The 2025 honorees include Wendy-Jo Toyama, MBA, FASAE, CAE, CEO of American Epilepsy Society, who is recognized with this year’s Key Award; David "DJ" Johnson, IOM, FASAE, CAE, chief membership and engagement officer at American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, who is honored with the Professional Performance Award; and KiKi L'Italien, executive vice president of marketing and community engagement at Big Red M, who is receiving the Academy of Leaders Award.

“Each year, the Individual Honors Committee is inspired by the sheer number of exceptional candidates who are nominated for ASAE’s highest individual recognitions,” said Clayonia Colbert-Dorsey, U.S. Director and Secretary of the Board, World Eye Cancer Hope, and Chair of the ASAE Individual Honors Committee. “The depth of experience, leadership and service represented in this year’s pool of applicants made our deliberations both challenging and deeply rewarding. Collectively, this year’s recipients exemplify the spirit of service, innovation and values-driven leadership that ASAE strives to celebrate through these awards.”

The Key Award is presented to chief staff executives of associations who demonstrate exceptional qualities of leadership and a deep commitment to voluntary membership organizations. Wendy-Jo Toyama is the 80^th recipient of this award. In addition to her leadership at AES, Toyama is the co-founder and 2025 chair of ASAE’s Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Association Community, which aims to increase AANHPI participation and advancement in the association profession. 

The Professional Performance Award recognizes important contributions made by association executives who are at the top level in their organizations but do not serve in the role of CEO. David “DJ” Johnson is the 51^st recipient of this award. Beyond his service at ACOG, Johnson has served as Vice Chair (2019-2020) and Chair (2020-2021) of the Certified Association Executive (CAE) Commission, and is an alumni of ASAE’s Diversity Executive Leadership Program.

The Academy of Leaders Award is given to consultants or industry partners who have demonstrated exemplary support of ASAE and the entire association community. KiKi L’Italien is the 38th recipient of the award. In her role at Big Red M, L’Italien helps associations increase revenue and relevance through strategy, branding, and community-driven marketing. L’Italien is also editor-in-chief of Association Chat, a widely respected media platform that includes a digital and print quarterly magazine, podcast, newsletter, online community, and live events.

The Individual Honors for Exceptional Leadership will be presented during the 2025 ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition, taking place Aug. 9-12, in Los Angeles, CA. To learn more about ASAE’s Individual Honors criteria and selection process, visit the ASAE Individual Honors page.

 

MEDIA CONTACT: Chris Vest, CAE, 202-626-2798, cvest@asaecenter.org

 

About ASAE

ASAE is a membership organization of more than 50,000 association executives and industry partners. Since it was established 100 years ago, its members have and continue to lead, manage, and work in or partner with organizations in more than a dozen association management disciplines, from executive management to finance to technology. With the support of the ASAE Research Foundation, a separate nonprofit entity, ASAE is the premier source of learning, knowledge, and future-oriented research for the association and nonprofit profession and provides resources, education, ideas, and advocacy to enhance the power and performance of the association and nonprofit community. Visit ASAE at Welcome to ASAE — American Society of Association Executives (asaecenter.org)