Membership World Leaders Forum Washington

Influence 2026 – Washington An exclusive leadership forum for the association & membership sector 📍 Hosted at Higher Logic Conference Theatre, Washington 👥 60 senior leaders $99 for half-day or $160 for full day. 📅 7th  October 2026 Event Positioning A two-part experience: Morning: Strategic leadership exchange (closed-door, peer-driven) Afternoon: Hands-on AI hackathon (practical, applied innovation) AGENDA 08:30 – 09:00 | Arrival & Networking Breakfast Private welcome for senior leaders Informal networking with curated attendee list 09:00 – 09:10 | Opening Remarks Hosts and partners welcome (All partners 1 min each) Scene-setting: The future of membership organisations in an AI-driven world 09:10 – 09:30 | Keynote 1 Gordon Glenister – Founder, Membership World “The Influence Economy: How Membership Organisations Stay Relevant in a Changing World” The evolution of member value Trust, community, and influence What high-performing organisations are doing differently 09:30 – 10:15 | Panel Discussion  “The Next Era of Membership Growth” Senior association leaders discuss: Retention vs acquisition strategies Member value beyond content Pricing, tiers, and engagement models The role of partnerships and ecosystems Change management 10:15 – 10:45 | Curated Roundtables (Session 1) Small-group discussions (facilitated) Example topics: Redefining member value propositions Monetisation beyond subscriptions Building year-round engagement Data-driven decision making Community vs content-led models Corporate vs individual membership balance 10:45 – 11:00 | Coffee Break 11:00 – 11:20 | Keynote 2 Senior US Association Leader “Leading Through Disruption: The Modern Association CEO” Leadership challenges in 2026 Organisational transformation Culture, skills, and digital readiness 11:20 – 12:05 | Panel Discussion 2 “AI, Data & the Member Experience” Personalisation at scale AI in member engagement and support Ethical considerations Practical use cases already delivering ROI 12:05 – 12:30 | Curated Roundtables (Session 2) Deeper peer exchange Example topics: AI use cases already working in associations Member journey mapping Reducing churn with predictive insights Content strategy in an AI world Staff capability and training 12:30 – 13:30 | Networking Lunch Transition from leadership forum to innovation session Additional guests may join for afternoon session PART 2: AI HACKATHON EXPERIENCE 13:30 – 13:45 | Hackathon Kick-Off Introduction to format, tools, and goals Overview of challenges Formation of working groups 13:45 – 15:15 | AI Hackathon Sprint Participants work in small teams on real-world challenges Example Challenges: Build an AI-powered member onboarding journey Design a retention prediction workflow Create a personalised member communications engine Develop a member benefits recommendation tool Automate event engagement before, during, after Support: Facilitators from Higher Logic + AI partners Pre-built workflow templates Live guidance and troubleshooting 15:15 – 15:30 | Break 15:30 – 16:30 | Hackathon Presentations Each group presents: Problem Approach Workflow / solution Expected impact 16:30 – 16:50 | Judges Panel & Awards Best Practical Solution Most Innovative Use of AI Highest Member Impact 16:50 – 17:00 | Closing Remarks Key takeaways Next steps for participants Invitation to future Membership World events