Name: 2026 May Lunch and Learn
Start: 2026-05-01T11:30:00-05:00
End: 2026-05-01T14:00:00-05:00
Location: Illinois Bankers Association

Your Members Are on a Journey (Whether You Designed It or Not)
Speaker: Joy Duling, Founder and CEO of The Joy of Membership
Members don’t experience your association through a single email, event, or renewal notice. They experience it as a journey made up of many small moments over time. Some are intentional. Many are not.
In this session, we’ll look at how member engagement is shaped by everyday touchpoints, where associations most often lose momentum without realizing it, and how small changes can dramatically improve the member experience. You’ll leave with a simple way to evaluate your first 90 days of membership and ideas you can realistically implement, even if you're operating solo or with a very small staff.
What you'll learn:
The hidden journey every member is already on
Where engagement quietly drops off (and why)
How to map the first 90 days without overcomplicating it
Small, realistic automation ideas that support members and staff
About the Speaker:
Joy Duling is the Founder and CEO of The Joy of Membership, where she has worked with leaders of associations, trade groups, and nonprofits since 2005 to strengthen membership strategy and organizational growth. Earlier in her career, Joy spent nearly a decade serving as Executive Director of a membership-based nonprofit she helped launch from the ground up, leading it to more than $1 million in annual revenue generated entirely through membership contributions.
A respected speaker, online educator, and trusted advisor, Joy has been recognized for her leadership with the Unsung Hero Award from the National Association of Women Business Owners’ Central Illinois Chapter. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Social Work with a specialization in Policy, Planning, and Administration.
Joy brings deep expertise in strategic planning, change management, team facilitation, and association operations. Known for her calm, practical approach, she helps organizations cut through complexity, focus on what matters most, and build systems that move ideas into meaningful progress.