2025 GSAE Holiday Luncheon, Awards Show & Business Meeting
Cost
GSAE Member – $59 ($69 after Dec. 2)
GSAE additional staff – $45 ($55 after Dec. 2)
Guests – $69 ($79 after Dec. 2)
Room Block available from our host Hilton Atlanta Northeast for $129 plus taxes. Reserve room here. **cut-off date is Tuesday, Nov. 18**
Schedule
10:00 am–1:30 pm: ACFB Food Drive
10:15 am–12:00 pm: Silent Auction, Wine Toss & Networking Reception
12:00–1:30 pm: Luncheon, Awards Show, Annual Business Meeting & Officer Installation
1:30 pm: Silent Auction Cash-out
1:35 pm: Host Property Tour 1:30 pm: Meetings Shared Interest Group - Gathering in Dahlia's Thank you to our sponsor: Jekyll Island Authority
Thank you to our annual AV sponsor: OAV, Orchestrated Audiovisual & Production Services
Thank you to the Voice of GSAE: Tom Branch, Lava Post Production
Donate Now, then Bid High and Bid Often!
Donating a silent auction prize is one of the best ways to promote your organization, while helping GSAE raise money for educational programming. Our 2024 Silent Auctions raised over $26,000. Thanks to member Tony Rissley and his sister Amanda Rissley of Expo Auctions, the auction is virtual and open to all GSAE members.
If helpful, we encourage you to partner with a sister property, organization, and/or your local CVB to help promote your area or organization and support GSAE's educational programming. Donate a prize today.
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GSAE Member News
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Besty Winsor is Association Sales Manager at Charleston Marriott.
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Jason Cline, CAE was a guest on the Dunwoody Dialogues podcast hosted by GSAE Corporate Supplier Discover Dunwoody. Listen here. |
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The 2026 Nominating Committee has announced the slate of officers, members of the Board of Directors, and the Foundation's Board of Trustees. Office installation and recognition of outgoing leaders is December 10 during the GSAE Annual Business Meeting at Hilton Atlanta Northeast. Review the slate. |
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Congratulations to GSAE's 2025 Award Recipients
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Niel Dawson, MS Ed.
Executive Director, IEC Atlanta & Georgia Chapters
Member since 2004
Clifford M. Clarke Award
The Clifford M. Clarke Award is GSAE's highest honor and is presented to honor a member for an outstanding career of leadership and service to associations in Georgia. It is named for the late Cliff Clarke, president emeritus of the Arthritis Foundation and the first Georgian to serve as chief elected officer of ASAE.
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Shan Haugabrook, ACNP
Executive Director, Atlanta/Georgia Apartment Association
Member since 2013
Alan R. Johnson Servant Leadership Award
Established in 1994 and named in memory of a former Chair of the GSAE Foundation, this award is presented to honor a member who exhibits the ability to influence others by modeling positive behavior, gaining cooperation from others, and fostering creativity and innovative thinking.
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Owen Kavanagh
Events Coordinator, Atlanta Apartment Association
Member since 2021
Sharon Hunt Emerging Leader Award
This award is given to an association executive in Georgia based on three criteria: Impact in their own organization, involvement in GSAE, and service to the community other than through GSAE. Established in 2004, this award is presented to a member who has been in the association management profession for ten years or less.
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Anne Chen, TMP
Director of Convention Sales, Explore Gwinnett
Member since 2015
Peggy Seigler Corporate Member of the Year Award
Named in 2015, the award celebrates the many contributions of Peggy Seigler, MPA, CDME, a beloved and valued member of the community. The criterion for this award is continuous involvement and support of GSAE and the Foundation throughout her participation in GSAE.
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Katie Oxford, CAE
CEO, Association Services Group
Member since 2013
Skelton-Massey Award
The Skelton-Massey Award is presented to the person who recruits the most new individual members into GSAE during the year. The award recognizes the member who supports and sponsors the most new members, strengthening GSAE in size and effectiveness. |
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Julia Boyd, CAE
Executive Director, The Atlanta Press Club
Member since 2013
Chair’s Award
The Chair's Award is presented for going above and beyond the call of duty to help GSAE. |
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Amy Kane, CAE, MBA
Senior Vice President, Associated Builders & Contractors of Georgia
Member since 2010
Chair’s Award
The Chair's Award is presented for going above and beyond the call of duty to help GSAE. |
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Jacob Wilder, CAE
Senior Director of Operations and Communications, Building Owners and Managers Association of Georgia
Member since 2014
Chair’s Award
The Chair's Award is presented for going above and beyond the call of duty to help GSAE. |
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Lacy Harden, TMP
Vice President, Convention Sales, VisitColumbusGA
Member since 2024
Stephen Styron Award
The Stephen Styron Award is presented to an outstanding committee, Shared Interest Group, or task force chair. It is named in honor of one of GSAE's past presidents who was the first Georgian to earn the CAE designation.
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Lisa-Marie Haygood, MBA, CAE
Executive Director, Cherokee County Educational Foundation
Member since 2016
Stephen Styron Award
The Stephen Styron Award is presented to an outstanding committee, Shared Interest Group, or task force chair. It is named in honor of one of GSAE's past presidents who was the first Georgian to earn the CAE designation.
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2025 Fall GSAE Foundation Grant Recipients
2025 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards
Congratulations to our GSAE members who received the Readers Choice Award for Best Small Cities in the US. See the full list
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#1 Explore Charleston
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#4 St. Augustine |
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#6 Visit Savannah |
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#10 Visit Pensacola |
Georgia Trends’ 2025 Georgia 500 List
Georgia Trend Magazine announced its GEORGIA 500, a comprehensive list of influential Georgians by category and nomination. Congratulations to the following GSAE members and supporters for the recognition. Read more.
GSAE Members
- Matthew Caseman
- Chris Clark
- Amanda Dyson-Thorton, TMP
- Stephanie Fischer
- William Pate
- Michael "Sully" Sullivan, JD
- Steven Schumacher
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GSAE Friends
- Lisa Anders
- Will Bentley
- Bennish Brown
- Grant Cagle
- Paul Cramer
- Kevin Duvall
- Joe Marinelli
- Jay Markwalter
- Mercedes Miller
- Jere W. Morehead
- Jason Moss
- Holly Quinlan
- Monty Veazey
- Gary Wheat
- Katie Williams
- Mark Williams
- Ashley Woitena
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Build the Skills Every Leader Needs.
The AE-MBA is a 10-week learning and networking program built for current and emerging association leaders. Gain practical tools you can use right away, while connecting with peers nationwide.
Earn up to 10 CAE credits! Expect up to 3 hours of self-study per module / 6 hours around the live sessions, which cover 2 modules each.
Live webinars, 10:00–11:00 am EST/EDT.
- April 9 – Program Kickoff and Onboarding
- April 23 – Vision Goals & Planning Process
- May 7 – The Right Team & Right Customers
- May 21 – An Empowered System of Management
- June 4 – Demystifying the Financials
- June 18 – Applying the Financials & Graduation
Teams that learn together don’t just save—they align leadership and implement faster.
A limited-time offer through January 30th - Buy 2, Get 1 Free! Click here to take advantage of our best offer and save $995!
- $995 Solo Learner: Lifetime access to the live + self-paced experience.
- Pairs Pricing: Sign up as a pair of 2 and save $100 per person.
- Team Discounts: Enroll a pair or group of 5+ to save up to $200 per person.
QAS 2.0 - Association Management Training
| FSAE has launched QAS 2.0. Master the fundamentals for career advancement in Association Management. This is a refreshed and modernized version of the original program. With updated content and speakers. GSAE members have a code in the Member Offers tab of their profile. Learn more. |
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GSAE 2026 Budget Numbers
We’ll add additional opportunities for connecting and learning throughout the year, but this is a great start!
- Shared Interest Group meetings are included in your membership.
- Association Executive dues are $325; additional association staff members are $150 a la carte.
- GSAE group memberships for Association Executives. View pricing
- Corporate Supplier dues are $350; additional staff from the same company are $250.
- Quarterly luncheons on February 18, April 15, July 22, and September 16, 2026, are $59 for GSAE members.
- Exclusive luncheon sponsorship available for $2,000.
- The Holiday Luncheon, Awards Show & Silent Auction on December 9, 2026, is $69 for GSAE members.
- Three sponsorships available for $2,000 each. (one sold)
- The 2026 GSAE Annual Meeting is in Athens, GA, May 27-May 29. Registration fee for the first association executive attendee – $429; corporate supplier exhibitor and sponsor packages range from $729-$3,599; additional attendees from the same organization – $389 each.
2026 GSAE Hosting Opportunities Available
- Quarterly Luncheons on April 15, July 22, Sept. 16 and Dec. 9 – view luncheon RFP.
- Interested in hosting the 2026 GSAE Leadership Retreat? Contact Corrin at corrin "at" gsae.org.
2025 Inclusion Calendar Published
Welcome Mat. GSAE is committed to being a resource and model for members and organizations on effective practices that drive successful diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. GSAE believes in fostering a welcoming culture amongst our members that is diverse, inclusive, and equitable to all. We know our differences are what make us stronger. Through diverse perspectives, an inclusive culture, and equitable opportunities, we are connecting leaders, advancing associations. Access the 2025 Inclusion Calendar.
Scammers, Spammers & Phishing - Bleh
GSAE will never, ever ask you to buy gift cards or transfer money among our Board members, volunteers, or staff. We do not use third parties to sell our hotel room blocks or offer membership lists. Call us at (404) 577-7850 if you have a question about an email.
We also urge you to train your staff to do the same – call and confirm authenticity if you are not expecting a proposal from a property or other service provider. Every employee should also have two-factor authentication on every single log-in. We regularly receive the "was this you?" message. Nine times out of ten, it wasn't!
Have GSAE News to Share?
Please send job changes, member news, and press releases to Corrin at corrin "at" gsae.org by the second Monday of the month.
We understand your time is valuable, and we strive to make volunteer service convenient and rewarding. GSAE volunteers truly do the work of the organization. Please send an email to Corrin at corrin "at" gsae.org if you are interested in learning more about 2026 committee and SIG leadership opportunities.
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Certified Association Executive (CAE) Study Course
- GSAE members have a code in the Member Offers tab of their profile.
- CRAM course fees are based on current/previous attendance, so no discount code is needed.
Other CAE course options are available online.
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Explore GSAE's entirely FREE library of downloadable content, including white papers, guides, infographics, case studies, industry analysis, and so much more! Consider this your one-stop shop when looking for current topics you need to learn about that are influencing our entire industry.
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Did you know our Career Headquarters links to ASAE's national site? **And** if you buy a posting through us, GSAE gets a royalty payment to support the Society's programming. Check out the Careers section at the bottom of this e-newsletter for the latest Georgia postings.
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GSAE is seeking members interested in sharing effective practices, compelling case studies, and pilot programs. Have another story idea? Contact Corrin at corrin "at" gsae.org if you are interested in contributing to our community knowledge.
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Winter 2026 – Financial Health and Revenue Diversification
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Spring 2026 – AI, Data and Decision Making for Associations
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Summer 2026 – Next Gen Member Engagement Models
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Fall 2026 – The Future of Hybrid & Experiential Meetings
- Also seeking guest columnists – 700-1,200 words, anytime.
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New AMS Checklist
Finding the right AMS can be challenging, but this new checklist gives you a clear way to compare options and choose the platform that fits your goals. It’s designed to help you evaluate features and ask the right questions during your search.
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Are you or your member organizations wondering how you can embrace AI tools while ensuring authenticity in the hiring process? Fisher Phillips can help. Contact Terri Stewart at FPatlanta@fisherphillips.com for a complimentary consultation of your GSAE membership.
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Webinars, Podcasts, & Blogs from Around the Web
GSAE compiles a compendium of podcasts, blogs, and resources from association land that we think will help you be better at your job.
Highlights this month include new issues from Association Brain Food (free education!), podcasts from our SAE colleagues, and a new Rogue Tulip's Radio Free 501c episode. Follow, listen, and learn!
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Mark your calendars to join ASAE in person on Monday, March 23–Tuesday, March 24, in Washington, DC, for ASAE’s annual Legislative Fly-In.
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- Recordings of livestreamed and virtual meetings are available on our GSAE1917 YouTube Channel through GSAEtv.
- GSAE's Shared Interest Groups (SIGs) are complimentary, self-directed groups of GSAE members that focus on a particular area of interest. Learn more about Shared Interest Group (SIG) opportunities and join through your member profile or send an email to GSAE.
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GSAE Operations SIG | Launch Meeting | 2:00–2:45 pm
