Community, Credibility, and Continuity: When Conferences Matter

Abstract: NATS President Alexis Davis-Hazell explores the philosophical underpinnings of membership associations while examining their relationship to conferences in enacting these principles. Drawing on analyses in nonprofit studies and event management, Davis-Hazell emphasizes that conferences are formative spaces that sustain an association’s mission and validity. She recommends an initiative through which each NATS chapter subsidizes one delegate to attend the 2026 biennial national conference and participate in strategic planning and governance. Cultivating increased democratic representation will assist the strategic shift toward a new era for our association. Davis-Hazell posits that catching the vision of NATS is best achieved at the national conference.