Show notes
How do you professionalize an organization? When and how does a Board decide that an organization is ready for a large technology overhaul? And does color matter when it comes to conference merchandise? (Hint: the answer is yes!)
In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Cynthia Young, Executive Director of the American Art Therapy Association. Cynthia introduces AATA, talks about her journey to becoming ED of AATA, and then discusses the things AATA is doing to grow and thrive. Cynthia discusses:
- What art therapy is and how it’s different from talk therapy
- How patients don’t need to be good at art for art therapy to be effective
- How becoming ED of AATA was her first chief exec job AND her first association job
- The amazing support she’s received from the association community
- How the Board came to decide on a large overhaul of AATA technology
- How AATA’s new website, membership database and community helped the organization thrive during the pandemic
- The DE&I aspect of AATA: while art therapists serve a hugely diverse set of clients, art therapists tend to be white and female
- How AATA gave student members the ability to vote
- How AATA went from having one membership meeting a year, to six all-member meetings a year
- How AATA members seem to love the color purple, so Cynthia is sure to always sell purple merchandise at conference
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