Intro: The following SHSMD Podcast is a production of DoctorPodcasting.com.

Bill Klaproth (Host): On this edition of the SHSMD podcast, meet the new boss, not the same as the old boss. Little Who reference for you there. Hey, we're going to meet the new executive director of SHSMD, Evan Williams. We're going to learn more about him, his aspirations, and the goals that he has for continued growth and success of SHSMD.

It's going to be really cool. He's going to be with us in Denver. So make sure you listen to this great interview with the new Director of SHSMD, Evan Williams, starting right now.

 This is the SHSMD podcast, Rapid Insights, for healthcare strategy professionals in planning, business development, marketing, communications, and public relations. I'm your host, Bill Klaproth. On this episode, it's Evan Williams, the brand new Director of SHSMD. Evan, welcome.

Evan Williams, CAE, IOM: Bill, it's wonderful to be here and I'm so glad to have the opportunity to talk to all of our SHSMD professionals today.

Host: I love it. SHSMD is such a great organization. So much fun. Some of the most brilliant and brightest marketing directors in the country are members of SHSMD. That's for sure. So Evan, you're the new Executive Director of SHSMD. I just want to take a little bit of time to get to know you a little bit better. So our members can know a little bit more about you. So can you tell us about your professional background and previous roles before joining SHSMD?

Evan Williams, CAE, IOM: Yeah, Bill, absolutely. I'd love to. It really goes back for me to 2006. At that time, I was providing some advocacy work for a number of professional societies and trade associations, and I really found out from working with them on a day to day basis how much I loved the type of work that they did.

And at that point, I decided I really wanted to do that type of work. So, fast forwarding a little bit, I had an opportunity then to work with some terrific members, some great volunteer leaders, some really amazing staff in both the construction and real estate communities and of course, just thrilled to be here at SHSMD today, but I also did a couple of other things.

 One of which was that I deeply ingrained myself in the association professional community, really wanted to learn what that was all about, build a deep network there and had a great opportunity to serve on the association forums board of directors. as their board chair in 2013 and 2014 and earned my Certified Association Executive Certification in 2011.

Host: I love it. So then what was it about SHSMD that attracted you to this position?

Evan Williams, CAE, IOM: Well, you know, what's not to love about SHSMD? There's just a lot of fascinating things about the opportunity to be the Executive Director here. But there are really two things that drew me in, in particular over some others. Of course, I'm very excited about advancing the SHSMD mission. I love this.

I mean, if you look at the wording, empower healthcare strategists to overcome obstacles, foresee the future and drive change. I mean, that is absolutely amazing. It's exciting. But in addition, I really like what my leadership skills and the work that I do, how that matches up with what I think SHSMD needs right now.

It's a very strategic, a really collaborative, a really engaged culture here at SHSMD and I think those things are critical to organizational growth and I really want to see that continue under my leadership. In addition, I bring a lot of experience in strategy. This is a group that knows that backwards and forward and also member value. And those are things we're going to continue to look at with SHSMD so that it can grow now and into the future.

Host: Well, I love that you love the mission of SHSMD. That's awesome. And you're right. When we talk about strategy, like I said earlier, we have some of the best and the brightest healthcare marketers and strategists as members of SHSMD. So this is going to be a great marriage, Evan, between you and the members of SHSMD.

Evan Williams, CAE, IOM: Yeah, there is no doubt about that.

Host: Oh yeah, it's going to be cool. So I know you're new here, but, what do you, right now, what do you feel are your primary goals you hope to achieve in your first year?

Evan Williams, CAE, IOM: Well Bill, I appreciate you asking that. The first thing I really want to do is listen and learn. I want to hear from all of our professionals at SHSMD and really understand all the things that make SHSMD, great. I believe the organization is in such a terrific position to continue powering the strategy of professionals of healthcare.

That sounds great, and I want to continue to do that. My goal is to continue that terrific culture of collaboration, so that is really primary first and foremost. But secondly, many of you know, SHSMD's in the first year of implementing its new strategic plan. It's a three year plan, and so we have a great opportunity this year in 2024, moving into 2025, to really advance and build on all the work that was performed by our volunteer leaders and our members and staff, and really ensuring that all of our business activities support the SHSMD strategic plan and the objectives moving forward for the next two and a half years.

Host: So, as you work on the three year plan, as you say, this is your chance to really kind of shape the strategy for enhancing member benefits and participation. Can you let us in on any of that, what you're thinking for this plan for the coming years?

Evan Williams, CAE, IOM: Yeah, absolutely. It's not the most secretive playbooks, but one of the things we really want to do, we've got such terrific products and services for SHSMD, so much to help our members in the community. So we want to continue not only to provide those, but also to help identify how those tools and resources can help you, our members and our prospective members, solve your real world challenges; because we have what you need to be successful. And secondly, we want to talk to you a little bit more about that, help communicate that we are the place to be to solve those problems. And you know, Bill, while I say that it's easy to say, it can be sometimes a little difficult to achieve in practice, but we're doing a great job and we're going to keep pushing forward.

Host: So, I have often said on this podcast, because we talk about strategy and marketing and things like that, that people don't pay attention to you until you offer a solution to their problem. So great to hear you say, well, I'm going to listen. I'm going to see what challenges are facing our members. And we're going to come up with even more solutions to help benefit the their roles and their positions and also their personal lives too. If there's one thing that I found out about SHSMD is, it's a great organization for advancing your career, helping you with your job, as far as learning the best and latest marketing techniques. But the personal relationships that you can develop through SHSMD, through the networking, when you go to the conference, I think is just invaluable as well.

Evan Williams, CAE, IOM: Yeah. Nobody could say a better. That was perfect.

Host: You know, even every now and then I get it right. So that's the good thing about that. So I'm just curious to learn a little bit more about you and your career. Can you share a memorable moment, maybe from your career that has helped shape your professional journey?

Evan Williams, CAE, IOM: Yeah, sure. I'd be glad to. I'm a big advocate of volunteerism and that may or may not come as a surprise for somebody that works for a volunteer led organization. Um, and I mentioned a little bit earlier that I served as the chair of the board of directors of the association forum, and that was really transformative for me, for a couple of reasons.

One is it provided a pathway to tremendous professional growth, a huge network of my peers that I'm able to lean on to this day, but it also gave me a really great perspective on what the experience of being a volunteer and member leader is like. And since that time, I've continued to volunteer for both the association forum and for other groups where I have deep passion.

And I do that not only because I love these causes and I want to give back, but because it helps keep me grounded as a staff lead on the needs of our volunteer leaders and our members. And I want to keep those perspectives, your perspectives, and what it's like to be a volunteer serving an organization. I want to keep that in mind every day in my role as the Executive Director.

Host: Well, volunteering keeps you kind of on the ground level too, as you said. And that's really important I think for a leader to kind of know what the members and other people are going through, would that be right?

Evan Williams, CAE, IOM: Absolutely correct.

Host: Yeah, I think that's really great that you do that. And I think that is also sends a great message to the people you're trying to lead too. Hey, I'm volunteering. I'm doing things to integrate myself with these different communities. Come along with me and see what else you learn. So I think great that you do that.

Evan Williams, CAE, IOM: Yeah, thank you.

Host: So what message would you like to leave with the members of SHSMD as you begin your tenure as the SHSMD Executive Director?

Evan Williams, CAE, IOM: Well, Bill, I'd love to hear from the members of SHSMD. I'd love for you to reach out and tell me the things that you love about SHSMD. Tell me how it has helped you in your career and what we can continue to do to make it the vibrant, exciting organization that it's always been. I'd love to hear you know, all of those types of experiences really helps enrich the fabric of everything we're working on here at SHSMD.

Host: So, get the feedback to Evan. Do it now. He wants to hear the feedback. I love it. So, how can our members get in touch with you?

Evan Williams, CAE, IOM: Well, you know, I was going to have to come here at some point. Please join us in October in Denver, our annual conference, our SHSMD Connections Conference is coming up. That would be a great opportunity to say hi. I'd love to see you there. I know our staff would love to see you there. It'll give you a great opportunity to meet so many of your wonderful peers.

If you've been there before, you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't, you really don't know what you're missing. So come, grow your knowledge, build your network, have a really good time. You can go to shsmd.org and get some more information and check out the toolkit we have on how to get a great return on your investment by attending.

It'll really help you maximize your time at the SHSMD conference and really understand how we can make that worth the time and the money that you are going to spend to come be with us for a few days. But I understand, not everybody can make it to conference. If not, shoot me an email. I'd love for you to say hi, share with me your experiences with SHSMD, how valuable it's been, and reach out to me. It's ewilliams@AHA.org. I'd love to hear from you.

Host: ewilliams@AHA.org. Reach out to Evan and look for Evan at SHSMD Connections 2024 in Denver. Evan, this has been great. Thank you so much for your time.

Evan Williams, CAE, IOM: Absolutely. Appreciate it, Bill.

Host: Yeah, and once again, that is Evan Williams, the new SHSMD Executive Director. And as Evan says, make sure you get registered for this year's 2024 SHSMD Connections Conference in Denver.

Get registered now at shsmd.org/education/annualconference. And if you found this podcast helpful, and let's be serious, how could you not? Please, please share it on your social channels and please hit the subscribe or follow button to get every episode and to access our full podcast library. It is chock full of goodness people. Make sure you go there. All you want to do is go to shsmd.org/podcasts. This has been a production of DoctorPodcasting. I'm Bill Klaproth. See ya.