As 2025 closes, associations are setting priorities for next year and rethinking strategy, budgets, and impact.

But what if your biggest competitor isn't another organisation - it's inaction? Standing still costs associations more than moving forward.

Explore the true cost of doing nothing – financially, operationally, and strategically. Drawing on insights from hundreds of digital projects across the association sector, we’ll show why inaction is the most expensive choice and how to break through the cycle of delay with clarity, confidence and measurable ROI.

Join our complimentary 1-hour webinar with Michelle Lelempsis, CEO and Founder of Causeis. In this powerful and practical session, Michelle will unveil key insights from the latest whitepaper, Blueprint: The Cost of Doing Nothing.

Webinar Learnings

• Be among the first to access the new Causeis Blueprint: Cost of Doing Nothing
• Reflect on 2025 and identify where inaction is limiting your performance
• Gain insights and frameworks to shape your 2026 digital and member strategy
• Learn how to quantify ROI, secure board buy-in, and drive confident decisions

If you’re an association executive ready to uncover the hidden costs of standing still, we’d love for you to join us.

Attendees receive 1 CAE credits. 

 AuSAE is proud to be a CAE Approved Provider. As a CAE Approved Provider educational program related to the CAE exam content outline, this event may be applied for 1 credit toward your CAE application or renewal professional development requirements. For more information about the CAE credential or Approved Provider program, please visit www.asaecenter.org/cae.   

Meet Our Presenter

Michelle Lelempsis
CEO and Founder at Causeis

Michelle Lelempsis has consulted and presented in Australia and globally to 100s of associations to help them enable their digital transformation and growth strategies.

Whether Michelle is presenting on association strategies, digital transformation, engagement scoring, data analytics, member experience or how to align your tech to meet your business strategy you’ll find her passion and enthusiasm for the industry contagious.

Michelle is the CEO and Founder of Causeis, a global, multi-award-winning team of over 25 experts dedicated to empowering associations to achieve digital success, impacting the lives of more than 500,000 members globally across 75+ association clients.

Ready to Become a Certified Association Executive? Join Our CAE Info Session!

If you're aiming to earn your Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential, this is your chance to learn more! 

Join our upcoming Q&A session to get answers to all your questions about eligibility, requirements, and the benefits of the CAE credential. We'll provide a detailed overview of the program and how it can help you take the next step in your association management career.

Bring your questions and discover how the CAE can elevate your professional journey.

Join us for a dynamic panel discussion where experts from Higher Logic and AuSAE come together to explore what matters most to members heading into 2026.

This session will unpack what members really want from their associations. Drawing on data from thousands of association professionals, we’ll compare trends in member engagement and community behaviour to highlight what’s unique about the Australian landscape and what lessons we can learn globally.

Key Takeaways:

• Insights about what members value most from associations 
• Success stories from associations meeting evolving member needs.
• Practical strategies to use data for improving retention and satisfaction.

Join us for a complimentary 1-hour webinar and gain insights and strategies for 2026!

Meet Our Presenter

Kelly Whelan 
Content Marketing Manager at Higher Logic

Our Panel Members:

Toni Brearley, CAE
Chief Executive Officer at AuSAE

CAE Exam between 1 - 14 May 2026 This course is for the May 2026 examination *Please note that the exam registration through ASAE is separate and is the delegates responsibility. AuSAE is here to help

Course cost - AuSAE Member $750 

Non member / Business partner  $950 includes  

• Course material ( Professional Practices in Association Management, 4th Edition)

• Cliff notes with practice exam questions for each domain

• Study group learnings and exam questions

• Practice exam exam

The Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential is an International marker of a committed association professional who has demonstrated the wide range of knowledge essential to manage an association in today’s challenging environment.

Have you got what it takes to go to the next level, AuSAE is here to help you!!
Applications close with ASAE 21 February 2026 for the exam

Program Starting Friday 20 February 2026

Week 1 20 February : CAE Orientation session and Systems thinking

Week’s 2 - 9: Covering the eight domains 1 hour each week (Friday)

• 27 February: Domain 1 Governance
• 6 March: Domain 2 Executive Leadership
• 13 March: Domain 3 Organisational Strategy
• 20 March: Domain 4 Operations
• 27 March: Domain 5 Business development
• 2 April: Domain 6 Member and Stakeholder Engagement and Management
• 10 April: Domain 7 Advocacy
• 17 April: Domain 8 Marketing and Communications

Week 10: Wednesday 22 April Practice exam in exam conditions (100 questions) 2 hours
Friday 24 April Open forum ( 1hour 30 mins)

• CAE Exam fee is separate and paid through ASAE when applying for the exam. Member cost $500 USD