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- 2. directly by the association outside of the AMC contract. DMG currently works
with a handful of hybrid groups. We have perfected good processes to foster
communications with the outside leader as well as maintain the strict financial
and administrative controls that DMG is known for. We specialize in helping our
associations develop a strategic orientation, and aligning all of the staff and
volunteers (Board, committees, task forces) behind a program of work that
supports the strategic vision and mission, with measurable goals and clear
desired outcomes.
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Your Association Data Is Secure And Accessible
Anywhere
DMG maintains a stateoftheart infrastructure for
hosting all of our Software as a Service (SaaS)
Applications. This upgrade in cloud services
provide our clients with highlevels of Application
Availability, Application Performance and Data
Security. All components are monitored 24/7 and
configured to alert us (and our vendors) if any
potential issues should arise.
We also maintain a fully operational disaster
recovery (DR) system at our vendor’s corporate datacenter in Ashburn,
Virginia. As if that weren't enough, the entire system is replicating data to a
secondary data center in North Carolina. The current Recovery Time Objective
(RTO) is to bring the applications back online at the DR site within 4 to 8 hours.
It is all too common to have data and power disruptions, ranging from a blown
transformer to a solar flare to Hurricane Sandy. Knowing these hiccups and
disasters happen, DMG performs daily backups in the event it is necessary to
restore your data.
Keep your association data safe and at your fingertips no matter where you are
working from. Would you like more details? Please call DMG at 7034374377.
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Case Study: Academy For Eating Disorders’
Commitment Of Being A Truly Global Association
by Elissa Myers, Executive Director
- 3. Eating disorders (ED) are not a unique problem in the
United States. There is a significant misperception that an
eating disorder stems from choice, or from personal and
societal culture. And while certainly all of those things
may impact those with an eating disorder, increasing
evidence demonstrates that, like other mental illnesses,
there appear to be genetic and biological causes that are
at the root of many, if not most, eating disorders. It is an
illness that transcends borders – geographic, economic, social.
The Academy for Eating Disorders (AED) is committed to building a worldwide
understanding and appreciation for the best empirical and scientific evidence of
what causes ED, and what can help cure those suffering from an ED. For that
reason, the members choose to actively work toward a truly global organization
– not a U.S. organization marketing abroad, but a worldwide organization that
captures and spreads the best thinking from and to all corners of the globe.
To that end, we have passionately recruited professionals engaged in the
diagnosis and treatment of ED from around the world, and currently 20% of
AED’s members are located outside of the U.S. We rotate our meeting outside
of the U.S. every 3 to 4 years, and in recent years we have held our major
annual event – the International Conference of Eating Disorders (ICED) in
destinations like Barcelona, Salzburg, and Montreal. The 2017 ICED will take
place in Prague. And for 2020, we are looking to Australia or Asia.
To strengthen participation and our usefulness in Europe, AED forged an
alliance with Interel, a European public affairs and association management
company (Editor’s note: and partner of AED’s management group, DMG), and
maintains through Interel an office staffed by Mary McCue.
In addition we have embraced these initiatives:
Learning to speak in multiple languages:
Translation of the nine truths into as of today 25 languages
Translation of the Medical Care Standards Guide into many languages
Simultaneous translation of the Plenary sessions and at least one
“program” in each workshop slot
Inclusion of multiple language translations of key materials (membership,
registration forms and promotion) on the web and in direct mail
Creation of a Global Communications Network – a virtual community of key
contacts in associations – not just those specifically addressing ED, but those
that are addressing mental health and adolescent health – as well as
government agencies, educational institutions, and more.
- 4. Creation of a truly international Leadership Body, where the Board and
committee chairs are drawn from around the globe and have a full voice in the
affairs of the Academy. The current board has members from the US, but also
from the UK, Australia, Germany, and Mexico, and committee chairs and
speakers come from all over the world.
Creation of a formal network (the Partners, Chapters, and Affiliates Committee)
comprised of leaders of eating disorder associations from around the world.
We have a formal process where Country ED associations can “apply” to
become a partner or chapter, and currently have recognized affiliates from
Denmark, Finland, Japan, Mexico, Australia, France, Germany, and many more
(29 in all). These chapters annually present a major program where each
country shares the “state of the profession” in their country – what’s working,
what’s inadequate, in the diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders.
We encourage participation in our events and in our membership by
recognizing the income inequalities that exist.
2016 ICED ZONE TABLE: To reflect the international nature of our
organization’s mission and membership, AED uses tiered registration fees
based on World Bank country income categories. Our tiered fees are
designed to recognize the disparate economic conditions affecting nations
around the globe and to help enable eating disorders professionals, care
givers, and advocates from middle and lower income nations to attend the
ICED conference.
We offer scholarships to cover travel for those from low income
countries to attend the ICED –
Scholarships for People from Low Income Countries The purpose
of the program is to support people from low income countries or
those underrepresented in AED to attend the International
Conference on Eating Disorders.
ANZAED/AED Young Investigator Travel Fellowship 2016 The
ANZAED will cover up to $3,000 in travel expenses to the AED
ICED for honours and fourth year students, postgraduate students,
or those within two years of fourthyear or postgraduate degree.
Future plans call for:
A detailed “state of care” survey of the policies and practices of eating
disorders around the world,
Growth in the next 12 months from 20 to 40% of the membership outside
of the US (while continuing to expand US membership), and
Participation and support of World Eating Disorders Day (with UN
Sanction and support around the world).
- 5. In summary, AED has embraced the fact that the eating disorders are a global
problem. We have made great strides in integrating research, thought leaders
and volunteers from around the world. Our goal is to make our organization
truly borderless.
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DMG Leadership Spotlight: Elissa Myers
Elissa Myers is a global leader and volunteer.
Elissa has over 30 years of experience in
association management and has provided
consultation on a wide number of topics to
dozens of associations. At DMG, she
currently serves as executive director for the
Academy for Eating Disorders.
Previously, she was president & CEO of
Partnership for Prevention and Electronic
Retailing Association. Elissa honed her
association skills in various positions
at ASAE. She has been helping nonprofits, associations and NGOs be
successful all throughout her career. Elissa has also contributed to hundreds of
publications such as "Principles of Association Management" and "International
Privacy Law Handbook." Elissa has produced a radio show, Association Nation,
and is a sought after speaker and consultant.
She developed a presentation for another association which illustrated some of
the principles of shaping a truly effective board that allows for constructive
debate around the most divisive of issues, and then works to bring consensus
to the board around those issues where decisions and/or action are
needed.Outside of the office, Elissa mentors associations worldwide. She
teaches them how to run their nongovernmental organizations and how to
develop additional sources of funding so that they are not as reliant on
government grants. She has traveled to Georgia, Palestine and other emerging
democracies.
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How Can Your Association Expand Into International
Markets?
- 6. DMG’s international partner, Brussels
based Interel, recently opened the
Interel Washington Group office.
Transatlantic partnerships are growing
because associations, nonprofits and
other organizations want one point of
contact for domestic and international
business.
Politico Influence covered the
expansion: “It will be part of a global
network of public affairs and
government relations consultancies led
by Jason Jarrell; Clyde Group's Alex
Slater; Gavel Resources' Richard Pombo and Bill Sellery; Peter Peyser of
Peyser & Associates; and, DMG's Bill Drohan (Editor's emphasis) will join a
network of 40 partners who advise corporations, associations and international
organizations in 60 major markets. Clients of the group include Nissan, Mary
Kay, Project Management Institute, The City of Seattle, The Gates Foundation,
IEEE and ISACA.”
And in December, Interel announced they had won the ICCO Independent
Consultancy of the Year award. It “recognizes leading agencies, individuals and
inhouse teams from across six continents for effectiveness in PR and
communications in 18 different categories.”
Has your association been considering expanding its international reach,
especially to Europe? Schedule a meeting to explore how DMG can support
your organization’s growth into overseas markets.
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DMG Seasonal Community Service And Team
Building
MG was delighted to support a local Halloween
costume drive for the Alternative House and other
area shelters. The Alternative House's vision is of a
community in which all young people are safe, live in a
nurturing environment. Staff donated outfits to
the program and delivered them to the Hilton McLean
for distribution. The goal was to assist over 200
children whose families might not have been able to afford a holiday costume.
Cash donations were also accepted and the group’s GoFundMe page raised
over $1300.
