KiKi L’Italien
Founder/CEO
KiKi serves as senior consultant for Tecker International for association strategy consulting work and operates as CEO and Host for Association Chat, an online community and media platform for the association industry. Association Chat reaches over 72k industry professionals every month and podcast guests have included Seth Godin, Nir Eyal, Dorie Clark, and many others.
Her combined 20 years in membership and marketing with 10 years as the leader for the online community and podcast, Association Chat, has led KiKi to the creation of a purposeful model for communities and our role in them. She serves as a visiting lecturer for the capstone Masters Technology Management class at Georgetown University and was also a contributing author to the books, The Component Relations Handbook (2nd edition, ASAE, 2012) and Social Networking for Nonprofits: Increasing Engagement in a Mobile and Web 2.0 World (ASAE, 2010).
KiKi developed a health check for communities, the Community Trust Maturity Assessment based on her experience as a component relations professional (CRP) and community manager. Each part of the assessment explores the levels of the fundamental principles that lead to a strong and sustainable community.
Latest from KiKi
Your Secret Leadership Superpower
Unlock your Leadership Superpower with KiKi L’Italien and Zovig Garboushian on Association Chat as they reveal how self-awareness can transform your leadership and team performance. Strategies for cultivating this crucial skill
Association Chat Presents an Association Cyber Attack Simulation Workshop
Chances are high that you will experience a cyber attack over the next few years. Are you ready? Don’t miss this critical opportunity to equip yourself with the knowledge and tools you need to protect your organization.
A Hot Take on Trust, Do They Trust Your Association?
…what it truly means to build and maintain trust in today’s rapidly evolving landscape.
Introducing the Association Podcast Directory
This podcast directory spans the gamut of topics relevant to today’s association professionals. Each podcast has been curated to ensure you have access to a broad spectrum of perspectives, ensuring there’s something for every interest and challenge you may face. Innovation, inspiration, and information await at your fingertips.
Engaging Your Team in Online Communities: A Practical Roadmap
a practical roadmap that has worked for me and might just be the key to transforming your own online community engagement efforts with your team.
From Field to Future: Learning from the Eagles’ Loss to Elevate Association Marketing with AI
…when there are disappointing losses, sports teams analyze them to improve future performance. Teams use data and technology to understand their weaknesses and strategize for future games.
Research Integrity, Trust Trends Transforming Scholarly Events
If academic conferences are your thing, then this conversation will be of particular interest to you. We discussed many trends that will and already are transforming scholarly events.
Behind the Curtain: Personality Test Predicaments, Handling Top-Down Decisions with Board
In our latest ‘”Behind the Curtain: Association Chat’s Anonymous Confessions” installment, we dive into a complex challenge: a President making decisions without full board approval. This scenario, shared by an experienced association professional, brings to light the delicate balance between executive decision-making and collaborative governance. The community’s responses vary –
Dues Dilemmas: Navigating Member Reactions to Financial Changes
In this edition of ‘Behind the Curtain’, we explore the struggles of managing member reactions to a necessary dues increase and new structure. Discover the candid challenges of balancing financial responsibilities and member expectations in an institutional setting.
Association Executives Taking These Seven Lessons Into 2024
…not just a compilation of lessons; it’s a mosaic of lived experiences, a compass pointing towards a future rich with potential and promise. Join us as we navigate these insights, learning and growing together, preparing ourselves for the adventures that 2024 holds.
A Reflective Exercise to Frame Your Story
Our lives are defined not just by what happens to us but also by how we frame our stories.
Bruce Lee’s Wisdom in the AI Dojo of Associations
In this dojo, every punch thrown by ChatGPT, every block and counter, teaches us something new about engagement, about connection, about the heart of our community.