Working Sessions for Association Conferences and Board Retreats
When associations struggle, whether with disengaged volunteers, stalled decisions, unclear authority, or strategic drift, the underlying issue is often structural.
Marie Stravlo leads applied sessions for association conferences and board retreats focused on clarifying roles, strengthening decision structures, and working through real challenges.
These sessions are designed for active participation. Participants examine their own structures, decisions, and dynamics in real time using a practical systems lens.
As both a consultant and an active association executive, she brings direct, ongoing insight into how boards function and where they break down.
A Certified Association Executive (CAE) and faculty member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management (IOM), Marie leads sessions that produce clear direction and usable outcomes.
How These Sessions Work
Sessions are structured for application.
Participants work through real challenges using their own structures, decisions, and current dynamics as context. Discussions are guided, focused, and tied directly to how decisions are made and carried out.
Sessions can be adapted for conference settings or structured as working sessions for board retreats and leadership groups.When Boards Get Stuck
How Structure Drives or Blocks Real Decisions
Boards stall when roles are unclear, authority is misaligned, and decision pathways no longer support how the organization actually operates.
This session introduces a practical systems lens to help leaders identify where structure is slowing progress. Participants examine how roles, committees, bylaws, and strategy interact and how to realign those elements so decisions can move forward.
This session provides a clear way to diagnose structural friction and strengthen decision-making at the board level.
When Roles Blur
Defining the Board–Executive Boundary Without Friction
Tension between boards and executive leadership often stems from unclear authority and inconsistent expectations.
This session helps boards and executives define decision boundaries, strengthen delegation, and clarify where board responsibility ends and management begins. Participants examine how misalignment develops and how to correct it without disrupting working relationships.
The result is a clearer, more functional leadership structure.
When Risk Stops Decisions
A Practical Approach to Conflict of Interest
Boards often respond to conflict of interest with hesitation, recusing too often, delaying decisions, or overcorrecting in ways that stall progress.
This session focuses on how to identify, evaluate, and respond to potential conflicts in a consistent and disciplined way. Participants learn how to distinguish between minor and consequential conflicts and apply appropriate responses without slowing down the work.
Boards leave with a structured approach for handling conflicts with clarity and consistency.
When Committees Stop Working
Designing Volunteer and Leadership Structures That Produce Results
Committees and volunteer roles often persist long after they stop serving the organization. Participation becomes uneven, authority unclear, and work stalls.
This session examines how to design committee structures, volunteer roles, and leadership pathways that reflect how the organization actually operates today. Participants explore how to move from legacy structures to intentional design without losing engagement or continuity.
The focus is on aligning volunteer effort with strategic priorities.
When Strategy Doesn’t Move
Turning Board Discussions into Clear Direction
Boards can spend significant time discussing strategy without making clear decisions. Conversations repeat, options remain open, and progress slows.
This session focuses on the board’s role in shaping direction. Participants learn how to clarify authority, evaluate options, define acceptable risk, and translate priorities into clear decisions.
The outcome is a more disciplined approach to moving from discussion to direction.