The CAE Scholarship provides financial assistance to association professionals who demonstrate a strong commitment to advancing their careers in association management. Each recipient receives a $500 award that may be applied toward the CAE application fee or used for exam preparation resources, including study materials, courses, and study groups. Scholarship funds must be used within one year. Recipients who are not already members of ASAE will also receive a complimentary one-year membership to further connect them with the association community.

Established in 2011, the CAE Scholarship program was revitalized and reimagined in 2023 through the generosity and leadership of Matthew Gertzog, FASAE, CAE, deputy executive director, American Society of Hematology, and Lowell Aplebaum, FASAE, CAE, CPF, CEO of Vista Cova. ASAE Business Solutions and Hilton are also founding donors to the CAE Scholarship program.

“The CAE Scholarship reflects the ASAE Research Foundation’s commitment to advancing the association profession by investing in the people who will lead it forward,” said ASAE President and CEO Michelle Mason, FASAE, CAE, AAiP. “We congratulate this year’s recipients and look forward to the impact they will make in their organizations and the broader association community.”

The 2026 recipients of the CAE Scholarship are:

 

Jayne Edwards
Editorial Director
MudRoom

Angela Hare, CMP
Industry Relations Manager
Association Management Center

Cynthia Jimenez, MPA
Senior Manager, Workforce Pipeline & Engagement
California Society of CPAs (CalCPA)

Amanda Jundt
Office Manager & Director of Member Services
Oregon Broadband Association

Amy Lai, CMP
Training Consultant
DKF Solutions Group

Natalie Llorente
Advisory Board Member (Community Leadership & Strategy)
International Servant Leaders Museum

Jodi L. Metzgar
Executive Director
Employer Self employed

Travis Smith
Association Executive
Synergos AMC

Rebecca Weinstein
Director of Membership & Communications
American College of Medical Toxicology

 

For more information about the ASAE Research Foundation and its awards and programs, visit Association Community Scholarships & Awards | ASAE Research Foundation.

 

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)