The Member Lounge Podcast: Unlocking Association Success

Trust, Transparency, and AI: How Associations Can Lead the Conversation

Episode Summary

AI is moving fast. Associations are moving carefully. So a lot of leadership teams are left asking the same question: where do we even start?

Episode Notes

In this episode of The Member Lounge Podcast, Farhad Khan sits down with Jamie Atchison, Senior Director of Innovation and Strategy at the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health, to talk about what responsible AI adoption actually looks like for associations.

With more than 16 years of experience bringing together people, technology, and strategy, Jamie brings a grounded perspective on AI governance, data ethics, and how associations can lead their professions through this moment of rapid change.

What You Will Learn in This Episode

• Who Belongs in the Room: Why the AI conversation needs more voices than most associations are currently including, and what it costs when key perspectives get left out.
• What Associations Can Actually Do: How to build frameworks and purpose-built AI tools that give members access to trusted, vetted content instead of sending them to the open web.
• Who Is Responsible When AI Gets It Wrong: A real example from a pharmacy association, and Jamie's answer on where accountability sits when an AI system makes a mistake.
• The Data Governance Problem: Why incomplete or biased training data is one of the most underestimated risks in any AI deployment, and how to think about it before you build.
• Adopting a Pilot Mindset: How launching small, staying agile, and structuring low-risk experiments creates room for recoverable mistakes and helps build trust over time.

Meet the Guest: Jamie Atchison

Jamie Atchison is a senior technology and strategy leader with more than 16 years of experience driving organizational transformation through innovative digital solutions, strategic planning, and human-centered approaches to technology and systems development. At the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH), Jamie leads the strategic direction and execution of digital initiatives that strengthen the academic public health ecosystem and enhance organizational performance.  

About Your Host: Farhad Khan

Farhad Khan is the CEO of Member Lounge, an AI-powered engagement platform for associations, named one of the Fastest-Growing Companies in Ottawa. He was also awarded Top 40 under 40 by the Ottawa Business Journal. He believes in giving back and supporting the next generation of leaders, which is why he serves on the ForesightWorks committee at ASAE and the Founder Council at Invest Ottawa.