Mary Byers, CAE, is co-author of Race for Relevance: Five Radical Changes for Associations and Road to Relevance: 5 Strategies for Competitive Associations. She’s the former director of communications and member services for the Illinois State Dental Society and served in that capacity for nine years prior to starting her consulting business in 1998. Since then, she’s worked primarily with not-for-profit organizations, including the Million Dollar Round Table, American and Illinois Farm Bureaus, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons and the American Association of Medical Society Executives. Mary specializes in working with volunteer association leaders and chief staff executives to help define their roles and clarify their vision through leadership conference programming, facilitating strategic planning retreats and coaching. She’s a skilled listener and able to help initiate and manage difficult conversations. Mary is a certified association executive and a certified speaking professional. She is also the author of nine books.