retu

Mickey Panayiotakis joins us again as a guest host during Blake's absence as we welcome Justin Draeger, the Executive Director of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. While paying for college and student loans are two of the most stress-inducing topics for families, NASFAA works to ease the process by providing training and assistance to over 20,000 professionals at 3,000 colleges that offer financial aid to students. Since the federal government provides the bulk of available financial aid, the regulations are strenuous, confusing, and often intimidating. The staff of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators also now offers a podcast for their members to learn more about the ins and outs of aid and how to make it as easy as possible. Justin Draeger is President and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators where he serves as the primary voice of NASFAA and as the liaison between the association members, the U.S. Congress, fede

During Blake's absence, we've invited a guest host, Mickey Panayiotakis, of Infamia as we welcome our guest Patrick Atagi from the National Wooden Pallet & Container Association. Wooden pallets are one of those unique items that many people do not think about often but without which, the hauling of freight of all varieties would not be possible. There's nearly two billion pallets in the United States at any given time but they are in a constant state of use, degradation, rebuilding, and recycling to keep the wood in circulation and used again and again until it's not possible to remake into pallets. It has had a sustainable business model since the beginning and besides being good for the environment, pallet construction and recycling is labor intensive which creates and maintains jobs. Learn more about this often unconsidered but essential item and the association that advocates for it's members on Through the Noise.  Atagi is a long time Washingtonian and a senior association executive with experience o

Today we bring you an unusual show -- Ernesto hosts Through the Noise alone while Blake is away. Our guest is Ronald Painter, CEO of the National Association of Workforce Boards. Representing nearly 550 Workforce Development Boards and their more than 12,000 members, the NAWB strives to ensure that the workforce has the training and resources available to become effective employees in the rapidly changing work environment. Besides appropriate training, there's a tremendous number of other factors that must be considered, such as transportation, healthcare, childcare, and pensions that are shifting.  Ron has been the President/CEO for the National Association of Workforce Boards, whose offices are in Washington DC, since 2009. Prior to his coming to DC, the region was home, and his career from local elected official to a local workforce board director. NAWB is the national voice for the nation’s over 500 local business-led workforce development boards, whose work is to help; identify the skills needed, and dev

Rebecca Vandall and Dawn Williams of the Mortgage Bankers Association join Blake and Ernesto in the studio to talk about their work representing all members of the real estate finance industry. Ms. Vandall is the Director of Program Development and Dawn Williams is the Vice Present of that department and they are part of a team that pulls off an impressive 20 major meetings per year as well as 5 major conventions with expo halls. Find out how they successfully coordinate so many conferences with so many participants so often and grab some time (and money) saving tips for your next event.  Rebecca and Dawn share responsibility for program development for the Mortgage Bankers Association. Rebecca has spent over the last 20 years making a living selling conference registrations in some form or fashion. She rocks the suburbs with her husband Jeff, and sons, Will and Benny. Dawn has over 25 years in marketing and event management, including 14 years as a freelance marketing consultant. Dawn and her husband Andy h

Water is crucial to every form of life -- water is life, according to many -- and has been in the news quite a bit recently, so we've invited someone on the show to talk about water irrigation for both agriculture and landscaping. Deborah M. Hamlin is the CEO of the Irrigation Association which represents 1700 companies involved in every aspect of irrigation from manufacturers of parts to installation experts. The organization uses a variety of methods to do outreach and to counter common misconceptions about irrigation. They've recently launched a podcast called "Bring Water to Life" and are active in social media, interacting with their members and the general public. Since water is an issue that impacts each of us, this episode can certainly shed some light on the different approaches to water conservation and conflict present in the eastern and western U.S.  Deborah Hamlin has been the CEO of the Irrigation Association for the past 10 years. She has worked in association management for her entire 30-year

Elissa Myers takes a break from solving the problems of many nonprofits in order to join us today on Through the Noise to talk about revenue generation -- something we all need to hear. Though her email signature identifies her as a "Marketing Wizard," her official title is "Director of Revenue Generation" with the Drohan Management Group. We'll address the prevalent -- and damaging -- misconception among nonprofits that making money is not important. It's simply impossible for anyone to make any progress towards achieving their mission if they don't have the financial resources to hire staff, attract and retain members, supporters, and sponsors. Ms. Myers works with a number of different organizations through her work with the association management firm Drohan Management Group and she draws on a number of these to illustrate her points and provide useful examples. Get some useful tips from this episode and convert them into cash for your programs!  Elissa Myers is a 40+ year veteran of association managemen