Emerging Professionals Initiative Committee (EPIC)
Make Your Career EPIC
Emerging professionals are not simply the future of the association industry—they are already shaping it. Their ideas, perspectives and growing influence help organizations make smarter decisions, embrace innovation and remain relevant in a rapidly changing world. Through EPIC, CSAE is creating a community where these leaders can build relationships, strengthen their voices and expand their impact.
The CSAE Emerging Professionals Initiative Committee (EPIC) is a new community created specifically for association professionals with seven years or fewer in the industry. EPIC is designed to help emerging professionals build meaningful relationships, strengthen their skills, expand their professional networks, and discover new opportunities to grow within the association community.
More than a program, EPIC is a community shaped by emerging professionals themselves. Participants will have a voice in the experiences, programs, and opportunities EPIC offers—helping create a community that reflects what today’s emerging association professionals actually need. Whether you work in membership, meetings and events, communications, marketing, education, government affairs, operations, technology—or you're still figuring out where your association career might take you—there's a place for you in EPIC.
Why Join EPIC?
Your first several years in association management can open the door to an incredibly rewarding career—but knowing where to find mentors, peers, professional development, and opportunities to get involved isn’t always easy. EPIC brings those opportunities together.
Through EPIC, you’ll have opportunities to:
- Build your network with other emerging professionals throughout Colorado’s association community.
- Connect with experienced association leaders who can share insights, advice, and lessons learned throughout their careers.
- Develop practical career and leadership skills through workshops, webinars, roundtables, and other professional development experiences.
- Find mentors and professional resources that can help you navigate your career and identify your next steps.
- Get involved and help determine the topics, programs, networking opportunities, and resources that will be most valuable to their careers.
- Build genuine peer relationships through mixers, coffees, small-group gatherings, and other informal networking opportunities.
- Help shape EPIC by sharing what you need and want from your professional community.
EPIC's programming will combine peer connection with practical career and leadership development, including skill-building programs, mentoring and access to experienced association executives, networking opportunities, and volunteer leadership experiences.
Current CSAE members can participate in EPIC at no additional cost. Not yet a CSAE member? You're invited to experience EPIC and discover the professional community, resources, and opportunities available through CSAE membership.
EPIC Leadership
EPIC Committee Members:
Rachel Coy, PR & Content Marketing Specialist, Obesity Medicine Association
Jack Murphy, Government Affairs Director, Colorado Nonprofit Association
Raven Refuerzo, Technical Programs Specialist, Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME)
Bailey Schmidt, Association Manager through Etherio, Etherio
Nancy Sullivan, Sr. Mgr - Section Services & Member Programs, American Water Works Association (AWWA)
Board Liaison: Michael Hoehn, Chief Operating Officer, Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC)
CSAE Staff: Su Hawk, Executive Director
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