What makes an association irreplaceable — and what's putting real pressure on the model right now? In this episode of Built to Connect, Jackson meets with David Gammel, Executive Director of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine, two-time association CEO, and former Chief Practice Officer at McKinley Advisors, to explore what decades of moving between the consulting world and the corner office actually teaches you about leading associations through change.

David argues that the association model's slowness and consensus-driven governance aren't weaknesses — they're what makes it last. He shares how AAPM is approaching AI with a membership that's been doing machine learning research for decades, why creator-led communities are more opportunity than threat, and why the most important thing a leader can do right now is stay optimistically grounded.

Topics covered:

• Consulting vs. staff leadership: what the back-and-forth really teaches you
• Why associations are slow — and why that's not entirely a liability
• AI adoption inside a scientifically forward membership
• Creator-led communities: competition, acquisition, or opportunity?
• The annual meeting model and the case for year-round engagement
• Manufactured serendipity: using data to connect members more meaningfully
• Servant leadership and the legacy of developing other leaders