In this episode of The Association Insights Podcast powered by OnWrd & UpWrd, we continue our special fall series with Highland, exploring how associations can better attract, engage and retain younger professionals.

Host Colleen Gallagher and special co-host David Whited, Principal of Research & Strategy at Highland, sit down with Ryan Vanderbilt, Vice President of Membership, Marketing & Communications at the American Psychiatric Association (APA), to explore what it really means for members to feel they belong—and how associations can foster meaningful connections throughout their careers.

From APA’s new strategic plan to research-driven experiments with mentorship, micro-volunteering and member communities, Ryan shares how APA is moving beyond traditional benefits to become a more relevant and supportive professional home.

Key Highlights:

• Belonging Beyond Benefits: Why APA made belonging a strategic priority and what it means for members to feel understood, valued and connected to their profession.
• Learning From Residency: How the close-knit relationships formed during training can inform new approaches to mentorship and career-long connections.
• Creating Community at Scale: How APA is leveraging local networks and practice-specific roundtables to help members find meaningful connections without manufacturing community.
• Making Engagement More Accessible: Why micro-volunteering, peer mentorship and shorter commitments can open new opportunities for younger professionals to contribute.
• Turning Research Into Action: How listening beyond the most engaged members, personalizing experiences by practice setting and testing new ideas can strengthen member value.

🎧 Tune in for a practical conversation about creating the conditions for belonging—and building member relationships that last.

Resources:

🌐 Learn more about Highland: www.highlandsolutions.com

📊 Take the Young Professional Membership Index: https://www.highlandsolutions.com/member-index/sign-up

Stay Connected: Subscribe to The Association Insights Podcast powered by OnWrd & UpWrd on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube Podcasts to ensure you never miss an episode. Follow us on LinkedIn at OnWrd & UpWrd for the latest in association trends and strategies.

Coming Soon: We’re wrapping up our special fall series with Highland! David Whited returns for a final conversation with Colleen to connect the lessons from our association leader interviews with Highland’s research and explore what associations can do to better attract, engage and retain younger professionals.

🎧 This special series is brought to you by our friends at Highland, where strategy meets research meets action.