Meet Your Association Basics Speakers

Learn from Experienced Association Professionals

May 2025 Session Speakers

Matt Miller

MATT MILLER

Chief Executive Officer, Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB)

Matt Miller is an association executive with 19 years of experience in managing and leading mission-driven organizations and currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer for the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB). At CLARB, Matt manages and collaborates with the staff team in its execution of the annual scope of work approved and funded by the Board of Directors. Matt also serves as a spokesperson for CLARB and as an ex-officio member of the Board of Directors.

Previously, Matt’s role as Executive Director & CEO at the American Welding Society (AWS) required the management of a $40M annual revenue budget, diverse programs, staff development, board relations, and volunteer engagement.

Prior to his position at AWS, Matt served as the Chief Operating Officer for NACE International where he had product and operations responsibility for education, conferences, membership, market analytics, project management, IT, finance, and the NACE Foundation. Additionally, Matt worked as the Director of the SAE Foundation and Pre-Professional Programs at SAE International where he was responsible for directing the operations and fundraising activities of the SAE Foundation and setting the strategic direction of SAE’s Pre-Professional Education Programs including the award-winning A World in Motion program, SAE’s Collegiate Design Series, and numerous awards and scholarships.

Matt earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1997, a Master of Science in Instructional Technology from Duquesne University in 2000, and a Master of Science in Nonprofit Management from Robert Morris University in 2010.

Matt is also a proud veteran of the U.S. Army (1989 – 1992) with service in Operation Desert Storm (1990 – 1991).

Dave Bergeson, PhD, CAE

Executive Director, CASSS

Dave Bergeson currently serves as Executive Director of CASSS, a professional society of over 6,000 industry, academic and regulatory professionals.

CASSS is dedicated to facilitating the sharing of resources, information, and best practices in order to advance scientific knowledge for the benefit of the biopharma community and the public at large. CASSS membership includes scientists from more than 30 nations and nearly every continent. CASSS meetings and symposia take place throughout the North America, Europe, Japan, and now South America.

Dave has been the Executive Director of several domestic and international trade associations during his 20 plus years’ experience in association management. As Executive Director of APHON, Dave led them through several challenges and opportunities, including a redesign of the association newsletter and web site, revisions to the bylaws, the development of a conference app, renegotiation of a journal contract, a very busy online member community and several award-winning publications. Under Dave’s leadership, APHON was awarded two ASAE Power of A Awards in 2017, and has received several ASAE and Association Trends product awards.

Dave also served as a Senior Consultant at AMC and spoken and consulted on many aspects of association governance. Past projects included Strategic Planning, Board Governance Restructuring, Committee and Task Force Restructuring, International Growth Strategies, Effective Board Governance, and Effective Component Relationships, Volunteer Board Education and Development and Association Mergers and Acquisitions. In his volunteer time, Dave served as Past Chair of Association Forum, the “association of associations” in Chicago, and served on this Board for several years. The mission of Association Forum is to advance the professional practice of association management.