--- title: "Comings and Goings: Career Moves in Associations" id: "51801" type: "post" slug: "comings-and-goings-career-moves-in-associations" published_at: "2021-02-04T20:38:06+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-17T04:31:07+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2021/02/04/comings-and-goings-career-moves-in-associations/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2021/02/04/comings-and-goings-career-moves-in-associations.md" excerpt: "Association professionals are always on the move. Here’s our periodic roundup of new hires, career changes, and retirements across the association industry." taxonomy_category: - "Executive Leadership" taxonomy_post_tag: - "API Management" - "AssociationsNow" - "Executives" - "Leadership" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "C-Level" - "Executive Team" taxonomy_persona: - "Executive Leadership" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Comings and Goings: Career Moves in Associations ### New Chief Staff Executives **Linda Thomas Brooks** [was named (opens in a new tab)](https://www.prsa.org/news/2021/01/11/linda-thomas-brooks-named-prsa-chief-executive-officer) CEO of the Public Relations Society of America. **Mona Buckley, MPA, CAE,** [was named (opens in a new tab)](https://www.geba.com/press/government-employees-benefit-association-geba-announces-mona-buckley-as-new-president-and-ceo/) president and CEO of the Government Employees’ Benefit Association. After almost seven years as president of Visit Franklin in Tennessee, **Ellie Westman Chin** [has left the group (opens in a new tab)](https://communityimpact.com/nashville/franklin-brentwood/arts-entertainment/2021/01/06/visit-franklin-presidentceo-ellie-westman-chin-stepping-down/) and [joined (opens in a new tab)](https://www.visitmadison.com/blog/stories/post/ellie-westman-chin-named-new-president-and-ceo/) Destination Madison as its president and CEO. **Jon Fanning, MS, CNED, CAE,** [was named (opens in a new tab)](https://www.aanp.org/news-feed/jon-fanning-named-chief-executive-officer-for-american-association-of-nurse-practitioners) CEO of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. **Matt J. Granato, LL.M., MBA,** [joined (opens in a new tab)](https://www.prweb.com/releases/pulmonary_hypertension_association_names_new_president_and_ceo/prweb17617693.htm) the Pulmonary Hypertension Association as its president and CEO. The National Association of Enrolled Agents [appointed (opens in a new tab)](https://www.naea.org/about-naea/newsroom/naea-announces-appointment-of-megan-m-killian-as-executive-vice-president/) **Megan M. Killian, CAE,** as its executive vice president. **Mark Luckinbill** [was named (opens in a new tab)](https://www.usaretirement.org/ntsa-names-luckinbill-new-executive-director) executive director of the National Tax-deferred Savings Association. **Casandra Matej** [will lead (opens in a new tab)](https://www.visitorlando.com/media/press-releases/post/visit-orlando-hires-president-chief-executive-officer/) Visit Orlando as its new president and CEO. The International Association of Assessing Officers [selected (opens in a new tab)](https://www.iaao.org/media/news/Debra_McGuire_Named_Executive_Director.htm) **Debra N. McGuire, MBA, IOM, CAE,** as its new executive director. The National Health Council [welcomed (opens in a new tab)](https://nationalhealthcouncil.org/randall-l-rutta-named-nhc-chief-executive-officer/) **Randall (Randy) L. Rutta** as its new CEO. ### Other Moves **Audrey S. Chang, Ph.D.,** [was named (opens in a new tab)](https://www.newswise.com/articles/dr-audrey-chang-joins-acsess-as-chief-operating-officer) chief operations officer of the Alliance of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Science Societies. The Governors Highway Safety Association [has welcomed (opens in a new tab)](https://www.ghsa.org/resources/news-releases/GHSA-New-Hires21) **Kerry Chausmer** as director of programs and member services and **Adam Snider** as director of communications. **Andrea Ortega** [joined (opens in a new tab)](https://www.freshfrommexico.com/andrea-ortega-joins-the-fresh-produce-association-of-the-americas-as-the-new-communications-coordinator/) the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas as its new communications coordinator. The National Association for Behavioral Healthcare [named (opens in a new tab)](https://www.nabh.org/john-snook-joins-nabh-as-director-of-government-relations-and-strategic-initiatives/) **John Snook** its director of government relations and strategic initiatives. **Melanie Stanton, CAE, CFRE,** joined the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases as the vice president of education and meetings. The Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association is [making some changes (opens in a new tab)](https://www.dipra.org/news-events/news/15-news/410-ductile-iron-pipe-research-association-welcomes-new-marketing-communications-director) . It promoted **Lynn Watson** to senior advisor and brought on **Brian Hartlove** as director of communications and marketing, the title Watson previously held. The Muscular Dystrophy Association [appointed (opens in a new tab)](https://www.mda.org/press-releases/mda-names-kristine-welker-as-chief-staff) **Kristine Welker** to the newly created role of chief of staff. ### Retirements The Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association [said goodbye to (opens in a new tab)](https://www.lvwine.org/amass/documents/article/356/Chandler%20Leaving%20Dec%202020%20release%20FINAL.pdf) **Chris Chandler**, its longest-serving executive director, who retired at the end of 2020. A retirement at the American Retirement Association has generated [a few staff moves (opens in a new tab)](https://www.usaretirement.org/ara-announces-senior-management-leadership-changes) . **Martin Pippins** is leaving his dual roles as executive director of the Association of Enrolled Actuaries and ARA director of regulatory policy. ARA General Counsel **Allison** **Wielobob** will take Pippin’s executive director role, and **Kelsey N.H. Mayo** will take over as director of regulatory policy. (themacx/iStock/Getty Images Plus) [Rasheeda Childress](https://associationsnow.com/author/rasheeda-childress/) Rasheeda Childress is a former senior editor at Associations Now. 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