--- title: "Comings and Goings: Career Moves in Associations" id: "54828" type: "post" slug: "comings-and-goings-career-moves-in-associations-18" published_at: "2022-07-24T22:53:25+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-17T15:06:42+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2022/07/24/comings-and-goings-career-moves-in-associations-18/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2022/07/24/comings-and-goings-career-moves-in-associations-18.md" excerpt: "Association professionals are always on the move. Here’s our monthly roundup of new hires, career changes, and retirements across the industry. Of Note: Veronica T. Holmes Purvis, CAE, will lead the Journalism Education Association." taxonomy_category: - "Executive Leadership" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "Business" - "careers" - "Executives" - "Leadership" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "C-Level" - "Executive Team" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Comings and Goings: Career Moves in Associations Career moves are common in the association industry. This month, there are several changes at the executive level, including Kim Schardin, CAE, stepping in to lead the Society for Research on Adolescence. There were also many moves at the vice-president level, including Sarah Jane Scruggs becoming a vice president at the American Chemistry Council and Gathan Borden taking on the role of senior vice president at Destinations International. Read on to see what careers moves occurred recently. ## Chief Staff Executives Hawai’i Pacific Parks Association [selected (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/HIPacParks/status/1547752823982411778) **Melody (Mel) Boehl** as its new executive director. **Gregory D. Hill, CAE**, [was appointed (opens in a new tab)](https://www.nysdental.org/news-publications/news/2022/07/12/gregory-hill-named-new-york-state-dental-association-executive-director) executive director of the New York State Dental Association. Visit Baton Rouge [named (opens in a new tab)](https://www.visitbatonrouge.com/articles/post/visit-baton-rouge-board-selects-jill-kidder-as-new-president-ceo/) **Jill Kidder** president and CEO. **Joslyn McGriff-Bensley** [was selected (opens in a new tab)](https://myemail.constantcontact.com/BCC-welcomes-new-Executive-Director.html?soid=1101825906426&aid=n_igJ_cD6_U) as executive director for the Boone County Chamber of Commerce. The Journalism Education Association [named (opens in a new tab)](http://jea.org/wp/blog/2022/04/01/jea-selects-veronica-purvis-as-next-executive-director/) **Veronica T. Holmes Purvis, CAE**, its new executive director. The American Fence Association [selected (opens in a new tab)](https://www.americanfenceassociation.com/files/new_executive_director_press_release_14999.pdf) [PDF] **Michael Reed** to be executive director. **Kim Schardin, CAE**, [will lead (opens in a new tab)](https://manageassociations.com/news/blog/entry/kim-schardin-mba-cae-joins-amped-as-executive-director-of-the-society-for-research-on-adolescence) the Society for Research on Adolescence as executive director. **Matt Seaholm** [was named (opens in a new tab)](https://www.plasticsindustry.org/blog/new-leaders-new-era-plastics) CEO of the Plastics Industry Association. Dyslexia Canada [selected (opens in a new tab)](https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/dyslexia-canada-announces-the-appointment-of-alicia-smith-as-the-organization-s-new-executive-director-813094819.html) **Alicia Smith** as its new executive director. ## Other Moves Glenn Anderson Stephanie Strategos Polis Whitney Taveras The Plastic Industries Association made several staff changes. It [selected (opens in a new tab)](https://www.plasticsindustry.org/blog/new-leaders-new-era-plastics) **Glenn Anderson** as its new chief operating officer, [hired (opens in a new tab)](https://www.plasticsindustry.org/article/plastics-industry-association-names-polis-new-vp-communications) **Stephanie Strategos** **Polis** as vice president of communications, and [promoted (opens in a new tab)](https://www.plasticsindustry.org/article/plastics-industry-association-names-new-equipment-council-director) **Whitney Taveras** to Equipment Council director. **Dustin Arnheim** [joined (opens in a new tab)](https://www.choosechicago.com/press-media/press-releases/dustin-arnheim-appointed-senior-vice-president-of-sales-services-for-choose-chicago/) Choose Chicago team as its new senior vice president of sales and services. Visit Salt Lake hired**Suzanne Bajek**as its national sales manager for the Northeast Region. **Gathan Borden** [was named (opens in a new tab)](https://destinationsinternational.org/destinations-international-announces-gathan-borden-organization%E2%80%99s-sr-vice-president-marketing) senior vice president for marketing and communications at Destinations International. Visit Greater Palm Springs [welcomed (opens in a new tab)](https://www.visitgreaterpalmsprings.com/press-releases/post/visit-greater-palm-springs-hires-director-of-sustainability-and-community-engagement/) **Lauren Bruggemans** as director of sustainability and community engagement. Two new staffers [joined (opens in a new tab)](https://www.tei.org/news/new-staff-members-join-tei) the Tax Executives Institute: **Tanya Coogan**comes aboard as director of membership and chapter relations, while **Martin Schuebel**joined as director of marketing, communications, and events. The American Hotel & Lodging Association has made three [staff hires (opens in a new tab)](https://www.ahla.com/press-release/ahla-names-leann-paradise-vp-political-and-member-engagement-announces-new-hires) to its advocacy section. **Leann Paradise** is vice president of political and member engagement, **Haleigh Hildebrand** is senior director of government and political affairs, and **Bianca Castillo** is state and local government affairs coordinator. The American Chemistry Council [named (opens in a new tab)](https://www.americanchemistry.com/chemistry-in-america/news-trends/press-release/2022/acc-names-new-vice-president-of-communications-and-public-affairs) **Sarah Jane Scruggs** vice president of communications and public affairs. Melea Runyon Rose Caple Louisville Tourism announced two staff moves. The CVB hired **Melea Runyon** as a destination services manager, and **Rose Caple** will transition to tourism sales manager. ## Retirements & Departures **Peggy Daidakis**, executive director of the Baltimore Convention Center, [is retiring (opens in a new tab)](https://mayor.baltimorecity.gov/news/press-releases/2022-07-13-mayor-scott-announces-retirement-baltimore-convention-center) September 1. Daidakis began her career in the convention industry in 1978 as a part of the team that opened the BCC in 1979. The American Bakers Association announced president and CEO **Robb MacKie** [will step down (opens in a new tab)](https://americanbakers.org/news/mackie-step-down-support-family) at the end of 2022. MacKie has been with the organization for 27 years, 17 of them in his current role. (MangoStar_Studio/iStock/Getty Images Plus) [Rasheeda Childress](https://associationsnow.com/author/rasheeda-childress/) Rasheeda Childress is a former senior editor at Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/rasheeda-childress/) Tags: [#Business](https://associationsnow.com/tag/business/) [#careers](https://associationsnow.com/tag/careers/) [#Executives](https://associationsnow.com/tag/executives/) [#Leadership](https://associationsnow.com/tag/leadership/) **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 - [VideoInt. Society for the Study of Xenobiotics: ISSX Africa: Transforming Science, Connecting WorldsSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/int-society-for-the-study-of-xenobiotics-issx-africa-transforming-science-connecting-worlds/) - [VideoAssociation for Financial Counseling and Planning EducationSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/association-for-financial-counseling-and-planning-education/) - [VideoAmerican Geophysical Union: Standing Up for Science: AGU’s Year of Action for Scientists and SocietySeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/american-geophysical-union-standing-up-for-science-agus-year-of-action-for-scientists-and-society/) - [VideoExploring New Frontiers: Leadership, Resilience and the Future of SpaceflightAugust 27, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/08/27/exploring-new-frontiers-leadership-resilience-and-the-future-of-spaceflight/) ## 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%2F2022%2F07%2F24%2Fcomings-and-goings-career-moves-in-associations-18%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !