--- title: "Membership Hack: Caucus Meetups" id: "48096" type: "post" slug: "membership-hack-caucus-meetups" published_at: "2019-09-27T19:35:56+00:00" modified_at: "2019-09-27T19:35:56+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2019/09/27/membership-hack-caucus-meetups/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2019/09/27/membership-hack-caucus-meetups.md" excerpt: "To bring members and lawmakers closer together, MassBio uses caucus-style events at industry meetings where important public policy issues can be addressed." taxonomy_category: - "Advocacy" taxonomy_post_tag: - "Advocacy" - "AssociationsNow" - "legislators" - "Membership" - "Public Policy" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "Director" - "Executive Team" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Membership Hack: Caucus Meetups **How to hack it?**Public policy discussions don’t have to happen only once a year at a legislative fly-in or lobby day. At the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, known as MassBio, these conversations also take place at caucus meetups held during widely attended industry meetings. “Having the MedTech Conference in Boston provided a great opportunity to introduce legislators and their staff to the life sciences and introduce them directly to companies and other stakeholders directly engaged in the industry,” says Zach Stanley, MassBio’s vice president of public affairs. This year’s caucus was held in the convention hall and focused on job growth and industry expansion in the life sciences. > Thank you MA State Rep [@jeffroy (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/jeffroy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > & Matt Young of @repwagner’s office for joining us during the [#biotech (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/biotech?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > caucus event at [@MedTechCon (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/MedTechCon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > – MA is the [#StateOfPossible (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/StateOfPossible?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > ! [@BobCoughlin (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/BobCoughlin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [@MALifeSciences (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/MALifeSciences?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [pic.twitter.com/tpwNmYgOGx (opens in a new tab)](https://t.co/tpwNmYgOGx) > > — MassBio (@MassBio) [September 24, 2019 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/MassBio/status/1176566195572621319?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Why does it work?** Many of MassBio’s members are already in attendance at meetings like MedTech, so it made sense to facilitate an informal, caucus-style policy event. “We help to facilitate these events along with the biotech caucus leadership, focusing on public policy topics that are timely and relevant to both the industry and legislators,” Stanley says. **What’s the bonus?** The caucus meetups also serve as get-to-know sessions for lawmakers and members. “It creates and strengthens the relationship between our industry leaders and elected officials, so we can have the best, most productive working relationship even on the most complex and contentious topics.” (Media Raw Stock/iStock/Getty Images Plus) [Tim Ebner](https://associationsnow.com/author/tim-ebner/) Tim Ebner is communications director and press secretary at the American Forest & Paper Association in Washington, DC. He is a member of ASAE’s Communication Professionals Advisory Council and a former Associations Now senior editor. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/tim-ebner/) Tags: [#Advocacy](https://associationsnow.com/tag/advocacy/) [#legislators](https://associationsnow.com/tag/legislators/) [#Membership](https://associationsnow.com/tag/membership/) [#Public Policy](https://associationsnow.com/tag/public-policy/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoASAE Legislative 2025 Fly-InApril 4, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/04/04/asae-legislative-2025-fly-in/) - [TemplateMembers onlySample Site Visit Guidelines for State LegislatorSeptember 23, 2019](https://associationsnow.com/2019/09/23/sample-site-visit-guidelines-for-state-legislator/) - [VideoExplore How Associations Make An ImpactNovember 2, 2020](https://associationsnow.com/2020/11/02/explore-how-associations-make-an-impact/) - [ArticleDon’t Let the Story End When at the Fly-InApril 16, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/04/16/dont-let-the-story-end-when-at-the-fly-in/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2019%2F09%2F27%2Fmembership-hack-caucus-meetups%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !