Welcome to ESSAE!

GUIDE. EMPOWER. LEAD.
The Empire State Society of Association Executives (ESSAE) is a nonprofit professional organization for persons engaged in the management of voluntary trade and professional organizations. ESSAE provides quality educational, leadership, and professional development opportunities to association executives and supplier members, to encourage high professional standards in the management of associations. ESSAE membership comprises over 475 members statewide and is an approved provider of continuing education for those holding the CAE designation.

Staff Working Remotely

Due to the COVID-19 Crisis, the ESSAE staff has moved to a remote setting. We are still available for you! You can reach us at the following numbers and of course, you can always email us! Vanessa LaClair, CAE, CMP, Executive Director | Direct Line (518) 313-7167 | Email: [email protected]

Upcoming Virtual Events

Take the time for yourself! Professional development opportunities are more important now than ever before. Continuing education opportunities are a great way to develop skills, boost morale, and improve recruitment efforts.  Employees who participate in professional development are more engaged, loyal, and committed to meeting their company’s challenges. Employees who apply new skills and knowledge to their work help their company become more competitive. Our educational and networking options provide attendees with access to information and peers to help members and industry professionals solve problems, make smarter decisions, improve skills sets, and become better association leaders. Here's a snapshot of what's coming up!

Time Out Tuesdays: Your organization is a living entity made up of amazing individuals. Workforce recovery is going to depend on supporting our organizations' members. Our workforce has either been over or under-worked during the pandemic. Ongoing uncertainty, managing the new normal, and dealing with everyone's feelings is a reality. Ensuring workplace mental health and recovery is a part of your strategic plan 2020 and beyond is a key leadership trend. Our industry is dealing with major loss and change and a great deal of the workforce is hurting emotionally requiring support to address the losses then shift attention to innovation, adapting, and opportunity. How will you lead your staff? Join ESSAE and your association colleagues for a brand-new virtual wellness series - where we meet at 8:15 AM on Tuesday. Each session will only be 45 minutes! So, grab your coffee, get ready to kick start your work day, and come back to center. 

Careers in a Post-COVID World (August 12): The COVID-19 crisis has significantly impacted the workforce. Businesses were forced to cancel in-person meetings and staff are now working remotely. Roles within the workforce as we knew them have been forever changed. Join us and our industry experts for a panel discussion on the future of the association workforce who will not only to provide an overview of what has happened, the impact of COVID on the job market, and how to adapt in order to remain valuable, but also to provide a sense of optimism for the future, and the opportunity the crisis has created.