Kitchen Cabinet

Where bold leaders connect, reflect, and rise

Join a confidential, peer-led leadership experience designed to help you grow through real conversation, real solutions, and real connection. 

The Kitchen Cabinet series isn’t a workshop, webinar, or speaker series—it’s a support group on steroids. Built by leaders, for leaders, these confidential cohorts offer a space to get unstuck, share openly, and grow alongside peers who understand the pressures of association leadership. Moderated by respected industry thought leaders, each session is participant-driven and tailored to the group’s most pressing challenges.

Your leadership inner circle starts here.

✏️ Why This Course? 

• Peer-led, not presenter-led: No PowerPoints. No lectures. Just real talk from real leaders. 
• Safe space for tough topics: Discuss board dynamics, burnout, budget pressures, and more. 
• Local + national connection: Virtual sessions with optional in-person pop-ups. 
• Tailored content: You and your cohort choose the topics that matter most. 
• Built-in community: Moderators ensure every voice is heard and valued. 

📚 Learning Outcomes

Throughout this cohort, participants will:

• Forge trusted, lasting relationships across the association sector. 
• Leave with actionable, battle-tested strategies for leadership, influence, and resilience. 
• Face complex challenges with clarity — and swagger. 
• Reflect, recalibrate, and reignite your professional identity. 

👥 Who Should Attend?

• CEO & Executive Director Cohort: Senior-most staff responsible for vision, governance, and culture.
  
• C-Suite Cohort: Senior VPs, VPs, and Chiefs driving strategy and execution.
  

• Director Cohort: Mid-level leaders managing people, programs, or processes. 

💡 This is a can’t-miss opportunity to get unstuck and hone your leadership. No slides. No fluff. Just the truth about leading.

🏛️ What is a kitchen cabinet?

The term “kitchen cabinet” dates back to the 1800s, when President Andrew Jackson relied on an informal circle of trusted advisors who would meet with him outside of his official Cabinet meetings—often in the White House kitchen. Over time, “kitchen cabinet” came to describe any tight-knit group of confidants and experts that leaders consult for candid advice, fresh perspectives, and strategic guidance. Unlike formal committees or boards, a kitchen cabinet is intentionally small and trusted, designed to foster honest conversations and collaborative problem-solving.

Association Forum’s Kitchen Cabinet program embraces this historic concept by offering leaders the opportunity to join an intimate, peer-driven cohort focused on leadership development and community building. Participants gain a confidential space to exchange ideas, share challenges, and learn from the experiences of others who understand the demands of leadership. By joining, leaders can expand their trusted network, gain actionable insights, and build the kind of meaningful professional relationships that strengthen their leadership impact.

🎤 Facilitators