Wright Ballroom

Based on the national USA Today Bestseller "Endless Customers" this keynote by renowned speaker Marcus Sheridan takes a bold look at how associations and their members can thrive in an era where attention is scarce, patience is thin, and trust is everything.

Today’s digital-first world has forced every organization—whether they’re selling products, services, or memberships—to confront two urgent questions:

•    How do we evolve our model to match the expectations of today’s radically informed, self-educating, impatient audience?
•    And how do we become the undisputed voice of trust in our space, while driving meaningful growth in the process?
Whether you're leading an association, advising members, or marketing events and programs, this session delivers the playbook for staying relevant, visible, and valuable in this new landscape.
In this eye-opening session, Marcus will reveal:
•    How associations must rethink their marketing and member recruitment strategies to meet the expectations of a digital-native audience.
•    The exact types of content that drive trust and decision-making—for both association members and the members' customers—and why most organizations still miss the mark.
•    Why video and visual learning aren’t optional anymore—and how any association (yes, even yours) can embrace it fast.
•    The rise of the “seller-free” experience—and what that means for membership sales, sponsor outreach, and event growth.
•    The explosion of self-service tools—and how associations can lead the charge, giving members more value and autonomy while driving more engagement.
•    And ultimately: How becoming a trusted digital voice can lead to stronger retention, better member acquisition, and deeper influence across your industry.

This talk is fast-paced, highly actionable, and has changed the way 500+ audiences think about trust, content, and growth. For associations that want to lead—not lag—this is your roadmap.

In the race to integrate AI, we're overlooking a demographic shift already reshaping our organizations: the rise of the longevity economy. With one in three Americans soon to be over the age of 50, we’re entering what experts call the “Super Age.” These older adults aren’t passive consumers of content or tech. They’re active contributors, learners, and leaders defying outdated assumptions about age.

This session explores how the convergence of AI and the longevity economy creates a strategic opportunity to deepen relevance, strengthen engagement, and future-proof your value proposition. We’ll examine how thoughtful member experiences — grounded in clarity, trust, and respect — can help older adults thrive in a rapidly changing world.

You’ll leave with a clearer understanding of how your organization can meet this moment by turning aging into an advantage and AI into an ally.

Bryan Kelly is a UX and content strategy leader focused on creating digital experiences that work better for adults over 50 — a rapidly growing, high-value market often referred to as the "longevity economy." He’s delivered measurable results for brands like McAfee, Premera Blue Cross, EXPRESS, Home Depot, Orange Theory Fitness, and FedEx by transforming user insights into revenue-driving features. Bryan blends product strategy, UX expertise, and business acumen to help organizations better serve this experienced and influential audience.

Wright Ballroom

Wright Ballroom

Join us for an engaging keynote panel and Q&A, as this morning keynote speakers share further insights and answer your questions on today’s most pressing industry topics.

Wright Ballroom

From Friction to Flow: How ICBA's Ecommerce-Inspired Testing is Revolutionizing Member Experience 

Association members and ecommerce customers face a shared challenge: navigating efficiently to reach their goals. When friction gets in the way—whether it's a shopper abandoning their cart or a member unable to find valuable resources—engagement drops. To tackle this, ICBA is applying proven ecommerce-based user testing methods to their online ecosystem. They're rebuilding five websites using real member behavior data and continuous feedback loops.

In this session, we’ll walk through the testing framework driving ICBA’s digital transformation. Attendees will learn how techniques like conversion funnel analysis, user journey mapping, and A/B testing can help members discover content more easily. You’ll also get a first look at ICBA’s new sites in development and learn how to spot "conversion blockers" that hinder engagement.

Attendees will leave with a practical toolkit to implement these methods in their own organizations—and receive access to a complimentary 1-hour digital experience assessment with a strategist from Americaneagle.com.

Building the AI-Ready Content Foundation: NVAR & Accella’s Roadmap to Generative Member Experiences

Generative AI is only as powerful as the content foundation you give it. In this practical session, Accella President Jason King, Director of Engineering Evan Brand, and NVAR’s Senior Director of Digital Strategy & Operations Leo Mofunanya share how the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors re-architected its web and mobile content to become “AI-ready.” You’ll see how thoughtful taxonomy, metadata, and ingestion pipelines let large-language models understand the nuance of association resources—turning static articles, events, and member data into dynamic building blocks for new experiences.

We’ll walk through NVAR’s rapid proofs of concept—AI-powered site search that speaks the member’s language and a “Latest for You” feed that personalizes news and events on the fly. By exposing what worked (and what didn’t) in these experiments, the team will illustrate how lean budgets and small staffs can still deliver cutting-edge features with release cycles measured in weeks, not years.

You’ll leave with a clear roadmap: the essential content-structuring decisions to make now, the minimal technical stack required, and a repeatable process for spinning up generative AI pilots that wow members and build internal momentum. Whether you’re just starting to explore AI or looking to scale early wins, this session equips you with the blueprint to future-proof your association’s digital experience.

Location TBA

Building the AI-Ready Content Foundation: NVAR & Accella’s Roadmap to Generative Member Experiences

Location TBA

Extend the insight and energy from the morning keynotes in this dynamic 45-minute session. These Deep Dive opportunities gives you exclusive access to the speaker for a candid, interactive conversation.

Ask questions, explore key themes more deeply, and gain practical takeaways tailored to your interests. Whether you're looking for behind-the-scenes stories or tools to apply the keynote ideas, this is your chance to go further with each of these speakers:

Keynote Deep Dive: Marcus Sheridan
Keynote Deep Dive: Conor Brennan
Breakout Session – TBA

Breakout #1: Wright Ballroom

Breakout #2: Sullivan A

Breakout #3: Sullivan C