Podcast: How to Build a Workplace Culture for the Future
The role of association leaders is changing rapidly. Today’s workplaces must balance shifting employee expectations, hybrid environments, and accelerating technological disruption while sustaining cultures where people feel connected, supported, and able to do their best work.
In the finale of Season 3 of the Association Adviser Podcast, Wendy-Jo Toyama, MBA, FASAE, CAE, CEO of the American Epilepsy Society (AES), joins host Christine Shaw to discuss what it takes to build a workplace culture prepared for the future. With more than 25 years of experience leading associations through transformation, Toyama brings a thoughtful and people-centered perspective to how organizations can evolve with intention.
Toyama’s career has been defined by championing creativity, belonging, and equitable practices. In this conversation, she shares how strong cultures are built through clear values, inclusive systems, and leadership that models trust and curiosity. Toyama reflects on the realities of modern workforce expectations including accessibility, neurodiversity, and how to design hybrid workplaces that strengthen connection rather than weaken it.
Toyama also shares lessons from her years in healthcare associations, where agility, rapid decision making, and cross-functional collaboration are essential. These insights offer practical guidance for any association navigating uncertainty or preparing for the next chapter of growth.
Listeners will learn what the strongest association cultures have in common, how hybrid teams can stay aligned and collaborative, the direction DEI is heading, why accessibility strengthens both staff and member experiences, and how to cultivate teams that are more creative, resilient, and ready for what comes next.
Listen now to the full conversation with Wendy-Jo Toyama: How to Build a Workplace Culture for the Future.
