A First Look at Harvest Highlight Sessions

Small Habits. Stronger Teams: Eight Leadership Microhabits for Building Resilient, High-Performing Cultures

Presented by Ally Meyers

Whether you're leading a small association or a large organization, every leader wants an engaged, resilient, high-performing workforce. Yet as work has become faster, more digital, and increasingly supported by technology and AI, many of the everyday moments where trust and connection naturally developed have quietly disappeared.

Leaders can no longer rely on those moments happening by chance. They must intentionally create them through the way they lead every day.

In this practical, research-backed keynote, workplace well-being strategist Ally Meyers shares eight leadership microhabits that help leaders intentionally build connection into everyday interactions. Grounded in neuroscience, positive psychology, and organizational research, these simple habits strengthen key drivers of employee well-being while helping build high-performing workplace cultures.

Attendees will gain practical tools, conversation prompts, and immediately applicable techniques they can use in meetings, one-on-ones, and everyday conversations.

Fearless Feedback: A Framework for Confident Conversations

Presented by Ally Meyers

When feedback is delayed, everyone pays the price. Leaders carry the stress of unresolved conversations, while employees are left without the clarity and coaching they need to succeed. Creating a culture where feedback is frequent, respectful, and expected can reduce stress, strengthen trust, and improve team performance.

In this interactive breakout session, Ally Meyers takes a deeper dive into one of the eight leadership microhabits introduced during the keynote. Participants will learn a simple, practical framework for making both positive and constructive feedback a more natural part of everyday leadership.

Through role play and real-world practice, attendees will have an opportunity to apply the framework and leave with ready-to-use conversation approaches they can bring back to their organizations.

Inside the Capitol Press Corps: How Associations Can Break Through the Noise

Presented by Leanne Politi

In today's fast-moving media landscape, earning attention from reporters covering New York State government requires more than a press release. This session brings together experienced journalists from the New York State Capitol press corps to share what makes a story newsworthy, how they identify trends and sources, and what association leaders can do to break through the noise.

This candid discussion will provide insight into how reporters cover policy issues, legislative developments, and advocacy campaigns in Albany. Panelists will discuss common pitching mistakes, what they look for in expert sources, and how organizations can build lasting relationships with the media.

Attendees will leave with practical strategies for elevating their organization's voice, positioning themselves as trusted resources, and increasing the likelihood that their issues and priorities gain meaningful media coverage during the legislative session and beyond.

Governance for Grown-Ups: How to Create a Best-of Board Culture That Allows You and Your Volunteer Leader Relationships to Thrive

Presented by Michael Mendrick

Your association's board of directors can be anything from your greatest resource to your biggest challenge. A board can operate as a cohesive unit or become a collection of competing perspectives, personalities, and priorities. For association executives, establishing and maintaining a productive relationship with volunteer leaders is crucial to both organizational success and effective leadership.

This session explores common signs of board/CEO relationship dysfunction, the root causes behind those challenges, and methods for diplomatically addressing them. Through real-world scenarios, research, personal experience, and interactive exercises, attendees will examine strategies for resolving conflict and creating a stronger board culture built on trust and clarity.

The session will also introduce the Policy Governance model as one approach for more clearly defining board and CEO roles and responsibilities.

AI in 2026: What Association Leaders Need to Know

Presented by Jerry Crisci

Artificial intelligence continues to reshape how organizations work, communicate, make decisions, and serve their stakeholders. For association leaders, understanding what is changing—and what those changes mean for their organizations—is becoming increasingly important.

In this engaging presentation, attendees will explore the evolving AI landscape, including emerging trends, technologies, opportunities, and challenges. Jerry Crisci will help participants consider what an increasingly AI-powered workplace means specifically for associations and the leaders responsible for guiding them.

Attendees will leave with a stronger understanding of the current AI landscape and the considerations association leaders should be thinking about as they determine how AI fits within their organizations.

Sharpen Your Skills with an AI Playground

Presented by Jerry Crisci

It's time to move from talking about AI to actually using it.

In this hands-on session, participants will build practical skills for using AI effectively within their associations. Working in teams in an interactive "AI playground," attendees will experiment with prompting strategies and explore ways AI can support everyday association work.

Participants will practice using AI to enhance productivity, improve communication, generate ideas, and tackle real-world workplace challenges—providing an opportunity to test, learn, and build confidence in a collaborative environment.