A New Chapter for SAAGNY

As I write this, I am filled with excitement about an important new chapter for SAAGNY.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am thrilled to announce that Megan E. Turcotte, CAE, has been appointed SAAGNY’s new Executive Director.

Megan will officially begin her role on Monday, September 14. We’ll share additional details next week about how members can connect with her directly.

Over the past several months, the Board and our Executive Director Search Committee, who were amazing- THANK YOU!, have been thoughtful and deliberate about finding the right person to lead SAAGNY into the future.  We knew we were looking for someone with strong association experience, but just as importantly, we wanted someone who understood the power of community, valued our members, and would embrace the opportunity to get to know the people who make SAAGNY what it is.

We found that in Megan.

Megan brings more than two decades of association leadership experience, with a career focused on member engagement, strategic operations, governance, partnerships, and building strong communities. She has worked with professional, scholarly, scientific, and medical associations, partnering closely with boards, volunteers, members, sponsors, and other stakeholders to help organizations grow and evolve.

Most recently, Megan served as Executive Director, Association Management, at KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd., where she led strategy, operations, client relationships, and organizational initiatives across a portfolio of professional and scholarly associations. Previously, she served as Director of Membership for the American Mathematical Society, where she focused on membership strategy and engagement for its global community. Earlier in her career, Megan spent more than a decade with the Rhode Island Medical Society, leading membership, programs, sponsorships, and operations while supporting a portfolio of medical specialty societies.

While her experience is impressive, what stood out to us was her approach.

Megan understands that an association is ultimately about people. It is about creating a place where members feel connected, supported, valued, and proud to belong. She believes in listening first, understanding what members need, and bringing people together around a shared purpose.

That philosophy aligns beautifully with where we see SAAGNY going.

Our association has a strong history and an incredible community. We have dedicated members, passionate volunteers, supportive industry partners, and a Board that cares deeply about the future of SAAGNY. As we look ahead, our goal is not simply to maintain what we have built. Our goal is to elevate it.

That means continuing to strengthen the member experience, creating meaningful opportunities for connection and education, supporting our industry and our members, growing our membership throughout the SAAGNY region, and making sure that SAAGNY continues to be an association our industry wants to be part of.

Megan will work closely with the Board, our volunteers, members, and industry partners to help us move that vision forward. And I am particularly excited about the listening and learning that will happen in these first months. Megan will want to hear from you: what you value about SAAGNY, what you would like to see more of, and where you believe we have opportunities to grow.

As Megan shared with us, “The strongest associations are the ones where members feel they belong, see real value in being part of the community, and have meaningful opportunities to connect and contribute.” I couldn't agree more.

This is an exciting time for SAAGNY. We have a tremendous foundation to build upon, and now we have a new leader who brings experience, energy, curiosity, and a genuine passion for association communities.

Please join me and the entire SAAGNY Board in welcoming Megan to our association. I encourage you to introduce yourself, say hello when you see her at the Fall Show, and share your ideas with her.

Megan, welcome to SAAGNY. We are so excited to have you joining our community.

And to our members: thank you for continuing to believe in SAAGNY, for volunteering your time, for showing up, for sharing your ideas, and for being part of this community. The best is yet to come, and I am excited about what we will accomplish together.

Here’s to the next chapter of SAAGNY—and to continuing to ELEVATE together.

Sara Levinson, MAS
President
SAAGNY Board of Directors